Lubeck's old town is a compact island, and Zone 2 is where its religious and civic heart lies. The Petrikirche, the church of St Peter, is a brick Gothic hall church that now serves as an exhibition space, and its tower has a lift that takes you up to a viewing platform with a view over the red roofs, the Trave river and the silhouettes of the other churches. It is the best way to understand the shape of the city, an oval island ringed by water.
A few streets away, the cathedral, the Dom, was founded in 1173 by Henry the Lion, Duke of Saxony and Bavaria, and it is the oldest large brick building in the city. The two west towers rise above the surrounding roofs, and inside is a famous triumphal cross by the artist Bernt Notke, a huge carved crucifix from the late fifteenth century. The cathedral was badly damaged in the bombing of 1942 and restored over decades, with the dark, soaring nave giving a sense of the wealth and ambition of the medieval merchants.
Between the two churches runs a quiet part of the city, with cobbled lanes, courtyards, and tiny houses called Gange and Hofe, built by merchants and guilds to house the poor, hidden behind the main streets. Some of these still serve as homes, and a few are open to the public, so peer through the gate and walk in if it is permitted. The area near the Dom has a calm, almost village-like feel compared with the busy market square.
Lubeck was a major trading city of the Hanseatic League, and the museums and churches are full of its history. Approaching on a bike, expect cobbles in places, traffic around the island, and limited parking. Leave the machine at the edge, perhaps near the Holsten gate, and walk. Fuel is available on the outer roads, and food is easy to find, including smoked fish, marzipan and fresh bread. Summer is busy, and early morning or late afternoon is calmer. Take a jacket, as the wind from the Baltic can be cold.