NEUR

Military-maritime heritage, friendly ambience and easy access to outdoor adventures are all part of the urban fabric in Karlskrona. In 1680, King Karl XI chose Sweden’s most southern archipelago for a new base for his Royal Navy. The 17^th-century grid design on the island of Trossö remains the Baroque heart of the city, which today covers 33 islands. On Trossö's highest point, the elegant and expansive town square is a civic and cultural hub, with such landmarks as the Town Hall, an old water tower-turned-exhibition space, and Fredrik's Church.

The seaside resort of Travemünde sits at the meeting point of the Trave river and the Baltic. A holiday destination since the early 19^th century, it offers the timeless pleasures of sun, sand and simple fare like fischbrötchen along broad beaches dotted with giant wicker chairs called strandkörbe. Watersports, including a July regatta, are also major draw. The riverfront Vorderreihe, lined with restaurants, cafes and boutiques, is lovely to stroll, as is the charming Old Town.

The busiest artificial waterway in the world, Kiel Canal was opened by Kaiser Wilhelm II in 1895. It runs a length of 61 miles from the locks in Kiel Holtenau to the locks in Brunsbüttel. Some 43,000 commercial ships and 20,00 private yachts pass this way between the North Sea and the Baltic Sea yearly. The volume and diversity of the shipping is extraordinary, with masts flying flags from around the world. The canal passes under numerous bridges, including the Levensau High Bridge dating from 1893.