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.

 

What could it possibly have been that attracted the Duke?

The surface of the lake glistens like a sparkling gem in the gentle evening light. And there are more than 40 of them in the nature park Lauenburgische Seen. One of them, lake Schaalsee, is actually the deepest lake in North Germany. The Elbe flows gently along the “Hohes Elbufer”, the old salt route “Alte Salzstraße” informs us about white gold, and “Sachsenwald” gives the Duchy its rich forest landscape.

 

About lions, jesters and navigators

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.