Things to do in Schleswig-Holstein

Experience the maritime atmosphere of Kiel from a different perspective with a 24-hour ticket for the hop-on and hop-off sightseeing bus. Marvel at the boats in the port from the open-top bus, and travel to the extreme end of the North Sea-Baltic Canal to visit the former fishing village of Kiel-Holtenau. Look at the many sailboats, ferries and freighters in the Kiel Fjord. Due to the natural seawater harbor, the imposing offshore ferries and cruise ships can be seen directly in the city. An informative and live audio commentary will provide you with information about Kiel's history and monuments, as well as interesting facts about the vibrant city along the way. See the distinctive towers of the shipyards and submarine memorial at Laboe from the eastern shore. Journey through the locks of the Kiel Canal, before driving through the former fishing village of Holtenau. Admire the Holtenauer Lighthouse, and get panoramic views of City Hall Tower in the distance. See the tower of the Kiel Opera House and the ruins of Kiel Castle. Return to the city center to walk among the fountains of Hiroshima Park, and discover a former estuary at the Kleinen Kiel. Route: Stop 1 - Hauptbahnhof Stop 2 - Schwedenkai Stop 3 - Ostseekai  Stop 4 - Reventloubrucke Stop 5 - HerthastraBe Stop 6 - NOK Schleuse Stop 7 - NOK Kanalfahre Stop 8 - RankestraBe  Stop 9 - Holtenauer StraBe

The German Emigration Center is Europe’s largest and most modern museum on the topic of migration. You can follow the paths of 7 million Europeans who left their homeland via the port of Bremerhaven, in search of a better life in the New World. You can even begin a search for your own ancestors using the museum's state-of-the-art research facilities. Your electronic boarding pass allows you to embark on a journey of 300 years of immigration and emigration history. Each iCard contains the story of an individual who emigrated to the New World. The iCard also activates many audio stations and interactive displays. Equipped with the iCard, you will embark on an unforgettable journey through time and experience the stories of the emigrants firsthand. At the quay, you will meet emigrants from various European countries. Learn about how they experienced an emotional moment of farewell and departure to an unknown country. Together with them you will then board a ship, getting a glimpse of life aboard three eras of passenger shipping, for example, onboard the ocean liner Columbus in 1929. Having arrived at the immigration station on Ellis Island, you now have to undergo an immigration test at the legal desk. With the entry permit in hand, you will continue your journey to Grand Central in New York. Here, you will learn more about the life of the emigrants in the New World. Dive deeper into the history and factors of migration as you experience the various exhibition halls. Once you have completed the journey and learned all about the emigration process, you can embark on a personal search for emigrated ancestors in the Family Research room. This service is free of charge, and a trained assistant will be there to help guide you through your own family's emigration history.

Get to know Bremerhaven on a bus ride through the town and harbor with a live tour guide onboard. Pass by landmarks including markets and museums, and see the bustle of the ports and shipyards up close. Set off from the Schaufenster Fischereihafen (Shop Window Fishery Harbor), a scenic maritime and cultural spot. Head through the city, passing by museums like the German Maritime Museum. Next, ride through the Havenwelten (Harbor Worlds) area to see the port's fascinating harbor operations up close. Admire views of the normally restricted international port area, spot luxury cruise ships and ocean steamboats, and learn about the town's history and culture from the tour guide.

Located directly on the beautiful beaches of the Baltic Sea, experience an exciting journey into the impressive underwater world between the Baltic Sea and tropical waters at SEA LIFE Timmendorfer Strand. In 12 themed underwater worlds, breath-taking biodiversity with more than 2,500 animals from the exciting depths of the oceans is waiting to be discovered. The journey, which leads through a spectacular glass tunnel among other things, invites all curious sea explorers into the fascinating depths of the ocean – without getting wet. From the North and Baltic Seas to the beautiful coasts of Europe and into the tropical oceans. Marvel at majestic blacktip reef sharks or the impressive green sea turtle and find yourself face to face with impressive rays. Admire smaller animals such as the colourful clownfish, cute seahorses and other dazzling sea creatures. Walk on the soft, muddy ground of the forest, face a boa constrictor or stick your head into the piranha pool. In the Rainforest Adventure area, get closer than ever to the jungle and its inhabitants. Don’t miss our seasonal events this year: Join the pirate crew on their treasure hunt in May and experience Halloween underwater in October!

Take an exciting day trip from to Heligoland, Germany's only island not in the vicinity of the mainland. Over 40 miles off the coast, the island is known for its spectacular red cliffs, upon which sit the white sands of sprawling dunes, surrounded by unspoiled nature. The boat departs from Hamburg early, with the ride lasting approximately 3.5 hours. Zip down the Elbe river and out onto the North Sea on a sleek, ultra-modern catamaran, passing the port of Cuxhaven. Enjoy complimentary Wi-Fi, gazing out across the vast waters from the open-air deck, or from the comfortable cabin. Modern flat screens all over the ship will teach you fun facts about the Elbe, Northern Germany, and the North Sea during the cruise. Arriving on Heligoland, wander the stunning island for approximately 4 hours. Gaze out over the dunes and onto the north sea, before doing some shopping — all tax free because of the island’s duty-free laws. Soak in the idyllic charm of the area, before hopping back on to the comfortable boat for your trip back to Hamburg.

