Things To Do in Kiel
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Kiel Attractions
For the best overall look at the city and harbor, go to the Rathaus's 107m (350-ft.), century-old tower, much of which was restored after the devastating bombs of World War II. May to September, guided tours (in English and German) are offered Wednesday at 2pm for 9€ per person. For a closer view over the harbor, take a stroll along the Hindenburgufer (Hindenburg Embankment), which stretches for 3km (2 miles) along the west side of the fiord, opposite the shipyards. Perches along this embankment are especially favored by spectators during regattas. Call Tourist Information Kiel for additional details.
If you'd like to go to the beach, take a short steamer trip to one of the nearby Baltic towns, such as Laboe, about 15km (10 miles) to the north. Besides the beach, the town's main attraction is the restored World War II submarine U-Boot 995, Strandstrasse 92, Kiel-Laboe (tel. 04343/42700; www.deutscher-marinebund.de; bus: 100 from the Kiel Hauptbahnhof). April to October, you can tour it every day 9:30am to 7pm (Nov-Mar to 5pm). Admission is 3.50€ adults, 2.30€ students and children ages 6 to 17.
The open-air Schleswig-Holsteinisches Freilichtmuseum, Alte Hamburger Landstrasse (tel. 0431/659660; www.freilichtmuseum-sh.de; bus: 501 or 502), is in Molfsee, 6km (4 miles) south of Kiel. Farms and rustic country homes, dating from the 16th to the 19th century, have been assembled here. Craftspeople operate shops while working animals perform their tasks. A half-timbered inn serves tasty lunches. The site is open April to October daily 9am to 5pm, November to March Sundays and holidays 11am to 4pm. Admission is 7€ for adults, 5€ students and children, free for children 5 and under, and 14€ for a family ticket.
Kiel Nightlife
Take a stroll after dark through the salt air and fog of this seafaring city, admiring the Hanseatic architecture and the ever-present sense of gloomy nostalgia. Along the way, you can stop at any of the small bars of the Altstadt. One of the most visible old-fashioned nightlife options in Kiel is Kieler Bräuerei, Alter Markt 9 (tel. 0431/906290; www.kieler-brauerei.de), which brews and serves, on-site, a medium-dark beer that locals compare to the better-known Düsseldorfer. Most clients come just for the beer, which starts at about 4€ for approximately a pint, but if you're hungry, head for the self-service cafeteria, also on-site, for heaping platters of Sauerkraut, sausage, salads, and prepared meats (try the pig on a spit, rotating behind glass for your viewing pleasure), sold by the kilo. Expect to pay around 5€ to 15€ for a platter.
Hemingway, Alter Markt 19 (tel. 0431/96812), named in honor of Papa, is the hippest bar in town, drawing a chic young crowd nightly.
