Sylt is connected to the German mainland by the Hindenburgdamm, a causeway. There is a railway line built on this and passenger trains connect Westerland to Niebüll or Klanxbüll. There is also the option of taking one's car onto the train at Niebüll. There are also ferry services to the nearby Danish island of Rømø and also Sylt Airport serves the region.

Sylt, northern Germany -- Often referred to as the "St. Tropez of Germany," and best known as a getaway for affluent northern Germans, Sylt is a rare gem most of Europe's holiday makers never discover.

With its unspoilt beaches and unique architecture, Sylt -- pronounced "zoolt" -- is arguably the most enchanting of the North Frisian Islands, off Germany's northern coastline.

There is a distinct air of indulgence on the island -- with its designer boutiques, expensive restaurants and abundance of top end German cars.

It is definitely a playground for the rich and famous, but Sylt has a wealth of attractions that can be enjoyed by a visitor no matter what their budget.

Arriving on Sylt via the train causeway Hindenburgdamm, the thatched-roof houses dotting the landscape give the impression of a land frozen in time.

The Frisian-style houses have reed roofs that slope down to mix with the surrounding vegetation. They can be seen clustered in the various villages or standing alone atop the dunes amidst the heath.

The island's main town, Westerland, is a bustling tourist hub with scores of shops, seaside bars and restaurants. But for the more prestigious boutiques and chic bars, visit Kampen, the central point for the rich and famous, boasting many of the island's reed-topped villas.

Secluded beaches can be found near List on Sylt's northern tip. This can be the best place to go to escape the crowds -- although it is also the arrival point for the car ferry from the Danish island of Rom. The famous Gosch restaurant, which has all manner of seafood fresh from the North Sea, is also nearby.

One of the most unique places to visit is Kupferkanne, a tearoom in Kampen offering light meals, cakes and coffees.

Kupferkanne directly overlooks the Watten Sea and was created by navy lieutenant Gunter Rieck, who found himself there at the end of World War II.

A sculptor, Rieck built the site out of a disused bunker, making the half-underground rooms sitting beneath grassed hills peculiarly reminiscent of Tolkein's Shire.

Shifting sands
The landscape itself is food for the senses. The island's north is graced with 'wanderdunes' -- travelling sands that shift with the wind.

Stretching along the full length of western Sylt is the longest continuous beach in Germany. The fine white sand is a luxury in crowded Europe and has helped Sylt develop into a windurfing mecca, so much so that a round of the Professional Windsurfing Association world cup is held there every year.

Thatch-roofed houses cluster among the reeds.And what better way to soak up the beach atmosphere than in one of Sylt's iconic Strandkoerbe, or large wicker beach chairs.

The basket chairs, with colorful striped cushions and a small roof with two side walls, provide the sunbather with comfortable protection from the summer sun and the ocean breeze -- as well as from nosy neighbors.

The grey mudflats of the Wattenmeer make the feel of the eastern side of the island worlds apart from the resort-like west.

Declared a national park in 1985, the tidal mudflats are a fertile ecosystem that harbours countless species of wildlife. It acts as a feeding and resting place for migratory birds and an important nursery for many fish and crustaceans.

But why just let the wildlife benefit from Sylt's pristine environment? Some believe the clean air of the North Sea to be better for the skin than the most expensive beauty products and many holidaymakers seek out the island for a number of health cures, or just a much-needed rejuvenation from congested city life.

And no doubt some serious rejuvenation will be just what you will need -- watching all that windsurfing can be exhausting work.

