Duchy of Lauenburg

Welcome to the South-East of Schleswig-Holstein, just outside Hamburg’s city gates! The Duchy of Lauenburg is situated in endearingly rural countryside. The gently rolling landscape rich with lakes, forests and the river Elbe, is a perfect place to relax. You have the choice between hiking, cycling and paddling or just simply enjoying a boat trip or a visit to one of our many rustic farmyard coffee shops and cosy restaurants. The towns of Ratzeburg, Mölln, Lauenburg and Geesthacht have exciting stories to tell and tempt you to explore their culture.

Exciting stories can be found everywhere in the Duchy of Lauenburg. In Ratzeburg, surrounded by water, for example, there is the red brick Ratzeburg Cathedral sponsored by Henry the Lion. Or there is the Eulenspiegel town of Mölln, where the jester Till Eulenspiegel is said to have died in 1350. Lauenburg an der Elbe acquaints us with century old navigation traditions while Geesthacht stands for innovation and technology. Around Büchen and in the region of Stecknitz, the story of the old salt route “Alte Salzstraße” comes to life.

It owes its diversity and charm to the last ice age: the Nature Park Lauenburgische Seen attracts visitors with over forty lakes, hidden in the forests like sparkling gems. In the far east of the region lies the Schaalsee, the deepest lake in northern Germany.

The blue artery of the duchy is the Elbe-Lübeck Canal, which runs through the middle of the region. The popular long-distance cycle route ‘Alte Salzstraße’ runs along its banks.
In the south, the region is bordered by the Elbe. Between the Elbe towns of Lauenburg

and Geesthacht, the high banks of the Elbe invite you to take a tour along the Elbe Cycle Route.
And there is another superlative associated with the densely wooded Duchy of Lauenburg: the Sachsenwald is the largest contiguous forest area in Schleswig-Holstein.

built by the water

Whether by the lake or on the banks of the Elbe, our historic towns all boast riverside locations and magnificent views. Lion, fool, nobleman or sailor: every place has its own exciting story to tell.