Unspoilt nature between moorland and sea: the International Dollart Route

The Dollart Route is a cross-border route that runs for approximately 180 kilometres through the Rheiderland in Germany and the Netherlands. It is perfect for enjoying the robust charms of the East Frisian coastal landscape and its many watercourses.

This flat, breezy, low-lying area criss-crossed by water lies along the river Ems and the Dollart, an inlet of almost 100km² to the west of the Ems estuary. The Dollart was created by the advancing sea in the Middle Ages and forms the last big tidal brackish-water bay in the German-Dutch Wadden Sea, where salt water mingles with fresh water. A ferry ride across the bay is the highlight of the route but other attractions include the polder landscape with its fine farmsteads, moorland and sandy heathland, Romanesque churches, quaint little fishing villages, port towns and the maritime atmosphere. Along the whole of the route you can expect cultural gems, be it buildings reflecting the region's history or the inimitable atmosphere of small marshland ports. The Ems-Dollart region offers a remarkably diverse, internationally unique cluster of church organs, many of them excellently preserved. Brick-making was an important local industry here for many years, as can be seen from the red brick houses, which are as much a part of East Friesland as tea and curly kale.