The state capital of Schleswig-Holstein is called Kiel and lies on the right and left of the Kiel Fjord on the Baltic Sea. A holiday in Kiel is not only recommended for exploring the city, but also for wonderful excursions into the surrounding countryside.
Kiel is known worldwide for the Kiel Week. Every year in June, ships from all over the world are drawn to the Kieler Förde for the windjammer parade. Visitors from all over the world then come to the city and numerous events take place around the Kieler Week.
The city is also known for the Kiel Canal, which flows into the Kiel Fjord here. Ship lovers can see interesting ships at several observation points here. And for those who enjoy sailing themselves, the Kiel Fjord is a paradise for sailors. This is where the sailing competitions took place at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich.
Holiday in Kiel
A weekend in Kiel is too short to see everything. We made a list of places that we really wanted to see on our first visit to Kiel. But we also reserved some time to just be and enjoy the view of the Firth of Kiel.
Laboe with the Naval Memorial and the U-boat U-995 is located at the Firth of Kiel. I didn’t want to miss out on the opportunity to see the insides of a submarine, so we drove over.
The last time I sailed was when I was around 12 years old. It was during a summer break with the grandparents on a sailing course on the Lake Constance. When Kiel marketing approached me with the idea to test a sailing boat city tour I was enthused and confirmed immediately.
The lockage Kiel-Holtenau in the Kiel Canal is a very interesting stop on a tour to Kiel. There is a viewing platform that lets visitors oversee the lockage and it never takes long before the next ship comes into a lock.
The GHOTEL in Kiel, Kiel-Kronshagen more precisely, is about 6 kilometres away from the city centre. We got to spend two relaxing nights in the hotel and two days exploring in Kiel.
Travel information for Kiel
Arrival
By plane
Kiel has its own airport (Kiel-Holtenau). Due to the short runway, this is only used by smaller aircraft in charter service.
The nearest international airport is in Hamburg. From there, the Kielius, an airport bus, runs to Kiel’s main railway station. The departure times of the bus are coordinated with the timetables of the ferries, among others.
By rail
Kiel is well connected to the German railway network. There are half-hourly trains to Hamburg’s main station and several times a day ICE trains from the south of Germany reach the city. In addition, there are regular and sometimes quite frequent connections to Flensburg, Neumünster, Lüneburg and Lübeck.
By bus
The central bus station is located in Auguste-Viktoria-Straße. Here you will also find a multi-storey car park with 541 parking spaces, which is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
The airport bus from Hamburg stops at the station forecourt.
By car
Kiel is easily accessible via the A 215, A 210 and A 21 motorways, as well as via several federal roads.
By ship
The Sweden Quay is located on the western inner-city shore of the fjord. From there, the Stena Line sails daily from Kiel to Gothenburg in Sweden.
The Norway Quay is located on the eastern shore of the fjord. From there, Color Line ferries sail daily to Oslo in Norway.
Another mooring point for ferries travelling from Lithuania to Kiel is located on the eastern side of the fjord in the Dietrichsdorf district.
Other landing stages for cruise ships are located at the Ostseekai, the Sartori and the Böllhornkai.
There are numerous moorings for pleasure boats on the Kiel Fjord.
By bike
The Baltic Coast Cycle Route runs through the town.
On foot
If you are on the European long-distance hiking trails, you can reach Kiel on the E 1 and E 6 routes. In addition, the Via Jutlandica runs through the city.
On the way in…
By public transport
There are numerous trains, buses and ferries in and around Kiel. All means of transport can be used with a standard fare.
The ferries offer the possibility of excursions and round trips on the fjord.
A small passenger ferry connects Kiel-Wik with Kiel-Holtenau. It runs every 15 minutes during the day. The journey with this ferry is free of charge.
On foot
Kiel’s city centre can be explored very well on foot.
Parking
There are about 9500 parking spaces available in the extended city centre of Kiel. Directly in the city centre you will find pay and display car parks, multi-storey car parks and underground car parks.
For short-term parkers, there is a yellow button at the parking machines. Here you get a free parking ticket for 30 minutes.