Hello everyone. With today’s post we start our tour in Germany. Ready for this new adventure? And are you ready to know the city where we will begin our journey? Well, we will reveal it in a minute.

Kiel (the capital state of Schleswig-Holstein) is a city located in northern Germany, on the Eider river near the Baltic Sea (connected to the city through the Kiel canal) and more precisely on a bay. This position has encouraged the start of an important maritime transport system; many are the ferries that go to Norway, Sweden and Russia. Of great importance it is also its port where many cruise ships arrive there. In Kiel it’s all about this maritime power (so that Kiel was the place where took place the Olympic sailing competitions) becoming one of the greatest maritime centers of Germany. The other German city closer to Kiel is Hamburg and so if you are in Kiel take a ride to Hamburg and if you are in Hamburg, take a ride to Kiel!

To know more (what to eat, where to eat, where to have fun, things to visit…) continue to read.

In Kiel you can enjoy amazing walks in the historic center and have the opportunity to visit some museum. That’s exactly what we’re going to do now.

PLACES TO VISIT (MUSEUMS/THEATERS…)

• Kunsthalle: it is maybe the largest museum in the city. It houses a collection of works of art, paintings, sculptures, photographs from the period of the late nineteenth and early twentieth century. Among the artists we can find: Eugen Bracht and Emil Nolde.
• Schifffahrtsmuseum: the maritime museum will show you the history and maritime activities in Kiel. You will also find inside the museum the on-board instruments, paintings, photos and the “Brandtaucher” the first submarine built in Germany. The museum is located in Fischhalle (the old fish market).
• Stadtmuseum Warleberger Hof: the home of this museum is a former noble building of the seventeenth century. Here you will know, through temporary exhibitions, the Kiel events over the past two centuries such as: the history of the Kiel Carnival, as the Jewish culture has influenced the city, the craft and its maritime power.
• Marine-Ehrenmal Laboe: the memorial tower is located at the entrance of the bay. It was originally dedicated to the fallen of the German Imperial Navy during World War II but now it has become a symbol for all sailors in the world. The tower is open to visitors and is composed of about three hundred steps but don’t worry because it also has two elevators. When you arrive at the top you can enjoy the show! A few steps away from the tower, you will also find the Historische Halle a kind of underground museum. Within it you will find different models of ships and especially the U-Boot 995, the submarine used in World War II (the exciting thing is that you can get inside of it to explore it from top to the bottom!). On the square next to the tower you will find the monument Prinz Eugen (giant propeller).
• St. Nikolai Church: one of the main churches of Kiel. Very beautiful outside (it is adorned with a large clock at the top and several statues ..) and inside (in particular the chapel and the altar). Here are held some events.
• Flandernbunker: a real bunker. The look is not really inviting but this make us understand the authenticity of the monument, keeping fresh and alive the memory of that place once used as shelter during the World War II. A good place to start the history lesson!
• 50er Jahre Museum Kiel: in this museum you will know everything that was involved in the fifties (new style, new fashion, revolution in art, history and music).
• Zoologische Museum: a museum dedicated to the remains of animals that once populated the region. These include: whale fossils, birds, collections butterflies… and so on.

As for the theater, the main one is the Theater Kiel. However if you prefer to dance till the sunrise with live music, the concert hall die Pumpe is perfect for you.

 

ENTERTAINMENT (PUB/DISCO/PARKS…)

Ready to have some fun?? So let’s start!

• Kiel Botanical Gardens (which is divided into Old and New Botanical Garden): for all lovers and not lovers of nature, the Old Botanical Garden is a perfect place to relax but also to explore the nature that surrounds the place. There are several types of plants and trees present there, one of the oldest is the Metasequoia glyptostroboides. The garden also contains ponds, flowerbeds and an old pavilion. Then there is the New Botanical Garden, structured as the Old Botanical Garden, with the only difference of being managed by the University of Kiel.
• If you prefer to walk, here there is so much for you! The city has the old area and the new one. You can choose to take a ride in the square where is located the Kiel Rathaus Paternoster (town hall) and several local or to take a ride in Holtenauer Straße, ideal place for shopping and to have a break (by the way not far from here there is also the citti-park Mühlendamm, shopping center of the city). Kiel, however, has such a beautiful bay and so you can opt for a walk along the coast (by the way very close to the city) and admire the lighthouse named Bulker Leuchtturm. You can also reach the bathing places Falckensteiner Strand and Schilksee Strandbad.
• Unmissable are the tours in the city and by the sea. You can also choose to explore the local areas near the Schwentine river or hiking in the Postsee and surroundings. But if you prefer another kind of adventure you can visit some district of Kiel (Düsternbrook, Schreventeich, Ravensberg, and Blücherplatz).
• Schrevenpark and Hiroshimapark: two of the fantastic parks present in Kiel.

