When I think about Germany, big cities like Berlin, Munich or Hamburg come to my mind. But 2 weeks ago I had the chance to explore a city that is less known, but absolutely wonderful and worth a visit: Lübeck, in the North of Germany, 65 km from Hamburg and not far away from the Baltic Sea. It counts about 220'000 inhabitants and is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is often called "City of the 7 towers" or "Queen of the Hanse". Well deserved!
It is quite easy to get to Lübeck - from Hamburg Airport there are good train connections that need less than an hour to bring you to Lübeck. Once there it is quite easy to get around as the old city center is quite small. You won't need a map as the 7 towers of the town help you to orientate yourself. And you won't need a "To do"-List as you'll just pass by by the most famous things. When you stroll around, you'll also discover a lot of beautiful things - picturesque, hidden alleys, medieval gable houses of which every single one seems to tell a story, small cafés and inviting shops (Lübeck is famous for its Marzipan so make sure you travel with a big bag! :-) )... With the water that surrounds the town, it has its own, special atmosphere. A town that seems to tell you "slow down, relax and take it easy". With its hanseatic flair, its relaxing atmosphere and fascinating history- Lübeck is really worth a visit!
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| Welcome to Lübeck! The Holstentor - the city's landmark and probably most photographed object |
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| The Salzspeicher - picturesque houses in which salt was stored between the 16. - 18. century. The oldest house was built in 1579 - quite fascinating, isn't it? |
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| On of the small alleys you'll discover if you stroll around town |
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| The Rathaus (city hall) |
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| Lübeck made out of Marzipan - who would ever eat it? |
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| Lübeck from above |
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| Lübeck with its beautiful gable houses |
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| Lübeck from above again - Salzspeicher houses to the left, Holstentor to the right |
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| The Rathaus (city hall) again |
Another highlight of this my trip to the North of Germany was the short trip to the beach. As I was already so near to the sea, I couldn't resist to pay a short visit to Timmendorfer Strand. Seagulls, sand, a fresh breeze, beach chairs - what would you wish for more? Oh, and talking about beach chairs... I have to confess I've never sat in a beach chair before but always wondered how it can be comfortable to sit in there the whole day. Well... I learned quite soon that this chairs can be folded out and are veeery cozy!! Too bad we don't have them in Switzerland!!
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| Delicious food and drinks and a wonderful view at "Wolkenlos" restaurant, Timmendorfer Strand |
Ok, so that's it for now. I'll eat a last little piece of Lübeck marzipan and then shut down the laptop. It was an honor to meet you, Queen of the Hanse!
Have a nice day and keep exploring! Yours, Valentina
Have a nice day and keep exploring! Yours, Valentina
If you are inspired by my post and want to discover Lübeck yourself, here are my top tips:
Top tips in Lübeck
1. Discover the old town
There is a lot to see and to do in the old town! Visit the Holstentor, the Salzspeicher (6 medieval gable houses built between the 16th and 18th century), the town hall, the different churches, the Buddenbrook House, the Heiligen-Geist-Hospital,... And make sure to take a walk along the river!
2. Look for the alleys
In between the beautiful old gable houses, there are little hidden alleys. Try the Engelsgrube or the Bäckergang and you'll feel some centuries away from today!
4. Europäisches Hansemuseum
Unfortunately, I didn't have time to visit this museum but I'm sure it is worth a visit! Already the outside of this museum is worth to see and the view from the big terrace is great! The museums shows the history of the Hanse (-->Link).
5. Eat some Marzipan!
Lübeck is famous for its Marzipan. The most known Manufacturer is "Niederegger" and you have a huge selection in the "Café Niederegger" at Breite Strasse 89 (--> Link). Above the shop, there is a café where they serve yummy (and huge!!) cakes, on the 2nd floor they even have a little museum where you get information about the process of marzipan-making and the Niederegger dynasty. Another manufacturer is "MEST" (Mühlenstrasse 39). The marzipan coated with chocolate is to die for (--> Link) !!
6. Plan a short trip to the beach!
If you have time, you should definitely plan a trip to the Baltic sea as it is not too far away from Lübeck. I was at Timmendorfer Strand and loved it. Rent a beach chair and relax at the beach, have a drink at wonderful "Wolkenlos" restaurant (--> Link) and walk along the promenade - you'll feel relaxed in no time!
There is a lot to see and to do in the old town! Visit the Holstentor, the Salzspeicher (6 medieval gable houses built between the 16th and 18th century), the town hall, the different churches, the Buddenbrook House, the Heiligen-Geist-Hospital,... And make sure to take a walk along the river!
2. Look for the alleys
In between the beautiful old gable houses, there are little hidden alleys. Try the Engelsgrube or the Bäckergang and you'll feel some centuries away from today!
4. Europäisches Hansemuseum
Unfortunately, I didn't have time to visit this museum but I'm sure it is worth a visit! Already the outside of this museum is worth to see and the view from the big terrace is great! The museums shows the history of the Hanse (-->Link).
5. Eat some Marzipan!
Lübeck is famous for its Marzipan. The most known Manufacturer is "Niederegger" and you have a huge selection in the "Café Niederegger" at Breite Strasse 89 (--> Link). Above the shop, there is a café where they serve yummy (and huge!!) cakes, on the 2nd floor they even have a little museum where you get information about the process of marzipan-making and the Niederegger dynasty. Another manufacturer is "MEST" (Mühlenstrasse 39). The marzipan coated with chocolate is to die for (--> Link) !!
6. Plan a short trip to the beach!
If you have time, you should definitely plan a trip to the Baltic sea as it is not too far away from Lübeck. I was at Timmendorfer Strand and loved it. Rent a beach chair and relax at the beach, have a drink at wonderful "Wolkenlos" restaurant (--> Link) and walk along the promenade - you'll feel relaxed in no time!