The Kieler Förde — Kiel Fjord in English — is the 17km inlet of the Baltic Sea that defines the city. It runs from the open sea at Laboe in the north down to the inner harbour at the city centre, widening and narrowing as it goes. The city sits on the western bank; the quieter eastern shore holds beaches, fishing villages, and the town of Laboe at the tip.
The fjord is not just scenery — it is a working waterway. Large car ferries to Scandinavia and the Baltic states leave from the inner harbour daily, and sailing yachts share the water with container ships and naval vessels. During Kieler Woche in late June, up to 5,000 racing yachts fill the fjord and the spectacle is extraordinary.
A passenger ferry service crosses between Kiel and various stops on the eastern shore throughout the day, including Laboe. This is a cheap and enjoyable way to see the fjord from the water and to reach the Laboe Naval Memorial without a car.