Travemünde – what to do

Last Updated on 10/05/2023

Travemünde has been began its history since the end of the 12th century and almost immediately fell under the control of Lübeck. It is still a district of the city, although it is located 14 kilometers from it. It is a ferry port, but not only. It has also been a seaside resort since the early 19th century. True, I would not call this resort pleasant and cozy.

map of Schleswig-Holstein
Coast of Germany. Lower Saxony and Hamburg. What to visit

How to get to Travemünde

You can get there by public transport from Lübeck by train and bus. From Timmendorfer Strand – by bike or by bus.

One road going from Travemünde to Lübeck through a tunnel under the Trave River is a toll road – around 1.70 euros per passenger car.

Travemünde what to do

The embankment of the city is divided into two parts: along the Trave River and along the sea.

Along the sea it is a wide paved promenade twenty meters wide and an even wider Travemünde beach. The promenade is uncomfortable and blows through. The corner formed by the river and the sea occupies the tallest building in Schleswig-Holstein – a hotel with 36 floors, with a lighthouse on top. There is also a large parking lot.

Behind the hotel, the oldest German lighthouse, built in 1539, is 31 meters high. The lighthouse worked until the 70s, until the highest nightmare of Schleswig-Holstein was stuck in front of it.

You can climb to the top of the lighthouse. There is a narrow gallery there, from where a view opens up in almost all directions (except the one blocked by the white tower). From below, the gallery looks quite solid, but at the top it’s scary to go out on it.

In the tiny rooms of the lighthouse, different types of lamps are displayed, there is a spyglass. The museum caretaker on the ground floor has a navigation program displayed on a large screen on the wall, which shows the current location of all ships and boats.

This is how the most central place for a tourist looks like – the corner at the confluence of the river: built up and crowded with cars.

Now let’s turn the corner from unpleasant seeside promenade and go along the river.

On the other side of the Trave River, the Prival residential area, where the museum sailing ship Passat stands. There are a marina and new housing is being built. Opposite the old lighthouse there is a ferry crossing for pedestrians and bicycles to a sailboat and yacht parking.

Along the river bank are the old houses of Travemünde and a shopping street.

Vogtei building from the 16th century. In the 20th century was used by the city for approximately the same judicial and administrative purposes, now in private ownership.

The oldest house in the city (16th century) in the photo on the left.

Church of St. Lorenz (13th century).

Farther away are piers for large ferries and cruise ships. In addition to them, tourist boats go from Travemünde to the surrounding area: to Lübeck and upstream the Trave.

In general, I didn’t like the city. There are a lot of people in the tourist part, few picturesque places, no signs. The city itself is actually rather big, the main part is located on the slopes. Perhaps if you live there and look around a little, it will be better, but for holiday the villages around Timmendorfer Strand are better.

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