Germany Trip Plan:
Buxtehude, the River Elbe Valley and metropolitan Hamburg

Buxtehude, CC-by-sa-BMK
[ source: Wikipedia]

Day 1: Arrival

Make yourself home in your nice, completely furnished vacation apartment in a quiet residential area of the town. You don't need a car to reach the nearby town center and a convenience store and a bakery are in the vicinity.

Harbour and Fleeth in Buxtehude, GNU-Peter Wittgens
[ source: Wikipedia]

Day 2: Buxtehude

Buxtehude is the furthest northern town on the famous German Fairy Tales Road and home of The Rabbit and the Porcupine story. So it comes to no surprise that city tours are available with guides dressed in costumes, reminding of this great story by the Brothers Grimm. From afar you will see the steeple of the old St. Petri Church, dominating the horizon of Buxtehude's Old Town. This 13 to 14th century church is an excellent place to start your tour. The staircase to the tower with a viewing platform offers spectacular panoramas and you can watch ships passing on the Elbe River. The town hall is the most dominant building on the market square. The atmosphere is especially attractive along the Fleeth, the canal waterways in the western part of the Old Town. Reminding us of the importance of the waterways for trade is the lovely restored Ewer Margareta from 1897. Continue your walk to the old Church Quarters. Here, in the close to 500 years old half-timbered buildings, many restaurants and cafes serve a rich variety of foods and drinks. Tip: Wednesdays and Saturdays are market-days right in the center of the pedestrianized zone of Buxtehude. Shop for fresh vegetables, fruits, cheese and meat! Additionally, every Saturday morning at 11 a.m. you can listen to live performed organ music in the St. Petri Church, it's free of charge.

Stade Harbor
[ source: www.stade-tourismus.de/]

Day 3: The Old Land and maritime Stade

A good way to discover the Altes Land, south of the Elbe between the towns of Stade and Buxtehude, is by bicycle. It is the largest fruit growing area in northern Europe covering around 14,000 hectares. In spring, when the eight million fruit trees are in full bloom, you will find a very colorful landscape and in the harvest season in autumn, you can buy your fruits directly from the farms or stalls along the roads. Maritime life in the Lower Elbe region between Hamburg and the North Sea is ever present with old harbors, grain stores, cranes, historic vessels and light houses. Ebb and flow constantly shaped this unique landscape and you will enjoy your drive along the dike, whether by car or bicycle.

The rural ports on the Lower Elbe offer peace and relaxation like in the gorgeous town of Stade, a member of the old Hanseatic League. You will be stunned by old town monuments of almost all historical architectural styles ranging from Gothic to post-modern. Water plays the most important part in Stade, which becomes evident when you take a look at the Old Hansa Harbor with its pretty 17th century houses. One of the most beautiful places is surely the Fish Market with its reconstructed wooden crane and tread mill which is framed by the walls of the quay and some splendid half timbered houses. During the course of its long history Stade was besieged and occupied many times. The fortifications of Stade served as a protection from invading forces and today they invite you to go on a discovery trip.

Shopping-center Hamburg, picture: Christian Spahrbier
[ source: www.marketing.hamburg.de/]

Day 4: Hamburg

The central part of the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg is situated around the Inner- and Outer Alster, both of which are originally the River Alster but retained as lakes. The island of Neuwerk and two other islands in the North Sea are also part of Hamburg, located in the Hamburg Wadden Sea National Park. Hamburg has endless offers to its visitors but maybe today you like to go on a shopping spree. The Jungfernstieg on the Alster has long been Hamburg's premier spot for strolling and shopping. In the old days families used to walk around here on Sundays, parading their unmarried daughters, Jungfern, so that's where the name comes from. Jungfernstieg, ideally located on the banks of the Lake Alster, is the place in Hamburg to see and be seen. Nowadays everything revolves around shopping in large department stores and exquisite small shops. The Hamburger Hof shopping mall is also situated on Jungfernstieg. Shopping becomes a culture with large and small stores compete with one another in offering exclusive ranges. Tip for today: Twice a day, at 10 a.m. and 9 p.m., the sounds of trumpeter playing to all four points of the compass are heard from the top of Hamburg's landmark St. Michaelis-Church. This tradition has been maintained for more than three centuries.

Heidschnucken in the Heath, GNU-Willow
[ source: Wikipedia]

Day 5: Lüneburg and Lunenburger Heath Land

Today take a tour to the charming university town of Lüneburg, idyllically located between the River Elbe and the Heath. Salt production in the Lüneburg saline linked the town with Lübeck, the chief Hanseatic City and became the most important port of export for Lüneburg's salt. To this day, the townscape attests to its earlier wealth and intensive trading during the Hanseatic boom period. Impressive gabled buildings, the old port with its crane and historical store, along with the saline, document the past. The place where you can find the best looking brick buildings is at the towns oldest square Am Sande. The Lüneburg Town Hall is one of northern Germany's largest and most beautiful medieval town halls and a must see is Kloster Lüne and Textile Museum, a Benedictine Convent founded in 1172, only a few minutes' walk from Lüneburg's town center.

Lower Saxony's largest holiday area, the Lüneburger Heide, lies between Hamburg, Hanover and Bremen. Violet-hued expanses of heather, green forests, sandy yellow soil and romantic river beds, half timbered towns and cozy enclaves, a healthy climate and leisure parks, all these can be found here. Lüneburg is a junction for many short- and long-distance bike paths, or go on a magnificent hike or horse-ride in the Heath Land.

Pier in Blankenese, GNU-Peter Berger
[ source: Wikipedia]

Day 6: Boat trip to Blankenese

Take it easy and embark on a boat trip on the River Elbe to Blankenese, a western suburb of Hamburg. Some Germans like to compare it to the French- and Italian Riviera and many consider it the most beautiful part of Hamburg. Blankenese has the charm of a 19th century fishing village and was formerly favored by retired ship captains. The most picturesque part of town is the steeply graded hillside, where paths and stairs barely separate cluttered homes. It has become popular with locals and visitors alike. Enjoy a stroll through the narrow alleys passing picturesque houses. Many gorgeous cafes and restaurants invite you to relax, sample some typical northern dishes and gaze at the ships steaming in and out of the harbor. If you like to continue your journey, ferry services are available all the way to the famous St. Pauli-Landungsbrücken in Hamburg's Free Port. After your return to Buxtehude you might fancy a nice dinner combined with a romantic flair. Have a look at Amadeus or the Labyrinth, both restaurants have a great selection of food in historic surroundings.

Local history museum, CC-Farbenfreude
[ source: Wikipedia]

Day 7: Departure

Before you pack your bags today for leaving home, you might have enough time to visit the local historical museum for an astonishing variety of exhibits relating to this world famous fairy-tale The Rabbit and the Porcupine by the Brothers Grimm. Buxtehude even has an official fairy tale storyteller. The Christmas season is especially enchanting, when the illuminated images of fairy tales add to the magic in the old town.

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