The 14 best Schlei sights for your perfect vacation on the Schlei

The Schlei stretches 40 km from Schleimünde in the north-east via Kappeln to Schleswig in the south-west. Kappeln and Schleswig are also the two largest towns in the region. In between, there are many small villages, farms and a wide landscape with hills, from which you can always look out over the shallow waters of the Schlei.

Whether the Schlei can actually be called a fjord or just an estuary is debatable, but it makes no difference. No matter what the designation is, the landscape here is beautiful and the Schlei Nature Park is the northernmost nature park in Germany.

Accommodation on the Schlei

As the region around the Schlei is not very large, it is best to look for accommodation and then explore the best Schlei sights from there by bike or car.

As the Schlei is a tourist highlight in Schleswig-Holstein, you’ll have little trouble finding cool accommodation here to suit your perfect vacation on the Schlei. The Schlei is a paradise for vacation homes. But there are also some good campsites if you are traveling by motorhome or van, for example.

Vacation home on the Schlei

There are vacation homes everywhere on the Schlei: in towns, right on the water, in farms, in thatched huts and even in windmills. There is something for every taste.

Houseboat Schlei

The Schlei is ideal for a special vacation with overnight stays on a houseboat. There you can let the waves gently rock you to sleep in the evening.

There are actually quite a few offers for this.

Camping and motorhome sites Schlei

For camping fans, there are also some really great campsites where you can spend the night in a camper van or van.

• Campingpark Schlei-Karschau – From here you are not far from Kacheln and the shore of the Schlei is only a stone’s throw away.
• Campingplatz Wees – a really nice campsite right on the water.
• Campingplatz Lindaunis – This campsite has been around for 50 years and is located directly on the Schlei
• Schleimünde Campsite – This campsite is located directly on the Schleimünung and therefore not far from the Baltic Sea.
• Motorhome site at Schleswig’s city harbor – You can spend the night here with your motorhome right next to Schleswig Cathedral and easily explore the city’s sights from here.

Hotels and country hotels on the Schlei

Of course, there are also more comfortable hotels where you don’t have to worry about anything else. Most of them are in the larger towns such as Kappeln or Schleswig, but there are also a few hotels in the middle of the countryside.

The best Schlei sights

You can also find all the Schlei sights here on the map:

Map in full screen

1. Museum Island Gottorf Castle in Schleswig

On this island in Schleswig, you can immerse yourself in the exciting history of Schleswig-Holstein. There are many paintings, sculptures, carvings, carpets and other rarities from over 800 years ago to marvel at.

Another highlight is a 1700-year-old boat – the Nydam boat from the Iron Age. Entry to the Museum Island is free of charge. Admission to Gottorf Castle is €10.

A few meters from the castle there is also a large garden in which the Gottorf Globe is located – a reconstructed, walk-in globe that is considered to be the first planetarium in the world. In the museum, you can get lots of information about this globe in a 360-degree film with the help of virtual reality glasses.

2. Historic fishing settlement Holm

Originally, around 1000 years ago, this small fishing village was located on an island just outside Schleswig, which was only accessible via a bridge or by boat. In the 20th century, a branch of the Schlei was drained and Holm was incorporated as part of the town of Schleswig.

However, fishing and craftsmanship still play a major role here to this day and you can still feel this in the structure and architecture of the houses when you visit the old settlement. You’ll feel like you’ve been transported back in time as you stroll through the narrow streets of this picturesque village.

3. St. Peter’s Cathedral in Schleswig

The mighty St. Peter’s Cathedral is just a few minutes’ walk from the fishing village of Holm. The cathedral was first mentioned in writing in the 12th century. You will recognize the cathedral’s 112-metre-high church tower from afar. There are very few buildings in the whole of Schleswig-Holstein that are taller.

You can also climb the tower every day. On a good day, the view from the top is far-reaching. Admission costs just €2. You can also book adventure tours or guided tours. Take a look here.

4. Viking village Haithabu

The Viking village of Haithabu with its museum is one of the most important archaeological museums in Germany. It is even a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

In addition to the modern exhibition building, there are 7 faithful replicas and a wooden landing stage on the historic site. They are so well made that you will feel a bit like a Viking yourself. But this is also due to the authentic atmosphere of the village.

There are all kinds of utensils and weapons from this bygone era to marvel at. Chickens roam the grounds and keep a suspicious eye on the inhabitants. There are also authentically dressed villagers who will be happy to tell you more details about life in the Viking Age.

Admission to the village and the museum costs €9 per adult. It takes about 20 minutes to walk from the parking lot near the exhibition room to the village. In addition to the village, there is also a beautiful path along the former ramparts.

5. Louisenlund Castle

A long avenue leads up to Louisenlund Castle. What was once the summer residence of Landgrave Carl von Hessen and his wife Louise is now a boarding school and all-day grammar school.

The English landscape park and the castle are beautifully situated directly on the banks of the Schlei. You can visit the grounds at any time as long as you respect the privacy of the owners who live in the manor house.

6. Sieseby

The small village of Sieseby in the middle of the Schlei is probably one of the most idyllic villages in the entire region. Above all, the numerous thatched houses give Sieseby its special charm. A beautiful pilgrimage path leads through the village, past the small fieldstone church, which dates back to the 12th century, to the jetty and along the shore.

