Discover Lüneburg: History, routes and special experiences

Town history and views in Lüneburg

Town and town hall tours showcase Lüneburg’s historic atmosphere, with gabled brick houses, old lanes and the picturesque Wasserviertel district. Visitors particularly interested in townscapes and architectural history will find a clear focus for planning their trip here. The water tower offers a different view of Lüneburg and the surrounding area: its observation platform is 56 m high. The tower also hosts classical concerts at 8 p.m. on the first Sunday of every month and on every full moon.

Megalithic tombs and traces of the Ice Age

Megalithic tombs dating from the Neolithic period, built between 3000 and 2300 BC, are located in Schieringer Forest between Barskamp and Walmsburg. A circular hiking trail leads from Walmsburg village square to the tombs. This is a way to combine an interest in prehistoric sites with a hike; the route is a circular trail. The erratic boulder ring near Breetze, in the Bleckede district, offers another way to explore the history of the landscape. There, erratic boulders bear witness to the Ice Age formation of the Elbe glacial valley. The erratic boulder ring is freely accessible, and parking is available.

Circular trails around Amelinghausen

Two circular trails of different lengths are a highlight in Amelinghausen: the 2.2 km trail around Lopausee lake and Lopaupark is suitable for jogging, walking and Nordic walking. The Königinnen-Weg is an 11-kilometre circular hiking trail around the heathland town of Amelinghausen. The information about distance and route makes it easier to choose a tour to suit your preferred type of trail, without treating the two routes as if they were the same. The annual Heath Blossom Festival takes place in the Samtgemeinde of Amelinghausen in August. It includes the crowning of the Heath Queen and a large parade.

Technology, wildlife and activities

Scharnebeck is home to the Lüneburg Ship Lift, the largest ship lift of its kind in Germany. Visitors more interested in nature and wildlife can explore the Elbtalaue Biosphaerium in Bleckede, which features an aquarium landscape, live beavers and more than 1,000 m² of modern exhibition space. Each attraction has its own focus: a technical installation, animals and an exhibition can all be factored into travel plans to suit different interests.

For active pursuits, Scharnebeck Climbing Forest offers climbing between platforms at heights of three to four metres, reaching up to 15 metres, as well as a 435-metre-long zipline course. The height and course-length figures describe the facility in concrete terms. This experience is clearly different from the circular trails near Amelinghausen or Walmsburg. Families can decide based on their travel companions’ interests whether to focus on a hike, animals and exhibitions, or a climbing activity.

Trip planning and regional towns

There is a bus connection from Lüneburg to Amelinghausen: bus 5700 towards Soltau takes you from Lüneburg Central Station to the Amelinghausen ZOB bus station in about 35 minutes. The approximate journey time can help with planning your day if Amelinghausen is one of your destinations. When choosing accommodation, it is worth first considering which experiences you would like to prioritise: guided city tours and views in Lüneburg, circular trails and the festival in Amelinghausen, or individual destinations such as the erratic boulder ring and megalithic tombs each appeal to different interests. Other towns in the region: Reinstorf, Adendorf, Amelinghausen, Lüdersburg, Handorf, Dahlenburg, Brietlingen, Lüneburg, Bleckede, Embsen, Artlenburg, Amt Neuhaus, Radbruch, Barum, Westergellersen, Bardowick, Melbeck, Soderstorf, Barnstedt, Neetze, Wendisch Evern, Vögelsen, Deutsch Evern, Hohnstorf (Elbe), Hittbergen, Reppenstedt, Rullstorf, Boitze, Barendorf, Heiligenthal, Betzendorf, Neu Garge, Nahrendorf and Thomasburg.

Go to the main travel overview: Lower Saxony.