Get in, please!
Off on a harbour tour
Seagulls circle and screech, the wind ruffles your hair and every now and then the muffled horn of the "Schilksee" sounds when a sailing boat strays into her fairway. On board the 27-metre-long fjord steamer "Schilksee", there is room for almost 250 people to explore Kiel from the water on a harbour tour. During the season from May to October, the steamer departs three times a day from the jetty at the railway station and sails tourists and locals across the Kiel Fjord for two hours.
There is not only a lot to see on the ferry trip, but also a lot to learn. The captain himself tells his guests the history of every lighthouse, every pier, every building and every harbour. He talks in typical North German and provides guests on board with amusing anecdotes that you won't find in any travel guide. The panoramic view from the sun deck is hard to beat and provides a clear view to port and starboard. Sufficient refreshments in the form of coffee and cake, cold drinks and savoury snacks as well as shelter in case of bad weather are provided in the ship's saloon.
By boat from the railway station to the dream beach in 60 minutes
The tour starts at the pier directly opposite Kiel's main railway station. From here, the entire Kiel Fjord is explored on the harbour tour. Passing Kiel's landmarks, such as the striking cranes of the former HDW shipyard and the buildings of the Seefischmarkt, the fjord steamer sets course for the wide white sandy beach of Laboe. There is a lot to discover on the way there: the Kitzeberg villa neighbourhood with its picturesque thatched houses, the old fishing harbour of Möltenort or the Friedrichsort lighthouse.
Once you arrive in Laboe, it's worth getting off for a walk to the museum submarine or a fish sandwich in Laboe harbour. The captain turns in front of the Laboe coast with its impressive naval memorial. On the return journey, the "Schilksee" chugs past Holtenau at a leisurely 20 kilometres per hour. Here you will find the famous little lighthouse, the old sailing ships at Thiessenkai, the bright orange pilot ship and the huge locks of the Kiel Canal - highlights as far as the eye can see.
The grand finale of the trip is Kiel's promenade, the Kiellinie, with its restaurants, green spaces for picnics and, of course, the Schleswig-Holstein state parliament. In good weather, many Kiel residents and visitors flock here to enjoy an ice cream or fish sandwich, jump into the fjord to cool off or simply enjoy Kiel's maritime flair and the sea air.
When the steamer moors again at the railway station jetty and you set foot on the mainland for the first time, some of you may still be rocking a little - a nice memory!