Measuring approx. 40 km in length and just under 500 metres wide in certain places, the island of Sylt lies just off the Schleswig-Holstein coast like a gigantic breakwater. Sylt was first mentioned in the 13th century. However, the numerous tumuli here show that there were prehistoric settlements on the island. For centuries the islanders made their living as sailors, pirates and whalers. Then, the people of Sylt discovered tourism as a source of income. People began coming to bathe at the newly opened seaside resort of Westerland in 1857. There are eleven villages on Sylt today, each with its own particular charm, such as idyllic Keitum with its thatched cottages and neatly kept farmer's gardens, as well as the island's lively centre Westerland, which is now a sizeable town. The island also has a wealth of unspoilt countryside. Almost half of the island now consists of protected sites or conservation areas. The island of Sylt has many different faces. There is a Sylt for affluent society and a Sylt for the really rich, there is a Sylt for spa visitors and a Sylt for pleasure-seekers. Some come for rest and relaxation, while others come to enjoy good food and soak up the rays. Despite being so small, the island certainly has a lot to offer. You just have to know where to look! There's something for almost everyone on the island of Sylt.

If you stand on the most northerly point of Sylt, you can enjoy the privilege of calling yourself the "northernmost person" in Germany. Other attractions in the village of List include wide beaches, an unspoilt dune landscape, the vibrant buzz of the harbour, as well as rest and relaxation in the Ellenbogen nature conservation area. Sylt's most elegant address is Kampen: small yet sophisticated, exclusive yet cosmopolitan, chic yet full of charm. Germany's most high-profile village has become a hot favourite over the last few decades with a number of famous guests. Activities such as miniature golf, trampolining, painting lessons and pony riding make Wenningstedt the ideal destination for families with young children. On the eastern part of Sylt you'll find the resorts of Tinnum, Keitum, Munkmarsch, Archsum and Morsum and some of the island's most spectacular scenery. Behind the verdant dykes there are wide-open fields and lush meadows, with Morsum Cliff sitting in majestic splendour overlooking the mudflats and the heather waving gently in the breeze. The villages are full of old Frisian houses with their traditional thatched roofs. All's still well with the world here.

Westerland is the island's lively centre – a fascinating blend of nature, luxury, relaxation and high-calibre events. It is the place for parties, informal get-togethers, classical concerts and beach parties, as well as seeing and being seen, dining and shopping. The island has a fantastic nightlife, with numerous bistros, discotheques and cafés playing dance music, as well as places where pure indulgence and total relaxation are guaranteed. In Rantum - Sylt's "tiny waist" - you are right on the coast. Here, just a few hundred metres separate the rollers on the west coast from the tranquil coastal mudflats on the eastern side of the island. And between the two coasts are the sandy dunes topped by houses and also Rantum Becken seabird sanctuary. In Sylt's sunny south, the houses in Hörnum nestle against the dunes and the pretty lighthouse stands guard in the harbour. Here, where 15th-century herring fishermen once cleared their decks, you'll now find a wealth of well-appointed pleasure boats waiting to take visitors on day cruises. Let's go to Sylt – Germany's premier party island. There's plenty of opportunity here to celebrate – and 1,000 good reasons to dance the night away at the hottest clubs around the island. No wonder that more and more of the "in-crowd" are making their way north to give new meaning to the word "party". Sylt is grooving – that's for sure!

Often referred to as Germany's St. Tropez, Sylt is where Hamburg's affluent class comes to see, be seen, unwind, sunbathe nude, shop conspicuously, and perhaps take a "cure" (a prescribed regimen of spa treatments and massages). But all travelers, including gays and lesbians (and yes, even Americans) are just as welcome. Arriving via train (three hours from Hamburg) on the causeway connecting the island to the mainland, Sylt's emblematic thatched-roof buildings and candy cane-striped lighthouses come into view. Meadows of blooming heather give way to 100-foot-tall sand dunes that shift in the wind (Germans call them Wanderdunen). Sylt's entire west coast consists of broad white-sand beaches, many dotted with the island's trademark shell-shaped beach chairs. For maximum solitude, flee the summer throngs at Westerland--Sylt's largest town, and home to a handful of lively gay bars--and head to the secluded beaches at the top of the island (the northernmost point in Germany). For maximum delight, spend the day at Buhne 16, a nude beach with a long tradition of tolerance. Rich and poor, young and old, gay and straight--all are accepted. And with so much of this island dedicated to beauty, rest, and rejuvenation, many are admired.