Lübeck and Travemünde are two cities in Northern Germany, located only 20 minutes from one another. Lübeck is a UNESCO world heritage site, with houses and churches dating back to the 12th century, while Travemünde is a resort-like coastal town with many beautiful beaches backing onto the Baltic Sea. There are so many things to do in Lübeck, Germany that it makes for a great stop on a road trip through the region, as well as a great destination for a weekend away. It also makes a good day trip to Lübeck from Hamburg if you fancy staying in a bigger city and exploring the region from there.
We had the chance to visit Lübeck and Travemünde for two nights last summer as a part of our road trip through Germany. We camped in Lübeck and filled our days with walking, taking in the culture and eating good food. Here is our itinerary for one day in Lübeck and things to do in Travemünde, Germany.
This travel guide to Lübeck includes:
- When to visit Lübeck and Travemünde
- How to get there
- Where to stay/ camping in Lübeck
- Things to do in Lübeck and Travemünde
When to visit Lübeck and Travemünde
Both Lübeck city and Travemünde are very popular destinations all throughout the year. In the summer, Travemünde boasts a great resort-like location with many beaches and thriving restaurants. The old town is a UNESCO world heritage site, with some of Germany’s cosiest Christmas markets in the winter season.
There is no best time to visit Lübeck or Travemünde, but it definitely depends on what you want to do there! If you want a busy summer destination with a lot of people and a fun summer vibe then you should visit Travemünde in the peak summer months – June to August. If you want a more laid back beach holiday then visit Travemünde in the off-seasons – April, May, September and October. In the winter Travemünde does not have so much to boast of, however, it is still a great place to stay if you want are looking for more slightly more budget accommodation on your trip to Lübeck city.
Lübeck is a beautiful city throughout the year, with so much to see and do in every season. Visit in the summer, spring or autumn if you want to visit museums, take boat tours around the river and stroll in the parks. Visit in the winter if you want to visit Lübeck’s Christmas markets and spend your time exploring the cities festivities.
How to get to Travemünde and Lübeck, Germany
There are so many ways to get to Travemünde and Lübeck depending on how you want to travel and where you are coming from.
Travel to Lübeck by ferry
If you are arriving from Scandinavia, the best way to reach Lübeck and Travemünde is by ferry. Travemünde is the main port, and from here you can take the ferry to/ from Malmö and Trelleborg in Sweden. These ferries take from 7 to 10 hours, depending on which ferry you are catching. The best way to work out which ferry is best for you is to use Ferry Scanner.
If you are coming from Sweden or Denmark and don’t want to spend so long on the ferry, you can also take the ferry from Rødby to Puttgarden. This ferry is only 45 minutes and once in Puttgarden you can either drive or catch the bus to Lübeck and Travemünde. If you catch the bus from Malmö to Copenhagen to Lübeck, this ferry is included in the route.
Travel to Lübeck by bus
Travelling to Lübeck by bus is a super easy option as many companies make this route. If you are travelling from Sweden, there is a direct line from Gothenburg, via Malmö, and Copenhagen to Lübeck with FlixBus. If you are travelling from Germany, FlixBus and Deutsche Bahn are great options to investigate.
Travel to Lübeck by train
Travelling to Lübeck by train is a great option. There are connections from many big cities to Lübeck Central Station (Lübeck Hauptbahnhof). These include:
- Lübeck to Hamburg (39 minutes)
- Kiel
- Puttgarden
- Lüneberg
It’s also very quick and easy to reach Lübeck by train with several connections. These include:
- Amsterdam
- Copenhagen
- Berlin
You can buy tickets through Deutsche Bahn.
Where to stay in Lübeck and Travemünde
There are a few different choices of accommodation you can make when choosing where to stay in Lübeck or Travemünde. Firstly, how centrally located you want to be, secondly, your accommodation budget, and thirdly, what type of accommodation you are looking for.
Camping in Lübeck / Travemünde
On our road trip, we chose to camp. This gave us a lot more flexibility in altering our plans, and it also was a lot cheaper! We camped in Travemünde, at camping Travemünde Ivendorf, which I cannot recommend more! This Lübeck campsite is 20 minutes away from the city by bus, located in a very beautiful part of Travemünde. The campsite has a very clean amenities block with showers, toilets and a camp kitchen. There is also a pool area which is open during the day. The site is much more popular for campervan travellers which means the camping area was quite empty. It’s best to arrive early to choose your campsite if you can as the tenting area is just a patch of grass where you can choose your own spot.
The bus connection from this campsite to Lübeck was great. You have to walk 5 minutes to the bus stop (Travemünder Landstraße), and from here you can catch bus 30 to Lübeck city centre. The bus trip takes around 30 minutes and the bus comes every half hour.
You can read more about our road trip through The wine region of The Mosel Valley and then hiking in the Ahr Valley here!