Explore Flensburg through an unusual, but fun adventure. Take part in an interactive smartphone game with your partner that will help you get to know each other a bit better. Unlock clues to your next destination by taking on tasks and answering tricky and funny questions about each other. Begin your game in the city center and allow the app to guide you from there. You will receive funny instructions about how to move through the area and you can design your own route. Challenge yourself and your partner by acting as a team to solve even the trickiest questions and situations. Enjoy a special outdoor date and create long-lasting memories as a couple. Step away from mainstream areas and traditional tours to focus on creating your own adventure. Take advantage of the bonus tasks and riddles to keep playing even after the game is over. We recommend: Play this outdoor adventure only in a team of two persons.

Discover the joy of crossbow shooting with this group archery class in Cuxhaven that is designed for beginner's. Have all the equipment that you need to hit your target and get a certificate for having passed the basic course at the end of your class. Meet your instructor at the activity provider's archery center and receive a safety briefing for shooting. Find out the dangers associated with the sport and learn about its health benefits. Follow your instructor's lead to get set up with the high-quality bracer, bow, and arrows. Shoot a targets that are 10 meters away and learn how many rings that you have shot. Listen as you instructor gives you tips on how to improve your hit pattern. Put your skills to the test with a mini competition to find out who is the best amateur shooter. Take home a certificate marking your crossbow achievements.

Play this outdoor escape game and solve a mysterious crime in Timmendorfer Strand. Go to the starting point, open the app, then follow the instructions in whatever direction you want to explore the area. Look for clues around the city and play riddles on your smartphone to crack this case. Download the smartphone app onto your phone and start your customized game. Start your game at a location in Timmendorfer Strand and enjoy the luxury of starting the game at your own pace. Immerse yourself in this fictional case of a retired policeman who left the force to write crime books. Listen to how he became a best-selling author and hear about his new book that was about to be released before he went missing. Rumor has it that his book was based on the cases he investigated.  Hear about his ups and downs with his wife, his problems in his marriage, and his odd behavior before his disappearance. Listen to accounts from his friends and witnesses, and read through the police reports to find clues. Take on the challenge, try to crack this unusual case, and catch the killer. Enjoy a bonus level at the end of your adventure and solve it in your own time; this is the perfect opportunity to solve a mysterious murder, see another city, and spend time with your family.

Explore Bremerhaven through an unusual, but fun adventure. Take part in an interactive smartphone game with your partner that will help you get to know each other a bit better. Unlock clues to your next destination by taking on tasks and answering tricky and funny questions about each other. Begin your game in the city center and allow the app to guide you from there. You will receive funny instructions about how to move through the area and you can design your own route. Challenge yourself and your partner by acting as a team to solve even the trickiest questions and situations. Enjoy a special outdoor date and create long-lasting memories as a couple. Step away from mainstream areas and traditional tours to focus on creating your own adventure. Take advantage of the bonus tasks and riddles to keep playing even after the game is over. We recommend: Play this outdoor adventure only in a team of two persons.

Look back on almost 800 years of history on a private tour of Kiel with a local guide. Although most buildings from the old days fell victim to the bombings and the fires of the Second World War, there is a lot to see such as the City Hall, the St. Nikolai Church, the Franciscan monastery, and more. Start your tour at the Ostseekai, where your ship is docked, and follow your guide through the huge ferries docked in the city’s Main Harbor before heading toward Kiel’s Old Town, the beating heart of the city. On the main square, find the Rathaus, or City Hall, which has shaped Kiel's image for more than 100 years. Admire this historic building that was built before the first world war. Then, spot the Kieler Hauptkirche, the town's oldest building, dedicated to Saint Nicholas. Find out how the structure was damaged during a World War II bombing, and later rebuilt using modern forms and construction, such as concrete columns and ceiling.  Continue to the historic Kiel Franciscan Monastery, where fragments of the former monastery graveyard, parts from the cloister and refectory, and the church tower can still be viewed. Learn about the Franciscan monks who settled in northern Germany in the 1200s. See what once used to be the Kiel Castle, the origins of which go back to the city's foundation at the beginning of the 13th century, when a castle was built on the banks of the fjord. Over the centuries, the building suffered an eventful history before falling into disrepair.  Finally, make your way to Kiel’s old market square, whose reconstruction was realized with glass pavilions and shallow copper roofs to resemble the historic buildings. End the tour here and explore more of the city on your own, or ask your guide to escort you back to your ship.