text:
Lawrence

There is more than one place called Lawrence:

Australia

 * Lawrence - Next to the town of Yamba in the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales.

New Zealand

 * Lawrence - in the Otago region on the south island of New Zealand.

United States of America

 * Lawrence (Indiana) - A town in Indiana.
 * Lawrence (Kansas) - A town in Kansas.
 * Lawrence (Massachusetts) - A city in Massachusetts.
 * Lawrence (Michigan) - A town in Michigan.
 * Lawrence (New York) - A town in New York
 * Lawrence (Wisconsin) - A town in Wisconsin.

title: Lawrence


text:
Lawrence (Kansas)

Lawrence is a city in Eastern Kansas, USA along I-70, 35 miles (56 km) west of Kansas City, Kansas. It is home to the University of Kansas. Lawrence provides a mix of academics, bohemia, and small-town Kansas kitsch. It has been the setting of many movies and is a growing cultural hub in Kansas.

Understand
Lawrence is a college town with ideologically diverse residents. Two universities are located in the town - the older and more historic University of Kansas, with a campus spanning from downtown Lawrence to west Lawrence, and the federally funded Haskell University in southeast Lawrence. There are also many historic settings, as this city was among the first in Kansas and shaped the cultural and political landscape of Kansas for generations to come, at its founding. Today, it is a cultural hub in the state, with several theaters, restaurants, music venues, bars, clubs, churches, and landmarks. This town, and the surrounding county, is oozing with history from the pre-Civil War Bleeding Kansas era, and there is much to explore.

By car

 * Interstate 70. On the north edge of town.
 * State Highway Kansas 10. Access from southwest metropolitan Kansas City on the south edge of town.
 * US 24 and US 40. East-west access from Topeka and Kansas City (24 immediately north of town and 40 through the center of town).
 * US 59. North-south access from Ottawa and Atchison through the center of town.

By bus

 * The K-10 Connector (RideKC Route 510). The K-10 Connector runs between Overland Park and Lawrence on weekdays. Services are limited during KU summer term and school breaks and holidays. $3 one-way.

By train
Amtrak provides one daily service via the Southwest Chief route. Westbound trains, from Chicago bound for Los Angeles stops just before midnight while eastbound trains rolls in to Lawrence early morning. The is at 413 E 7th St. There's no bus stop directly at the station, however 7th & New Hampshire station is just a few minutes walk away.

By plane

 * Kansas City International Airport 46 miles east-northeast. The closest airport to Lawrence with commercial airlines operating, and a major Southwest hub. Service also available on major airlines to large domestic hubs (Chicago, Atlanta, Dallas, Washington, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Minneapolis, Memphis, Detroit, Salt Lake City, Cincinnati, Cleveland, New York, Houston)

Get around
The central part of the city, consisting of the downtown, the KU campus, and the student-filled neighborhoods in between is easily walkable. The Lawrence Convention & Visitors Bureau's Visitor Information Center offers brochures for self-guided walking tours in the city. Outside of the central part of the city, cars are king. Cabs are cheap, though uncommon.

By bus
Lawrence has a fairly good and inexpensive bus system, known as the T. Before January 1st, 2023, the fare was only $1 and would get you one transfer or you could pay $2.75 for a day pass. However, through 2023, you no longer required a bus pass to ride the T due to the Fare Free Pilot Project. The website is on Lawrencetransit and there a bus to the Overland Park campus k-10-connector. The transit stops are on Google transit and searchable there, excluding the K-10 connector. In early 2024, a new central bus station is expected to be finished on 15th St. between Kasold and Iowa.

By taxi

 * Jayhawk Taxi, 850 E 13th St, +1 785 843-8294, M-Sa Hotline Open at 8AM.
 * Ground Transportation Inc. 301 Maple St, +1 785 838-4500. $9 anywhere in town, 24/7 hours open.
 * Lawrence Taxi +1 785 304-6748. Th-Sa Part-time.
 * Uber is also available in Lawrence, as far as the south border of Douglas County, and up to Lecompton, Kansas.

By bike
The city is relatively bike-friendly, and has had a good reputation among the biking community.

See

 * There's an interesting rock mural on North Side of the river which was created by local artist Stan Herd. It is visible from the Massachusetts Street Bridge.
 * There's an interesting rock mural on North Side of the river which was created by local artist Stan Herd. It is visible from the Massachusetts Street Bridge.
 * There's an interesting rock mural on North Side of the river which was created by local artist Stan Herd. It is visible from the Massachusetts Street Bridge.

Do

 * Kansas Football. The Jayhawks play their home games in Memorial Stadium. In the mid-2010s, the football program was troubled by coaching changes, but Memorial Stadium is regarded locally as one of the most underrated Division I stadiums in the country.
 * Kansas Soccer. The Jayhawks play women's college soccer at Rock Chalk Park in west Lawrence. They compete in the Big 12 conference.
 * Kansas Baseball. The Jayhawks play their baseball games in the heart of Lawrence, in Hoglund Ballpark, just south of Allen Fieldhouse.
 * Kansas Baseball. The Jayhawks play their baseball games in the heart of Lawrence, in Hoglund Ballpark, just south of Allen Fieldhouse.

Learn

 * University of Kansas, home of the Spencer Museum of Art, the Museum of Natural History (Dyche Hall), the "Lone Survivor" of the Battle of Little Bighorn, and the Dole Institute of Politics at 2350 Petefish Drive. The flagship university of the state of Kansas, and regarded as one of the most beautiful university campuses in the Heartland.

Buy
Massachusetts Street is the downtown shopping district. You can find anything from incense burners to sporting goods. Allergy sufferers, take note: several local merchants (the Dusty Bookshelf, Love Garden Sounds, and Sunflower Outdoor) have resident cats. The 23rd Street in the south has many shopping places and Iowa/31st Street is home to Walmart, Target, Home Depot, Lowe's, Chick-fil-A, Hobby Lobby, Best Buy, and other big box stores.

Eat
Many restaurants are on Massachusetts Street in the historic downtown.

Drink
Lawrence has a varied nightlife with a number of opportunities to see live music. For a calendar of upcoming shows, visit Lawrence.com

Go next

 * Overland Park
 * Kansas City, MO
 * Kansas City, KS
 * Topeka

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: Lawrence (Kansas)


text:
Lawrence (Massachusetts)

Lawrence is a city in Massachusetts with a population of about 89,000 (2020).

Methuen is a city in Massachusetts with a population of 53,000 (2020).

Get in
. Most domestic and international flights fly into Logan International Airport in Boston and Manchester-Boston Regional Airport in Manchester, New Hampshire, which are both around a half an hour away from Lawrence.

Interstate 495 runs through the city.

The MBTA offers commuter rail from Boston North station via it' sHaverhill Line. is located at 211 Merrimack Street, south of the river.

Get around

 * The Merrimack Valley Regional Transit Authority provides bus service for the area. Since Fall 2022, buses run every 30 minutes between 7AM and 6PM weekdays in Lawrence itself, otherwise, bus service is hourly.

See

Go next

 * Lowell, just west of Lawrence, is a good stop because of its many museums and historical attractions.
 * Boston to the south and New Hampshire to the north are also good places to visit.

title: Lawrence (Massachusetts)


text:
Lawrenceville

Lawrenceville is a city in Georgia, on the outskirts of Metro Atlanta.

Understand
Lawrenceville came into being on December 15, 1821 and is the county seat of Gwinnett County, which was formed exactly 3 years prior. Lawrenceville was the second city founded in the greater Atlanta area. The location for the original town square was chosen due to its close proximity to multiple springs.

Lawrenceville was named after Captain James Lawrence who was commander of the frigate Chesapeake. During a battle with H. M. S Shannon on June 1, 1813, off the coast near Boston, Massachusetts captain Lawrence was mortally wounded. His dying words were, "Don't give up the ship."

In 1978 Larry Flynt, publisher of Hustler Magazine, was shot on the Lawrenceville courthouse square allegedly by Joseph Paul Franklin.

By plane

 * Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport is 40 miles southeast of Lawrenceville in Atlanta. There are several ways to get from Hartsfield-Jackson to Lawrenceville:
 * Take Interstate 85 North through Atlanta, taking exit 106 onto GA-316 E towards Lawrenceville.
 * Drive east on US-78 through Atlanta and Decatur then take GA-124/Scenic Highway in Snellville north directly into downtown Lawrenceville.
 * Take the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) Gold line north to the Doraville station to transfer onto the Gwinnett County Transit Express Bus Route 103 to Sugarloaf Mills then head southeast on Sugarloaf Parkway.
 * Take the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) Gold line north to the Doraville station to transfer onto the Gwinnett County Transit Express Bus Route 103 to Sugarloaf Mills then head southeast on Sugarloaf Parkway.

By Car
Travel north on Interstate 85 from Atlanta taking exit 106 onto GA-316. Travel east on GA-316 to Highway 20 and turn right.

Get around
More information on transportation in Lawrenceville and Gwinnett can be found at the Gwinnett County government's website.
 * Gwinnett County Transit is Gwinnett's public bus service. They provide routes around Lawrenceville and Gwinnett as well as express routes to MARTA stations closer to Atlanta.

