Keitum is the prettiest village on Sylt — a tangle of narrow lanes lined with low thatched-roof captains' houses, set on a low rise above the Wadden Sea. It was the island's main port and chief town until the 19th century, when silting and the rise of Westerland pushed the centre of gravity to the west coast. The wealth of the old whaling and merchant captains is still visible in the carved doors, the brick gables, and the walled gardens.
The 13th-century St. Severin's church anchors the village, and the small Sylt Museum in a former captain's house gives a useful overview of the island's history. Walk the lanes, look at the gardens, and pause for coffee at the Friesenhof or a meal at one of the village's understated restaurants. The mood is markedly quieter than the resort towns.