Germany / Hamburg & the North / Lübeck

Lübeck

The Holstentor, Brick Gothic Spires and Marzipan

1 dayIdeal stay₹9,050From / night₹2,880Food / day₹850Entry

The old capital of the Hanseatic League on an island in the Trave, its brick Gothic old town a UNESCO site: the twin-towered Holstentor gate, St Mary's Church, the salt warehouses, the narrow alleys and courtyards (Gänge) behind the merchants' houses, and the European Hansemuseum. Lübeck is known for its marzipan, and the Baltic beach at Travemünde is 20 minutes by train. 45 minutes from Hamburg by regional train, so an easy day trip.

Highlights

Holstentor gate
St Mary's Church
The courtyards and alleys of the old town
European Hansemuseum
Marzipan tasting
Afternoon at Travemünde beach

Things to do

Old town walk: Holstentor, St Mary's and the courtyardsMorning · 3h
European HansemuseumAfternoon · 2h 30m
Travemünde beach and promenadeAfternoon · 3h

Tours & tickets

Tours & tickets in Lübeckvia GetYourGuide Tours & tickets in Lübeckvia Klook

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When to go

Best time: May – September, December

Christmas markets across Germany — From late November to about 23 December almost every town holds a Christmas market: Rothenburg's Reiterlesmarkt in its medieval square, Berlin's many markets (Gendarmenmarkt, Charlottenburg Palace), Lübeck's and Hamburg's by their town halls, Stuttgart's large market by the old castle. Opening days vary by town and most close on or before Christmas Eve: check before you plan a December trip around one.

Getting there

Fly into Berlin (BER), 235 km away

Then: Train · 3h 18m (ICE to Hamburg + regional express)

Search flights to BER from your city ↗

Flights from India

From Delhi (1 stop)from ₹24,000
From Mumbai (1 stop)from ₹23,000
From Bengaluru (1 stop)from ₹26,000
From Chennai (1 stop)from ₹26,000
From Hyderabad (1 stop)from ₹26,000
From Kolkata (1 stop)from ₹27,000

Fly into Frankfurt (FRA), 439 km away

Search flights to FRA from your city ↗

Flights from India

From Delhifrom ₹22,000
From Mumbaifrom ₹21,000
From Ahmedabad (1 stop)from ₹25,000
From Kolkata (1 stop)from ₹26,000
From Kochi (1 stop)from ₹25,000
From Bengalurufrom ₹24,000

Fares from India: one way, per person; typical fares, not live prices.

Entry rules

Your passport

Visa needed before you fly for up to 90 days, about ₹12,100

Apply for a Schengen short-stay (type C) visa at any VFS Global Germany centre in India (New Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Kolkata and others), 4-8 weeks before you fly and about 8 weeks ahead for May to September, when appointments are scarce (no earlier than 6 months). Apply to Germany if it is your only or longest stay in Schengen. The fee is €90 (charged in rupees at the mission's rate, about ₹10,100; €45 for children 6-11) plus the VFS service charge of about ₹2,000, and none of it is refunded if the visa is refused.
At the appointment give your fingerprints and photo (skipped if you gave them for a Schengen visa in the last 59 months). Processing takes up to 15 working days after the day you submit, and longer in summer and over Christmas.
If you have lawfully used two Schengen visas in the last three years, ask for a multiple-entry visa: under the EU's 2024 cascade rules for Indians you can be given a two-year visa, then a five-year one.
On your first arrival in the Schengen Area your fingerprints and face are scanned at passport control (the EU Entry/Exit System, in full use since April 2026) instead of a stamp. Allow extra time at Frankfurt and Munich.

Carry: Passport issued within the last 10 years, valid at least 3 months after you leave the Schengen Area, with two blank pages; Completed visa application form (VIDEX) and two recent biometric photos (35 x 45 mm); Travel insurance with at least €30,000 medical cover, valid in every Schengen country for the whole trip; Return flight booking and a day-by-day itinerary; Hotel bookings for every night, or an invitation from your host (a formal letter of obligation if they are paying); Bank statements for the last 3-6 months, income-tax returns, and a leave letter from your employer (or business or college papers).

One Schengen visa covers Germany and every other Schengen country (France, Switzerland, Italy, Austria, the Netherlands and more) for up to 90 days in any 180. ETIAS is only for visa-free travellers, so it does not affect you. Sources disagree on which German mission decides applications from your state, but VFS takes them at any of its Germany centres: check visa.vfsglobal.com for appointments and the current charges before you book flights.

Checked 2026-10; confirm with the embassy before you fly.

Also in Hamburg & the North

⚓ Hamburg · Port City of Canals, Warehouses and the Elbphilharmonie

Plan a trip to Lübeck

Flying in from elsewhere? Start at Berlin (BER)