Do

 * Alexander Park 800 Old Snellville Highway. +1 770 822-5414. Open sunrise until sunset. Alexander park includes a playground, a 1.4 mile multipurpose trail, a small fishing lake with piers, and an 18-hole disc golf course . The playground was built within the last five years and has swings, a boulder structure, two large structures, and multiple slides. The disc golf course has a practice putting basket and 18 holes with both beginner and regular tees adding up to 56 par depending on the current basket pin positions. The course has a mix of wooded and open holes. There are 3 pavilions, one of which is equipped with a grill. This is a very well-maintained and new park spanning over 91 acres.
 * Collins Hill Golf Club 585 Camp Perrin Road. +1 770 237-5647. Collins Hill Golf Club sports a driving range, pro shop, clubhouse, and 18-hole golf course. Non-resident walk-ins cost $35 a round or $29 if reserved online. There are many other cheaper rates depending on time, residency, and age.
 * Medieval Times 5900 Sugarloaf Parkway. Shows every weekend. Medieval Times provides dinner and a show for the whole family. Admission includes an old-style chicken meal and a medieval themed performance that includes jousting and sword-fighting. Adult tickets are $51.95, child tickets are $35.95.
 * Painting With a Twist 178 East Crogan Street Suite 230. +1 678 226-4970. Varying times with private booking available. Here you can attend painting sessions in a relaxed studio. Visitors are encouraged to "bring your favorite people, munchies, bottle of wine or other favorite beverage" to be guided by artists and have a care-free painting session. Other events include family days, private parties, and days that benefit charity.
 * Rhodes Jordan Park 100 East Crogan Street. Gym/info: +1 678 277-0890. Pool: +1 678 277-0892. Open sunrise until 11PM. Rhodes Jordan Park is over 162 acres and has 1.9 miles of multipurpose paved trail. There is a recreation center, gymnasium, indoor pool, outdoor aquatics park, seven baseball/softball fields, eight lit tennis courts, a football field, outdoor basketball court and large fishing lake. The playground and adjacent pavilion and grills was constructed in 2011 and is very large and well-maintained.
 * Medieval Times 5900 Sugarloaf Parkway. Shows every weekend. Medieval Times provides dinner and a show for the whole family. Admission includes an old-style chicken meal and a medieval themed performance that includes jousting and sword-fighting. Adult tickets are $51.95, child tickets are $35.95.
 * Painting With a Twist 178 East Crogan Street Suite 230. +1 678 226-4970. Varying times with private booking available. Here you can attend painting sessions in a relaxed studio. Visitors are encouraged to "bring your favorite people, munchies, bottle of wine or other favorite beverage" to be guided by artists and have a care-free painting session. Other events include family days, private parties, and days that benefit charity.
 * Rhodes Jordan Park 100 East Crogan Street. Gym/info: +1 678 277-0890. Pool: +1 678 277-0892. Open sunrise until 11PM. Rhodes Jordan Park is over 162 acres and has 1.9 miles of multipurpose paved trail. There is a recreation center, gymnasium, indoor pool, outdoor aquatics park, seven baseball/softball fields, eight lit tennis courts, a football field, outdoor basketball court and large fishing lake. The playground and adjacent pavilion and grills was constructed in 2011 and is very large and well-maintained.
 * Medieval Times 5900 Sugarloaf Parkway. Shows every weekend. Medieval Times provides dinner and a show for the whole family. Admission includes an old-style chicken meal and a medieval themed performance that includes jousting and sword-fighting. Adult tickets are $51.95, child tickets are $35.95.
 * Painting With a Twist 178 East Crogan Street Suite 230. +1 678 226-4970. Varying times with private booking available. Here you can attend painting sessions in a relaxed studio. Visitors are encouraged to "bring your favorite people, munchies, bottle of wine or other favorite beverage" to be guided by artists and have a care-free painting session. Other events include family days, private parties, and days that benefit charity.
 * Rhodes Jordan Park 100 East Crogan Street. Gym/info: +1 678 277-0890. Pool: +1 678 277-0892. Open sunrise until 11PM. Rhodes Jordan Park is over 162 acres and has 1.9 miles of multipurpose paved trail. There is a recreation center, gymnasium, indoor pool, outdoor aquatics park, seven baseball/softball fields, eight lit tennis courts, a football field, outdoor basketball court and large fishing lake. The playground and adjacent pavilion and grills was constructed in 2011 and is very large and well-maintained.

Buy

 * The Shoppes at Webb Gin  1350 Scenic Highway. +1 770 978-5692. The Shoppes at Webb Gin is a form of plaza/strip mall with a collection of eateries and stores. Parking is free. Shopping and dining are moderately upscale.

Eat

 * Little Barn. 60 East Pike Street, between Rhodes Jordan Park and Buford Highway/US-20. +1 770 962-1367. Breakfast served Monday through Saturday 5:30AM - 11AM, lunch from 11AM - 2PM. This excellent family-run restaurant is housed in a large red barn. Little Barn boasts its large biscuits, Brunswick stew, and classic Southern gravy and sweet tea (available for purchase by the gallon). Drive-thru and dine-in options. If the main parking lot is full, there is a gravel lot just above the main lot. Biscuits are around $2 each, barbeque sandwiches $3.
 * Little Barn. 60 East Pike Street, between Rhodes Jordan Park and Buford Highway/US-20. +1 770 962-1367. Breakfast served Monday through Saturday 5:30AM - 11AM, lunch from 11AM - 2PM. This excellent family-run restaurant is housed in a large red barn. Little Barn boasts its large biscuits, Brunswick stew, and classic Southern gravy and sweet tea (available for purchase by the gallon). Drive-thru and dine-in options. If the main parking lot is full, there is a gravel lot just above the main lot. Biscuits are around $2 each, barbeque sandwiches $3.
 * Little Barn. 60 East Pike Street, between Rhodes Jordan Park and Buford Highway/US-20. +1 770 962-1367. Breakfast served Monday through Saturday 5:30AM - 11AM, lunch from 11AM - 2PM. This excellent family-run restaurant is housed in a large red barn. Little Barn boasts its large biscuits, Brunswick stew, and classic Southern gravy and sweet tea (available for purchase by the gallon). Drive-thru and dine-in options. If the main parking lot is full, there is a gravel lot just above the main lot. Biscuits are around $2 each, barbeque sandwiches $3.
 * Little Barn. 60 East Pike Street, between Rhodes Jordan Park and Buford Highway/US-20. +1 770 962-1367. Breakfast served Monday through Saturday 5:30AM - 11AM, lunch from 11AM - 2PM. This excellent family-run restaurant is housed in a large red barn. Little Barn boasts its large biscuits, Brunswick stew, and classic Southern gravy and sweet tea (available for purchase by the gallon). Drive-thru and dine-in options. If the main parking lot is full, there is a gravel lot just above the main lot. Biscuits are around $2 each, barbeque sandwiches $3.

Drink
The City of Lawrenceville's zoning laws designates that establishments that serve alcohol must be primarily restaurants. There are no typical "bars" or "clubs" in Lawrenceville.

title: Lawrenceville


text:
Lawrenny

Lawrenny is a village and parish in Pembrokeshire. It's in the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, on the peninsula of the River Cleddau estuary, and during the summer months is a popular place for boating and water-skiing. The village was mentioned in series 3 of Penelope Keith's Hidden Villages.

Get in
The village is 9 miles by road from Pembroke and has no bus connection.

The tidal Milford Haven estuary is navigable up to Lawrenny Quay.

See
The beautiful Norman church and breathtaking views of the upper estuary from the footpath.

Do

 * Walking, sailing and fishing.
 * Big Retreat Wales is a wellness festival held in the Estate grounds in June. The next is 3-6 June 2022.

Connect
As of May 2022, Lawrenny has 4G from O2 and Three, but no signal from EE or Vodafone. 5G has not reached this area.

Go next

 * Pembroke has a sturdy castle.
 * Carew Castle and tidal mill are on the way to Pembroke.

title: Lawrenny


text:
Lawton

There is more than one place called Lawton

United States of America

 * Lawton (Iowa) is in the state of Iowa.
 * Lawton (Michigan) is in the state of Michigan.
 * Lawton (North Dakota) is in the state of North Dakota.
 * Lawton (Oklahoma) is in the state of Oklahoma.

title: Lawton


text:
Lawton (Oklahoma)

Lawton is in the Great Plains Country region of southwest Oklahoma.

Get in
Most travellers will arrive by car via I-44 from either Oklahoma City or Wichita Falls, Texas. US-62 connects the city with Altus and the Texas High Plains to the west, while Oklahoma state highway 7 leads in from Duncan about 25 miles to the east.

By plane
American Airlines has nonstop service to Dallas/Fort Worth from Lawton-Fort Sill Regional Airport.

Get around

 * Lawton Area Transit System (LATS)

Go next

 * Fort Sill borders the city on the north. This US Army installation is the last operating fort of those built during the Indian Wars of the mid-1800s and has been declared a National Historic Landmark. Cemeteries on the site are the final resting place for many famous American Indians, including Geronimo, Satanta, and Quanah Parker. A small museum documents the history of the fort and its use in various conflicts.
 * Medicine Park, located just north of Fort Sill on Oklahoma-49, is a quaint little arts community with some unique shopping.
 * Wichita Mountains National Wildlife Refuge, (Take Route 62 west of town about 6 miles, take a right on Scenic Highway 115 in Cache and drive for about 3 miles). This park provides a natural mixed-grass prairie habitat for bison, elk, deer, and longhorn cattle, as well as a wide range of smaller animal, bird, and plant species.

title: Lawton (Oklahoma)


text:
Layang Layang

Layang Layang (Malay: Pulau Layang-Layang) is an island situated 300 km north of the coast of Sabah, in Malaysian Borneo. A part of the disputed Spratly Islands, the island is also claimed by China, Taiwan, Vietnam and the Philippines, and is occasionally known in English as Swallow Reef.

Understand
This dive resort is situated on a coral atoll along with a small Malaysian Naval base. The naval base is completely off limits - island visitors are warned that wandering into the naval base area will result in detention. The island has been reclaimed from the ocean and artificially increased in size by use of concrete rubble; thus, there are no sandy beaches to walk on, just concrete boulders. There is a sealed air strip on the island.

Layang Layang is situated in very deep waters with the drop off outside the island's reef falling away to approximately 2000 metres. Given its location in the middle of nowhere, the ocean waters are clear and unpolluted. Deep water marine species such as hammerhead sharks visit, as do whale sharks. The corals are in pristine condition, and with no fishing permitted, the fish life is abundant.

The island's solitary resort is open from March to August only. November to February is considered "Monsoon Season."

Get in
For most visitors, the most common option for scuba diving is to fly on the Layang Layang chartered flight which operates several flights per day during the peak season from Kota Kinabalu. Check with dive resort for flight schedules. As of 2012, the flight cost precisely US$360 return, including taxes. Flight time is about one hour. In addition to the one resort on the island, there are at least two liveaboards that visit the island and sail from Kota Kinabalu.

The process is that you arrive at the KK International Air terminal in Kota Kinabalu about 05:00, and both you and your luggage are weighed. After a hour or two waiting around whilst luggage and food is loaded, the flight departs.

Note that small freight planes are used. The largest can take about 20 people and you board through the rear cargo ramp. There is a lovely scenic view of the cargo plane interior - not every seat pair has a window, only the emergency exits. Given the humidity, when the aircon system starts during the flight, there is a lot of smoke-like mist which pours from the ceiling vents - this is not a cause for alarm but is enough to set off the nervous flyer. Spare seats are occupied by your dive bags and trays of eggs and onions. This all makes for an interesting flight - take a book.

See
It's mostly underwater... For the non-scuba diver, there is not a lot to see on the island unless you are an avid bird watcher and/or snorkeller. It is a good place to learn to dive, but you must make arrangements before embarking on your journey. Amateur Radio (HAM Radio) operators are also seeking activities from this island since it is renowned as a rare DX entity. If you are a non-diver travelling with a diver or dive group, consider staying behind to enjoy the things to see in Kota Kinabalu.

Do
The island is renowned for its amazing scuba diving opportunities, and this is the only real reason for visiting the island.

Each dive is done as a group under the direction of a dive master and a boat driver. Before each dive, the dive master will take your group through the dive plan i.e. underwater itinerary, maximum depth, bottom time, low air metric, usual marine sightings, etc. Usually you have the same boat for the duration of your trip and so you leave your dive gear in the boat only taking with you your computers and cameras after each dive. Someone else takes care of replacing your air cylinder between dives - but don't be slack - check your air pressure and attachments as soon as you board the boat for your dive rather than just before you jump in.

