Famed for its soaring memorial to sailors, Laboe is a coastal town overlooking the Baltic Sea to the north-east of Kiel. It’s a popular destination for beachgoers in the summer months due to its sweep of sand and is home to a World War II German submarine transformed into a museum ship.

Things to do

If you’re visiting in the summer months, you can relax on the white sands of Laboe Beach, which is dotted with huts available for rent. Alternatively, enjoy a stroll on the Laboe Strand, a waterfront promenade lined with eateries, including the Caprice Cafe, Fischkiste and the Buena Vista tapas bar.

While exploring Laboe, you can’t miss the Laboe Naval Memorial, which was originally built to remember those who lost their lives serving with the Imperial German Navy. In 1954, it was rededicated to memorialise sailors of all nationalities who were lost at sea. There are sweeping views across the coast from the top of its 72-metre-high tower, which was designed by the German architect Gustav August Munzer.

At the base of the Laboe Naval Memorial is the German submarine U-995, which is now accessible to the public as a museum ship. Launched in 1943, the vessel was struck at Trondheim and became a Norwegian Kaura submarine before being saved by the German Navy League. Explore the cabins and corridors where the submariners lived and worked while learning about the U-995’s role in World War II.

Getting around

Laboe is around 25 minutes’ drive from the centre of Kiel and just over an hour from Hamburg Airport. Buses connect from Kiel to Laboe while ferries travel from Laboe to towns across the Kiel Fjord. The centre of Laboe is compact enough to explore on foot.