A calm town between the Schlei fjord and Baltic Sea, with a restored 12th-century Gothic cathedral and the Gottorf Castle housing medieval art collections.
Schleswig sits at the western end of the Schlei inlet from the Baltic Sea. In the 12th-century Gottorf Castle, you can examine the ancient Nydam boat and walk through rooms filled with medieval art. The town's narrow streets lead to St. Peter's Cathedral, where intricate wooden carvings tell biblical stories. In the Holm quarter, red-brick fishermen's cottages from the 1600s line the waterfront, while at nearby Hedeby, you can step inside reconstructed Viking houses.
Getting to Schleswig
Schleswig sits along the A7 autobahn between Hamburg and Flensburg. The town's railway station connects to major cities with regular InterCity and ICE trains. You can reach Hamburg (2.5 hours), Kiel (1 hour), and Flensburg (30 minutes) directly by train, making Schleswig an accessible base for exploring northern Germany.
Exploring Gottorf Castle
Inside the 12th-century Gottorf Castle, you'll find two museums. The archaeological museum displays the Nydam boat, a preserved 4th-century Viking ship discovered in 1863. Walk through the baroque garden to find the Globushaus, where a three-meter-wide 17th-century globe and planetarium demonstrate historical astronomy. The art museum contains medieval religious paintings, along with rooms dedicated to expressionist and impressionist works. Open Tuesday-Sunday, 10:00-17:00.
Viking History at Hedeby
Walk through reconstructed Viking houses 4 kilometers from the town center at Hedeby, once the largest Nordic trading center. The museum explains daily life from the 9th to 11th centuries through archaeological artifacts found on site. Next to Hedeby runs the Danevirke, a 30-kilometer system of defensive walls and trenches built by the Vikings.
The Historic Holm Quarter
The Holm district was an island until 1933, home to the town's fishing community. Today, you can walk along streets barely wide enough for a car, lined with brick cottages dating from the 1600s. Small fishing boats still dock along the Schlei waterfront, where local fishermen sell their catch.
St. Peter's Cathedral
The 12th-century cathedral's twin spires rise above Schleswig's rooftops. Inside, stop at the Bordesholm Altar, where Hans Brüggeman carved intricate biblical scenes between 1514 and 1521. The cathedral contains the marble tomb of King Frederick I of Denmark. Open Monday-Saturday 9:00-17:00, Sunday 11:00-17:00.
Local Food
Restaurants around the Holm quarter serve North German specialties using fish from the Schlei and Baltic Sea. Try the smoked eel, a local specialty, or order pan-fried plaice served with buttered potatoes and fresh spinach. Many restaurants smoke their fish on-site using traditional methods.