The dive centre expects that everyone is diving with a computer and the Dive Masters reserve the right to check/monitor your dive computer to make sure you haven't exceeded maximum depth etc. If you are found to have exceeded then you face a 24 hour diving ban. In addition, there is no diving for the rest of the day once you've consumed alcohol.

The dive rules are: maximum depth 40 metres and no deco time allowed - there is NO decompression chamber available; hence, if you get bent, then you are in trouble. Air is the only gas mix available - there is no Nitrox or other blends, hence no Technical diving possible. The island also has a no gloves policy for divers.

Dive gear rental is available at the Dive Centre. If you have your own gear, it's best to take it with you as the rental gear isn't well maintained and is old, faded and getting worn out. Most divers that visit Layang Layang are fairly experienced and thus bring along their own gear.

Dive photography is a big thing at the island and there is an annual digital photography competition with prizes sufficient to attract the serious marine photographer.

Dive sites
There are twelve or so dive sites - all which are accessed by boat and are from 5-15 minutes away from the dive centre. The visibility is usually very good at 20 metres and more. The water temperature is somewhere around 30 degrees C. Each dive will give you opportunity to see large creatures such as sharks, turtles and manta rays - maybe even the elusive hammerhead shark. A vast array of intact, unbleached hard and soft corals, barrel sponges, gorgonian fans, schools of large fish and the usual array of colourful little fish are easy to see on each dive. The diving conditions such as current will vary with the weather and the dive master will select a suitable site accordingly.

 * Crack Reef
 * D Wall
 * Navigator's Lane
 * Snapper's Ledge
 * The Tunnel
 * Wrasse Strip
 * Dog Tooth Lair
 * Gorgonian Forest
 * Shark's Cave
 * The Runaway
 * The Valley
 * The Point - For a chance to see any hammerheads, this is the location where divers swim away from the reef at the beginning of the dive into the blue at about 30-35 metres depth for about 5-10 minutes before returning to the reef and completing the remaining 30 minutes slow ascending dive along the reef wall.
 * Pier Diving - Diving is available from the pier but with the sandy bottom and movement of the boats, it is very murky with visibility being 2-4 metres. That being said, there is an amazing array of marine life to be seen directly under the pier from huge moray eels to baby lion fish. Pier dives are offered for those wanting to do a night dive without the expense of chartering a boat and also as the last dive of your visit.

Other
Bird watching - A number of species of birds nest and visit the island such as Black-napped tern, Great crested tern, Sooty tern, Brown booby, Lesser frigatebird, Pacific golden plover, Plumed and Pacific-reef egrets and Ruddy tern. Also there are lots of Barn swallows and Yellow wagtails. During the right time of the year, this would present good observing and photography opportunities for the bird watching enthusiast.

Sun bathe - in between dives, there are deck chairs around the resort's pool for a spot of sun bathing but remember the sun is strong and don't get sun burnt.

Note that there are no entertainment facilities for children, i.e. no playground, no sandy beach, no special meals and no children's club activities.

Buy
There are no shops at the island so take everything you need with respect to personal items, medicines, reading material, etc. The Resort does sell a few tourist items such as t-shirts and diving books.

It will probably be the case that you have already paid in full for your dive and accommodation package and flight prior to arriving at the island. Any expenses you incur on the island can be settled with a major credit card, hence cash is not required.

Tipping is not generally expected in Malaysia.

Eat
All meals are included in the accommodation package and are served in the resort dining area.

There are 5 meals served each day. A light breakfast of cereal/toast; a substantial buffet breakfast after the first dive of the day; another large buffet lunch; afternoon tea snack followed by a decent buffet dinner.

All meals are self-serve style. There is no room service or à la carte menu.

If you have specific dietary needs, advise the resort when you book to make sure they have prepared menus in advance, as there are no supermarkets or food shops on the island. If you are a snack food devotee, there is a very limited range of bar snack foods.

Drink
The resort has a bar where you can purchase drinks including beer, soft drinks and cocktails.

Connect
There is a satellite telephone system and you can arrange to make calls from the reception desk - call charges apply. Mobile phones work on the island under Celcom.

Wireless internet is available for those who bring their own laptops.

Go next
The only option to leave the island is by return air charter flight. The process is that you settle up your bill the night before. A wake up call at 06:45, with you and your luggage then weighed about 07:00, followed by a basic breakfast and departure around 08:30.

Travel back to Kota Kinabalu by boat is a very long option (16 hours) and not readily available to the scuba diving traveller.

title: Layang Layang


text:
Lazio

Lazio (Latium) is a central region of Italy. Rome is more or less in the middle of the region but Lazio has numerous other attractions and would well repay a visit even if Rome did not exist. The region has many fascinating cities, several lakes, some beautiful scenery, good opportunities for country and hill walks and a coastline that is almost entirely beach, which is enhanced by hundreds of excellent fish restaurants. Communications are good, particularly going north-south.

Provinces
Lazio is divided into four provinces and one "metropolitan city" that is equivalent to a province:

Cities

 * (Roma)

Other destinations

 * - this hilly area of several small towns, refreshingly cool in summer, has been a retreat for Romans since ancient times
 * - an important and still active early Gothic monastery
 * (Lago di Bolsena)
 * (Lago di Bracciano) - here was built the first Italian military airbase, today the Italian Air Force Museum.
 * - home to a WWII cemetery, and nice views.
 * - the harbour facilities of Imperial Rome, built by order of emperor Claudius.
 * - former home of the Sabine tribe, rivals to the Etruscans and Romans.
 * - deserted former Etruscan city with many ruins from a necropolis in a former castle
 * - deserted former Etruscan city with many ruins from a necropolis in a former castle

Understand
For centuries, people have been saying that "all roads lead to Rome", and in Lazio, that is hardly an overstatement, as the ancient, modern capital city of Italy dwarfs the rest of the region in importance and interest to travellers. The world-class attractions in Rome include the Colosseum, the Forum, the Campidoglio, the Vatican, Piazza Navona and the Pantheon, but there are literally hundreds of worthwhile attractions in Rome, such that even if you lived there for a year and went sightseeing every day, you couldn't see them all.

The area to the northwest of Rome is made up of the province of Viterbo, and part of the province of Metropolitan Rome. The main city is Viterbo, about 100km to the north of Rome, which was the favourite residence of the Popes when they faced difficulty in exercising their authority over Rome. North of Rome was a center of the Etruscan civilization before its defeat by the Romans. Many Etruscan sites remain, in particular the tombs at Cerveteri, Tarquinia and, to a lesser extent, Sutri, the ruins at Veio, which was at one time the richest Etruscan city, and excellent museums at Vulci, Tarquinia, and Villa Giulia in Rome.

To the northeast of Rome are the Sabine Hills, whose women were famously raped (abducted) by the Romans when invited to a festival in Rome by Romulus. Further to the northeast in Rieti province is the attractive town of Rieti of interest to American basketball fans as the childhood home of Kobe Bryant.

East of Rome is Tivoli, with the garden of fountains at the Villa D’ Este and the extensive and well preserved grounds of Hadrian’s Villa. To the east and southeast are two fascinating monasteries. At Subiaco St. Benedict founded the Benedictine order, while Monte Cassino was another important monastery but these days is best known as the site of a major World War II battle. South of Rome are the fishing port of Anzio, also a major WW2 site, and the Castelli Romani, with Castel Gandolfo, the summer home of the Popes, and Frascati, famous for its wine. The two southern provinces are Frosinone and Latina, which combine agriculture and light industry. Interesting places to visit include the coastal towns of Gaeta and Sperlonga as well as Anagni, former home of the Popes, and Fiuggi, a spa town.

Climate
Much of the region is known for its balmy Mediterranean climate. It has prolonged hot, dry summers and short, mild winters. The intermediate seasons are generally warm and guarantee the possibility to sunbathe for most of the year.

Get in

 * Civitavecchia, the port of Rome, is the point of arrival and departure of hundreds of ships, cruises, ferries travelling all around the Mediterranean. From here it is possible to reach Sardinia, Corsica, Sicily, Spain, France, some other small islands, and even north Africa. A good transportation system links the port to the Eternal City.
 * By car the whole of Lazio is easily accessible, via the A90 ring road (or GRA), from Rome’s airports at Fiumicino and Ciampino (see Rome for details).

Get around

 * The main A1 toll highway (Autostrada) from Florence to Naples provides good north-south communications. The A24 heads east from Rome to the mountains of the Abruzzo. Other important highways in northern Lazio are the A12, which follows the coast north in the direction of Pisa in Tuscany and the Cassia (and Cassia bis), which is the main road to Viterbo. Southern Lazio is served by the Pontina, which can get very crowded on summer weekends.
 * There is a good rail network. Most routes are north-south via Rome rather than east-west. Bus services are also available, if infrequent.

See
Aside from the places mentioned in the "Understand" section, the countryside is quite pretty, and despite the fact that Lazio is the region of Rome, there is also quite a lot of countryside.

Eat
Roman cuisine is delicious; you can read some about it at Rome. In Lazio, you can also find delicious fresh seafood at places along the coast.

Drink
Lazio has a well-known and well-reputed wine industry of very long standing. Otherwise, remarks at Italy apply.

Go next
To the west, by sea, Corsica or Sardinia island.

title: Lazio


text:
Lærdal

Lærdal is a village, a valley and a district in Sogn og Fjordane. Lærdal village is situated at the end of the Lærdal valley. Lærdal is home to Borgund stave church, one of the best preserved and typical stave church of its kind. The valley is one of the major valleys of the county and cuts deep into the central uplands from Sognefjorden. Lærdal is known for its modest rainfall, fine salmon river and intensive horticulture along the valley floor. Lærdal village is protected by law because of its fine collection of old wooden buildings. Because of its easy access to Eastern Norway by road and to Bergen and Western Norway by boat, Lærdal has always been a hub. The main road between Oslo and Bergen runs through Lærdal, including the world's longest road tunnel, the 25 kilometer long Lærdal tunnel.

Understand
Lærdal is the entire valley stretching from the great Sognefjord to the mountains at Valdres (the Filefjell mountain pass). The village is known as Lærdalsøyri where -øyri ("ayre" in Scotland) refers to the sandbank created at the river mouth (the delta). The village is largely built on this sandbank at the intersection of fjord and valley. The Lærdal river is or used to be one of the prime salmon angling rivers in western Norway. Lærdal and the Filefjell mountain pass is one of the easiest and shortest overland connections between western Norway and the eastern interior, so this was the route for the first national mail service established in the 1600s and also the "King's road" between Oslo and Bergen in 1793 making it possible to drive (horse and carriage) between Norway's principal cities. The Bergen main road, as it was also known, was an engineering achievement and can still be seen in Lærdal valley and on the mountain pass. Because of its convenient location at the intersection of the great fjord and the interior, Lærdal village for centuries hosted the Lærdal fair, the most important trading place outside Bergen. Lærdal still hosts the E16, main road between east and west. The difficult section near Borgund displays several generations of road construction. The current E16 through fast tunnels is the 4th or 5th generation, and replaced a road carved into the rock along the river bend (now local road).

