Car Hire Lubeck

Mini guide to Lubeck

The skyline of Lubeck is punctuated by seven magnificent towering steeples, giving it an awe-inspiring feeling. The city became the capital of the Hanseatic League in the 13th century and was an important trade route all along the Baltic Sea, as far as Russia. Today, Lubeck still basks in the glory of the Hanseatic merchants, who showed off their wealth by lavishly decorating their homes and churches. Today Lubeck is a UNESCO World Heritage site. On another note, not many people are aware of this, but Lubeck is famous as the world capital of marzipan!

The Altstadt or old city is wonderful to explore on foot. It is surrounded by the Trave River, which itself is inter-connected with canals, giving the sensation of being on an island. Most Germans will know the famous Holstentor, a Lubeck landmark, which used to be the entrance to the city. The Rathaus and Rathausplatz (city hall and city square) trace their origin to 1230, but have been rebuilt several times since. However, the mixed Gothic and Romanesque architecture is a wonderful sight. While at the Rathaus, don’t miss sampling or buying some marzipan at the famous Niederegger shop nearby.

Located on the Baltic coast, Lubeck is an ideal base from which to explore parts of Scandinavia as well. For something different, take your car on the ferry to Travemunde in Denmark or Trelleborg in Sweden. For a more cosmopolitan outing, the cities of Kiel (92kms) and Hamburg (66kms) are easily reached by car.

Lubeck is conveniently located on the A1 Autobahn (motorway) that runs north south and is easily accessible from all over Germany. Lubeck also lies on the main train line that connects it with various German cities. 40 trains depart daily to destinations in Germany as well as Denmark. The train journey to Berlin takes about 5 hours.