Lübeck, Germany
Guten Morgan! The first landing of our voyage in the Baltic was in the picturesque German city of Lübeck. To arrive there, we sailed southwest from Copenhagen down to the mouth of the River Trave that flows out from Europe. We sailed up this river to arrive at Lübeck, a quaint, historic town that was founded in the 12th century.
For centuries, Lübeck was the capital and Queen city of the Hanseatic League – a major trading port for northern Europe. The city was bombed heavily during World War II, but many of the historic sites survived.
After a fine breakfast onboard the ship, we jumped onboard two canal boats to slowly tour the city by way of the canals surrounding the island upon which the city lies. From this vantage point we could see the slightly leaning steeple points of the city’s various churches, and some fine views of the medieval Gothic architecture for which this city is known.
The canal boat tours finished in the heart of the town, where we joined our guides for pleasant walks around the old cobblestone streets lined with historic buildings and homes. Highlights included the Holstentor brick gate, the various marzipan shops, the ornate St. Marien basilica, the Schiffergesellschaft safe haven for sailors, the brewery street, and the lovely Market Square.
When the tours were over, many folks spent the rest of their time ashore exploring the city on their own, while others came back for a nice lunch and a chance to rest a bit on the National Geographic Explorer.
By mid-afternoon, everyone was safely back onboard for a beautiful, sunny cruise back out the River Trave, and we enjoyed a fine German tea time of pretzels and beer on the back deck.
