100% customisable travel idea
Bremen, Hamburg and Lübeck The German Hanseatic League by train
Bremen - Hamburg - Lübeck
100% customisable travel idea
Bremen - Hamburg - Lübeck
100% customisable for you
Upon arrival, check into your hotel, right on the banks of the Weser River. Inside, old stone walls form the lower level of an ultra-modern, chic, sophisticated decor. The chosen palette combines sleek black and white with ochre tones, all brought to life by contemporary furnishings. Carrying through the same modern, monochrome design, the impressive spa doesn’t need any zen clichés to describe it: with hammam, pool, massage tables, weights and barbells, it has everything you need to achieve the perfect balance between vitality and relaxation. When it comes to cuisine, the restaurant aims to bridge Saxon and Bavarian specialities.
A short walk takes you to the Marktplatz, with its beautiful 15th-century buildings. The city hall is flanked by a statue of Roland (the city’s protector) and the famous animal musicians. If you rub the donkey’s hooves, your dreams will come true! The Evangelical ‘Bremen Cathedral’ (Bremer Dom) dates from the 13th to 15th centuries. In the Catholic church’s Unser Lieben Frauen (Church of Our Lady), you’ll find contemporary stained glass windows by French artist Alfred Manessier. There is also the Schnoor, an old Renaissance quarter, and Böttcherstrasse, with its striking expressionist architecture. In the evening, you might try the local speciality Kohl und Pinkel: curly kale and smoked oat sausage, washed down with a Beck’s beer.
Optional - BremenCARD tourist pass and/or city tour with a private guide.
Train to Hamburg. Stay for two nights in the port area, in a hotel occupying two of the neo-Gothic warehouses that are the pride of Speicherstadt. From the hotel terrace, enjoy beautiful views of the canals and red-brick buildings. Inside, the decor is inspired by the 1950s and ’60s. There is a sense of profound comfort here, brightened up by pieces of tribal and contemporary art. In the bedrooms, a mahogany and tobacco backdrop contrasts with immaculate, crisp white bedlinen topped with a yellow, petrol blue and orange coverlet. Large bay windows let in plenty of light. The amenities is excellent and the bathrooms superb, while the restaurant serves modern Italian cuisine. Guests have free access to the spa, sauna and gym.
Already included - the Hamburg CARD, making it easier to get around and visit museums.
From the economy and architecture to social life, ecology and culture, all the major issues of the century find answers in Hamburg. However, Birnen, Bohnen und Speck (a stew of beans, pears, potatoes and bacon) is another excellent way to experience the great city on the Elbe.
Included - Hamburg, a Hanseatic City. In the 13th century, Hamburg and Lübeck joined forces to create the Teutonic Hanseatic League (also called the Hansa) to defend their trading interests. This league remains essential to the city's identity to this day: the “HH” on local number plates stands for Hansestadt Hamburg. From the Black Death in 1349 to the bombings of Operation Gomorrah in 1943, calamities have been plentiful, and modern developments have always benefited from open spaces. This major conservative port is also a laboratory. Hamburg is not a Fab City for nothing. Explore it all with a private guide: from the bucolic shores of Lake Inner Alster to the 19th-century warehouses of Speicherstadt and the modernist buildings of Kontorhaus; from the city hall to the Elbphilharmonie; from St Michael’s Church to the Sankt Pauli quarter. And from the south bank of the Elbe River, the view of the port is impressive.
Train to Lübeck. Stay for two nights in the historic centre. Your modern hotel is made of brick and blends in well with its surroundings. Once again the interior offers a functionalist, upscale style. Everything is carefully organised and your room is of the highest standard, in shades of white, grey and orange that achieve balance without clashing. The restaurant specialises in steak grilled on a lava stone.
In the city centre, don’t miss the impressive Holstentor (Holsten Gate, 15th century), salt warehouses (16th-18th centuries), and Lutheran cathedral (Lübecker Dom, 1266-1982). Saint James Church (14th century), and the Hospital of the Holy Spirit (13th century), were also once the departure point for pilgrims heading to Santiago de Compostela. This remarkable heritage recalls the city's high status in the Middle Ages and for a long time afterwards.
Optional - Explore the city with a private guide.
Already included - your tickets for the European Hansemuseum. Housed in an elegant brick building by Andreas Heller Architects and Designers (2013-2015), the museum traces the history of the Hanseatic League (or Hansa) from its origins to its decline, spanning its full geographical reach from Novgorod to London. This business, in terms of its wide reach and large capital, was quite a venture! Its merchants were enterprising in every sense of the term. Their lives belong in the pages of a novel, as much as in an account of their business, which you will realise as you walk through the rooms. Interesting documents and artefacts of all kinds represent the network from every angle: technical, cultural, religious, geographical, political and more. In short, it’s a comprehensive presentation of a fascinating historical context.
Then, it will be time to go and try Labskaus: a hash of corned beef, onion, beetroot and potatoes, served with pickles, fried eggs and herring. A dish without equal!
Train to Hamburg and return journey.
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