In January 2014 a terrible fire broke in Lærdal village. There was no snow, very dry and a strong easterly wind down the valley. About 60 buildings were damaged, luckily only one of the protected buildings in the traditional wooden architecture was lost. This was the largest fire in Norway for 100 years.

Lærdal is also home to Borgund stave church (not to be confused with Borgund church in Ålesund), the best preserved wooden church from the end of the Viking era. This church is the symbol of Norway's remaining 30 stave churches and the unique heritage of these fragile and complicated buildings.

There are several pretty waterfalls on display along the steep walls of the Lærdal valley, particularly visible in spring or after rain. Stødnafossen above the village is conspicuous. There are also some nice waterfalls through gorges in the main river at Borgund.

Lærdal, particularly a bit up the valley, is the driest area in western Norway, with annual precipitation around 400 to 500 mm. The outer part of Sognefjorden has some five-six times more rainfall.

By car
Lærdal is on the E16 route. On this route you can reach Lærdal from east from Fagernes in Valdres and Oslo.
 * From Voss and Bergen: E16.
 * Route 52 from Hemsedal.
 * Route 5 from Sogndal.

See

 * Vindhella old road.
 * Vindhella old road.
 * Vindhella old road.

Do

 * Drive Lærdal tunnel, at almost 25 km the longest road tunnel in the world.
 * Drive Lærdal tunnel, at almost 25 km the longest road tunnel in the world.

Go next

 * The mountain road to Aurland, close to Flåm. This road reach an altitude of 1306 m (4285 ft). The road is named the snow road because snow lies beside it throughout the summer. Awesome view over Aurland.
 * Valdres or Hallingdal - Lærdal's upland neighbours in the eastern interior
 * Flåm
 * Luster - the romantic and dramatic eastern part of Sognefjord

title: Lærdal


text:
Læsø

Læsø is the largest island in Kattegat, some 20 kilometres east of Frederikhavn on the Jutland peninsular in Denmark, roughly half way to Gothenburg in Sweden.

Understand
It measures roughly 120km² and has population of around 2000 inhabitants. Along with the Island Anholt to the south, it is part of the Danish "desert belt" which sees substantially less rainfall than the rest of the country during the summer months, and streams and ponds have a tendency to dry up during these months.

Get in
The most common way to reach the island is by ferry from Frederikshavn, which usually sees 4-5 departures a day, and takes approximately 90 minutes. But the islands airfield also sees scheduled taxi flights from Roskilde airport, near Copenhagen, although for any budget traveller these flights tend to be prohibitably expensive; but varying slightly depending on the season, and when you book.

Get around
While there is a free scheduled bus (line 840, connects with ferry arrivals) that runs across the island from the western port; Vesterby to the eastern village; Østerby, and a cheap 4 hour guided roundtrip of the island, probably the best way to see the island is by bike, which can either be brought on the ferry, or rented on the island. Finally a more exotic way is to see the island by horseback (more details in the Do section)

Læsø on horseback
Seeing the island on the back of Icelandic horses, is a fun and unique way to see the island, and there are several ways to this;

Eat

 * Hvidkålssuppe
 * Læsø Sydesalt (to spice)

Go next

 * Frederikshavn
 * Roskilde

title: Læsø


text:
Léo

Leo is a town in Burkina Faso's Volta Delta region.

Understand
Gourounsi, Bissi, Mossi, Peuhl, lots of recent migration.

Get in
Ouaga to Manga: Rakieta or bush taxi (Gare Routière): 1500 CFA

Ouaga to Leo: TSR or bush taxi: 2000 CFA

Marché
Leo: Marché day is every Saturday in centre-ville.

Boutiques
Leo: everywhere; you can get most anything.

Sleep

 * Hotel des Impots (3000 CFA): On main road into town before centre-ville on right.

Post Office
Leo: Behind the dispensaire/CSPS en ville (a bit hidden—just ask)

Manga: On west side of town on outskirts

Internet
Leo: One new place in a telecentre in centre-ville

Manga: none

Go next

 * Nazinga Game Park & Forêt de Sissili not far away
 * Hippo ponds in Dassanga
 * Sacred Caiman in Sapouy

title: Léo


text:
Lötschental

Lötschental is in the canton of Valais in Switzerland. It is one of the most beautiful valleys in Switzerland. The larger villages are: Ferden, Kippel, Wiler and Blatten. It is also an access point to the Jungfrau-Aletsch UNESCO heritage site.

Talk
The Swiss German spoken in this valley is quite different from the variants spoken in other parts of the Valais.

Get in
Take the hourly RegioExpress train between Berne and Brig, and hop off at Goppenstein. Note that the InterCity trains all pass via the new tunnel, which bypasses Goppenstein. From there a post bus will take you to any of the villages. Alternatively you can take the Regio train between Brig and Sion and get off at Gampel-Steg. From there take the same post bus. However more buses run from Goppenstein than from Gampel-Steg. The buses will run to Blatten in winter and to Fafleralp further up in the valley in summer.

Get around
The bus along the valley is the only means of public transport available to get around. It runs from Goppenstein to Blatten in winter and to Fafleralp in summer.

See
The lower village of Kippel

Do
Hiking is the biggest appeal of this region. However, there is a ski resort at Lauchneralp, which is accessible by cable car from Wiler.

Go next

 * This is the perfect starting point for an excursion into the Jungfrau-Aletsch UNESCO heritage site. If you take the bus/drive up to Fafleralp and get out at the car park at the end of the road, you are already standing on the edge of the site.
 * From Goppenstein, take a train through the old Lötschberg tunnel to the Bernese Highlands and get out at Kandersteg just north or the tunnel.
 * Or take the same train in the other direction to Brig, the biggest city of the German speaking part of Valais. On the way there, savour the spectacular views as the train descends on the side of the Rhone valley.

title: Lötschental


text:
Løkken

Løkken is a city in North Jutland.

By Bus
is just south of the center.

See

Do

 * Løkken Strand. Amazing beach. Very popular in the summer.

Eat

title: Løkken


text:
Lübbecke

Lübbecke is a picturesque, little town in the northeast of the state of North Rhine-Westphalia in north Germany at the foot of the Wiehen Hills (Wiehen or Wiehengebirge), the last ridge before you reach the North German Plain.

Understand
Lübbecke lies in the southwestern part of the district of Minden-Lübbecke and in the western part of the region of Minden Land. Most of the town itself lies on the lowlands of the North German Plain, but its southern quarters stretch up the northern hillside of the ridge known as the Wiehen Hills. Apart from the ridge and the main town, most of the borough is flat and rural in character. Its northern boundary is the Midland Canal (Mittelland Canal), whilst its southern boundary is the crest of the Wiehen Hills. To the northeast of the town is Großes Torfmoor, the largest moor in Westphalia.

The highest hill in Lübbecke's territory is the Heidbrink (320 m) on the Wiehen ridge. However the slightly lower Wurzelbrink to the north is probably better known as it is crowned by a small stone observation tower, the Wartburg, that is the turning point of the annual 14 kilometre race of the same name that starts and ends in Lübbecke.

By road
From the A 30 motorway, take junction 29, signed B 239, Lübbecke. The town lies on the B 239 about 15 kilometres north of the junction.

By rail
Lübbecke Station lies on the Ravensberg Railway (route no. 386), and has an hourly service (every 2 hours on Sundays) that works the Regionalbahn 71 route from Bielefeld via Herford and Bünde to Rahden.

Go next

 * Osnabrück
 * Bielefeld
 * Wiedensahl

title: Lübbecke


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Lübeck

The Hanseatic City of Lübeck (Hansestadt Lübeck) is the largest German port on the Baltic Sea and the second-largest city in Schleswig-Holstein, situated at the mouth of the river Trave (hence the name of its port suburb Travemünde). The city has been an important port since the 12th century. Lübeck and nearby Hamburg founded what became the powerful Hanseatic League of ports and trading towns. History also has a sweeter side for Lübeck - it is globally known for the finest marzipan.

The old town (Altstadt) of Lübeck, although considerably damaged during the Second World War, has survived from medieval times in a pretty much unchanged or truthfully rebuilt form. It is now listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site. The city centre's medieval skyline, mainly composed of seven Gothic-style church towers, is still intact. Lübeck is surrounded by parts of the old city walls with two of the original four city gates left. Most notable is the Holsten Gate (Holstentor) which was the motif on the German 50-Deutsche Mark banknote prior to reunification, when the bills were redesigned.

Lübeck is perhaps Germany's finest example of "brick Gothic" architecture, which uses the locally available brick (as opposed to "proper" stone, which was not available to medieval builders in northern Germany) to produce quite stunning buildings. The most notable being the seven spires that form Lübeck's medieval "skyline" but also a range of more or less secular buildings, including the Heilig Geist Hospital (despite being built as a hospital, it cites the Holy Spirit in the name, so whether it is a secular building is debatable) and the medieval town hall.

Understand

Lübeck was an independent city state until 1937, when it lost that status due to a Nazi era law. Lübeck accumulated considerable wealth as the "first among equals" of the Hanseatic League from the 11th to the 17th century. Many merchants made a fortune on shipping salt to other Baltic port cities in exchange for valuable goods needed in Germany. Many impressive warehouses are located at the old harbour and can be accessed by tourists since they host museums, shops, restaurants or pubs today. Unlike fellow Hanseatic Cities of Hamburg and Bremen, it has lost its "Free" (Freie Stadt) status and has been incorporated into the surrounding state of Schleswig-Holstein.

After sea trade substantially shifted away from the Baltic Sea to the Atlantic in the 17th century, Lübeck was slowly marginalised as a trading city against the North Sea ports of Bremen and especially Hamburg. This led gradually to a noticeable decay in wealth and eventually inspired contemporary writers to draw a resigned picture of the city's residents, most famously in the novel Buddenbrooks by Thomas Mann, who earned a Nobel Prize for it in 1929. In the second world war Lübeck - not unlike Hamburg - was a target for allied (primarily British) bombings and in one particularly "successful" raid much of the densely built old town burned down. While most of the landmark buildings have since been restored, the New Lübeck has a lot less wood (for obvious reasons) and historic style residential buildings (mostly for financial reasons).

After World War II, the city was marginalised due to the nearby "Iron Curtain" which impeded access to many trading partners in the eastern Baltic, and even cut off two minor urban districts of the city. As a traveller you might notice two effects of the Cold War still visible today. First, some bridges have something that looks like undersized manhole covers at either end. These were in fact holes that could be filled with explosives to destroy the bridge, should the Soviets ever attack. The other thing you might notice is that there is a lot of (for Central European standards at least) untouched wildlife just outside the city to the east. While it was preserved by happenstance and East Germany's attempt to shut its border airtight, there are now efforts to preserve this "green band" of wildlife all through Germany. A curiosity in this area are Nandus, flightless birds native to South America that escaped in the early 2000s and roam free since. Despite efforts to boost commerce in the Baltic region, the city is still struggling from the Cold War era with a fragile economy that leads to a comparatively deteriorated infrastructure outside the picturesque city centre. Ironically the end of the Cold War dealt a further blow to the city, as it lost its "border town" status that made it eligible for big subsidies. Add to that a nearly total wipeout of the once huge ship building industry in the 1990s and you have an economic crisis the city hasn't quite shaken off to this day.

