Travel report: The Baltic Sea cycle path from Flensburg to Lübeck
From our customer Katja
TRAVEL and day 1 in Flensburg:
"Treat yourself!" a friend wrote to me after I had sent my first vacation kick-off photo. It showed a cup of cappuccino on the Outer Alster.
This is how my cycling vacation began in the summer of 2022: on my long journey across Germany, I treated myself to a stopover in Hamburg before reaching the starting point of my cycling trip the next day.
On arrival in sunny Flensburg, I was warmly welcomed at the beautiful "Alte Post" hotel and was able to test my rental bike straight away.
I cycled along the harbor, strolled through the pedestrian zone, marveled at the cute little alleyways and the countless shoes hanging up in Norderstraße.
Flensburg harbor
Flensburg, Norderstraße
Flensburg Hotel
Day 2: from Flensburg to Kappeln on the Schlei:
Sporty or relaxed? That's what I asked myself at breakfast in the beautiful hotel in Flensburg. In the end, I decided to take it easy at the start of the 7-day tour. So I used the voucher from Radweg-Reisen, which took me from Flensburg to Glückburg by boat. I would have covered the 10 kilometers saved much faster by bike, but the boat trip on the Flensburg Fjord - past the legendary Ox Islands - was actually a relaxed start to my first stage.
In Glücksburg, the northernmost town in Germany lies the moated castle of the same name, which I cycled a long way around. From Glücksburg, a very varied route led me along the Baltic Sea: both along the coast - sometimes on wide, paved paths and sometimes on narrow gravel paths - and along wheat and corn fields. I tackled countless hills in the hinterland and, when the wind blew against me from the front, I was very grateful for the pedelec's motor, which gave me a gentle mental tailwind for the odd steep climb.
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Glückburg
It was a warm and sunny August day, with the sun shining persistently on my helmet in some places. How good that I had enough water with me. In the afternoon, I had covered a good 60 kilometers and arrived at the "Pierspeicher Boutique Hotel" in Kappeln, which I was immediately impressed by. The former granary had been tastefully converted. My spacious room on the 6th floor was beautifully furnished and offered a fantastic view of the Schlei harbor and the small town with the centrally located Amanda grain mill.
The hotel restaurant is closed on Wednesdays. In the neighboring restaurant "Meerestochter" I ate an excellent salad with salmon - an absolute feast for the eyes and the palate!
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Day 3: from Kappeln to Eckenförde:
In the morning, I enjoyed a great breakfast on the sun terrace right in front of the sailing boats that had moored in the harbor on the Schlei. Well fortified, I set off on today's very short stage.
I was very happy about the short distance of 40 km throughout the day, as it was a particularly hot August day. The route often took me directly along the coast, sometimes on very sandy, narrow paths.
Show more Show lessI particularly liked the alternative route between Schönhagen and Damp. Here you drive along a narrow path that separates the Baltic Sea from Lake Schwansen and passes countless flocks of water birds. In the middle of this beautiful nature, huge concrete buildings suddenly appear in front of you. The town of Damp was probably intended to become a tourist stronghold in the 1960s. The ageing concrete blocks now serve as a rehabilitation clinic. After a final, short stretch along the coast, the Baltic Sea cycle path now took me inland. On this hot day, I was very glad that some sections of the route led through beautiful, shady avenues. I took a short break at "Gut Ludwigsburg" before pedaling to Eckernförde for the last stage.
I arrived at the Hotel Beach Side, which is located directly on Eckernförde beach, in the afternoon - before my suitcase arrived. I enjoyed cooling off in the Baltic Sea and, in the early evening, a stroll through the beautiful town center and an excellent, freshly fried cod in the fine "Fischdeel" restaurant.
Ludwigsburg estate
Baltic Sea Cycle Route
Eckernförde
Day 4: from Eckenförde to Schönberg:
What a day! This day gave me an absolute rollercoaster of emotions and experiences. It had cooled down considerably overnight: at 9.00 am, the thermometer showed just 16 degrees. "I need my jacket today", I thought as I came out of the hotel and went to the bike room. And then the shock: my brand new, high-quality jacket was gone! Shocked, I rummaged through my memory and my two saddlebags. But the longer I thought and searched, the more firmly the nasty realization set in: someone had stolen my jacket, which I really needed today. Of course, I realize that you don't leave valuables lying around in the open. But I hadn't expected someone to steal something from my closed saddle bag in a locked hotel room. "How cheeky!" I kept thinking as I started today's stage in a bad mood and shivering.
The dark clouds and the unsightly cycle route to Kiel, which mainly ran parallel to busy country roads, reflected my mood. This suddenly and unexpectedly brightened up: It was just starting to rain in Kiel and I was looking for somewhere to warm up with a hot drink. I spontaneously chose the "Deichperle". No sooner had I sipped my ginger tea than I saw a familiar face: Jörg, the winemaker from my 900-kilometer home in South Baden, was also in Kiel that very day to personally deliver 200 bottles of his delicious organic wine to the Deichperle. Pleasantly surprised by this unplanned encounter, we chatted about beautiful vacation spots and our now grown-up children.
The first rays of sunshine brightened my mood completely. From Laboe onwards, I enjoyed my cycle route again: I particularly liked the stretch between "Stein" and "Schönberger Strand": also because I enjoyed the fine sandy beach and the wonderful expanse in both "California" and "Brazil"!
