Germany takes its football quite seriously. I’m sorry, that would be soccer for my friends from the US. Nowhere is this more evident than in the town of Malente, where the German National Soccer Team trains.
Besides being a town where players learn tricks on how not to get a yellow foul card (or, the worse dreaded red card), Malente is a genuinely awesome town close to the Baltic Sea.
Swimming on the shores of the Baltic isn’t the only thing you’ll be wanting to do while you’re here. Swimming in the Kellersee is another option. Just as even dipping your feet in the little Kneipp pool. No matter if you choose to do one or all, you’ll just feel all around better.
If you really want to find out more about what a family (a couple, an independent traveler) can do around these parts, right across from the train station at Bahnhofstr. 3 is the local Tourist Office. The information you’ll find here can keep you busy for days.
They’ll probably tell you not to miss the ancient grave chamber (but, you heard it from me first ;-). This old grave site was found back in the 1920’s, amazing since someone’s burial spot remained unnoticed and undisturbed for 4000 years.
Nowhere near as old as the grave chamber is Malente’s Wasserturm (Water Tower). It’s a modern addition to the town, put here only since a century ago. Even the Tews-Kate doesn’t even come close to the old grave site. It is, however, the oldest Räucherkate type of building in all of Ostholstein.
What is it, you ask? This old building was used as a smoke house. Not the smoking that’s bad for your lungs — more like the smoking that’s good for your stomach. It was used to smoke meat like ham and sausage.
As far as events are concerned, summer is the best time to visit Malente because that’s when the Schleswig-Holstein Music Festival is held. You never know where you’ll find a classical concert being held, since they take place in all sorts of venues like churches and barns.
So, the way I see it, Malente doesn’t just take football seriously — music is just as serious business, too.
