Courtyards and Alleyways

If you want to escape from the hustle and bustle of the city life, the Krähenteich, located on the Old Town's island, is the place to go. You have a nice meadow to lay on, right at the bank of the Krähenteich, while enjoying the view over the churches and beautiful old houses of Lübeck. Young people like to have barbecues and get-togethers in summertime there, while its always worth a visit every time of the year.

Once you have passed the bars and restaurants of the Obertrave, you will think you've entered a different world and if there wouldn't be some cars parking on the side of the cobbled roads, one could get the impression of being in a different century. Lovely little colourful houses, only seperated from the River Trave by a small road and a strip of grass, beautiful courtyards and their residents simply enjoying life can be seen when you walk along the Obertrave, just onto Lübecks cathedral.

Experience maritime flair in the fishermen's harbour. Freshly caught fish is sold here directly from the boats. Anyone who doesn't want to wait can satisfy their hunger pangs with delicious fish rolls and other freshly caught specialities from a snack bar. It is extremely popular with visitors thanks to its original charm.

Go and discover the "Amazon of the North". The Wakenitz is a beautiful river in the south-east of Lübeck, whose source is in the Ratzeburg Lake and which drains in the river Trave. You can find a lovely recreation area around the Wakenitz with hiking tracks and lidos or you can do all kinds of different watersports, like canoeing and paddle-boat trips.

From a paradise for beach pirates to a haven for sand martins – the Brodten steep coast with its strange cliff formations is a fantastic place for long walks. In the Middle Ages, beach pirates would light beacons to lure ships onto the sand banks just off the coast and would then plunder them. Thankfully, these bleak times are long gone, In the 19th century, increasing numbers of summer visitors to the up-and-coming resort of Travemünde “discovered” the perfect excursion destination: the Hermannshöhe with its Seetempel gazebo. The striated, sometimes towering cliffs of the Brodten steep coast stretch for 4 km. The whole area is known as the Brodtener Winkel and is a protected conservation area. The Baltic Sea created the cliffs over the centuries – and the sea and wind still “nibble” away at the Brodten steep coast today. Up to a metre a year is eroded by the sea and washed up a couple of 100 m further down on the beaches of Travemünde or Priwall. A bluff (“active cliff”) occurs when the sea has free rein. It is directly exposed to the might of the waves and is used as a breeding ground by the rare sand martins, which nest in holes in the cliff face. Towards Niendorf the southern part of the cliff becomes a “passive cliff” – the erosion here has largely ceased and the former steep cliff edge has been “reconquered” by thick vegetation.

Just like other big cities of the late Middle Ages and the beginning of modern times,Lübeck had a great number of daytellers and delivery boys. They chiefly lived in little houses called “Buden” (shacks), which were densly crowded on premises in street corners, at the back of townsmen’s houses and in the inner parts of housing blocks. Those hidden parts were called alleyways and alleyway quarter. Quickly the salesman, richer middle class and church men discovered how much there was to earn with a well emballished courtyard. Of course the trade with these little housing alleys and exorbitant rates prospered widely. Therein it was up to the owner how many families he cramped into the tiny flats and how many buildings he erected behind his own house. With the general growth of population during the second half of the 15th century Lübeck’s population increased by 25%. This led to a pauperisation of a big part of the population and with it to an extended and modernised quarter of alleyways. Towards the end of the 17th century Lübeck had more then 180 alleyways. Today about 90 of them have survived. A few of the most popular ones are presented here: Engelsgrube (Angel’s path) – Where the English were called Angels Hellgrüner und dunkelgrüner Gang – A green paradise in the backstreets Lüngreens Gang ( Fischergrube No. 38) – submerging in the labyrinth of alleys