Lübeck sits at the confluence of the rivers Wakenitz and Trave. The "-itz" ending just like the original name of Lübeck "Liubice" indicate Slavic settlement in the early middle ages. The rivers have historically played an important role in the city's economic life and in city defense and they were extensively rerouted and redesigned, forming an "island" on which most of the old town and most of the sights are to be found. Travemünde, the port of Lübeck for all boats too small to sail up the river has been a part of Lübeck since medieval times and its name just means "mouth of the Trave". Another body of water which historically played an important role is the Elbe-Lübeck-Canal which replaced predecessors dating to the 14th century and was built during the turn from the 19th to the 20th century. While its role for cargo traffic is next to zero these days, it is a popular route for joggers, cyclists, rowers and people in pleasure craft. Thanks to the shoreline protection made from tree-trunks the canal looks rather "natural" and much less "artificial" than canals like the Main Danube Canal.

By rail
On working days, commuter trains to and from Hamburg leave every 30 minutes, on weekends and on holidays every 60 minutes. Local trains from Lüneburg, Kiel, Schwerin and the beach resorts Travemünde and Timmendorfer Strand depart on an hourly basis. Additionally, InterCity trains via Hamburg leave/arrive every two hours, with some trains coming from Berlin, Munich, Cologne and Frankfurt. There are also regular trains from Copenhagen, Szczecin and the island of Fehmarn. If you are taking a day trip to Lübeck from Hamburg, Kiel, etc and have multiple people, consider getting the NAH SH Groupticket "Kleingruppenkarten ohne Sylt-Bus". For a total of €45.90 for unlimited transit starting 9AM on Monday-Friday or starting at noon on Saturday/Sunday/holidays until 6AM the subsequent day, a group of up to 5 adults (children free) can ride all buses and trains in the entire SH-Tarif Network (Schleswig-Holstein state plus Hamburg minus Sylt island). It is available at ticket counters or in the NAH SH mobile app.

By plane
Hamburg Airport is just one hour away, and offers many international connections. From the airport you can take the S-Bahn to Hamburg main station with an hourly train connecting to Lübeck main station.

By road
Lübeck is about 60 km northeast of Hamburg and easily accessible by car through the Autobahn A1. The state of Mecklenburg-Western Pommerania borders Lübeck to the east. Via Autobahn A20 (Baltic Sea highway) there is about 120 km to the other large German sea port on the Baltic Sea — Rostock. As Autobahn A1 is the backbone of the cargo transport from Hamburg to the Travemünde port, there will be heavy (and rather slow) traffic on the right of the three lanes.

By boat

 * see also: Ferries in the Baltic Sea

There are many ferry connections to and from Lübeck. Passengers ferries arrive and depart from Skandinavienkai, a quay in Lübeck's borough Travemünde. Most of the ferries run 1 or 2 times every day:

 * Helsinki, Finland, operated by Finnlines
 * Malmö, Sweden, operated by Finnlines
 * Trelleborg, Sweden, operated by TT-Lines

Skandinavienkai is served by buses 40, 30, and 31 (timetable), which travel between Travemünde Strandbahnhof and Lübeck ZOB. There is also a train station called "Travemünde Skandinavienkai"; it is about 1 km from the ferry terminal building. However, the only way between the ferry terminal and the train station is by those same buses. It is not possible to walk.

By bus
The liberalisation of the national long distance bus market benefits Lübeck. Companies like FlixBus offer service from Berlin for as little as €15 four times a day. Several other companies and lines are in the planning process. For detailed information on the market and other companies see Long distance bus travel in Germany. Buses stop at or close to the ZOB, which is also the hub for local buses and just a few hundred meters from the main train station.

Get around
As most of the attractions are within or close to the compact Altstadt, you can get everywhere quickly on foot. There is a local bus service hub at the Hauptbahnhof/ZOB (central rail station) with services to all parts of the town and nearby towns. For medium to long distances within the city cycling is also an option and becoming more and more popular with the locals. Taxis are available nearly everywhere.

Because local bus tickets are quite expensive in comparison to other German cities, a taxi is generally cheaper for a group of three and up if your destination is less than 10 km away. You have to go by taxi at night anyway, because there is no nightly bus service. Check here for bus fares and schedules.

Tourist information can be obtained in the city hall (Rathaus, Breite Straße) or at the "Welcome Centre", opposite Holstentor.

Consider getting the NAH SH Groupticket: 1 day of public transit for €45.90 for up to 5 adults. Please see "Get In" section.

See
The main attraction is the medieval Altstadt (old city) located on an island surrounded by the Trave river and its various channels. Listed as an UNESCO World Heritage site, it offers an astonishing variety of different architectural styles. The streets of Lübeck are a delight for a connoisseur of architecture.

Lübeck's Altstadt is not an open-air museum but a living city centre, so don't expect a complete medieval site. You'll find many beautiful old buildings intertwined with modern ones and a modern infrastructure. A particularly well-preserved 13th-century part of the Altstadt is the Koberg area at the island's northern end. And don't miss the Gänge, small streets off the bigger roads, with small houses and a peculiar atmosphere.

Noteworthy historical buildings include:
 * The churches, housing several of the finest Northern German artworks:
 * The two remaining city gates:
 * The two remaining city gates:
 * The two remaining city gates:
 * The two remaining city gates:
 * The two remaining city gates:
 * The two remaining city gates:
 * The two remaining city gates:

There are two houses dedicated to Lübeck's two Literature Nobel Prize laureates: The borough of Moisling has a special Jewish history. An old is still to be found there.

Dedicated to the maritime heritage of the Hanse glory days:

Dedicated to 20th century aspects of Lübeck's history:

With such a rich history and literary heritage to draw from it is perhaps not surprising that there is little room for other kinds of museums, but there are some:

Do

 * Take a bus/boat/train ride to Travemünde, a sea side resort and enjoy the view of the Baltic Sea. A bus journey is fastest, as it takes about 20 minutes. A boat ride however, is much more scenic. The train stops at the iconic "Travemünde Strand" Station and is another good option.
 * Take a seat on one of the tourist boats and ship around the city (boats go off every hour or so on the Holstentor side of the Altstadt island). For example you get a beautiful view of the Salzspeicher (Hanseatic salt warehouses; fans of classic horror movies might be interested by the fact that one of these Salzspeicher was the house of Count Nosferatu both in the Murnau film and the Werner Herzog remake with Klaus Kinski). If you've got more time to spend ship on along the Wakenitz river which links the Trave river with the Ratzeburg lake. Parts of the river offer an astonishing flora.

Theatres

 * Puppet theatre
 * Several smaller theatres
 * Several smaller theatres

Cinema
Lübeck is the origin of the now ubiquitous Cinestar chain of multiplex cinemas and has had its share of interesting as well as run-of-the-mill cinemas through the years. As less and less money is to be made running a cinema, many have shut down in Lübeck, too. These are the three that remain:

Other regular events

 * May: Maifest (May festival) Punk Rock/alternative open air music and art festival at the so-called Walli at Willy-Brand-Allee
 * July: Travemünder Woche sailing festival in Travemünde;
 * August: Duckstein Festival;
 * November/December: Artificers' market on Koberg;
 * December:

Buy

 * Lübecker Marzipan is the most famous export from the city. It is available in several varieties. The excellent Cafe Niederegger is a café in the old Viennese style and has outlets throughout the city. The Niederegger Café in Travemünde is worth a visit for its special pancakes. Its main store on the Alter Markt is a tourist attraction in its own right. It includes a museum dedicated to the manufacture of marzipan, as well as many marzipan sculptures.
 * Walk down the Hüxstrasse and the "Fleischhauerstrase", Lübeck's famous shopping streets and enjoy shopping. You may find artists, painting various interpretations of the Holstentor, which make an excellent souvenir.
 * Rotspon wine, available in nearly every shop.
 * Souvenirs and Lübeck-related literature can be purchased at the Rathaus bookshop (between market place and Marienkirche) and elsewhere.

Eat
There are several restaurants within the city centre which will satisfy most tastes. At the pinnacle is the Michelin starred Wullenwever. Other good options include Markgraf and Schabbelhaus while the most popular spot for tourists is the Schiffergesellschaft. If you're in for locally brewed beer, check out the slightly Bavarian-themed Brauberger in Alfstraße. Lübeck is well known for its high density of cafés and "Kneipen" (pubs), so peep into some of the smaller streets as well and see if you can find something that fits your taste.

Budget
All these are in the Old Town:

Walli
The following three venues are all on "Wallhalbinsel" ("Walli") and known as "leftist" or "alternative" spaces, which in the past has led to conflicts with centre-right Christian Democratic Union politicians.

Clubs and discotheques
Some of the biggest/most frequented clubs in Lübeck are:

Go next
There are several options to spend your time around Lübeck.

Somewhat north of Travemünde is a cliff (Brodtener Ufer) that has a hiking way from Travemünde to Niendorf (1-1½ hr walk) with good views on the Baltic coastline. Niendorf/Ostsee is somewhat more cosy and family oriented with its fishery port and a public swimming pool and a well-known bird zoo (Vogelpark Niendorf, situated in a small nature resort).
 * Sea-side towns for sun & beaches are:
 * Travemünde Still part of Lübeck and only a 15-20 minute drive away. The railway station Travemünde Strand is right next to the beach and its big clock tower displays the departure time of the next train.
 * Timmendorfer Strand/Niendorf about 20-30 minutes and a more stylish resort and very popular with people from Hamburg

The Baltic coast resorts in Mecklenburg Pommerania are about 1-2 hr drive on the Autobahn A20 away and might be worth a day trip

Hansa-Park is an amusement park in Sierksdorf

For nature lovers a trip to the lakes south of Lübeck may be of interest as there are great opportunities for bird-watching (e.g. the Ratzeburger See and the Schaalsee). Ratzeburg (with its Ernst-Barlach and A.-Paul-Weber museums) and Mölln are also worth a visit, especially as they are easily accessible by train. Near Ratzeburg is also one of the rare places to see the nearly extinct European bison—not a very spectacular facility, just some buffaloes on a pasture, but if you're in the area and have never seen one you might want to look out for the "Wisentgehege".

If you're travelling on northwards to Kiel, consider a (train) stop in one of the three small towns of Eutin, Plön, and Preetz. Among other sites, each of them boasts a "Schloss" or former aristocratic mansion. The towns are situated in a lake district which is popular for rambling and canoeing in summer (you can rent a canoe in Plön and go to Preetz by Schwentine River and through various lakes, then the canoe-centre people will get you and your canoe back to Plön by car).

