Heligoland cruise port guide

About Heligoland

Heligoland is a small German archipelago in the southeastern North Sea, located approximately 46 km off the German mainland coast and 69 km by sea from Cuxhaven. A seaside resort since 1826, the island draws visitors with its dramatic red sandstone cliffs, the iconic 47-metre 'Lange Anna' rock stack, and sandy beaches on both the main island and the neighbouring Düne island. The local population are ethnic Frisians who speak the Heligolandic dialect of North Frisian alongside German.

Heligoland's defining landmark is the Lange Anna (Long Anna), a 47-metre free-standing sandstone rock column on the island's northwestern edge — an unmistakable image of the North Sea. The main island's Oberland (Upper Land) plateau offers elevated perspectives, while small beaches exist on both the north and south of the main island. The separate Düne island to the east is characterised by sand beaches and is the site of the island's airfield. Culturally, Heligoland carries significance as the location where poet August Heinrich Hoffmann von Fallersleben wrote the lyrics to what would become the German national anthem, in 1841.