Schleswig-Holstein · Germany
Where to stay in Kiel
Kiel is a city in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, home to about 252,000 people. This guide covers 2 hotels and 1 aparthotel in Kiel.
- Places to stay in this guide
- 3
- Best months
- June, July and September
- Nearest airport
- LBC69 km · Lübeck Blankensee Airport
- Currency
- EUReuro
- Time zone
- Europe/Berlin
- Language
- German
About
About Kiel
Kiel is the capital and most populous city in the northern German state of Schleswig-Holstein. With a population of around 250,000, it is Germany's largest city on the Baltic Sea.
As a major passenger port (along with Travemünde and Rostock) and as the Baltic endpoint of the Kiel Canal, Kiel plays an important role in shipping. The death-knell of German monarchism sounded here when in 1918 the admirals wanted the fleet to sail out for one last glorious but militarily pointless battle. The sailors revolted against their officers, culminating in revolution and the formation of Soviets. During the Second World War, Kiel was severely bombed, because of its submarine-producing shipyard.
Wikipedia and Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Things to do
What to see and do in Kiel
See
- Type VII-C U-boat U-995
- Marine-Ehrenmal
- Kiel Canal
- Gorch Fock
- Tiergehege Tannenberg
- Schönberger Strand
- Antikensammlung
- Aquarium Geomar
- Kunsthalle zu Kiel
- Medizin- & Pharmaziehistorische Sammlung
- Schifffahrtsmuseum
- Stadtgalerie Kiel
Do
There are two free monthly magazines listing activities and events. Paper copies of Station and Ultimo can be found in most cafes. Online information is available via Kiel Magazin and Fördeflüsterer.
- Theater Kiel
- THW Kiel
- Holstein Kiel
- FC Kilia Kiel
- Kiel Baltic Hurricanes
- High Spirits Hochseilgarten
- Bowfire
- 4D Minigolf
- Minigolf am Norder
- Minigolf und Meehr
- Hörnbad
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Where to stay
Places to stay in Kiel
3 places to stay from the chains this guide covers, each linked to its own website.
| Place to stay |
|---|
| acora Kiel Living the City aparthotel |
| Garner Hotel Kiel - Akademie hotel |
| Holiday Inn - the niu, Welly Kiel hotel |
Where to stay
Which part of Kiel to stay in
The Youth Hostel is close to the Hauptbahnhof. There are a number of moderately priced hotels in the city centre. For some Olympic history, stay at Olympiazentrum in Schilksee, the sailing athletes village for the 1972 Munich Games. Top end is the Strande Hotel in Strande, or the Kieler Kaufmann just north of the city centre.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Where to stay
More hotels in Kiel
15 hotels within 25 km of the centre, as recorded in Wikidata. Each name links to its encyclopedia article where there is one.
| Hotel | Opened | From centre |
|---|---|---|
| Atlantic Hotel | 0.9 km | |
| Hotel Astor | 0.5 km | |
| Hotel Conti Hansa | 1963 | 0.4 km |
| Hotel Kieler Kaufmann | 1.9 km | |
| Hotel Olympia (Kiel) | 12.0 km | |
| Lutterbeker | 1975 | 11.7 km |
| Maritim Hotel Bellevue (Kiel) | 2.6 km | |
| Acqua Strande Yachthotel & Restaurant | 12.9 km | |
| Beach Hotel California | 19.1 km | |
| Hampton by Hilton Kiel | 0.7 km | |
| Me and All Hotel Kiel | 1.4 km | |
| Nordic Hotel am Kieler Schloss | 0.1 km | |
| Ostseeresidenz Schönberger Strand | 20.4 km | |
| Romantik Hotel Kieler Kaufmann | 1.9 km | |
| Strandhotel Strande | 12.9 km |
When to go
The best time to visit Kiel
The most comfortable months for a city stay in Kiel are June, July and September. August is the warmest month, with average highs of 22 °C; August is the wettest, with about 92 mm of rain.
Comfortable means average daytime high between 18 °C and 29 °C and under 80 mm of rain in the month. Averages for 1991–2020 over the surrounding area, a grid square about 50 km across, so a coast or a nearby mountain can make the town itself warmer or cooler. Data: CRU TS v4.10, Climatic Research Unit, University of East Anglia (Open Database License).
Getting there
Getting to Kiel: airports and arrival
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Lübeck Blankensee Airport (LBC), about 69 km from the city centre in a straight line; Sønderborg Airport (SGD, 75 km) and Hamburg Helmut Schmidt Airport (HAM, 78 km) are also within reach.
Getting in
Kiel serves as the German ferry terminus for the ferries to Oslo, Norway with Color Line and Gothenburg, Sweden with Stena Line. It is the endpoint of the Kiel Canal, which connects the North Sea to the Baltic Sea (allowing ships to avoid rounding Denmark).
Getting around
Kiel has a public transport system based on buses and ferries operated by KVG. 1-, 3- and 7-day tickets are available, and offer good value for tourists. You can use the NAH SH App to purchase tickets.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
LBC · Lübeck Blankensee Airport
SGD · Sønderborg Airport
HAM · Hamburg Helmut Schmidt Airport
Local knowledge
Eating, drinking and staying safe in Kiel
Eat
There are food courts in Kieler Hauptbahnhof (train station) and the shopping mall across from the train station (Sophienhof). Local specialties to try include Fischbrötchen (fish buns), which are available with a variety of fresh or processed fish and other seafood (notably shrimp). There is a local ice cream manufacturer, Packeis, whose wares are sold at many kiosks, beaches and so on in the summer; be sure to sample their wares. There is also an old local brewery, the aptly-named Kieler Brauerei (Kiel Brewery), which also has its own restaurant, and at least one new one, Czernys Küstenbrauerei, which produces not just a variety of beers but also spirits.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Questions
Kiel: questions travellers ask
When is the best time to visit Kiel?
The most comfortable months for a city stay in Kiel are June, July and September. August is the warmest month, with average highs of 22 °C; August is the wettest, with about 92 mm of rain.
Which airport is closest to Kiel?
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Lübeck Blankensee Airport (LBC), about 69 km from the city centre in a straight line; Sønderborg Airport (SGD, 75 km) and Hamburg Helmut Schmidt Airport (HAM, 78 km) are also within reach.
What currency is used in Kiel?
euro (EUR).
Nearby
Destinations near Kiel
Sources: city facts from Wikidata and Wikipedia; airports from OurAirports; climate from CRU TS v4.10 (University of East Anglia Climatic Research Unit), 1991–2020 monthly means, 0.5° grid; places to stay, guest scores and amenities from each operator's own public pages. How this guide is made.