In case you are in Kiel during the last weeks of June, remember that you may find yourself in the middle of a celebration, the Kiel Week regatta/parade about million boats of all kinds. It is not only a maritime event but also a popular celebration. Anyway all this movement by sea and by the ground creates an inviting atmosphere.

Who said that you can have fun only during the day? Even the night brings with it a lot of fun and we’re going to find out where.

• Max Nachttheater: disco.
• Kieler Schaubude Andreas Schulz: disco.
• Luna Club: disco.
• TRAUM GmbH: local with live music.
• Ben Briggs: disco.
• ORIRI LOUNGE: lounge bar.
• Deck 8 kiel: cafè with a view over the sea.
• Trafo Cocktail – Bar – Club
• CinemaxX Kiel

TYPICAL FOODS

Being Kiel the first German city that we are exploring, not only we will know the typical dishes of the city but also those of the Germany. Ready? Let’s do it!

German cuisine had some variations and evolution in the course of time. It is a multi-ethnic cuisine, it is influenced by Italian, Turkish, Indian cuisine. Some regions of Germany share several dishes with Austria and Switzerland.

Starting from breakfast, this is an important meal. Germans tend to eat a lot for breakfast, especially on Saturday and Sunday. The table in the morning is full of: cheese, ham, sandwich (very consumed in Germany), croissants, fruit juice, milk, tea or coffee.

Lunch is always richer than dinner and what they consume is a plate of pasta. During the dinner they eat vegetables, meat, fish, potatoes (the famous Kartoffeln, have ever heard of them?!) and so on. The drink that mostly accompanies these dishes is of course the beer.

In Kiel, in particular, the fish is a widely consumed food (how it couldn’t be like that thanks to its proximity to the rivers and the Baltic Sea?!). Two foods that can be found here, but also throughout Germany, and they are: the famous Bratwurst (sausage) the Bretzel. As for the dessert, in the city and in Germany in general, we can find the Obstkaltschale (jello fruit).

As afternoon snack there is “Kaffee und Kuchen” = coffee and cake.

 

WHERE TO EAT (RESTAURANTS/CAFE’..)

Now to finish our tour in a beautiful way, we just have to know some local in which we can enjoy a good meal.

• Block House Kiel: Steakhouse, European and German cuisine.
• Restaurant Pier 16 im ATLANTIC Hotel Kiel: German, European cuisine.
• Das Wirtshaus: German, European and vegetarian cuisine.
• Der Bauch von Kiel: German, Mediterranean, European and vegetarian cuisine.
• Ristorante Rigoletto: Italian, Mediterranean cuisine.
• Weinstein: German, European, French, Mediterranean and vegetarian cuisine.
• Der Alte Mann: typical German cuisine.
• Fischers Fritz: German, international cuisine.
• El Sombrero Verde: Mexican, vegan and vegetarian cuisine.
• Subrosa: bar/pub with vegetarian and vegan cuisine.
• FISCHBAR Kiel: bar/pub with street food.

 

And with this we leave Kiel, the first German city where we decided to begin the new adventure in Germany. Already another city is waiting for us. Which? You’ll find out very soon, you just need to stay tuned!

Let us know your opinions about this place. If you liked it or not, if you’ve been there or you’re going to go there? What you liked the most or least? We’re curious to read your opinions.

A kiss big to everyone.

 

Below we will list the hotels that you can find in Kiel.

 http://www.booking.com/searchresults.html?iata=KEL&aid=960457 – accommodations next to Kiel Holtenau (airport).

http://www.booking.com/searchresults.html?city=-1805669&aid=960457 – accommodations in the city.

http://www.booking.com/searchresults.html?landmark=1920&aid=960457 – accommodations next to Kiel central station.

 

Booking.com