Allow yourself to be transported to secret alleyways!
This tour shows you the hidden beauty of Lübeck: It opens the door to the world of alleys and courtyards. Please, respect the privacy of the residents when visiting these precious places.
Your tour starts at the Town Hall: Walk north along Breite Straße and turn left into Engelsgrube, named after Lübeck's English trading partners during the times of the Hanseatic League. Here, can to visit one of the approximately 90 still existing courtyards and alleyways – Sievers Thorweg.
From Engelsgrube, you will reach Engelswisch on yout right; a low round arch leads from number 28 into the ”Light-green alley” (Hellgrüner Gang), which opens into An der Untertrave. A few steps further to the right and the “Dark-green alley” (Dunkelgrüner Gang) will take you back to Engelswisch. At its end, follow Große Altefähre to the right into Kleine Burgstraße across the Koberg square. If you’d like to add some art to your tour visit the gallery Artler at Große Burgstraße. Afterwards head towards Königstraße and follow the street until the corner of Glockengießerstraße, where you turn left. Two of the loveliest historic courtyards in Lübeck can be found here: Füchtingshof dating back to 1639 and Glandorpsgang, founded in 1612.
From Glockengießerstraße turm right into Tünkenhagen and head towards the spire of St. Giles'. At Tünkenhagen you will find the gallery “Galerie für eine Nacht” which is situated in the former grocer's shop of the owner’s grandparents. After that, go straight until you reach Fleischhauerstraße, where you find a selection of nice restaurants and cafés to choose from: Ice cream at “Soulmates”, vegan or vegetarian dishes at “Nitsche – Deli & Freiraum” or a specialty coffee at “Cycle Roasters”. After your break go straight in the direction of St. Gille’s until Balauerfohr where you can find the gallery “Kontrapost”.
Next to St. Gille’s on St.-Annen-Straße the Konvent, a café and coffee roasting house, would be another recommendable place to stay. Afterwards explore further alleyways, for example, “Hölle” in a small street named Fegefeuer. Having reached Lübeck’s Cathedral, follow Hartengrube on the right and turn left into Großer Bauhof, then left again into Effengrube.
There is a passageway at number 16 taking you to the Grützmacherhof courtyard. Number 18 leads you into Blohms alley. At the end of the street turn into An der Obertrave. Now, you have probably circled the entire city – without even noticing it!