| Unique pointsLubeck is a charming Hanseatic city, | | | | must. Neideregger have been making marzipan |
| surrounded by a canal | | | | since |
| and a river. It has plenty of parks trees and | | | | 1806 using a secret recipe, with as little sugar as |
| open spaces. | | | | possible |
| The best known symbol of the city is the | | | | added, to preserve the almond aroma and taste. |
| Holtesten gate, | | | | They |
| built in 1477. Unfortuntately the gate was | | | | serve all types of marzipan delicacies and you |
| covered in | | | | can choose |
| scaffolding during my visit in June 2005, so I | | | | from 300 products in their shop. There is a |
| didn't get any | | | | museum on the |
| photos! The town hall (Rathaus) was first | | | | second floor, charting in the company's |
| constructed in | | | | history.The Duckstein Festival is held from 5 - 14 |
| 1230, it is regarded as one of the oldest and | | | | August on the |
| most | | | | banks of the River Travel. There are a variety |
| magnificent buildings in Germany. The whole of | | | | of outdoor |
| the old | | | | street performances - music, comedy etc.Lubeck |
| town is now a UNESCO world heritage site. The | | | | has several interesting museums. The Museum of |
| old town | | | | Nature and the Environment, Muhlendamm 1 -3, |
| is quite compact and can easily be covered by | | | | tel 0451 |
| foot. Lubeck | | | | 1224121, has ten million year old whale fossils. |
| is known as the home of marizpan. The story | | | | The St |
| goes that | | | | Anne Museum, St Annen Strasse 15, tel 0451 |
| during a siege the city ran out of flour and they | | | | 1224134, is a |
| ground down | | | | former Augustian convent dating from the early |
| nuts as a substitute! You can visit the neaby | | | | 16th |
| Baltic coastal | | | | century. It has a collection of ecclesiastical art |
| resort of Travemunde, nicknamed Lubeck's | | | | and late |
| "lovely | | | | Medieval carved altar pieces. The Puppet |
| daughter", walk along the prom, take a dip in the | | | | Museum, |
| sea, visit a | | | | Petersgrube 4 - 5, tel 451 178626, houses one |
| fish restaurant. It is easy to reach Lubeck with | | | | of the |
| Ryanair | | | | largest collections in the world of 18th and 19th |
| flights to Blankensee airport from Prestwick, | | | | century |
| Standsted, | | | | puppets and puppet theatre equipment. The |
| Shannon, Milan, Pisa and Skavsta.HistoryLubeck | | | | Holsten Gate |
| was the cornerstone of the Hanseatic League, a | | | | houses the Museum of Local History. During |
| trading alliance between cities in Northern Europe, | | | | September |
| to | | | | the Museums have some late opening nights, until |
| protect trade. The League endured for three | | | | |
| centries. | | | | midnight.Travemunde, the coastal resort, can be |
| Lubeck was the most important town in the | | | | reached by boat trip |
| Baltc basin by | | | | up to Trave River from Lubeck, by train or by |
| the end of the Middle Ages. However by the late | | | | bus numbers |
| 16th | | | | 30 and 31. The Travemunde Sailing Week is held |
| century the League began to disintergrate. The | | | | from 22 - |
| city is | | | | 31 July. It is the second largest sailing event in |
| nickmaned the "City of Seven Spires". The | | | | the world |
| cathedral is | | | | with around 3000 sailors from 16 countries taking |
| believed to be the oldest building in Lubeck, it | | | | part. |
| was founded | | | | There are fireworks and a family party in |
| in 1137. It was badly damged in air raids during | | | | Brugmann |
| the Second | | | | Gardens. Sand World runs from 8 July - |
| World War, and was not fully renovated until | | | | September 4. This |
| 1982. The | | | | is a display of sand scupltures up to 15 metres |
| bells which fell during the raid have been left | | | | high. There |
| untouched as | | | | is a prom which you can cycle or walk along. The |
| a reminder of the destruction of war. The salt | | | | beach is |
| warehouses, | | | | dotted with the characteristic beach chairs, which |
| now retail space, were crucial to the city's | | | | offer |
| ecomony. Salt | | | | plenty of wind cover.Day TripsThere are regular |
| was known as "white gold" as it the only means | | | | train/bus to nearby cities. I really liked |
| of | | | | Wismar, east of Lubeck. It is also a Hanseatic |
| preserving food. Lubeck was still a "free city" | | | | town. It has |
| when it | | | | a large town square with a medieval water |
