Kiel. Water is the dominant element of this city, where the sea has forged a path right into its center. You can feel, see, and breathe the magical maritime atmosphere wherever you go: along the elongated Kiel Fjord, around the port, or amidst the iconic container cranes of the shipyards, which are among the largest in Europe. The Gorch Fock, a well-traveled training ship and a star attraction at international sailing events, is as much part of the cityscape as the huge ferries docked at the Skandinavienkai quay.