Peninsula at the Trave estuary · by ferry
The Priwall
The Priwall is the roughly three-kilometre peninsula opposite the town centre, separated only by the Trave and reached by ferry in a few minutes. Here you find the broad, quieter sandy beach, the museum ship Passat with the Passat harbour, the marine station and a large nature reserve – and until 1990 the inner-German border ran across its eastern tip. This page brings together what defines the Priwall, with source and verification date.
What defines the Priwall
- Beach
Priwall beach
The broad sandy beach on the north-east of the peninsula is the quieter, more spacious one in Travemünde – with beach chairs, naturist and dog-beach sections. Opposite lies the busier Kurstrand. The visitor tax also applies on the Priwall.
Beach and water → - Landmark
Four-masted barque Passat
Built in 1911, the tall ship is permanently moored at the Passat harbour on the Priwall and open as a museum ship – one of the last of its kind. The harbour offers around 500 berths. What a four-masted barque actually is.
Ships and Passat → - Sailing
Passat harbour marina
The Priwall side’s leisure-boat harbour lies right under the Passat’s masts – around 500 berths and visiting yachts, with the best view back at the Vorderreihe.
Passat harbour page → - With children
Ostseestation Travemünde
Baltic aquarium and marine museum right at the Passat harbour: 20 display tanks with local sea creatures, touch pools, net excursions and microscopy courses. Run by the non-profit “Natur und Umwelt – Ostseestation Travemünde e. V.”, open year-round.
ostseestation-travemuende.de ↗ - Market and food
BeachBay market hall
The market hall gathers delicatessen, regional souvenirs and dining under one roof – a worthwhile stop right after the ferry.
Shopping → - Nature
Southern Priwall nature reserve
The southern half of the peninsula has been a nature reserve since 1998 (around 150 hectares) with dunes, salt meadows and the Pötenitz bay – a quiet contrast to the beach bustle.
Day trips →
The border straight across the Priwall
The state border with Mecklenburg-Vorpommern runs across the eastern tip of the Priwall – until 1990 this was the inner-German border between the Federal Republic and the GDR. The peninsula has belonged to Lübeck-Travemünde since incorporation in 1913; today around 1,600 people live permanently on the Priwall, plus some 400 summer-house guests. Where the fence once stood, a path now follows the old border. More on the division and reunification is on the history page.
Practical on the Priwall
- Priwall-East is a year-round dog beach – the main beach is closed to dogs in summer. With a dog →
- Beach chairs are available at the Priwall beach too – rentals with contact in the guide. Beach chairs →
- Boats and SUP: the Passat harbour marina and the rentals in town are a few minutes away. Boat rental and party boats →
- Food: the Fischerkajüte on the Priwall and the BeachBay market hall. Food and fish rolls →
- Staying on the peninsula: Strandcamping Priwall (since 1958) and a motorhome pitch near the beach. Camping and motorhomes →
- Holiday flat or hotel? Which location suits which stay is covered by the accommodation guide. Accommodation →
The Priwall in 1878 – racecourse, not border
On the official 1878 sheet the Priwall is almost empty – it records a racecourse and the Vorderreihe ferry. Of the inner-German border that ran here from 1945 to 1990 the map knows nothing. The slider compares the Pötenitz Wiek of that time with today’s aerial image.
Frequently asked questions about the Priwall
How do you get to the Priwall?
Across the Trave by the Priwall ferry: a car ferry takes vehicles over, a year-round passenger and bicycle ferry brings pedestrians and cyclists across in a few minutes. From the town centre (Vorderreihe) it is only a few steps to the landing.
What can you do on the Priwall?
Swim at the broad sandy beach, visit the museum ship Passat, see the Passat harbour with its marina, visit the marine station with its aquariums, stop at the BeachBay market hall and walk in the nature reserve on the southern half.
Is the Priwall beach better than the Kurstrand?
Different: the Priwall beach is the broader, quieter beach with more space, while the Kurstrand in the town centre is busier and closer to the promenade. Both are officially designated bathing sites.
Did the inner-German border really run across the Priwall?
Yes. The eastern tip of the Priwall forms the border with Mecklenburg-Vorpommern; until 1990 this was the border between the Federal Republic and the GDR. The peninsula itself belonged to the Federal Republic (Lübeck).
What is the Ostseestation Priwall?
A Baltic aquarium and marine museum at the Passat harbour with 20 display tanks of local sea life, touch pools and excursions, run by the non-profit “Natur und Umwelt – Ostseestation Travemünde e. V.”. Open year-round (mind the seasonal hours).
