Lübeck Germany - A Culinary Adventure in the Marzipan City

Lübeck feels like a living museum, with its medieval courtyards and high gabled merchant houses reminiscent of medieval relics. Stroll through Old Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site featuring wide Huxstrasse streets and narrow, winding alleyways which give it a truly distinctive character, for an immersive experience that transports visitors back centuries. Lübeck in Germany once part of the Hanseatic League, remains a dramatic sight today, especially at nightfall when illuminated by its historic Holstentor gate (uncompregnable gate). Its tower, a symbol of its former power and protection against attacks from pirates and raiders alike. Additionally, St. Mary's church serves as an inspiration for Thomas Mann's novel Buddenbrooks set nearby.

A Sweet Legacy: Lübeck's Marzipan Tradition

Lübeck is famous for its Gothic churches and ubiquitous crow-step gables, but also for producing some of the world's best marzipan. According to food legend, marzipan originated during a famine in 1407 when starving residents found only almond meal and sugar stored in warehouses. Creating loaves which they distributed around St. Mark's Day as gifts for needy neighbors, becoming an instantaneous hit and eventually an international classic. Today, you can find marzipan in cakes and sweet confections sold at restaurants and shops throughout Lübeck's Old Town. But beware if you think you've found fake marzipan; local producers adhere to a specific recipe consisting of no more than 30 percent raw marzipan mixed with 70 percent sugar. Some confectioners such as Erasmi & Carstens, Lubeca, Marzipanland still run family businesses that have been passed from generation to generation; Niederegger's storefront on Huxstrasse (Hux Street) is so prominently visible that its name appears everywhere else in Lübeck.

As you stroll down the street, you'll notice that this restaurant sells not only baked goods but also hand-painted marzipan figures. Their staff is knowledgeable about their products and more than happy to explain their history. Lübeck deserves at least two-three days for you to fully explore its compact Old Town on foot and visit all its must-see sights, such as Holstentor and Salzspeicher (salt warehouse). However, even with limited time available, it might suffice just to focus on key attractions, including these. Lübeck was situated strategically along the Baltic Sea for trade reasons--its position meant that no land invader could attack it directly, offering protection from invaders while simultaneously making trade a key aspect of everyday life. A major Hanseatic League port, trade became integral to life here. Merchants made fortunes trading with distant ports, while wealth allowed for impressive architectural creations to emerge throughout Lübeck.

Delights: Must-Try Dishes and Local Cuisine

Less than an hour's drive from Hamburg, Lübeck also produces marzipan, an integral culinary treasure that shares much with its architectural marvels. Food lore says marzipan first made its debut during a 1407 famine when residents desperately searched port warehouses for anything edible they could make into a sweet paste with ground almonds and sugar; later these pasted were given away on St. Mark's Day, hence its name. Discover Lübeck's original downtown on a guided walking tour through its mighty Holstentor gate on a guided walking tour with your guide, admiring how narrow streets lead to architectural masterpieces. Admire Ratskellar Town Hall, which blends Renaissance and Gothic styles. Wander St. Peter's Church; once used as a place of worship but now used for events. During your stroll, you'll also pass Marienkirche and the historic City Hall.

For a break from wandering, head into one of Breite Strasse and surrounding streets' many coffee shops and bakeries lining Breite Strasse and its streets. Breite's ratio of bakeries-per-city population may be the highest in Europe; you'll easily be able to satisfy an overly eager appetite with pretzels, coffeecakes, and more. Niederegger also specializes in confectionary shops, like marzipan production from an age-old recipe since 1806. Lübeck would not be complete without visiting Thomas Mann's first novel, The Buddenbrooks, written in 1901 at his house located on Fleischhauer Strasse. A museum and audiovisual show inside this stunning town provides a fascinating look back into his early life in Lübeck, living here during 1901-02, where he wrote The Buddenbrooks. There is also an audio-visual presentation providing more insight into this intriguing writer's early years when living here as an author himself. After visiting, feel free to explore on your own or return to your hotel to prepare yourself for dinner, your hotel may offer options from traditional German cuisine to vegetarian options such as Veg at Table for your dining needs!

Beyond Marzipan: Lübeck's Vibrant Food Scene

Lübeck may be small, but it offers visitors plenty of restaurants and cafés to meet the needs of its visitors. Many are fair trade certified, so you can feel good about enjoying a meal or snack in its Old Town. The Old Town of Lübeck's charming brick houses with stepped gables and cobbled streets is not only beautiful, but is a testament to one of Europe's most successful cities. Hanseatic City Lübeck held an exclusive sea trading monopoly during medieval Europe. Shipping goods across both the Baltic Sea and North Sea helped this wealthy port earn both money and power for itself. Lübeck was built around its location at the confluence of two rivers - Wakenitz and Trave, which allowed it to block enemy attacks by land while also being protected by marshland surrounding it. As such, Lübeck is considered one of the best-protected towns in Germany even today.

Holstentor, an iconic Renaissance two-tower city gate at the western entrance to Lübeck Old Town from 1530, is considered an icon, and you can even buy hand-moulded marzipan models of it at Niederegger's. Another must-see attraction is the House of the Seamen's Guild (Haus der Schiffergesellschaft). Built in the Renaissance style, this impressive baroque-inspired structure boasts baroque interior features as well as rich decorations from Hanseatic era decorations, such as its chapel with damaged lifeboat. Furthermore, this place of business houses some of Lübeck's acclaimed restaurants and cafés. The Old Town is home to more than 90 passageways and courtyards that were once the living quarters for local craftsmen and merchants, including Glandorpshof which served as exterior scenes in F.W. Murnau's Nosferatu movie. Join a Lübeck Passage & Courtyard Tour, where your guide will highlight their most attractive features while explaining their rich histories.

Pairing Pleasures: Lübeck's Brews Wines and Spirit

Lübeck's medieval Old Town, with its majestic church spires, crow-step gables and tranquil squares, is a feast for the eyes. Renowned as "Die Stadt der 7 Turm," Unesco has designated much of this Hanseatic city a World Heritage Site. If your ancestors lived here, they may have been part of an influential trade alliance that dominated Baltic Sea trade routes. They may have worked on ships or even navigated those waters themselves. Perhaps they built their house from bricks that are still characteristic of Lübeck architecture today. They might have also enjoyed visiting Christmas market handicrafts, an event your family could participate in today, or sampling its famed marzipan. Lübeck's Old Town can best be experienced by exploring its narrow, angled alleys. Feel transported back in time as you discover its brick Gothic architecture. Next, head towards its historic port area where huge commercial ships pass you by while admiring beautiful quays on Trave and Wakenitz Rivers.

Here you can enjoy an exciting food scene, with many bars and restaurants serving both traditional German cuisine and more modern fare. For an upscale dining experience with both living room-like comforts and a British club ambience, consider KOCHWERK restaurant; their combination of living room atmosphere with a British club vibe makes it the ideal spot for fast business lunches or leisurely evening dinners. Ferries across the Trave River will bring you to Neustadt, where UNESCO World Heritage Site-listed museums await your discovery. Highlights of Neustadt Museum include its collection of historic armor, swords and weaponry as well as the 15th-century Holsten Gate, once Lübeck's main entrance -which once provided access to the city. Lübeck's Old Town spans 2.5 kilometers in length and 1.5 in width, making it easily navigable by foot. If you would like to learn more about its rich history, there are numerous museums and exhibitions you can visit as well.