How to Spend One Day in Lubeck, Germany

Headed from Denmark to Germany or vice versa? It’s the perfect opportunity to spend one day in Lubeck! Lubeck, Germany is located on the coast of Germany and one of the key entrances into the country from Denmark. Plan to spend a day in Lubeck checking out all of the churches its famous for

Here’s what you need to know to make the most of your 24 hours in Lubeck, Germany.

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Table of Contents

Visiting Lubeck for One Day

If you’re feeling adventurous, make a stop in Lübeck on your way from Copenhagen, Denmark to Hamburg, Germany, or vice versa.

The Good News: If you’re taking the train between Copenhagen and Lubeck, the train actually goes on the ferry! That’s right, just like ferries that carry cars, they have ones that carry trains from shore to shore…. It is a pretty neat to experience.

The Bad News: If making a pit stop in Lubeck for 24 hours, it may mean hauling your luggage around all day… Suddenly that 20lb backpack doesn’t seem as light as it used to!

A Little Bit about Lubeck, Germany

Are you familiar with Lübeck? I’m guessing not. I know I wasn’t until I started planning my trip. Lubeck is a small medieval town in the Northwest part of Germany. It is surrounded by water and has become a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The two main entrances to the city feature large medieval gates and the skyline boasts seven gothic-style church towers.

What to Do With Just One Day in Lubeck

So what does one do in Lubeck for 24 hours? Trek from church steeple to church steeple obviously. After all, it is the “City of Seven Spires”!

Fotunately, the city center is quite compact, which means within just a few hours, you can view all the main things to see in Lubeck – including all of the churches in Lubeck and wandering through many of the backroads, or maybe “side alleys” is more appropriate.

Shockingly, the churches offer pretty good variety inside with some also having great history from WWII even though much of the city was destroyed and rebuilt. It’s definitely worth spending one day in Lubeck to explore the many churches and rich history of this city.

Here are the main things to see in Lubeck for 1 day of exploring.

1. Holstentor Gate

The number one sight in Lubeck is Holstentor Gate. This gate marks the western boundary of the old city center. It was built back in 1464 and features a brick Gothic construction.

Today, Holstentor Gate hosts a museum that features Lubeck’s Hanseatic trade links and more. It’s been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1987 and is the best known symbol of the city of Lubeck.

2. Burgtor Gate

Another must see attraction in Lubeck is Burgtor Gate. The Burgtor is the northern city gate of Hanseatic Lubeck and was built back in 1444 in a late Gothic style. It is now one of two towering gates remaining from the medieval fortifications with Holstentor being the other.

3. Saint Marien (Marienkirche)

St. Mary’s Church is the central church of the Protestants in Lubeck. It is open most days to visit and to worship. Built between 1250 and 1350, this church has always been a symbol of the power and prosperity of the old Hanseatic city. It is located on the highest point of island that forms Lubeck.

4. The Dom (Dom zu Lubeck or Lubeck Cathedral)

This large brick Luthern cathedral was originally built back in 1173 by Henry the Lion but was partly destroyed by the bombing raid in WWII. The Dom Church you will find today was finished only in 1982.

Here’s a fun fact about “The Dom”. If you approach if from the northeast, you have to go through Hölle (hell) and Fegefeuer (purgatory) – the actual names of streets – to see Paradies (paradise), the lavish vestibule to the Dom.

5. Saint Aegidien

The smallest of the five inner-city churches, Saint Aegidien also features the largest parish.

6. Saint Jakobi

This 14th century red brick Gothic church, Saint Jakobi, is the church of the seafarers.

7. Saint Katharinen

St. Katharinen is the church of the former Franciscan monastery, and one of the most beautiful brick churches in the city. It currently is a museum presenting an eventful history of its architecture and interior design.

8. Saint Petri

Saint Petri features the Petri Tower. This tower has 54 steps and then offers an elevator to get to the viewing platform at 50 meters. This view helps you see out over Lubeck. Cost for the observation tower is just 4 euros, and 100% worthwhile.

9. The Sacred Heart Church

The Sacred Heart Church is the main Roman Catholic church in Lubeck.

One of the many churches in Lubeck — Lübeck Church

Stay Overnight in Lubeck

If you don’t want to carry your bags around or you just want more time to enjoy this quaint German town, plan to spend the night in Lubeck. It’s actually a great place to stay overnight as there are plenty of hotel options and you won’t see the high prices or competition for hotels the same was as in neighboring cities!

Take a look at these awesome hotels in Lubeck to enjoy a night or two in town.

Best Hostels in Lubeck: Villa HanseART Lubeck | SchickSAAL | Altstadt-Hostel CVJM Lubeck

Best Budget Hotels in Lubeck: LIHO Hotel Lindenhof | Hotel Anno 1216 | TOP CityLine Klassik Altstadt Hotel Lubeck

Best Mid-range Hotels in Lubeck: H+ Hotel Lubeck | Park Inn by Radisson Lubeck | Hotel KO15

Best Luxury Hotels in Lubeck: Radisson Blu Senator Hotel, Lubeck | Atlantic Hotel Lubeck

You may also want to check out the Friederikenhof Hotel, Restaurant, & Spa located just out of town for some real rest and relaxation.

Search All Hotels in Lubeck

Top 3 Reasons to Visit Lubeck When Coming from Denmark

Even just spending one day in Lubeck, you’re in for a lot of surprises if you’re coming in from Denmark. Here are some of the perks you might come across if you’re just entering “mainland Europe”.

1. Charming Streets and Atmosphere

The city of Lubeck has great charm as the roads are bustling with people, street musicians, a lack of gypsies and homeless people, and all kinds of sidewalk cafes. If the weather is nice, just spend some time walking around town and down by the river. It’s truly beautiful!

2. Warmer Weather than Scandinavia

Lubeck is much warmer than further north in Denmark, Sweden, and Norway! This means you can enjoy your time outside – which is great since most of the best things to do in Lubeck are outside or require walking around town.

3. More Affordable than Scandinavia

Also, if you’re coming from the north, it’s obvious Lubeck is not in Scandinavia as food is much more reasonable! No more $5-10 cups of coffee and $12 beer, not like I spoiled myself with drinking much of either. That means Lubeck is a great place to re-caffeinate yourself!

As an intro to Germany… I think it’s safe to say we’re going to get along.

Explore More of Germany

If you’re spending one day in Lubeck, Germany chances are good that you are either coming or going from Germany. That’s awesome news as Germany is a very interesting country with seemingly endless cities and towns to explore.

Here are a few posts to get you started as you plan your trip to Germany!

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How to Spend One Day in Lubeck, Germany