Attractions

Although the buildings in this 1,000-year-old city are largely from its most prosperous period, the 15th and 16th centuries, a total of 7 centuries of architecture are represented. The Rathaus, Am Markt 1, reached along Auf der Meere, is a perfect example of several trends in architecture and design. You enter through a Gothic doorway into a Renaissance hall. The Great Council Room is the building's most outstanding feature, with sculptures and bas-reliefs by Albert von Soest (1566-84). Daily guided tours are conducted all year at 10 and 11:30am, and 1, 2:30, and 3:30pm. The cost is 5€ for adults and 4€ for students and children. For information, call tel. 04131/309230.

To understand Lüneburg's role as "the Salt City," visit the Deutsches Salzmuseum, Sülfmeisterstrasse 1 (tel. 04131/45065; www.salzmuseum.de). Inside, a series of exhibits explore life in the Middle Ages and the role of salt in the region's economy and culture. Admission is 6€ for adults, 5€ for students and children, and 19€ for a family ticket. The museum is open May to September Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm, Saturday and Sunday 10am to 5pm; daily hours off season are 10am to 5pm. Tours are Monday to Friday at 11am, 12:30, and 3pm, and Saturday and Sunday 11:30am and 3pm.

The Lüneburg Heath

The Lüneburger Heide (Lüneburg Heath) is one of the major attractions of northern Germany. The heath covers nearly 775 sq. km (300 sq. miles) and includes many beautiful spots. The sandy soil is mainly covered with brush and heather, although there are a few oak and beech forests in the northern valleys. Toward late summer, the flowering heath turns from green to purple; August and September are the most beautiful months. The best way to approach the heath is via the old town of Lüneburg, the area's transportation hub.

You'll find dramatic, wind-swept, and bleakly evocative scenery in the Naturschützpark Lüneburger Heide, a 260-sq.-km (100-sq.-mile) sanctuary for plants and wildlife. Its highest point is the Wilsederberg, a low-lying peak only 168m (550 ft.) above sea level, accessible via a network of footpaths from the hamlet of Wilsede. This reserve, in the center of the heath, is a peaceful, pastoral scene of shepherds, sheep, and undulating hills. Strict laws enforce the maintenance of the thatch-roofed houses and rural atmosphere. One of the park's most charming hamlets is Undeloh, which has a good hotel, the Heiderose, Gästehaus Heideschmiede, Wilseder Strasse 29 (tel. 04189/311; www.hotel-heiderose.de), renting doubles for 94€ to 100€, including breakfast. Also, a number of villages -- listed on only the most detailed of maps -- post ZIMMER FREI (ROOM FOR RENT) signs. These accommodations may be on a heath farm or even a horse farm.

For information, contact Fremdenverkehrsverbund Lüneburger Heide e.V., Barkhausenstrasse 35, Lüneburg (tel. 04131/73730), the park's administrative headquarters, which can furnish maps and information on horseback riding and cycling; it's open Monday to Friday 8am to 6pm. To reach the park from Lüneburg, drive 35km (22 miles) west, following the signs to Salzhausen. After you cross the bridge over the A7 Autobahn, follow the brown-and-white signs to the park. The tourist office compiles a list every summer of places where you can rent a bike.