Compact and charming Lübeck makes for a great day trip from Hamburg. Looking like a pair of witches' hats, the pointed towers of its landmark Holstentor (Holsten Gate) form the gateway to its historic centre that sits on an island embraced by the arms of the Trave River. The Unesco-recognised web of cobbled lanes flanked by gabled merchants' homes and spired churches is an enduring reminder of Lübeck's role as the one-time capital of the medieval Hanseatic League trading power. Today it enjoys fame as Germany's marzipan capital.
A good place to start a wander around Lübeck's old town is from the Holsten Gate. Hüxstrasse is lined by pleasant boutiques and cafes. For a breath of seaside air, take a short train ride to the Baltic port and resort of Travemünde.
HolstentorLANDMARK
Built in 1464 Lübeck’s charming red-brick city gate is a national icon. Its pointed slate-covered towers, linked by a stepped gable, have graced postcards, paintings and posters, and the old 50 Deutschmark note. Its crooked appearance is the result of an insufficient foundation that caused the south tower to sag until the movement could be halted in the 1930s. The museum inside sheds light on the history of the gate and on Lübeck's medieval mercantile glory days.
MarienkircheCHURCH
This fine Gothic church boasts the world's highest brick-vaulted roof and was the model for dozens of churches in northern Germany. Crane your neck to take in the painted cross-vaulted ceilings supported by slender, ribbed pillars. Also note the astronomical clock in the north aisle next to modern glass windows inspired by a medieval Dance of Death mural destroyed in WWII. Another bombing raid brought down the church's bells, which have been left where they fell in 1942.
PetrikircheCHURCH
Thanks to a lift, even the fitness-phobic get to enjoy panoramic views from the 50m-high platform in the tower of the 13th-century Petrikirche. No longer an active parish, the starkly whitewashed interior hosts exhibits and events.
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