Kiel

Kiel needs 1 day: the promenade along the Kiel Fjord, with views of the ferries and large sailboats entering and leaving the port, is the main reason to visit. June is the one fixed date for anyone chasing Kieler Woche, the world's largest sailing event; the rest of the year, April-September is best. It's inexpensive by German standards. It's the capital of Schleswig-Holstein and one of the most important ports on the Baltic Sea, with a naval tradition dating back to Imperial Germany, when it was the main base of the Kaiser's war fleet.