And don't forget that it's 50 minutes by train to Hamburg (they go each hour).

During the summer the Schleswig-Holstein music festival is one of the largest events in northern Germany. An abundance of concerts with world-famous artists and orchestras attracts many people every year.

title: Lübeck


text:
Lüderitz

Lüderitz is a town in the ǁKaras region of southern Namibia, situated on the coast of the Atlantic. It is a former colonial German town, noted for its distinctive German atmosphere and colonial style buildings, reflecting the Art Nouveau style architecture at the turn of the century. Lüderitz experienced its major rise and fall during a short diamond rush in the early 20th century. As a result many of the historic buildings are still in their original, today often dilapidated, state. After a major renovation of the waterfront, residents now hope for a renaissance.

Geography
There are three entities called "Lüderitz" today: The town itself, the peninsula to its southwest, and the ocean bay.

History
Portuguese explorer Bartolomeu Dias landed in the Bay in 1487 and erected a cross on the peninsula, a replica of which still stands. The richness of marine life was discovered in the early 19th century, and Lüderitz became a trading post for guano from the penguin colonies on the islands nearby.

Being the only natural deep-sea harbour at the time—Walvis Bay was under British control—merchant Adolf Lüderitz obtained the Bay and the land around it in 1883.

In 1909 diamonds were discovered on the railway track through the desert, and a diamond rush began. It lasted until 1920 when the new South African-run government declared all of the land around the town a forbidden zone, terminating almost all private mining activities. Business activities ceased, and the town fell into decline. It is still a restricted area; when travelling to Lüderitz, no matter the direction, you may not leave the road.

A notable day on the history of Lüderitz is 12 June 1984, when Brazilian lone sailor Amyr Klink started his South Atlantic sailless solo crossing, rowing for and arriving close to Salvador, in Bahia, on 19 September.

By car
Lüderitz is 350 km west of Keetmanshoop along a tarred road, the B4, via the hamlets of Goageb and Aus. If travelling by road you have the choice to get into fog (from dusk till dawn) or into a sand storm (over the day). Adapt your speed to visibility. There are always heaps of sand on the tarmac, like mini dunes piled up by the wind. Driving over them at speed is comparable to hitting a brick wall.

By rental car

There are several tour operators in Lüderitz which will also take you to some of the areas attractions. There are several standard car rental agencies in town which will enable the tourist to see the Lüderitz Peninsula, including Diaz Point, Agate Beach and some of the bays teeming with flamingos.

See
There are many historic German colonial buildings including the Deutsche Afrika bank building, the Station building, the Old Post Office, and the small Felsenkirche (the church on the rocks), a Lutheran church. One of the most notable buildings is the Goerke Haus at the end of Zeppelin Street. This is one of Lüderitz's best preserved buildings, considered one of the "diamond palaces". Other buildings of note are Troost House, Kreplin House, Krappenhoft and Lampe building, Woermann House and Turnhalle.

Southwest of town, Lüderitz Peninsula is criss-crossed by 4x4 tracks and small roads. The major attraction, the replica of the cross erected by Bartholomew Dias in 1487, is reachable via District Roads but many of the tracks to minor destinations are not passable with a sedan, including the majority of the bays, and the "Kleine Bogenfels" (Rock Arch Minor) rock formation. Visit the breeding ground of the endemic Damara Tern, several bays teeming with birds, and (with good binoculars) the penguins on Halifax Island.

Town walking tour
The historic town architecture is a mixture of German Imperial Style and Art Nouveau. These are best seen on foot, a short walk through the town. Visit the buildings noted above.

Halifax Island
The Penguin and Zeepard (sea horse) catamarans drive daily to Halifax Island, home to one of the few colonies of African penguins. Flamingos and seals can be spotted on tour, and a few dolphins usually chase the boat. Wear a windbreaker, even in summer, as the mornings out on sea can be very chilly. The catamarans depart from the Waterfront jetty at 8AM, adults N$450, one child free for every paying adult, otherwise half price (Jan 2018). This must normally be paid one day in advance at the information office (Lüderitz Tours & Safaris in Bismarck Street, Tel 202719) downtown. However, if the catamarans have space—they usually do—you can just come to the jetty and pay cash.

Kolmanskop
Do visit the nearby ghost town of Kolmanskop. It is no longer signposted (January 2018) but easy to find. Drive out of town for about 8 km on the B4 and for the settlement on your right, just by the airport. Founded in 1908, it was a major settlement for diamond miners until richer ore and alluvial deposits were found near Oranjemund. The town boasted unbelievable wealth during the heydays of the diamond rush. Tabs in the Casino were occasionally paid in uncut diamonds, or diamond mining company shares. Kolmanskop had a tram, the only one in Africa, transporting passengers and delivering free ice blocks to re-stock private fridges. The clinic has an X-ray machine, likewise a first in Africa, but the reason was less charitable: workers were X-rayed for swallowed diamonds, and the clinical advantage of the device was only of secondary importance.

The last settler left in 1956, giving the town over to the sand dunes that have crept in and started to take over the town. It is one of Namibia's premier ghost towns. There are one-hour guided tours daily in the mornings at 9h30 and 10h45. Photographers can book special tours during sunrise when the scenery is particularly spectacular. A permit is required when not joining a tour and can be bought at the gate to Kolmanskop. It closes at 12:30. At the Desert Deli in Lüderitz (near the Spar supermarket) you can buy them after that time. Joining a tour is recommended though.

When you do the German-language tour, the guide will tell you that the Namibian government has struggled for over a decade to rebuild the railway from Keetmanshoop to Lüderitz, and as yet without success, while the Germans more than 100 years ago had done it in ten months. What they are not telling you is that the four thousand workers were inmates of various concentration camps, and in Lüderitz alone (on Shark Island) at least a thousand of them died. However, don't discuss that with strangers, or you might end up in a fist fight.

The souvenir shop in the old Casino hall stocks Namibian diamonds, reportedly for a very good price. There is also a bistro. The original skittle alley can be booked for special occasions, it is still fully functional.

Bogenfels
The tour to Bogenfels arch passes the diamond ghost towns of Elisabeth Bay and Pomona. Apply well in advance, as the necessary permits to visit the restricted diamond area take 4-5 days to process. The tour operator provides the 4x4 as own vehicles are not allowed on this track.

Shark Island
Shark Island is situated in the Lüderitz Bay circa 2 km from the city centre. It is used as a camp site but you may walk around without being a patron. The Germans used it as a concentration camp during their colonial expansion in the late 19th century. Until today, few Namibians know how to swim, and the sea is quite rough here. All that had to be guarded was therefore a small sand bank connecting the island to the town.

The small monument pointing out this dark spot of history has been removed but there are a number of plaques and shrines memorializing major and minor events of the island and of the town. There is a grave stone of the Frederiks clan which lost over 100 members to the Germans in this camp, and there is also a plaque for Brazilian navigator Amyr Klink who in 1984 rowed 7,000 km over the Atlantic, starting off here.

Agathe Beach
is just north of town. This is the prime swimming beach of Lüderitz but due to the Benguela Current the water is icy all year round. At low tide you can pick up beautiful stones washed ashore. There are also facilities to run a barbecue.

Eat
Seafood is a speciality of the area. Lüderitz is a centre for rock lobster and oysters, and holds an annual crayfish festival.

Drink
Windhoek Lager Beer, brewed in Windhoek. Brewed according to the German Beer Purity Law, it's the best beer you'll find in southern Africa.

Sleep
There are several hotels plus several guesthouses and a backpackers hostel.

Connect
The area code for Lüderitz is 063. There is cellphone coverage in town and along the main road, both from MTC and Telecom.

Stay safe
This town can be very windy. Particularly at the end of December through the middle of February, the wind can be quite substantial. Watch out for small sand dunes on the B4 that pile up all the time; any one of them, however small, is comparable to a pile of bricks when your car hits it.

title: Lüderitz


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Lüneburg

Lüneburg (also Lueneburg or Lunenburg) is an attractive and historic town on the River Ilmenau, surrounded by the Lüneburg Heath in the North German state of Lower Saxony. The town lies about 50 km southeast of Hamburg and is the capital of the district of Lüneburg with a population of around 75,000 (2018).

Early history
Archaeological finds show that the area was known to Neanderthal hunters and, later, Bronze Age settlers. The town may have been that referred to as Leuphana by Ptolemy, but it was established as a town in 956.

Lüneburg was built on a salt dome which made the town important and wealthy in the Middle Ages until 1600 when it started to decline. Tradition has it that salt was first discovered by a hunter who shot and killed a wild boar bathing in a pool of water. When he hung its skin up to dry, he discovered it was full of white crystals – salt.

Lüneburg used to be overshadowed by the village of Bardowick to the north, which was a Slavic trading post. When Bardowick was destroyed by Henry the Lion in 1189, Lüneburg was granted town rights and took over the mantle as a trading centre. Its monopoly on salt production in Northern Europe quickly led to membership of the prestigious Hanseatic League – Lüneburg's salt was in great demand to preserve herring caught in the Baltic and North Seas. Initially salt was carted up the Old Salt Road to Lübeck, but was later transported by cog along river and canal. Lüneburg became very wealthy and, in 1371, threw out its princely ruler, the Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg and destroyed his castle on the Kalkberg. In 1392 Lüneburg became a free imperial town, a status which lasted until 1637. Much of the wealth stemming from the salt trade can still be seen in the town, which boasts many buildings from Lüneburg's medieval heyday.

Modern period
The demise of the Hanseatic League and the overfishing of herring during the 16th century led to Lüneburg's decline. New building ceased and Lüneburg survived relatively unscathed by war, which is why the town centre has largely managed to preserve its medieval character. However, the very mining that made Lüneburg wealthy and powerful has led to ground movements that have damaged some of the old houses or lead to them being a bit crooked.

Lüneburg lost its independence in 1708, becoming part of the Electorate of Hanover, and then passed through a succession of states, before becoming part of the Prussian province of Hanover in 1866. During the 19th century it became a Prussian garrison town, but otherwise faded from the limelight.

In 1945, Lüneburg stamped its mark on history again when Field Marshal Montgomery took the German surrender on the Timeloberg hill, just south of the town. The spot is out-of-bounds in a military training area. Lüneburg also hosted the Belsen trial against perpetrators of the crimes at Belsen and Auschwitz concentration camps. Heinrich Himmler, infamous leader of the SS, committed suicide in Lüneburg and was subsequently buried in an unmarked location in a nearby forest.

Unlike many towns in Germany, Lüneburg was spared during World War II and virtually all of its historical buildings survived. That said, many historic buildings had fallen into dangerous decay. And it has only been since the 1970s that the town has been gradually restored to the tourist attraction it is today.

In 1980 the saltworks finally closed, ending a millennium of salt mining tradition in the town. In 1990, 3 of the 4 barracks were closed and the university moved to the site of one of them.