| refused to allow Hitler to speak there during his | | | | pumping station, |
| election | | | | built in Dutch renaissence style. Along the port, |
| campaign. Hitler revoked this privilege once he | | | | fish is |
| came to | | | | freshly smoked on board boats. There are stalls |
| power.What to see and doThe old town is very | | | | selling |
| pleasant just for wandering around. | | | | snacks, mainly fish sandwiches and several |
| Every so often you will happen upon one of | | | | restaurants |
| alleyways off a | | | | and cafes. |
| road with terraces of pretty cottages. These | | | | Schwerin is also very beautiful, surrounded by |
| were originally | | | | lakes.Where to stayExcelsior Hotel, this three star |
| built behind the merchants town houses as | | | | hotel is located just outside |
| accommodation for the workers. Most of them | | | | the old town, close to the bus and railway |
| have now | | | | stations. I stayed |
| been refurbished and converted into houses for | | | | at this hotel for one night in June 2005. The |
| the elderly. | | | | rooms are |
| You are welcome to go into the alleys during the | | | | comfortable and the buffet breakfast is good. |
| day to look | | | | Rates for a |
| around, as long as you are respectful of the | | | | double room are 78 - 108 euros, a single room is |
| residents.There are lots of green spaces to walk | | | | 60 - 80 |
| around. I especially | | | | euros. The Excelsior has a 3 day special which |
| liked the Muhlenteich, a tranquil piece of water | | | | includes |
| with great | | | | two nights bed and breakfast, two four-course |
| view over to the cathedral. There are paths | | | | meals (you |
| round almost all | | | | can choose lunch or dinner), a city tour, a visit to |
| the peripherary of the old town.The old town is | | | | the Cafe |
| surrounded by the Elbe-Lubeck canal and | | | | Neideregger and admission to the Puppet |
| the Trave River. You can take boat trips round | | | | Museum. This |
| the port from | | | | package costs 142 euros per person, based on |
| the jetties at Obertrave, Wall Peninsula and the | | | | two |
| Untertrave. | | | | sharing, 174 euros in a single room.The two star |
| You can also take a trip on the Wakenitz from | | | | Baltic Hotel is located just outside the old town, |
| Muhlerbrucke | | | | close to the bus and railway stations. A double |
| to Rothebhausen.Thomas Mann, the German | | | | roomcosts |
| author, was born and spent the | | | | from 61 - 67 euros per night, a single room from |
| early part of his life in Lubeck. One of his best | | | | 33 - 37 |
| known | | | | euros per nightWhere to eatWullenwever, |
| novels, "The Buddenbrooks", helped him to win a | | | | Beckergrube 71, tel 0451 704333, is run by |
| Nobel | | | | the Peterman family. it is located in a 16th |
| Prize for Literature in 1929. It is the story of the | | | | century house. |
| downfall of | | | | There are several set menus, starting at 35 |
| a bourgeois family over several generations. It | | | | euros per |
| was Mann's | | | | person or you can dine a la carte.Restaurant |
| first novel published when he was 25. The so | | | | Toledo, Krahenstrasse 25, tel 451 7098111, is |
| called | | | | a Spanish/Mediterranean restaurant. They serve |
| "Buddenbrooks House" was the home of Mann's | | | | a buffet on |
| grandparents but it was portrayed as the home | | | | Friday and Saturday evening with an extensive |
| of the | | | | choice at only |
| Buddenbrooks in the novel. Some of the rooms | | | | 11.5 euros per person. I liked this restaurant |
| in the | | | | because I |
| house have been decorated as described in the | | | | could see what I was choosing at the buffet. I |
| novel.Lubeck hosts various markets during the | | | | didn't |
| year. The | | | | understand most of tne menus in Germany |
| Christmas market is held in Koberg Square from | | | | beyond chicken |
| 21 | | | | and pork. I do like some fish but never knew |
| November to 23 December. The Anno Dazumal | | | | what all the |
| Market is | | | | kinds of fish on the menu were and didn't want |
| held in the town hall square during May. Stall | | | | to order |
| holders dress | | | | something I couldn't eat.Karen Bryan is a UK |
| in traditional custom and you can watch them | | | | based independent travel consultant |
| practising | | | | and writer, specialising in less well known |
| traditional crafts. It is like a journey back through | | | | destinations in |
| time.For marzipan lovers, a visit to the Cafe | | | | Europe. |
| Neideregger is a | | | | |