Lubeck Audio Tours

Regional trains connect Hamburg to Lubeck in about forty-five minutes, and from Kiel or Rostock by IC connections. Lubeck Hauptbahnhof is a short walk from the old town island, with the Holsten Gate visible from the station plaza. Everything on the island is within fifteen to twenty minutes walk of itself. The city is most enjoyable on foot: the island is small enough that a car is a liability.

Niederegger on Breite Strasse is the classic option, with a museum about marzipan history upstairs and an elaborate shopfront that has been producing the confection since 1806. There are also smaller marzipan producers and market stalls throughout the old town. Lubeck marzipan differs from other versions in having a higher almond content and less sugar than the Spanish or Sicilian varieties.

The old town island is relatively flat and manageable. The main tourist streets like Breite Strasse and Holstenstrasse are paved and accessible. Some of the older lanes near the churches have uneven surfaces. The churches themselves mostly have steps at the entrance. The riverside walkways are smooth and flat.

The Baltic coast tradition runs through Lubeck's food: smoked eel, pickled herring, and Fischbrötchen (open fish sandwiches on rolls) are standard fare from market stalls near the Schrangen covered market. Rotspon wine, aged Bordeaux shipped to Lubeck in barrels and finished here, is a very specific local taste. The Niederegger cafe on Breite Strasse does marzipan pastries alongside coffee if you need to sit down after walking.