Lüneburg today
Today, Lüneburg is thriving again as the economic and administrative centre of the region, with a strong tourist industry as the northern gateway to the Lüneburg Heath – a popular holiday and weekend destination, especially for the citizens of Hamburg, Hanover and Bremen. It also has a popular university, its 10,000 students bringing a vibrancy to the town, balancing nicely its historical setting.

Although salt has not been mined industrially since 1980, you can still enjoy its benefits in the two large salt baths in the Salü (see below). Small quantities of salt are still extracted and sold, for example, as souvenirs.

By air
The nearest international airport is Hamburg which is about 50 minutes' drive or 45 minutes train ride away. Other international airports include Hanover (1 hour 20 minutes) and Bremen  (1 hour 25 minutes). Lüneburg Airport is only used by light aircraft, ultralights, gliders and balloons.

By road
Since the building of the A 250 motorway in 1996, the town is only 40 minutes drive from Hamburg. To approach from the south and west, head for Hanover and take the A7 motorway to Hamburg. Come off at the Garlstorf exit and pick up the L 216 which reaches Lüneburg after 26 km.

Lüneburg is also on the B 4 federal road, 36 km north of Uelzen.

By foot
The Old Town (Altstadt) is quite compact and can easily be explored on foot.

By bus
There is a town bus network with 13 routes that all pass through the railway and central bus stations and all bar two pass through the central town square of Am Sande. Most routes run buses every 20 or 30 minutes between 05:00 and 19:00 on weekdays and then half-hourly to 21:00. Buses operate from 06:00 to 20:00 on Saturdays and from 13:00 to 20:00 on Sundays and public holidays every hour or half-hour. Otherwise there is a so-called ASM, i.e. mobile phone service. Some buses run out to the surrounding villages of Adendorf, Bardowick, Mechtersen/Vögelsen and Reppenstedt.

Lüneburg is also the departure point for many regional bus routes to, for example, the outlying villages of Deutsch Evern, Wendisch Evern, Embsen, Melbeck, Scharnebeck and destinations in the districts of Amelinghausen, Bleckede, Dahlenburg and Neetze. Other connexions run to the neighbouring districts of Winsen, Lüchow, Hitzacker, Lower Marschacht and Salzhausen. The regional bus service is part of the Hamburg Transport Association (HVV) and is operated in the northern and western sectors by the CCG and in the southern and northeastern sectors mainly by the Osthannover transport company (VOG).

By car
Car access to the town centre is very limited, but there are numerous, well-signed, car parks just outside it. In particular, the Sülzwiese car park just north of the centre is free and from there it is an easy walk into the town centre.

Inner Altstadt
Most of the inner Altstadt is a pedestrian area and is home to many of Lüneburg's historic sights. The main attractions here are:

Outer Altstadt
The outer Altstadt, outside the main pedestrian precinct, also has many treasures. Chief among these are:

Events

 * Lüneburg In Bloom (Lüneburg blüht auf) and the spring market take place in April on the Sülzwiesen.
 * Town Festival (Stadtfest) – the town festival is in June.
 * Lunatic Festival – a charitable music festival on the university campus also in June.
 * Frommestraßenfest – festival in July.
 * Oktoberfest – on the Sülzwiesen in September.
 * Master Salter Days (Sülfmeistertage) at the beginning of October.
 * Historic Christmas Market around St. Michael's Church and Christmas Market with fairytale mile and gable lights on the market place in front of the town hall, in Grapengießerstraße and Am Sande square.

Drink
Beer is an often brewed locally in Germany. Most towns and regions have their own distinctive beers often only available in pubs, thus the importance of sampling local products when visiting different German towns and cities.

Although it is now brewed in Hamburg, Lüneburg's official beer, Lüneburger Pilsner, can be enjoyed in the many restaurants, bars and pubs of the town. However its production is relatively low, so it is not possible to buy bottled versions of this beer. Another star of the town is Moravia Pils produced at the Kronen-Brauhaus zu Lueneburg since 1485. Kronen (see "Eat" section) is a nice traditional pub which also has a brewery museum in the centre of the town. Unlike Lüneburger Pilsner, this beer can be bought in bottles in shops. Some pubs like Mälzer, right next to the Kronen brewery, also brew their own delicious beer served in ceramics mugs.

The Stint (Am Stint) used to be the street where all the nightlife was. This has changed as other pubs in the town established themselves, but is still a good place to go for a drink.

Schroederstraße is packed with terraces and is a central meeting point in the summer. Pubs include: Maxx, News, Toro, Comodo (brand new)

Dial code
The national dial code for Lüneburg is 04131.

Stay safe

 * Police. The central contact number for the police is 04131 290 and they are located at Auf der Hude 1 near the River Ilmenau, north of the Altstadt in Lüneburg. The emergency number is 112.

Go next

 * Amelinghausen, 25 km southwest, is a great base for exploring the Lüneburg Heath on foot or by bicycle. There is a leisure park around the lake of Lopausee for campers, caravanners or day trippers who want to chill out on the beach or hire boats on the lake.
 * Bardowick is a heath village just north of the town and home to the only cathedral on the Heath.
 * Bispingen is also a hub for Heath explorers and has the added attraction of the nearby Ralf Schumacher Go Kart track.
 * Celle, just over 1 hour south, is a charming timber-framed town with an impressive castle and British royal connexions.
 * Lübeck, around an hour to the north on the Baltic Coast has a medieval Altstadt and boat rides to Travemünde and elsewhere.
 * Hamburg, 30–40 minutes away is Germany's second city and biggest port. Apart from the River Elbe, it has an extensive network of waterways and more bridges than Venice!
 * Walsrode, some 50 minutes away, is famed for its amazing Bird Park (Vogelpark). Don't miss the incredible and amusing flight displays

title: Lüneburg


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Lüneburg Heath

The Lüneburg Heath (Lüneburger Heide) is an extensive region of heath and farmland in the state of Lower Saxony (Niedersachsen) which has become a popular holiday and excursion destination. It lies roughly between the cities of Hanover, Hamburg and Wolfsburg. Historically it was where General Montgomery received the German surrender at the end of the Second World War.

The area has very rural feel to it. Dense pine forests alternate with green meadows and cultivated fields with purple heath. Its leafy villages are clustered around ancient Low Saxon farmhouses - typical of North Germany - with their vast thatched roofs sweeping down over red brick and timber-framed walls.

The area has lots of attractions suitable for families such as the Heide Park near Soltau, the Walsrode Bird Park, the Serengeti Park, 3 wildlife parks, and the Schumacher go-kart hall near Bispingen.

For those interested in exploring the culture and history there is also a wealth of museums - covering every field from agriculture to science, from warfighting to local history.

Lying on the great North German Plain, the region is relatively flat and there are excellent cycling routes over a network of cycle paths.

Cities

The Heath is a magnet for day-trippers and holidaymakers from the three major cities near the Heath: Hanover, Hamburg and Bremen. There are no cities (defined in Germany as Großstädte, i.e. places with a population over 100,000). The only sizeable towns are Celle and Lüneburg with populations of around 70,000.

 * — chill out on the beach by the Lopausee or hire a boat on the lake.
 * — relax in the mineral health spa
 * — unearth history at the Sieben Steinhäuser or the Fallingbostel Military Museum
 * — visit Bergen-Belsen concentration camp
 * — take a horse and coach into the Heath
 * — take a stroll up North Germany's highest hill, the Brunsberg
 * — admire the rows of timber-framed houses and the Baroque-Renaissance Celle Castle
 * - the mill town in South Heath
 * — otter centre
 * — hire a canoe and explore the River Örtze
 * — take a stroll along the Elbe River or explore the historic old town
 * — discover the German Salt Museum and the amazingly preserved, 13th century, town hall
 * — explore a typical heath village, visit the wildlife park and taste the best cakes on the Heath
 * — climb inside a tank at the German Tank Museum
 * — set out from here to explore the heart of the Heath
 * — have fun at the Heide Park, the largest amusement park in North Germany
 * — visit Holdenstedt Castle and its English landscape garden
 * — discover the rural past at Rischmannshof Heath Museum; oh and don't miss the exotic birds in Walsrode Bird Park, the largest of its kind in the world
 * — learn what rural life was like in bygone centuries at the Winsen Farm Museum

Understand

The Lüneburg Heath forms a natural region within the North German Plain, with its own geography and climate. It is a vast expanse of pine and birch forests, open heathland, pleasant farmland, market towns and picturesque villages; stretching from the lazy waters of the River Elbe to the north, the pine-clad hills of the Drawehn to the east, the flat depressions of the River Aller to the south and Wümme to the west, and the low ridge guarding Hamburg's southern flank to the northwest. Ideal for walking, cycling or just chilling out, it has become a popular tourist destination, especially for the cities and large towns that lie nearby.

Its highest spot is the Wilseder Berg, a modest affair just 169 metres (555 feet) high, but with fine views to all points of the compass. The hills on the Lüneburg Heath are moraines - ridges of sand and gravel left by the last Ice Age. Its natural forests of birch, pine and sessile oak were grazed or cleared by prehistoric farmers to leave open heathland on the poor sandy soils. The heaths are particularly attractive in autumn covered by purple heather in bloom and buzzing with honey bees. Today the use of fertiliser has allowed much of the old heath to be reclaimed as farmland and the remaining areas of heathland have to be actively managed to prevent the woods returning. Thus the traditional moorland sheep or Heidschnucke, whose rugged character is well-suited to conditions on the heath, continue to play their part in preventing the return of trees.

Orientation
The Lüneburg Heath is divided into five major natural areas:

 * The High Heath (Hohe Heide) in the centre is largely preserved as heathland and is more rugged than elsewhere. This is heart of the region, where the Lüneburg Heath Nature Park (Naturpark Lüneburger Heide) has been established.
 * The South Heath (Südheide) in the south towards Celle, with the South Heath Nature Park (Naturpark Südheide), is heavily wooded with areas of open heathland.
 * The East Heath (Ostheide) much of which is cultivated. In the north is the Elbe Heights-Wendland Nature Park (Naturpark Elbhöhen-Wendland) along the River Elbe
 * The Uelzen Basin and Ilmenau Depression is a largely agricultural region sandwiched between the High and East Heaths.
 * The Luhe Heath (Luheheide) in the north with wooded ridges split by rivers draining northwards into the Elbe.

Talk
As elsewhere in Germany, High German (Hochdeutsch) is taught in schools and widely spoken. However, some of the older folk still speak Low German (Plattdeutsch) and you will sometimes see signs and phrases in Low German especially where a historic feel is intended, as in Dat ole Huus, the open-air farm museum in Wilsede on the Heath.

Children have to learn English in school, but outside the cities and large towns the locals may not have such a good grasp of it, so a phrasebook is handy. As a rule it's always polite and a good move to open a conversation in German - even if it's just "Entschuldigen Sie, bitte, sprechen Sie Englisch?" - you are much more likely to get a favourable response!

