Lübeck made its fortune from salt and herring. In the Middle Ages, the city on the Trave was the head of the Hanseatic League, the great trading association of North German towns, and its merchants controlled trade across the Baltic and the North Sea. The Holstentor, the brick gate with two round towers that leans slightly under its own weight, was built in the fifteenth century and is the symbol of the city, and the old town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with Gothic churches, merchants' houses and narrow lanes.
For a rider, the city is a good place to eat. Lübeck is known for its marzipan, and the confectioners' shops around the centre sell it in every form, from simple loaves to chocolate-covered fruit. The best known is the old marzipan house near the town hall, and the cafe upstairs is a good place for coffee and cake. The city also has the Buddenbrookhaus, the family house of the novelist Thomas Mann, who wrote about the decline of a merchant family in his first great novel.
With over two hundred thousand people, Lübeck has every service, including fuel stations on the edge of the city, bike dealers and plenty of restaurants. Fish is the local speciality, and a plate of fried herring or smoked eel with potato salad is the classic dish of the Baltic coast. The harbour at Travemünde, at the mouth of the river, has a beach and a long promenade, a short ride from the old town.
The riding in the area is flat and easy, with long, straight roads, tree-lined avenues and views of the sea. Wind is a factor, and it can be strong and cold, even in summer. The traffic around the city can be heavy, so avoid the rush hours. Come in spring, when the rapeseed fields are yellow, or in early autumn, when the air is clear and the light is golden.