Lauenburg/Elbe: Half-timbered houses and waterways

Lauenburg/Elbe combines a historic townscape with cycling and water-based excursions. Restored half-timbered houses along Elbstraße, four named long-distance cycling routes and boat trips on three waterways offer different ways to spend your stay—from exploring the town’s history to enjoying experiences on the water.

Old Town, half-timbered houses and historic routes

The historic Old Town consists of restored half-timbered houses along Elbstraße. The town describes this ensemble as Schleswig-Holstein’s largest ensemble of listed historic buildings. Lanes and stairways connect the Old Town and Upper Town. The castle tower and the Prince’s Garden are also among the historic features that are accessible on foot. If you are interested in architectural history, you will find various aspects of the townscape here: the half-timbered houses along the street, the connection between the two parts of town via lanes and stairways, and historic buildings that can be reached on foot.

Long-distance cycling routes and boat trips

Lauenburg/Elbe is connected to four long-distance cycling routes: the Elbe Cycle Route, the Old Salt Road, the Hamburg–Rügen Route and the Iron Curtain Trail. The Old Salt Road follows a specific route from Lauenburg to Lübeck along the Elbe-Lübeck Canal and through the Duchy of Lauenburg. You can use the named long-distance cycling routes to plan a cycling stay without having to commit to a particular tour length.

Visitors can take boat trips on the Elbe, the Elbe-Lübeck Canal or the Elbe Side Canal. Cycling and boating offer different ways to shape your stay: ride one of the long-distance cycling routes mentioned above or take a trip on the water. If you plan to take a boat trip, it is best to check the latest tour times.

Nature in the wider destination of the Duchy of Lauenburg

The wider destination of the Duchy of Lauenburg offers its own setting for nature and regional experiences. Forests cover 26 percent of the district of the Duchy of Lauenburg, which is also home to 48 lakes. The district also contains the Sachsenwald, Schleswig-Holstein’s largest contiguous forest. The Elbe forms the southern boundary of the Duchy of Lauenburg.

The Lauenburg Lakes Nature Park is located in the heart of the Duchy of Lauenburg. It has been designated a protected area for visitors to enjoy since 1960 and features hiking trails, observation towers, nature trails and places to rest. Visitors can hike, cycle, canoe and swim in the refreshing forest lakes; there are also four signposted cycling tours. The area, which measures approximately 35 by 17 kilometres, provides a habitat for kingfishers, white-tailed eagles and cranes, among other species.

Nature watching also has its place here: the observation tower at Lake Mechow invites visitors to watch waterbirds; with a little luck, you may also spot a white-tailed eagle. A canoe trip can take you from Lake Schaalsee via the lakes of the Duchy of Lauenburg and the Wakenitz to Lübeck. The European long-distance footpaths E1, E6 and E9 also cross the Duchy of Lauenburg from north to south via Ratzeburg, Mölln and Lauenburg.

Culture and food in the region

In Lauenburg/Elbe, the Elbe Shipping Museum features the interactive, three-storey exhibition “Man–Model–Machine” on shipping. Visitors can get hands-on with models and experimental stations. In the wider destination of the Duchy of Lauenburg, the Summer of Culture on the Canal takes place every summer as a four-week cultural festival; check the programme for the relevant year before travelling. Country and farm cafés in the Duchy of Lauenburg are known for their homemade cakes, made with regional products.

You can tailor your search to the mix of culture, water and nature you are looking for.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Mechow, Groß Disnack, Salem, Tramm, Möhnsen, Alt Mölln, Hollenbek, Roseburg.

Back to the main travel overview: Duchy of Lauenburg.