Kiel top attractions, must-see

Highlights, ‘Must-see’, Top sights in Kiel

City Hall Tower

Enjoy a bird’s eye perspective of Kiel and the firth of Kiel from a great height of 67 meters (219 ft).
Schedules: May to September, Wednesdays and Saturdays at 12.30 p.m., Special offers for groups on request.
Meeting point: in front of the town hall (no reservation needed) — it costs only a few Euro.

Sightseeing tours: walking tours, bus tours, sailing tours, & harbor tours

Visit the Tourist Information Center of Kiel for information: Andreas-Gayk-Straße 31B, Neues Rathaus – 1st floor, 24103 Kiel

Kiel Canal and Holtenau Water Lock

Kiel’s gate to the world: the Kiel Canal. A “must” for all visitors who come to Kiel is the Kiel Canal – the world’s most used artificial waterway with its system of water locks.
Guided tours or individual visits to the viewing platform allow visitors to experience up-close, just how cruise ships and container ships, as well as sailing yachts and motor launches are heaved through Kiel’s gate to the world.

The Holtenau water lock and the museum can be visited: Schleuseninsel 2, 24159 Kiel-Holtenau.

Museum: Schleuseninsel 2, 24159 Kiel-Holtenau

Cruise Ship Harbor

Germany’s number one cruise ship harbour.
Since the completion of the “Ostseekai” (“Baltic Sea dock” – which is one of the most efficient terminals for passengers in Nothern Europe) Kiel became Germany’s number one cruise ship harbour.

Thanks to the enlargement of the cruise ship terminal, up to six cruise ships with a length of up to 300 metres are able to land simultaneously at the inner city’s harbour. Round about 140 ships land here every season and along with the ferryboats of Stena Line, Color Line and DFDS Lisco (conveying 1,5 mio passengers a year), which call at the harbour on a daily basis, it can get pretty busy and you can often experience impressive turning manoeuvres!

Website: www.portofkiel.com/

Gorch Fock

The “Gorch Fock” is the German Navy’s training sailing ship and its home port is Kiel. It’s a majestic ship and worth to see.

Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gorch_Fock_(1958)

Leibniz Institute for Marine Science / Aquarium Kiel

The Leibniz Institute for Marine Science and its neighboring aquarium, which has more than 150 fish species, provides an impressive insight into sealife. A special attraction for young and old alike is the feeding of the seals in the outdoor pool. It takes place every day (except on Fridays) at 10.00 am and 2.30 pm.

Address Aquarium:
Düsternbrooker Weg 20, 24105 Kiel

Website: www.aquarium-geomar.de/

Old Town / Old Market Square (Alter Markt)

Formerly the center of the city – Nowadays a great location to shop and relax in quaint cafes. Don’t miss the Kiel Brewery at Old Market Square if you like beer.

The 13th century Church of St. Nicholas (Nikolaikirche) (built 1242) is also located at Alter Markt (Old Market Square) — in front of it you’ll see the The Ghost Fighter sculpture (Geistkämpfer) created by artist Ernst Barlach.

Kleiner Kiel Lake

“Kleiner Kiel” lake which originates from the firth that forms a semi-circle around the old town.

Located west / north-west of ‘Alter Markt’ (Old Market Square). See Map. Both sides of the bridge are Kleiner Kiel Lake.

Maritime Museum / Schiffahrtsmuseum

Located in a former fish auction hall directly at the board-walk promenade „Kiellinie“, the Maritime Museum is always worth a visit to see the changing exhibitions and the museum’s historical ships.

Schifffahrtsmuseum
Wall 65, Kiel

Art Museum: Kunsthalle Kiel

Düsternbrooker Weg 1, Kiel

Dänische Strasse and Holstenstrasse

May be the most beautiful streets around the Alter Markt — houses are not necessary very old but kept in very good shape.

Shopping in downtown and retail centers. The city offers a variety of specialty shops and souvenir shops.

Shopping

Big shopping centers directly at the sea – where else can you find something like this? At the very latest, when visitors see one of the gigantic cruise ships pulling ahead, whilst walking along the pedestrian zone, they will feel the maritime atmosphere.

In various cafés and restaurants of the “Holstenstraße”, the country’s oldest shopping street, gourmets find a rich choice of Baltic Sea specialties and can go for a stroll and shop to their heart’s content. The “Holstenstraße” combines the roofed shopping centres “Sophienhof”, “Querpassage” and “Holstentörn” with the “Alter Markt” and the “Dänische Straße” which offer specialist products in exclusive boutiques.

Another shopping mile is located only 15 minutes walk from the “Holstenstraße” and is evolving to become an insider tip: the “Holtenau arcades” invite you to their many small stores, restaurants, bars and cafés to shop and look around in a relaxing and individual atmosphere.

Bootshafen Kiel between Old Market Square and Kiel Harbor

During summer it is the place for events and also sailing training sessions. See map for location. It is in walking-distance to Old Market Square.

Located: southwest of Old Market Square which is ‘Alter Markt’ in German.

Promenade „Kiellinie“

Enjoy great views along the promenade.

Naval Memorial Laboe

The yacht- and fishing harbor of Laboe, where you get fresh fish directly from the fishing boats, is one of the most beautiful harbors at the Kieler Förde and one of the most famous meeting-places for sailors and tourists.
The ferry will take you to Laboe (book at the tourist information center) with its famous naval memorial from where you’ll have a fantastic panoramic view. Another attraction is a World War II submarine, the U995, which gives you a feel of how cramped the life of the crew must have been.
Location: Ehrenmal Laboe, Strandstraße 92, 24235 Laboe
Eateries / Bread roll with fish?
Visit the restaurant „Fischküche Laboe“ for that typical northern German sandwich. The „Fischküche Laboe“ is located direct at Laboe harbour, in the old harbor silo, with sunny terrace at the yacht- and museums-bridge. Here you get fresh fish and delicious „Fischbrötchen“. Fischküche Laboe Hafenplatz 24235 Laboe

Dänische Str. 19, 24103 Kiel