The city by the river and the sea

Painters' Corner on the romantic bank of the Trave offers you the most beautiful view of the Old Town backdrop in the cathedral district. In former times, the Stecknitz bargemen with their cargoes of salt from Lüneburg used to moor here, and today you will find here one of the most popular residential districts in the Old Town with neat gabled houses and medieval alleys and courtyards. Discover Painters’ Corner and enjoy the Lübeck lifestyle!

Even in the Middle Ages, the Old Town was already nearly surrounded and protected by water. Today, you can still only reach the picturesque Old Town which has preserved its historical charm to the present day, via one of the small pedestrian bridges or large bridge streets. The river is dominated by the comings and goings of river cruise ships and hobby skippers enjoying the view from the water of an Old Town recognised by UNESCO as a World Heritage site and the Museum Harbour with its lovingly restored oldtimer sailing ships.

Surrounded by the Trave and Wakenitz rivers, Lübeck’s historic Old Town with its many beautiful places to relax beside the water is spread out before you. On the banks of the Trave and Trave canal all round the historic Old Town, you will find romantic areas amid the greenery, beautiful paths right by the water, traditional residential districts and the remains of the Old Town fortifications. Discover many other oases of greenery and lively locations right on Lübeck’s riverbanks.

Refreshment first – Lübeck offers you the chance to cool off in the water on hot summer days! Lübeck’s natural open air swimming pools against the backdrop of the historical Old Town are a tempting prospect. Here you can enjoy the sun on expansive grassy areas and cool off by jumping into the fresh water. Use the midday sun for your cooling dip in the water and the afternoon to explore the historic UNESCO Old Town with its monuments and cultural treasures – a perfect summer’s day in Lübeck!

Like a heartbeat, the Trave marks the pulse of the town, flowing calmly and unerringly towards the nearby Baltic Sea. If you follow the course of the Trave to its mouth, you reach the urbane resort of Travemünde after a 90-minute trip by boat. The distance can be covered in a third of the time when travelling by bus, train or car, but is by far not as relaxing. It’s only around 20 km from Lübeck’s Old Town and it welcomes you with fine sandy beaches, large vessels and a fresh breeze off the Baltic Sea. Here you can forget about your troubles and experience the vastness of the sea and genuine summer freshness.