Varel is a small town in East Frisia, near the Jade River, and south of Wilhelmshaven and Oldenburg. There is a well-known church dating back to 1144, although nowadays the town had a population of 24,000 in 2020, and the church is Lutheran.
Understand
[edit]Varel is known mainly due to its seaside resort Dangast, which is part of the Lower Saxon Wadden Sea National Park at the shore of a tidal flat bay Jadebusen (Jade bay).
Get in
[edit]Just of the A29 between Oldenburg and Wilhelmshaven.
NordWest Bahn[dead link] connects Bahnhof Varel with trains from Oldenburg, Wilhelnshaven and Bremen
Get around
[edit]See
[edit]- 1 Varel Harbour (Vareler Hafen). The harbour is a nice place for a walk with restaurants offering fresh fish and other sea food. There is a museum of curiosities Spijöök and Bahlsen biscuit factory outlet.
- 2 Schlosskirche (Castle church). Original sections built in 1144 with the tower added between 1200 and 1250 and later extended in the 17th century.
Do
[edit]Dangast
[edit]- 1 Beach (Kurhausstrand). Dangast has a nice public beach in front of the Kurhaus, dominated by large pieces of art in a form of a chair and a rock penis, where no fees for entrance must be paid.
- 2 DanGastQuellbad, Edo-Wiemken-Str. 64, ☏ +49 4451-9114-41. Usually daily 10:00-20:00, but due to lots of exceptions it is worth checking in advance.. Iodine - saline water is taken from a 573-m-deep well to provide guests with a relaxing bath. Indoor part of the swimming center with a large pool, a baby pool, a long slide and saunas (no pools for "real" swimming) is open all year round and the outdoor part with a 25-m swimming pool and a pretty children playground is open approximately between May and September.
Buy
[edit]- 1 Bahlsen Factory Outlet (biscuits and other sweet and savoury treats), Kohlhof 5. M-F 09:00-18:00, Sa 09:00-16:00. Not to be missed by sweet tooths. 30 to 50% discounts on wide range of products compared to usual store prices.
Eat
[edit]- 1 Kurhaus, An der Rennweide 46. Open on weekends and public holidays. Family-run restaurant with local specialities and a fine selection of desserts. This is a place where locals frequently come for their weekend afternoon coffee & cake.
- 2 Schienfatt, Neumarktpl. 3, ☏ +49 4451 4761.
Drink
[edit]Sleep
[edit]- 1 An Bord Pension, Edo-Wiemken-Straße 59, Dangast, ☏ +49 4451 9182010.
- 2 Hotel Friesenhof, Neumarktpl. 4-6, ☏ +49 4451 9250.
- 3 Upstalsboom Landhotel Friesland, Mühlenteichstraße 78, Obenstrohe, ☏ +49 4451 9210.