In Schönberg, I spent the night at "Ruser's Hotel" - a traditional hotel in a "convenient" location, which unfortunately only offers a very limited breakfast buffet.
Day 5: from Schönberg to Heiligenhafen:
It was a beautiful day! The weather was perfect: sunny, slightly cloudy, always a fresh breeze, often even from the west. So I mostly had a tailwind.
I enjoyed the wonderful route directly along the dam between Schönberger Strand and Hohenfelde and cycled through wonderful, untouched landscapes, through nature reserves with countless birds and took a break here and there on deserted stretches of beach.
Show more Show lessI arrived in Oldenburg at midday on Saturday. The town was already taking a nap at 1.30 pm. And by this time, one of the few bike stores on the route where I wanted to look for a cycling jacket had unfortunately already closed. Heiligenhafen, on the other hand, was very busy, especially on the west side of the lake near the spa clinics and on the beach. There was a good wind blowing here. And from the beach, numerous windsurfers and kitesurfers can be observed wonderfully.
The very nice hotel "Meereszeiten" is located directly at the marina. The only downside: there is no sheltered area for bicycles, which can be locked up directly in front of the hotel or in the neighboring bicycle garage for a fee.
Day 6: from Heiligenhafen to Neukirchen:
After a great, hearty and varied breakfast, I got back on my bike well-fueled. On this day too, I enjoyed today's section of the Baltic Sea Coastal Cycle Route: partly directly along the coast, along beautiful, secluded stretches of beach where you can relax and unwind. I simply cycled past the less inviting sections, such as the very crowded beach in Dahme. How good that you can simply choose the most beautiful spots along the route for a relaxing break.
After Dahme, the cycle path leads inland, past huge wheat fields and through cool forests. I cycled the short, unpleasant and not without danger-section of the noisy main road very quickly and with concentration.
Show more Show lessIn the afternoon, I arrived at the beautiful "Arborea Hotel" right on the marina in Neukirchen. The modern hotel with its own beach focuses entirely on sport and wellness. Here you are greeted directly at reception, regardless of whether the guests already have gray hair or not.
I spontaneously treated myself to a soothing, relaxing massage for my back and legs, dozed for a while in a beach chair on the hotel grounds and ate dinner in the hotel restaurant. In my opinion, the only drawback of the restaurant is that it specializes exclusively in grilled dishes. There are mainly meat or fish dishes and little vitamin-rich or vegetarian food.
Day 7: from Neukirchen to Lübeck:
On this day too, I started the day with a great breakfast. I enjoyed the delicious muesli in a beach chair, but chose a sunny spot on the terrace for the hearty course.
My last day on the bike offered a successful mix of different environments: beautiful cycle paths along the coast and inland alternated with summery, crowded sections. In Timmendorfer Strand, special cycle lanes have been built that run parallel to the promenade through elegant villa districts. Shortly afterwards, the cycle path leads directly along the cliffs to Travemünde. This beautiful section is popular and busy: the sometimes narrow path is shared by cyclists, pedestrians, families with baby carriages and small children as well as dog walkers with their four-legged friends on a lead.
Show more Show lessOn arrival in Travemünde, I discovered a recommendation in the cycle route travel documents that I should take the train to Lübeck. After a moment's thought, I decided to follow this recommendation and use my 9-euro ticket for a free train ride.
I checked into the hotel at lunchtime, left my "seven things" there, cycled into the city, enjoyed a piece of cake in the Niederegger Café, bought enough marzipan there as a souvenir for my family and strolled through the city. St. Mary's Church invites you to take a breather. The fallen church bells, which have remained unchanged since 1939, are an impressive reminder of the horrors of the Second World War and at the same time an impressive memorial for peace. In the evening, I visited friends I hadn't seen for many years - a very nice end to a wonderful trip.
Glocken Marienkirche - A memorial for peace
Holsten Gate, Lübeck
Return journey, review and summary:
The "Vier Jahreszeiten" hotel is located directly at the intersection of two busy roads - even at night. The night was correspondingly restless. However, this was soon forgotten as the view from the 8th floor, where breakfast is served, is magnificent! A great start to my return journey.
I wrote this travelogue on the long train journey. As I selected the photos, I marveled at the beautiful places I had seen and enjoyed in just one week. I mentally retraced the journey and let inner images emerge and disappear again. I also decided to stop fretting about the missing jacket. What was the point? On the contrary: it unnecessarily tarnishes the wonderful memories of my travel experiences. And at the end of the day, that's all that matters: I had a wonderful trip, experienced a lot, saw a lot and recovered in no time at all.
"Breakfast view" over Lübeck
I am infinitely grateful that everything worked out so well, that there were no difficulties that I might not have been able to overcome on my own. Thanks to the extensive documentation from Radweg-Reisen, the emergency telephone numbers and addresses, I always cycled with the confidence that - if I had broken down or even had an accident - I could have contacted people within a very short time who could have helped me professionally. I am also grateful for the wonderful accommodation, which also helped me to recover so quickly and so well from my everyday working life, which moved miles away within a few days.
I am already looking forward to the next stage of the Baltic Sea Cycle Route: from Lübeck to Stralsund.
