Bi de Acht

Often when longing for a place to relax in comfort, where you can get away from it all in peace, a place by the sea comes to mind, perhaps a little house with a thatched roof—a place where the wind can blow life’s stresses away and you can taste salt in the air. This picture-book brick house with its green and white painted door on the North Frisian island of Föhr is just such a place. It’s located in a stunning spot in Nieblum, a Frisian village with pretty sea captain’s houses, cobbled streets and avenues of gnarled trees. It’s considered the most beautiful village on the island and has won awards for its charm. During the extensive renovation of the old house, rafters were replaced, floors were lowered and the entire floor layout was changed. Since its completion in July 2020, it has been home to holiday makers who want a relaxing island break in accommodation of 165 square meters over two floors. With three bedrooms, it offers guests both privacy and areas for socializing—it sleeps six people. On sunny days, you can sit outside on the terrace in the large garden—in winter, in front of the wood-burning stove in the living room, enjoying the cozy crackle of flames. The modern kitchen island is perfect for preparing meals together, perhaps picking shrimp (available from the fisherman at Wyk harbor)—a meditative Frisian pastime.

WHAT WE LIKE MOST:

• The open-plan concept and light colors give the entire house an airy feel. Lively accents are provided by kitchen chairs in lemon yellow and striped blinds in the bedrooms.
• You can pack and bring all of your home comforts since there is plenty of storage space.
• Three bedrooms, three bathrooms—the perfect ratio! Anyone accustomed to the daily struggle for bathroom-time can really relax here in the stone tiled bathrooms; there’s a bathtub too!
• There is no need for a car—cafés and restaurants, a bakery, a butcher and a fishmonger are all close by.  
• The mild maritime climate, thanks to the Gulf Stream, which is why the island is also known as the “Frisian Caribbean”
• The fine sandy, wide and shallow beach is only a kilometer or so away from the town center and can be easily reached on foot.
• At high tide, the water reaches the beach; at low tide, the undulating mud flat with all its tiny inhabitants is revealed. Super interesting! Föhr is surrounded by the Wadden Sea UNESCO World Heritage Site and a hike on the flats is an essential part of a visit to the island.
• You can simply enjoy the sand between your toes or really get stuck into the action here—with horse riding, golf, windsurfing, kite surfing, catamaran and kite buggy courses.
• Bad weather? Not a problem! Head to the wave pool, relax your muscles with an Australian wambo-mambo massage with a wooden roller or warm up in a barrel sauna on Goting beach.

GOOD TO KNOW:

• If you have small guests traveling with you, a high chair and baby bed are provided, an extra bed for infants can also be made available.
• There’s a media room with a large flat-screen TV, DVD player and a bluetooth Sonos sound system for rainy days and cozy movie nights (best enjoyed with “Föhrer Snupkroom” such as caramel candies, licorice and candy canes).
• Kids welcome! There are children’s toys for two to ten-year-olds hidden in two secret boxes.
• Reading material and board games for young and old are also available.
• It’s extremely well equipped: Washing machine, dryer, Nespresso machine, milk frother, Sodastream, and an oven so often sorely missed in vacation rentals—it’s all there!
• Nieblum is the starting point and destination for extensive cycling tours across the island, through the marshes and geest, to the island villages or along the dyke. Bikes can be hired anywhere on the island.
• Cars can be parked in their own parking space and charged at the station for electric vehicles if required.
• It takes 15 minutes by bike from the jetty in Wyk to the house, about half the time by car.