What the city of Lübeck and the state of Schleswig-Holstein require for dogs, where the off-leash areas are, when the Travemünde dog beaches are open and how your dog rides the bus and ferry.
Lübeck with a dog means: in the old town, in green spaces and in the forest your dog stays on the leash, it may run free on the areas and paths the city designates for that, and Travemünde has two dog beaches. On the bus your dog needs a child ticket, on the Priwall ferry it rides for free.
his guide sorts out what really applies in Lübeck and Travemünde, with sources instead of guesses. For an overview of places, see the directory of dog-friendly places in Lübeck.
That is how the city of Lübeck sums it up on its page for dog owners. The old town island has its own city ordinance on leashing dogs in the inner city, which the city has extended. The city mentions no exception for small dogs.
According to the city, you may not take your dog onto playgrounds, into cemeteries, onto sunbathing lawns, into public pools, churches, kindergartens, schools, hospitals, theaters or cinemas. Guide dogs and assistance dogs are exempt. Pick up dog poop right away and put it in a bin. The dog tax tag belongs on the collar.
The city distinguishes two kinds: off-leash areas, meaning meadows or patches of forest, and off-leash paths, where your dog may walk with you without a leash. According to the city, these are the areas:
| Off-leash area | Location according to the city |
|---|---|
| Dog forest Israelsdorfer Forst | Between Waldstraße, Medebekstraße and Am Schellbruch |
| Dänischburger Forst | Fenced run at the Am Rugenberg parking lot |
| Buntekuh | Lawn in the Wiesental green corridor, opposite the Pinassenteich pond |
| St. Gertrud | Lawn in the Stadtpark next to the big pond |
| St. Lorenz Nord | Area on the Humboldtwiese |
Then there are the off-leash paths: in the city center the 1st and 2nd ramparts (Wall) between Puppenbrücke and the Buniamshof access road, including Hexenkessel and Katzenberg; in St. Gertrud the main paths in the Brandenbaumer Feld green corridor and the first stretch of the path from Wesloer Brücke towards Am Rittbrook; in St. Jürgen the riverside path at the Falkenwiese from the school garden to the boat landing; the paths in the Moislinger Aue; the paths in the Kücknitz school forest on the old B 75; and in Travemünde the path next to the Rugwisch sports ground.
Off leash applies only there. The rest of the park stays a leash zone, even if the lawn next to it looks just as green. The city provides an overview map as a PDF on its page. Tips for finding more areas are in our guide to finding a dog park near you.
From 1 April to 31 October dogs are not allowed on the beach in Travemünde, except at the marked dog beaches. That is set out in § 4 of the beach bylaw of 2 April 2025. Official service dogs, search and rescue dogs, guide dogs and assistance dogs are exempt. According to the bylaw, violations can be fined between 5 and 1,000 euros.
The city names two dog beaches:
On the Priwall, people aged 16 and over pay a beach fee from 15 May to 14 September, at the dog beach too. According to the city, that is 3.50 euros per day, 2 euros after 3 pm. Lübeck residents use the beaches for free. The fee is charged per person. The city mentions no separate charge for dogs.
Before your dog jumps into the Baltic Sea: if there is blue-green algae, keep it out of the water. More on that in our guide to blue-green algae and dogs. General tips on swimming are in the guide to swimming with your dog at lakes and the sea.
The promenades require a leash, the tourism agency writes in its beach basics. On the main beach on the town side, dogs are not allowed from 1 April to 31 October.
The best time for a beach day with your dog is the off-season. Outside the restricted period, so from November to the end of March, the city says all beaches in Travemünde and on the Priwall are open to dogs. It is often empty and windy then, which suits many dogs just fine.
You cross to the Priwall by ferry, and according to Stadtwerke Lübeck dogs ride without a ticket. For an off-leash walk away from the beach, the city names the path next to the Rugwisch sports ground, between Ivendorfer Landstraße and Rönnauer Mühle.
In Schleswig-Holstein the leash is required in forests all year. Under § 17 (2) of the State Forest Act, dogs may only come along on a leash and only on forest paths, unless the forest owner agrees otherwise. In the dog forest in the Israelsdorfer Forst and in the run in the Dänischburger Forst, the city has explicitly designated off-leash areas. Everywhere else in the forest the leash stays on.
The state's leaflet Dogs in the countryside gives no fixed dates for the breeding season. It does warn that dogs running free in spring and summer put nests and young animals at risk. On dikes and in nature reserves the leash is always required. The city of Lübeck names the time of raising young, nesting, molting and winter as especially sensitive periods for wildlife.
If you want to see the sights of Lübeck with your dog, walk through the old town on the leash. According to the city, dogs are not allowed in churches, so plan for one of you to wait outside. Afterwards, head to the ramparts: on the 1st and 2nd Wall between Puppenbrücke and Buniamshof your dog may walk off leash.
In the dog forest in the Israelsdorfer Forst, between Waldstraße, Medebekstraße and Am Schellbruch, your dog may run free. Outside the designated area the leash rule applies in the forest. More parks and forests are listed in the directory of parks and forests in Lübeck.
If your dog loves to run but doesn't reliably come back, the fenced run at the Am Rugenberg parking lot is a good choice. The city describes it as fenced; still check that the gate is closed before you unclip the leash.
Just outside the city limits lie two more fenced dog forests run by the Schleswig-Holstein state forests (German). The Riesebusch dog forest near Bad Schwartau is about two hectares and has an entry gate system. The Meierkamp dog forest near Ratekau, at the Blüchereiche rest stop, is around two hectares, fully fenced and also secured with a double gate. Both have benches for you.
For a quiet walk away from the beach crowds, try the riverside path at the Falkenwiese in St. Jürgen or the paths in the Moislinger Aue, both off-leash paths. More ideas for all of Germany are in our overview of day trips with your dog in Germany.
Lübeck uses the Schleswig-Holstein tariff. Stadtwerke Lübeck sets these rules for its buses:
The Deutschlandticket does not include a dog; you need a regular ticket for it. With a general monthly subscription ticket for Lübeck, the SH tariff lets you take one animal along for free.
Whether your dog may come inside is up to each venue. The Souldog map data does not yet include any cafés or restaurants in Lübeck with a confirmed dog policy, so we are not naming any here.
Before you go, ask whether dogs are allowed inside or only on the terrace, and whether there is room for you that day. New places appear on the Explore map in the Souldog app once they are confirmed. Our guide to dog-friendly cafés in Germany explains how a relaxed visit works.
Start with the directory of dog-friendly places in Lübeck and pick an area: leashed on the way there, off leash on the area, leashed on the way back. In the Souldog app the Explore map shows you what is nearby.
A little further up the coast, the guide to Kiel with a dog helps, and for a day trip to the Elbe there is Hamburg with a dog. And in winter, when all the beaches are open again: towel in the car, off to Travemünde.
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