Where to stay in Lübeck, Germany
Accommodation in Lübeck city centre is a little more expensive and harder to find if you don’t book early as a small city, the area you stay in doesn’t matter so much. Here are some great hotel options depending on your budget:
Low budget: IBIS Lübeck City
Medium budget: H+ Hotel Luebeck
High budget: TOP CCL Klassik Altstadt Hotel
Where to stay in Travemünde , Germany
Travemünde is a great place to stay if you want more of a beach vacation. It’s a thriving resort town with some beautiful hotels to stay in. Some options are:
Medium budget: A-ROSA Travemuende
High budget: Atlantic Grand Hotel Travemünde
The Best Things To Do in Lübeck and Travemünde
Lübeck Altstadt
Lübeck Altstadt, or Lübeck old town, is the oldest part of the city, and the UNESCO world heritage site. The old town is definitely one of the best places to visit in Lübeck, and most of the historical and cultural things to do exist here.
- Holstentor Gate
- Burgtor
- Die Salzspeicher
- Lübeck Town Hall
- Hospital of the Holy Spirit
- Schiffergesellschaft (Seafarer’s Guildhall)
As well as walking around the more well-known spots, one of the charms of Lübeck Altstadt is wandering around the small alleyways and finding yourself in hidden courtyards or small parks surrounded by beautiful architecture.
A great way to make sure you see all of Lübeck Altstadt is to take a guided tour! There are so many great ones to choose from here depending on your interests! Some of my favourite options are a Historical tour in the footsteps of the Hansa or Lübeck Architecture and local crafts!
Taste Lübeck Marzipan
Lübeck is among other things, known for its marzipan. Traditionally, Lübeck has been known to have some of the most quality marzipans in Europe. This is due to it being the capital of the Hanseatic League, an important trading hub, where they could access the finest quality ingredients. In 1966, Lübeck Marzipan was recognised as a protected product by the EU. Today, you can visit several different marzipan creators in Lübeck. These include Niederegger Carstens, Lubeca and Marzipan-Land. My favourite of these was Niederegger, where inside the shop they had a giant replica of the Holsten Gate.
If you are interested in the history of marzipan in Lübeck, you can read more here!
Stroll around Krähenteich-Wiese Park
Krähenteich-Wiese is a great park in Lübeck city to stroll during the summer months. It is relatively small, but it is thriving with people having barbeques and playing games. Here you can enjoy a drink by the water looking across at a beautiful view of the Altstadt.
Take a drink along the Elbe-Trave Canal
There are so many great bars along the Elbe–Trave Canal where you can sit down for a beer and watch the water. The best spots are along the water south of Salzspeicher. Alternatively, you can bring your own drink and sit in one of the parks along the river. We spent the afternoon sitting in Katzenberg park under the sun. Every so often a boat kiosk would drive by selling snacks and drinks to people sitting along the canal banks.
Hire a boat and explore the river
If you don’t fancy taking a drink, you can instead rent a boat and explore the Elbe-Trave Canal that way. There are a few places that hire boats and kayaks along the canal. Several of these are Boat-Now Lübeck, Boat Shop Lübeck & Charter GmbH, and Paddelpoint-Lübeck. Another great option is to take the 1 hour guided tour upon the canal boat. Thi
Visit Glandorps Gang
Glandorps Gang is a beautiful old alleyway in Lübeck city centre. It is open between the hours of 9 am – 12 pm, and 3 pm – 6 pm. This picturesque alleyway is a residential area so is closed for portions of the day to give the residents privacy.
Visit Günter Grass House
Inside the old house of German author, Günter Grass is now a small museum with exhibitions on his life and work as well as sculptures and visual art exhibitions in the courtyard.
Visit the 7 spires of Lübeck
Lübeck is known as “the city of the seven spires”, which 5 magnificent churches that tower over the skyline. These churches are all unique in appearance and just as awe-inspiring as each other. The architecture alone makes these 7 churches worth a look.
The seven spires of Lübeck are:
• Lübeck Cathdral
• St. Mary’s Church
• St. Giles Church (Aegidien-Kirche)
• St. Peters Church
• St. Jacobs Church
Things to do in Travemünde, Germany
Visit SEA LIFE Timmendorfer beach
SEA LIFE Timmendorfer Beach is an aquarium in the centre of Travemünde. It is one of the best things to do in the city, especially with children.
Stroll around the old streets
The old residential streets of Travemünde are some of my favourite. The houses are all brick with colourful, unique facades.
Hire a Beach Hut on Timmendorfer Strand
Timmendorfer Strand is a well-known beach resort in Germany. With beautiful white sand, the beach spreads the length of Travemünde and is a great place to spend the day relaxing on the beach. You can hire sun chairs or a beach hut here for the day.
Mikado Garden
Mikado Garden is a Japanese garden in the centre of Travemünde. It is open from 10 am to 7 pm and a great short activity stop. It is located on the edge of Timmendorfer Strand and is filled with statues, flowers and a book shop.
