Discover Plön: Lake, castle grounds and Holstein Switzerland

Plön lies in the rolling lake landscape of Holstein Switzerland. Lake Großer Plöner See is closely integrated into the town, and paths along the shore offer sweeping views across the landscape. Water, town and a varied natural backdrop create very different ways to shape your stay: you can explore Plön on foot, find your way around with an audio guide, or include regional routes and activities on the water in your plans.

Getting around the lake and town

Plön is a convenient starting point for regional cycling and hiking routes, water activities and lake excursions. If you would first like to discover the town and the castle grounds, you can use free smartphone audio guides. There are two tours for the Old Town and castle grounds, each lasting around 20 minutes. Check the availability of the audio guides and linked offers before your visit.

You can also factor your journey into your plans: Plön is accessible by train, with connections from Lübeck and Kiel. Check the current timetable before travelling. This lets you plan your journey and excursions separately, without committing to a single way of getting around during your stay.

For more active days, regional cycling and hiking trails are available alongside water activities and lake excursions. Deciding which of these options you want to focus on is a helpful part of planning your trip. A two-day cycling tour with a very different time commitment runs from Kiel via Plön and Lütjenburg to the Baltic coast; it is particularly suitable for pedelecs. The audio guide tours, by contrast, each last around 20 minutes. This difference helps you distinguish short explorations in Plön from a multi-day route itinerary. Route details may change.

In the wider destination of Plön: lakes, coast and nature

Looking at the wider destination of Plön—that is, Plön District—offers another perspective. The district includes around 80 lakes. Lake Großer Plöner See covers 29 km² and Lake Selenter See 22 km². The district lies between the Baltic Sea and Holstein Switzerland and has around 50 kilometres of Baltic coastline. This gives you both lake and coastal options to consider when planning your trip, without confusing them with the features of the town of Plön.

Large parts of the district are within Holstein Switzerland Nature Park. The nature park covers 75,000 hectares and offers opportunities to experience nature and see rare animals. The district’s gently rolling landscape is also well suited to cycling and hiking tours. A signposted network of cycling routes covers 850 kilometres, and there are also developed Nordic walking trails. This gives you the option of choosing between cycling, hiking and Nordic walking when planning your activities.

Water experiences between the lakes and the Baltic Sea

Along the Baltic coast in Plön District, swimming is possible from Mönkeberg to Sehlendorfer Strand. Activities available there include sailing, surfing and diving, as well as boat trips, offshore sailing trips, cutter trips and surf fishing. You can explore the district by canoe along the Schwentine waterway; the lakes are also used by sailing boats and excursion boats. Watching sea eagles over Lake Großer Plöner See can be a memorable experience, although a sighting cannot be planned.

The bathing area on Prinzeninsel features a gently sloping sandy beach around 100 metres wide. It can only be reached on foot or by bicycle; visitor facilities may change seasonally. These specific conditions are important when planning your day and comparing different water-based activities.

The castle, guided tours and more to discover

Plön Castle stands above the lake of the same name in Holstein Switzerland and is the landmark of Plön District. Groups can book individually tailored combined guided tours of the castle grounds. They combine visits to Prinzenhaus, the castle park and the castle grounds. Check current booking options before making plans.

Other places in the wider destination of Plön have their own appeal: Gut Panker is over 500 years old, lies in Plön District and is now open to visitors. The estate was formerly run by the Rantzau family. Lütjenburg is also in the district and is known for its historic town centre. These destinations complement the options by the water and along the trails with cultural and historical attractions.

If you also plan to visit the coast and other places in Plön District, you can tailor your search to the kind of stay you want. Plön itself remains a convenient starting point for regional routes, water activities and lake excursions.

Discover more destinations: Giekau, Rastorf, Schlesen, Barmissen, Pohnsdorf, Passade, Nettelsee, Fargau-Pratjau.

To the overview of the wider destination: Plön.