© Jan-Michael Böckmann, Kiel-Marketing e.V.
Top 10
Maritime experiences at Kieler Woche
Plenty of water, the wind in your hair and loads of action: Kieler Woche is as maritime as anywhere else! Here are our 10 tips on how best to experience the colourful hustle and bustle on and around the fjord.
Boat trips
The water-based programme for Kiel Week has plenty to offer. If you want to get right up close, simply step aboard. The wide range of vessels on offer stretches from the old Hanseatic cog to motorboats and the majestic three-masted schooner. Here you can book all the traditional vessels, their facilities, the culinary offerings and the various cruise options, and experience Kiel Week straight from the water!
ℹ️ Click here to book various sailing trips, and below you’ll find an overview of the different vessel options:
Historical:
Hanseatic cog
The Kiel Hanseatic cog is a faithful replica of a cog discovered in the Weser estuary, and during Kiel Week there are, of course, trips on board – both for taster sailing sessions and for the sailing parade!
© Jan-Michael Böckmann, Kiel-Marketing e.V.
Motorised:
Adler ships
The Förde Adler motorboats will take you out onto the Kiel Fjord – whether it’s for a simple evening cruise, the windjammer parade, or the trips during the fireworks display in Schilksee and the closing fireworks display.
© Finja Thiede / Kiel-Marketing
Traditionally:
Tall ship
Traditional ships are as much a part of Kiel Week as the wind and the waves. They combine living tradition with fascinating experiences and create special moments on the fjord every year. And the best bit? There’s a huge selection of ships!
© Kiel-Marketing e.V., Jan-Michael Böckmann
Original:
The paddle steamer Freya
In the paddle steamer’s salons – lovingly restored and renovated with meticulous attention to detail, featuring plenty of gleaming brass and deep, dark, fine wood – you’ll feel as though you’ve been transported back to the Art Nouveau era. This gives the taster cruises and evening cruises during Kiel Week a very special atmosphere!
Open Ship
© LH Kiel – Manuel Weber
Open Ship 2026 offers a unique opportunity to experience naval vessels, as well as boats and ships from other naval forces, up close. During the event, you’ll gain fascinating insights into the day-to-day lives of the crews and enjoy a varied programme: there will be information stands, demonstrations and hands-on activities for the whole family, offering plenty of new insights.
📍 Kiel Naval Base Command
🗓️ 20 June 2026 from 11 am & 21 June 2026 from 11 am
Windjammer Sailing Parade
© Kiel-Marketing e.V., Jan-Michael Böckmann
The maritime highlight of Kiel Week is the impressive windjammer sailing parade. Around 130 fascinating traditional and steam-powered vessels, as well as numerous private boats, bring the Kiel Fjord to life. This maritime spectacle can be enjoyed wonderfully from the shore – but for those who’d like to experience it from the water, there’s the option to sail along on one of the many different vessels.
🗓️ Saturday, 27 June 2026 | 11 am
ℹ️ Click here for offers and to book.
Watch the regatta in Schilksee
From one sailing highlight to the next: be sure to head to Schilksee, as this is where you’ll have the chance to watch the regattas up close. The multitude of white sails against a maritime backdrop make for an impressive spectacle. It’s a fantastic photo opportunity, especially in good weather. Just sit back, marvell at the view and have your camera at the ready.
Naval Cutter Regattas
© LH Kiel – Julia Meyer
The naval cutter regattas are one of the oldest traditions of Kiel Week and remain a real spectacle. For over 130 years, more than a thousand sailors have been competing in five classes on historic and modern naval cutters in the middle of the Inner Fjord. From the Kiellinie, you’ll have a prime view of the action, right up close, without needing binoculars. Particularly atmospheric is the grand finale of the Kutterpullen, when civilian and military crews race against each other using only muscle power.
ℹ️ You can find more information about the naval cutter regattas here.
Open Camp at the Sailing Camp
© Finja Thiede / Kiel-Marketing
The Open Camp sailing camp, situated right on the Kiellinie, offers the perfect opportunity to enjoy Kiel Week from a whole new perspective. The camp invites guests of almost all ages to take part in exciting taster sailing trips. You can join in spontaneously without booking and experience the special feeling of being carried by the wind across the fjord – whether on a traditional sailing cutter or a sporty Aira. There’s plenty to discover on land too: activities such as table tennis and beach volleyball await you on the camp grounds, which are open to everyone.
PS: As well as the Open Camp, which requires no prior booking, you can also book tickets for the taster sailing sessions in advance.
📍 Kiellinie, near Reventlou Bridge
🗓️ 19 to 28 June 2026
Including a boat trip to watch the regatta
© Lh Kiel / Julia Meyer
The organisations “Wir sind Wir Inclusion in Sailing” and “Inclusive Sailing for All” work in partnership with the city of Kiel to provide inclusive sailing activities. For wheelchair users, they offer accessible sailing trips and regatta support cruises on the Outer Kiel Fjord using a specially equipped boat and an experienced support team. In addition, a three-day sailing course enables blind and visually impaired people to take up the sport of sailing. On the 70-foot sailing boat “Little Dream”, guests can experience the regatta action up close and actively take part in the sailing. Booking required.
Watch the torch swimmers
The grand closing fireworks display at the Kiellinie is definitely one of the highlights of Kiel Week – and at first glance, it’s not entirely clear what it has to do with a maritime experience. The torch-bearing swimmers (literally) bring light into the darkness! Every year, divers carrying torches enter the water at the Reventlou Bridge, heralding the start of the Kiwo closing spectacle.
📍 Kiellinie, near the Reventlou Bridge
🗓️ Sunday, 28 June 2026 | 9.30 pm
Sunexpress Ocean Fun Park
© Nick Hanke, Kiel-Marketing e.V.
Well, the next item on the list might not be considered a classic maritime experience, but it does take place in the water! Pure action awaits you at the marina: SUP, kayaking, a water climbing wall, a giant slide and plenty of fjord vibes right by the water’s edge.
📍 Marina
Live webcam
If you’re unable to make it down to the fjord or simply need a break from the hustle and bustle, you can enjoy the colourful goings-on on the water from the comfort of your own home: Our ‘Kiel Harbour’ webcam is operational round the clock and shows a 180-degree live feed stretching from Kiel’s seaport through the city centre to the Inner Fjord.
🎥 Click here to view the webcam.
