Lüneburg

Over 1,050 years old, the city between Hamburg and Hannover is one of the most fascinating cities in North Germany. Its historic Brick Gothic architecture stands in stark contrast to its bustling, young city life. Untouched by the Second World War, the medieval cityscape of Lüneburg remains intact – one of the reasons why the city regained its Hanseatic title in October 2007. Visitors encounter the history of the city, whose most important commodity was salt, throughout the city centre. Salt was boiled in the saltworks for over 1,000 years, until trading in the once valuable “white gold” brought the city fortune and fame in the Middle Ages. Yet the city is far from museum-like, for Lüneburg is a university city: thousands of students live and study here, creating a young and varied cityscape. Shopping is a pleasure in the pedestrian-friendly city centre – where well-stocked specialist stores under historic gables offer a wide assortment of goods, and cars can be parked in one of the multi-storey car parks close to the city centre.