The best family-friendly hikes and walks around Lanzer Lake

A walk through the old town is worthwhile. You can see many beautiful half-timbered houses. There are information boards about the buildings hanging on the structures. The path directly on the Elbe riverbank is also beautiful.

The "Lanzer See" campsite is located north of Lauenburg near Basedow and, in addition to Lake Lanzer See, also has access to the Elbe-Lübeck Canal. The "basic pitches" have views of the water 💦 and passing boats 🚤, offering direct access for walks or simply enjoying the evening sunset. 🌅 The restrooms are extremely clean and the staff is very friendly. The campsite is a manageable size, but the central part is populated by too many permanent campers who—if you're lucky—are not there. ☺️

The "Hohes Elbufer" (W30) hiking trail also runs along this spot, which I highly recommend. All information about the hiking trail can be found at the following link: https://wanderjugend.de/deutsche-wanderjugend/jugendwanderwege/die-jugendwanderwege/norddeutschland/hohes-elbufer (as of May 19, 2025).

The Buchhorst Forest Railway is the remaining 600-millimeter section of the brickworks and matchstick railway, located in Schleswig-Holstein, which was finally closed in 1981 and now operates like a museum railway. A 1.1-kilometer section has been preserved, which became private property and has been converted into a museum-like railway since 1988. Source: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buchhorster_Waldbahn

Located directly on the banks and slopes of the Elbe River, historic half-timbered houses line Elbstraße. With its many lovingly restored buildings, Lauenburg's Old Town is the largest historic monument ensemble in all of Schleswig-Holstein. A stroll along the old cobblestone streets of this maritime town brings history to life. Numerous narrow alleys and stairways connect the Old Town with the Upper Town. The castle, with its castle tower and Prince's Garden, is a reminder of the era of the Ascanian dukes. Source: https://www.lauenburg.de/tourismus/

The "Stecknitz-Delvenau-Niederung" nature reserve, covering 617 hectares, was designated in 2002 by the Schleswig-Holstein State Office for Nature and the Environment. It runs predominantly along the state border with Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, along the "Green Belt," the former death strip of the inner-German border between the state border and the "Kolonnenweg" (Kolonnenweg). The "Green Belt" is part of the "Stecknitz-Delvenau" nature reserve of the same name on the Mecklenburg side, which has been protected since 1990 with an area of 249 hectares. Further information is available in the flyer from the Schleswig-Holstein State Office for Nature and the Environment or from the Hamburg Botanical Society. https://www.bund-sh.de/naturschutz/schutzgebiete-des-bund/stecknitz-delvenau-niederung/

The beautiful old town is Schleswig-Holstein's largest historic district. It's best admired on a leisurely stroll through the winding streets with their bumpy cobblestones. Even from afar, the majestic Church of St. Mary Magdalene opens up to view. It was originally built as a chapel in 1227 and has been expanded and remodeled over the centuries. The oldest part of the current religious building dates from around 1300. Elbstraße is particularly impressive: lined with the magnificent facades of former merchant houses, cozy shops, and quaint restaurants, the street is ornately lined with them. Keep an eye out for the narrow house. It's less than three meters wide and was built during the late Renaissance.

2025, the old bridge will soon be history