Lübeck is a center for antiques stores. One of the best is Antiquitäten Bannow Günther, Fleischhauerstrasse 87 (tel. 0451/77338), carrying antique silver, crystal, porcelain, books, pewter, and English, Danish, and German furniture; any article can be shipped to your home. And if you're looking for souvenirs that celebrate Lübeck's rich maritime traditions, head for the town's best handicrafts shop, Kunsthaus Lübeck, Königstrasse 20 (tel. 0451/75700), where tin, pewter, glass sculpting, pottery, and antique books will help you remember your visit. Breitestrasse, a pedestrian walkway throughout most of the day, is the main shopping street in town. Much of Lübeck's Altstadt is banned to cars, which makes for a pleasant afternoon of wandering.
J. G. Niederegger, Breitestrasse 89 (tel. 0451/53010), sells that "sweetest of all sweetmeats," famous Lübeck marzipan. It's been across from the main entrance to the Rathaus since 1806. On the ground floor, you can buy treats to take away, or you can go upstairs to a pleasant cafe, where you can order dessert and the best brewed coffee in Lübeck. Ask for their pastry specialty, a nut torte resting under a huge slab of fresh marzipan. You'll pay around 30€ ($48) per kilo (about 15€/$24 per lb.) for marzipan. The shop is open 9am to 6pm daily. MasterCard and Visa are accepted.
