Discover Schmilau

Schmilau combines local history with a landscape shaped by forests, moors and water. The municipality includes the village of Farchau. The southern shore of Lake Küchensee in Ratzeburg, the Schaalsee Canal and terrain shaped by the Ice Age also form part of this landscape. Your stay can therefore offer two distinct highlights: the village’s history and its surroundings.

Chapel and milling history

An approximately 800-year-old chapel stands in the village centre; the Schmilau church is believed to have been built between 1210 and 1230. The history of milling is particularly tangible in Farchau. A 16th-century paper mill has been preserved in its original form and is a listed monument. The Farchauer Mühle inn was established at the former site of the grain watermill. The 1925 hydroelectric power station is also a listed monument. Together, these buildings tell different chapters of the area’s local and industrial history.

Rail bikes and agricultural produce

In Schmilau, transport history is also linked to an activity: the former Kaiserbahn railway station is still used for rail-bike rides operated by Erlebnisbahn Ratzeburg. If you plan to take a ride, check the specific dates in advance, as operating details may vary.

Agricultural products associated with Schmilau include strawberries, raspberries, asparagus and potatoes. Whether and where these products are available may vary. These products offer a different focus from the preserved buildings: they point to the area’s agriculture and add a seasonal aspect to its local history.

In the wider destination of the Duchy of Lauenburg

The wider destination of the Duchy of Lauenburg opens up a broader landscape. Forests cover 26 percent of the district, which is home to 48 lakes. The Sachsenwald, Schleswig-Holstein’s largest contiguous forest, is also located here. The Lauenburg Lakes Nature Park lies at the heart of the Duchy. Its visitor facilities include hiking trails, observation towers, educational trails and rest areas; it was established as a protected area for visitors to enjoy in 1960.

Visitors can hike, cycle, canoe and swim in forest lakes in the nature park. Four signposted cycling routes provide clear guidance for bike tours. The long-distance hiking trails E1, E6 and E9 also cross the Duchy from north to south via Ratzeburg, Mölln and Lauenburg. The long-distance cycle route Alte Salzstraße runs from Lauenburg to Lübeck along the Elbe-Lübeck Canal. The routes differ in activity and course; a canoe trip can take you from Lake Schaalsee via the Lauenburg lakes and the Wakenitz to Lübeck. Local navigation restrictions may vary.

Culture and regional destinations

The Duchy also offers a range of highlights for culture lovers. Kultursommer am Kanal is a four-week cultural festival held along the canal every summer; check the programme for the relevant year in advance. The three-storey interactive exhibition “Mensch-Modell-Maschine” at the Elbschifffahrtsmuseum in Lauenburg/Elbe explores shipping. Visitors can get hands-on with models and experiment stations. The Kreismuseum Herzogtum Lauenburg in Ratzeburg displays exhibits on the history of the Dukes of Lauenburg and the former inner-German border.

When choosing accommodation, it helps to first decide what matters most: do you want Schmilau’s history and landscape to shape your stay, or are you planning tours and cultural activities across the wider Duchy of Lauenburg? If a particular route or event is the deciding factor, check its starting point or dates before completing your search.

More destinations

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