10 reasons to visit Lübeck

Lübeck‘s Old Town lies on an island surrounded by the Trave River, which flows into the Baltic Sea about 20 kilometers further downstream. Historical ships lie in port in the Museum Harbour on the Trave, among them many traditional sailing vessels. Tourists can take day trips on some of them.

It’s Lübeck’s main landmark, and in addition, a structure so famous that it was stamped on two-euro coins in 2006. The Holsten Gate was built in the 15th century to protect the city against foreign conquest. Nowadays its walls, some of which are up to 3.50 meters thick, enclose a museum detailing the city’s history.

Lübeck’s Old Town boasts many elaborately ornamented brick buildings - like the Burgtor, the northern city gate, with the customs house. The entire Old Town has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1987. The use of baked red bricks as building materials arrived in northern Europe in the 12th century. It led to the emergence of the northern German Brick Gothic architectural style.

Seafaring and trade made Lübeck rich in the Middle Ages. More and more people flocked to the city, but space on the Old Town island was limited, so courtyards behind the main buildings were built up. Small, two story buildings and narrow lanes resulted. Nowadays, small alleys still lead from the main streets into the jumble of the courtyards — ideal places to explore!

Lübeck’s ship’s captains used to meet here. The Schiffergesellschaft is the former seafarers‘ guild house. Nowadays the gabled building, which dates from 1535, houses a restaurant with a maritime theme. Regional cuisine is served. Of course, that includes seafood dishes in many variations.

This sweetmeat made of almonds and sugar originated in the Orient, but it has a long tradition in Lübeck. Here confectioners always had the ingredients to hand, because the city was an important commercial center. Goods from around the world were available here. To this day, Lübeck is famed for its marzipan.

At the young age of 22, Thomas Mann wrote “Buddenbrooks,” about the rise and fall of a Lübeck merchant’s family. Later the writer was awarded the Nobel Prize in literature for the work. A museum in Lübeck is devoted to him: the Buddenbrookhaus is furnished as a setting for his novel.

Lübeck is considered the "queen of the Hanseatic League”. In the Middle Ages the city played a major role in organizing the northern German merchants’ confederation. It’s no wonder, then, that in 2015 the European Hanseatic League Museum was opened in Lübeck. Specially decorated rooms illustrate the way life was lived at the time the League flourished.

What was good for the Hanseatic League merchants is still good for Lübeck: its proximity to the sea. The seaside resort of Travemünde is a district of Lübeck. As its name implies, it lies at the mouth of the Trave, where the river flows into the Baltic. After sightseeing in the Old Town, just come here, get yourself a Strandkorb — a roofed wicker beach chair - and enjoy the sea breeze.

Lübeck is considered northern Germany’s Christmas town. Several Christmas markets invite you to buy presents and drink mulled wine in the Old Town. The biggest is the historical Christmas market in front of the town hall. The building, which dates from 1308, frames the decorated marketplace.