1 day · First-time visitors
Kiel in One Day
If you only have one day, you should experience Kiel's maritime heart. We start on the Kiellinie with a view of the fjord, look in at the GEOMAR Aquarium, stroll through Holstenstrasse and across the Old Market with St Nicholas' Church, and crown the day with a ferry ride across the fjord. The highlights of the sea city in a single day.
Best time to visit: May to September — the fjord is at its best then
Day 1
The highlights in one day
We follow the Kiellinie to the water, drop in on the seals, stroll through the city and finish with a ferry ride on the fjord.
- 9:30 - 11:00
Kiellinie on the fjord
Start on the Kiellinie, Kiel's maritime promenade. The waterfront leads along the water, past yachts, ferries and the Institute of Marine Sciences. The best way in to feel the sea city.
Tip: Come early — in the morning the light over the fjord is at its loveliest.
- 11:00 - 12:30
GEOMAR Aquarium
Right on the Kiellinie lies the GEOMAR Aquarium with native and tropical sea creatures. The highlight is the seals in the open-air pool — their feedings are a small crowd-puller.
- 12:30 - 13:45
A fish roll at the harbour
A maritime lunch: at the harbour there are stalls and eateries with freshly caught fish. A fish roll with a view of the water is a must in Kiel.
- 14:00 - 15:30
Holstenstrasse and the Old Market
Holstenstrasse is one of the oldest pedestrian zones in Germany — Kiel's shopping mile from Asmus-Bremer-Platz to the Old Market. There stands St Nicholas' Church, the city's oldest building, with Barlach's 'Geistkaempfer' in front of it.
- 15:45 - 17:00
Ferry ride on the fjord
A fjord ferry belongs to Kiel like the water itself: from the pier at the Bahnhofsbruecke it crosses the fjord, past shipyards and the naval harbour. Even a short trip shows the city from its maritime side.
- 19:00 - 21:30
Dinner on the fjord
To finish, head to the water: in Duesternbrook and around the boat harbours, restaurants serve fresh fish and northern German cuisine with a fjord view.