City map with highlights route

Holsten Gate is the landmark of the Hanseatic city and it’s the perfect holiday photo motif when viewed against the background of the church spires of St. Mary’s church, St. Peter’s church and the historical Salt Warehouses. The best spot is slightly to the right-hand side of the lawn in front of Holsten Gate, looking towards the Old Town. At midday, you can take photos here without any shadows, and in the golden hour shortly before dawn or dusk, the first or last rays of the sun shine directly on Holsten Gate, creating a wonderful effect.

The viewing platform offers you a perfect view of Lübeck high above the rooftops of the Old Town. On one side, you can photograph Holsten Gate as the entrance gate to the historical Old Town. The ensemble of buildings here is complemented by the red-brick Salt Warehouses. If you then turn to your right, you will be greeted by a super view from above onto St. Mary’s church and Lübeck’s historical Town Hall. The best pictures can be taken when the sky is clear, and it there are no clouds or mist, you may be lucky enough to see as far as the Baltic Sea. At the golden hour, shortly before dawn or dusk, the city begins to shine.

Picturesque, colourful gabled houses line the street with the strange name right on the Trave river: Schlüpferallee is one of the rare locations where washing is still dried in the open air when the sun shines. The street on the Upper Trave is at risk of flooding and for that reason, the houses there have no laundry rooms in the basement. The best place to capture these beautiful houses by the water in a picture is from the footbridge opposite Dankwartsgrube, on Possehl Bridge or from the meadow on Wallstraße. “Schlüpfterallee” is lit by the sun at midday and in the early afternoon.

Approaching from Wallstraße, stand beside the peaceful Mühlenteich for a view of the impressive Lübeck Cathedral. The historic monument, the pond, water lilies and plants along the bank create an appealing setting. You will also find the cathedral’s tactile viewing panel here, allowing blind visitors to explore the view of the cathedral by touch. Water lilies and vegetation along the bank are characteristic features of the Mühlenteich.

You’re standing at the top barrier between the two Karstadt buildings in the heart of Lübeck’s Old Town and you go down the hill a short way. As soon as you see the Lichthof shopping arcade, you turn around and direct your gaze up a little. From this perspective, you can capture not only the two church spires but also its ridge turret. This accentuates the special architecture of St. Mary’s church. At the golden hour, shortly before dusk, you can get a superb photo of the spires of St. Mary’s church in the foreground against the sunset.

Lübeck’s historic passageways and courtyards offer peaceful retreats amid the lively Old Town. Füchtingshof is an impressive example. Two perspectives are particularly appealing for photographs: stand in the arched passage leading into the courtyard and frame your view with part of the passage, almost like a window. Or step into the courtyard and turn back towards the passage to capture part of the historic building in your photograph. Füchtingshof is open to visitors daily from 10 am to 12 noon and from 3 pm to 6 pm.

From the museum’s lofty terrace, you have a wide view onto the river Trave, the historical harbour sheds and Lübeck’s Museum harbour. Numerous lovingly restored, traditional sailing ships are moored here and the historical Hanseatic cog, “Lisa von Lübeck”, has its berth on the opposite bank. The light is at its most beautiful at the golden hour, shortly before dusk.

“Große Petersgrube” leads from the Upper Trave up to St. Peter's church. If you stroll along the street and look up a little, you can photograph the entire church spire from a short distance. But “Große Petersgrube” itself is a real head-turner: all the architectural styles of Lübeck’s history are on display here. The architectural diversity of the façades ranges from Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque, Rococo to the Classical style. The best time to photograph this street is late in the day, and the beautiful, colourful gabled houses on lower Petersgrube on the left can be seen in their best light with the sun low on the horizon in the evening.