By plane
The nearest international airports to the region are at Hanover and Hamburg. Bremen is also within striking distance.

By car
Three motorways (Autobahnen) run across the Lüneburg Heath, the A 7, A 27 and A 250, as do several federal roads, including the B 3, B 71 and B 440.

By train
The Lüneburg Heath is also served by the following railway lines:
 * The Hanover–Hamburg railway: Hamburg–Lüneburg–Uelzen–Celle–Hanover
 * The Rollbahn: Hamburg–Buchholz in der Nordheide–Rotenburg (Wümme)–Bremen
 * The Heath Railway (Heidebahn): (Hamburg)–Buchholz in der Nordheide–Soltau–Bad Fallingbostel–Walsrode–Bennemühlen–Hanover
 * The Uelzen–Langwedel railway: Bremen–Visselhövede–Soltau–Munster–Uelzen
 * The Brunswick–Uelzen railway: Uelzen–Wieren–Wittingen–Gifhorn–Brunswick

By car
There is a good network of roads in addition to the motorways and federal roads mentioned above.

By rail
As well as the aforementioned railways the East Hanoverian Railways (Osthannoversche Eisenbahnen or OHE) maintains a goods and passenger network, much of which is on the Lüneburg Heath, which runs occasional heritage specials such as the Heath Express (Heide-Express) and the regular service VBN between Uelzen and Gifhorn.

By bus
In addition there is a good bus service, e.g. the CeBus routes that operate out of Celle.

By foot
The E6 European long distance path runs through the region.

By lama
In Amelinghausen there is the opportunity to go Lama trekking on the heath.

See

 * Bergen-Belsen Memorial, near Bergen. Memorial site to victims of the POW and concentration camp freed by British forces in 1945. Marked graves and monuments are reminders of the suffering. Large visitor centre with comprehensive exhibition chronicles the history of the camp, which began as a POW camp. 70,000 people are buried here, including Anne Frank who wrote a poignant diary of her life during the Nazi era.
 * Celle Palace - Celle's ducal palace, a former fortified castle, is one of the most impressive sights in the lovely town of Celle in the south of the Lüneburg Heath. Once the residence of the mighty dukes of Lüneburg and summer residence of the kings of Hanover, it is the oldest building in the town. There are guided tours to take in the unique Renaissance chapel, ducal state chambers, Baroque theatre and full palace kitchen.
 * Lüneburg's Old Town - Lüneburg's Old Town was one of the few town centres in North Germany to survive the Second World War largely unscathed and has also been carefully restored. As a result the area around the market square is still dominated by an impressive array of Brick Gothic buildings in the most unusual designs and colours. Inside there are formerly hidden ceiling frescos, medieval pottery workshops and many historic features which paint a colourful picture of life in the Middle Ages. Any historic stroll through the Old Town should take in the Bell House (Glockenhaus), the Town Chemist (Rathsapotheke) and the wonderfully historic Town Hall, said to be one of the most beautiful in Germany, only rivalled by Lübeck's city hall. Don't miss a trip up the Old Water Tower with panoramic views of the town or a relaxing coffee in the Old Port with its replica barge and medieval keyside crane (Alter Kran).

Do

 * Explore the Heath. There are plenty of easy walking trails in the area with good car parking facilities. A good starting points for walks are the car parks at Overhaverbeek and Niederhaverbeek northwest of Bispingen. From there you can walk or catch a horse and coach ride to the Heath's highest hill, the Wilseder Berg - all 169 metres of it! From here there is a great panorama of the surrounding area and, on clear days, you can see as far as Hamburg. Beware, it is often teeming with tourists on summer weekends! But there are many other quieter walks all over the area, and long distance walks like the Freudenthalweg and Hermann Billung Weg that are over 100 km long. Many of the trails are suitable for cyclists and Nordic walkers too and there are cycle paths beside many of the roads.
 * Heide Park, in Soltau. The biggest amusement park in North Germany. Expensive, but fun for families and groups alike.
 * Serengeti Park, south of Bad Fallingbostel. The largest safari park in Europe, the Serengeti Park is a top attraction for visitors to the area. It features 4 zones: Animal World, an open safari park which can be toured by car or bus; Water World, with a mix of water rides, whitewater rafting, pedal boats and more, as well as lakes of waterfowl; Monkey World, with safari tours through the terrain, and Leisure World, a fairground and leisure complex with high rope course, baby park and play parks for children. Pricey, but a great day out for families.
 * Walsrode World Bird Park (Vogel Park), in Walsrode. The world's largest bird park and one of the top ten zoos in the world for numbers of species, this park is a must for families and quite reasonably priced as one of the area's major attractions.
 * Hankensbüttel Otter Centre, in Hankensbüttel. A great place to relax and enjoy wildlife. As well as otters, there are polecats, minks, otter hounds, badgers and many other animals. Well worth a detour.
 * Drive along the picturesque Elbe Riverbank Road (Elbuferstraße) from Winsen (Luhe) to Langendorf, stopping en route to enjoy the riverside towns and villages or to park and walk along the bluffs above river. The section from Neu Darchau to Hitzacker, known for its challenging hills and bends, is closed to motorcyclists at weekends. Hitzacker is a pretty, little timber-framed town, steeped in history from where you can take a boat on the river or a ferry to Saxony-Anhalt. The area is teeming in bird life.

Eat
Unsurprisingly many of the local dishes and delicacies are simple farm fare rather than haute cuisine. Asparagus (Spargel) is a particular favourite and much is made locally of it when it comes into season around May with many restaurants offering a separate asparagus menu.

Very typical of the Heath are Heidschnuckenbraten or mutton chops from the local moorland sheep, the Heidschnucke. Very tasty, but more like venison or beef than lamb.

Of course, being an area with a strong hunting tradition, other forms of game are common on the menus of local restaurants, especially wild boar (Wildschwein), venison (Hirsch) and hare (Hase).

Buckwheat is the basis of the delicious local cake with cranberry cream filling known as Buchweizentorte.

Drink
As well as the usual beers, restaurants and bars sell shandy known in North Germany as Alsterwasser after the lakes in Hamburg and no doubt a pejorative reference to its relatively low alcohol content.

The Germans like their local distilleries and the Heath is no exception. Especially potent and sold in tiny bottles (25 ml) as well as larger sizes, are Ratzeputz, a strong ginger-based liqueur from Celle, and Heidegeist a minty, 50% proof spirit from the Heath itself.

Stay safe
Being a largely rural area, the Heath is relatively safe provided normal sensible precautions are taken. Bicycle theft can be a problem in some areas.

Go next
If you're based in the Lüneburg Heath, here are some suggestions for day excursions:

 * Bremen - Visit the Marktplatz, one of the most beautiful market squares in Germany, walk down the tiny lane of Böttcherstraße, educate yourself at the Overseas Museum or take a tour of the port by boat.
 * Hamburg - Tour Germany's biggest port by boat, stroll round the Alster Lakes, visit the Warehouse Quarter and HafenCity, where an industrial wasteland has been converted into a posh shopping district. Or check out the Hamburger Kunsthalle, one of Germany's biggest art museums.
 * Hanover - Shop in the capital of Lower Saxony, devastated by the war, but completely rebuilt. Follow the red line guided tour around all the important sites - you can even get a recorded commentary in English. Enjoy the wildlife at Hanover Zoo. And don't forget to visit the amazing Herrenhausen Gardens!
 * Harz Mountains - if you want a change of scenery, head for the Harz with its breathtaking ravines, rocky crags, castles and spruce-covered slopes. Mining museums recall the days when the wealth of the Kingdom of Hanover was underpinned by silver mined in these hills. Go canoeing, mountain biking, climbing or just chill out with a beer by a mountain lake or enjoy a coffee in a former mining village.
 * Holstein Switzerland - just an hour north of Hamburg is an expansive lake district nestling like a hidden jewel amongst the hills and fields of Holstein. Take a cruise on Lake Plön or a tour around Eutin Castle. Hire a bicycle and just explore the lakes.

title: Lüneburg Heath


text:
Lützen

Lützen is a town with about 3600 inhabitants in Saxony-Anhalt in Germany.

Understand
Two great battles were fought near the town.

The 1632 Battle of Lützen was part of the Thirty Years War. King Gustavus Adolphus led Sweden to victory against the Habsburg army, but died on the battlefield. The campaign was decisive for leading the Swedish Empire to victory.

The 1813 Battle of Lützen was part of the Napoleonic Wars.

Get in
The train line to Lützen has been suspended, so you can take the bus from nearby Leipzig or get to Lützen by car. To get there by bus from Leipzig, take a train or bus 65 to Markranstädt, Bahnhof and change there to bus 165.

Get around
The town is quite small, so it is easy to get around by foot.

Nearby

 * Central German lake district, recultivated landscape of former lignite open-cast mines turned into lakes: Kulkwitzer See is 10 km northeast, Zwenkauer See 13 km east, Raßnitzer See 15 km north of Lützen

Go next

 * Leipzig, 20 km northeast, trade city, cultural metropolis and economic "boom town" of East Germany, the obvious next step for history buffs is the Monument to the Battle of the Nations
 * Merseburg, 20 km northwest, more than thousand-year-old town with interesting old centre, Romanesque/Gothic cathedral and Renaissance palace, long-standing chemical industry site
 * Naumburg, 35 km southwest, impressive Romanesque cathedral, Friedrich Nietzsche museum and archive, centre of the Saale-Unstrut cultural landscape and wine-growing region
 * Halle, 40 km north, largest city in Saxony-Anhalt, interesting old town, birthplace of George Frideric Handel, castles on the river Saale

title: Lützen


text:
Lead

Lead (pronounced "leed") is in the Black Hills of South Dakota.

title: Lead


text:
Leadville

Leadville is a city in Lake County, Colorado.

Understand
Leadville is a former silver mining town that lies near the headwaters of the Arkansas River in the heart of the Rocky Mountains. Leadville is the highest incorporated city and the second highest incorporated municipality in the United States. It was the second-largest city in Colorado in the late 19th century, so its Historic District has beautiful late 19th-century buildings that are well worth your viewing if you are in the area.

See
Leadville Historic District includes 67 historic mines to the east of town and a number of striking late 19th- and early 20th-century buildings in Downtown Leadville.

Eat
Other than the kitschy tourist spots on the strip, give The Grill a try to eat Mexican food with the locals. A neighbourhood staple since the 1960s, don't leave without enjoying a dessert sopapilla.

Drink
Head to the Silver Dollar Saloon to enjoy a drink or two in a historic bar. Free pool and shuffleboard

title: Leadville


text:
Leamington

There is more than one place called Leamington:

Canada

 * Leamington (Ontario) — A town in Essex County, Ontario.

United Kingdom

 * Leamington Spa — A spa town in Warwickshire, England.

United States of America

 * Leamington (Utah) — A town in Utah.

title: Leamington