Gauss-Telegraph: World trip from home in 30 days – Lübeck

Gauss-Telegraph: World trip from home in 30 days – Lübeck

by Alexandra Wolf

Old town

My impression of Lübeck

About one hour from Hamburg, by the Baltic Sea, lies the beautiful Hanseatic City of Lübeck. The city centre is an island surrounded by the rivers “Trave” and “Wakenitz”. In summer, rowers and canoeists scrimmage on the water, while the riverside invites you to walk, jog and cycle. Those who prefer watching sports can visit the stadiums of VFB Lübeck (soccer, Regionalliga Nord) or Lübeck Cougars (American Football, 2nd Bundesliga). If you rather go shopping you can go to Breitestraße with its numerous well-known fashion stores or to Hüxstraße and Fleischhauerstraße with local boutiques, galleries and coffee roasters. In the evening, Café & Bar Celona offers a beautiful setting right at the harbour – including a view of the sunset. If you feel more comfortable in local bars, go to “Torrios”, a cocktail bar in a chic American style or to the student bars “Blauer Engel” and “Schicksaal” in Clemensstraße, the former red-light district.

Travemünde

Travemünde, the city’s district by the Baltic Sea is about 20 minutes away from the city centre. In summer mainly used for beach holidays, a walk along the promenade past the harbour to the beach is popular throughout the whole year. Arriving at the beach, 5*hotels, villas and holiday apartments are lined up. Behind the beach is the Brodtener Ufer with a beautiful view of the wide sea. Additionally, some annual events attract many tourists to the Baltic Sea. In July the Lübecker Yacht Club organizes the Travemünde Week: A regatta accompanied by a large public festival. In August an open-air cinema is opened directly on the beach and in September the Travemünde Lichterzauber offers a fairytale backdrop with fire shows, live music and sea fireworks.

Lübeck is also a popular destination in winter. During the Advent season, thousands of lights create a cosy, Christmassy atmosphere on the old town island. On Kohlmarkt, you can have a cup of mulled wine under a starry roof; at the medieval market next to St. Mary’s Church you can enjoy oven bread & honey wine, while children explore the Fairytale Forest. Lübeck’s Christmas markets also offer a few craft markets and a ride on the Ferris wheel.

Open-air cinema

The most important sights

Founded in 1143, much of the medieval splendour of Lübeck has been well preserved. Since 1987 the old town island has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site with around 1,800 listed buildings. In the Middle Ages, gates in all four cardinal points allowed entry to the island. Today, two of them still exist: the Burgtor and the Holstentor, the town’s landmark. Street after street, medieval gabled houses are lined up, mainly in the style of Brick Gothic. Between those houses, there are small alleys that can only be entered on foot. Some of them lead to beautiful, quiet courtyards. Five large churches, two of them with two towers, give Lübeck the name “city of seven golden towers”. St. Peter’ Church offers a wonderful view of the entire city with its viewing platform at a height of 50m.

The best museum of the city

As a medieval town, “Queen of the Hanseatic League” and birthplace of Thomas Mann and Willy Brandt, the old town island has numerous museums. Very important is the European Hansemuseum telling the story of the Hanseatic League, a medieval union of merchants. A viewing platform offers a view of the port.

Niederegger Café

Favourite dish from the region

Located directly by the sea, there are numerous restaurants with a wide range of delicious fish dishes on the old town island as well as in Travemünde. In the evening, white, green or red Alsterwasser (beer with sprite or woodruff/raspberry lemonade), a glass of Lübecker Rotspon (red wine) or a pitcher of “Zwickelbier” in the city’s brewery Brauberger is recommended. For the sweet tooth, the first path leads to Niederegger and the adjacent café on Breite Straße. Here you will find the world-famous Lübeck marzipan, a mass of almonds and sugar, traditionally coated in dark chocolate.

 

 

Note: Due to the spread of the coronavirus, we don’t recommend to travel until the all restrictions have been lifted.