Ploen and Holstein Switzerland Lakes

Ploen and Eutin sit at the heart of the Holstein Switzerland Nature Park, a rolling lake district about 30 km from Kiel and reachable by a 35-minute Regionalbahn ride from Kiel Hauptbahnhof, or roughly 45-50 minutes from Luebeck. A local NAH.SH bus connects Ploen onward to Eutin in 20-30 minutes for those wanting to see both towns in one day. Ploen is dominated by Schloss Ploen, a Renaissance-era castle on a hill above the Grosser Ploener See, the largest of the region's more than 200 lakes; its terraced gardens and museum on regional history make a good morning stop, followed by a walk down through the castle park to the lakeside promenade. From there, a lakeside trail leads along the Grosser Ploener See toward smaller villages, with several stretches suited to a two-to-three-hour circular walk for visitors wanting to see more of the water and beech-forest scenery that gives the area its Switzerland nickname. Eutin, reached by bus or a short additional train ride, adds Schloss Eutin, a moated baroque palace with English-style gardens, and a well-preserved old town center with half-timbered houses. Rowboats and pedal boats can be rented on the Grosser Ploener See in summer for visitors who prefer the water to the trails. A full day pairs a Ploen castle-and-lake walk in the morning with the Eutin palace and old town in the afternoon, or, for a shorter visit, focuses on just the Ploen lakeside. The lake district is at its best from May through September when swimming, boating, and longer walks are comfortable, though the castles and old towns remain open for shorter visits outside summer. Because the walking can extend to several hours if both towns and the lakeside trail are combined, this trip suits visitors comfortable with a half-day or more on foot.