It almost seems as if the clocks tick a little slower here in Sieseby – perfect conditions to really relax and forget the stress of everyday life.

There is also a place here where you can stop for refreshments: The historic Alt Sieseby inn dating from 1867, in front of which there is also a carriage where you can buy coffee and cake.

7. Mill Anna near Rieseby

The Anna Dutch mill is also worth a visit. There are several Dutch mills in this region, but the Anna mill is one of the most beautiful. A few years after it was decommissioned, it was extensively restored and converted into a local history museum.

You can even visit the mill free of charge. The upper floors give you an insight into the mill’s past. However, you should note the opening hours. Because if you are not there on Saturdays and Sundays between 14:00 and 17:00, you will be standing in front of closed doors.

8. Arnis – Small but mighty

With fewer than 300 inhabitants, Arnis is officially the smallest town in Germany. And not just in terms of population, but also in terms of area. At just 0.45 km², the area of Arnis corresponds to around 63 soccer pitches.

One of the highlights here is the Arnisser Rundwanderweg, which has existed since the 18th century. It leads along the water, through all the town’s properties and even past a large shipyard.

There is also a small bathing beach, which is well suited for families with children, an old cemetery, a boatmen’s church and a town hall with exhibitions, where you can also apply for a fishing license.

There are also a few restaurants and cafés in the village. I particularly liked the Café Schleiperle, a historic pile dwelling right on the water, from where you can watch the boats sailing by while enjoying coffee, cake and snacks.

By the way: only residents are allowed to drive into the town. But there is a large parking lot at the gates of Arnis.

9. Chalupka cottage garden

The Chalupka family has created a wonderful little retreat here in this old Low German half-timbered house, a listed building dating from 1756.

The former architect moved here with his wife in 2000 and has since renovated the house and garden. Today, the house is open to the public and you can look around and see everything without paying an entrance fee.

10. St. Wilhadi Church Ulsnis

Beautifully situated on a hilltop stands the gleaming white church of St. Wilhadi in the municipality of Ulsnis. It is surrounded by a cemetery and a row of oak trees and is probably the oldest preserved church in Angeln.

11. Café Lindauhof – Landarzthaus

“Der Landarzt” is one of the best-known German TV series. It ran from 1987 to 2013. At the location of the doctor’s house, which should still be very familiar to many viewers, a small, cosy café called Café Lindauhof was created after the series ended, which also deserves to be visited by you because of its large selection of delicious, homemade cakes.

12. Saxtorf Estate

Gut Saxtorf is a noble estate dating back to the 15th century and the large manor house on the estate is a listed building. You can’t visit the manor house, but it’s also worth a look from the outside.

13. Kappeln

Kappeln is the only place on the Schlei where there is still an original herring fence. It consists of around 2,000 piles driven into the ground and dates back to the 15th century. The fence is therefore a listed building. You can best observe the piles from the Schleibrücke bridge in the middle of Kappeln, but you can also see them from the harbor.

But there is much more to discover in Kappeln. You should definitely take a stroll along the harbor edge . There are numerous restaurants and pubs here, which also offer delicious fish sandwiches with the catch of the day. You can also set off here on a historic steamer to explore the Schlei by water.

The three chimneys of the “Föh” eel and fish smokehouse are also unmistakable in Kappeln. All kinds of seafood specialties are smoked here in the traditional way in Altona ovens using beech wood and alder shavings.

The Amanda mill, built in 1888, is also beautiful and you can even visit it for free. At 32 meters, it is the tallest windmill in Schleswig-Holstein.

14 Schleimünde lighthouse

This green and white lighthouse, which is over 150 years old, stands at the mouth of the Schlei to the Baltic Sea. It used to be black and white and before that it had many other colors. It was recolored in 2014 after extensive renovations.

Bike tour Schlei

The Schlei is ideal for challenging bike tours, with the hilly landscape making you go up and down again and again. You can enjoy wonderful views of the landscape and the water.

There are usually cycle paths along the roads around the Schlei and you can also explore the whole area by bike. Ideally, you should have a trekking bike or something similar. I wouldn’t recommend a road bike because of the roots of the trees along the cycle paths.

A great route leads about 40 km from Kappeln to Schleswig with a few detours to the coast. You will pass many of the Schlei sights mentioned here.

Swimming on the Schlei

There are many natural bathing spots all along the banks of the Schlei. Some of them are rocky, but others even have their own sandy beach. These are my 2 favorites:

• Winningmay natural bathing area
• Gunneby beach

Water sports on the Schlei

There is usually little swell on the Schlei. The region is therefore a paradise for water sports enthusiasts in kayaks, canoes and sups, as well as for sailors.

There are many rental stations and water sports companies in the region. Here is a selection:

• Get Up Stand Up – Stand Up Paddling Shop
• Canoe rental Schlei
• Surf school Maasholm
• Sailing school Schlei

As you can see, there is both peace and quiet and plenty of adventure to experience on the Schlei. Which of the Schlei sights is your favorite? Is there a place missing from the list? Write it in the comments!