Baltic Coast and Lübeck

The German Baltic coast brings together two Hanseatic cities and two beaches that act as their neighborhoods. Lübeck, in Schleswig-Holstein, was the most important city of the Hanseatic League, the alliance of merchant towns that dominated trade in northern Europe in the Middle Ages. The old town sits on an island surrounded by the river Trave and canals, and has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1987.

In Lübeck the classic entrance is through the Holstentor, the brick gate with two round towers. From there you reach the Rathaus, the Marienkirche, the Heiligen-Geist-Hospital and the Europäisches Hansemuseum, which tells the story of the League. The city is also known for marzipan: the Niederegger house has produced the sweet since 1806, opposite the Rathaus.

Rostock, in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, joined the Hanseatic League in the 13th century and has one of the oldest universities in northern Europe, founded in 1419. The Marienkirche houses an astronomical clock from 1472 that still works. The center revolves around the Neuer Markt square, the pedestrian street Kröpeliner Straße and the old port (Stadthafen).

On the coast, Travemünde, a borough of Lübeck, and Warnemünde, a borough of Rostock, have wide sandy beaches, a lighthouse, beach baskets (Strandkorb) and ship traffic. Warnemünde receives cruise ships and has the widest beach on the German Baltic coast. The water is cold even in summer and the bathing season typically runs from June to August.

Everything is easily reached by train from Hamburgo. Lübeck is less than an hour from Hamburgo, and Rostock less than two hours from Hamburgo or from Berlin.

This destination brings together 2 cities: Lübeck, Rostock.