Hamburg, Germany – worth a trip!

Hamburg (Germany) – worth a trip!

Hamburg, located in Northern Germany, is the second largest city of the country, after Berlin, and a really beautiful and special place. You should definitely not miss it, if you have the opportunity to go. Hamburg has its very own history, hanseatic charme and architecture and very much to offer. It is a lively, young and multicultural city and each district has its own flaire. You can find beautiful restaurants, cafes, bars and tiny shops and galleries nearly everywhere you go. And you are always close to the water: besides the rivers Elbe and Alster, a network of waterways and canals covers the city. It’s said that there are about 2.500 bridges in Hamburg…

Here are just a few suggestions of what to do, see and experience for a short trip.

Hamburg‘s harbor and historic warehouse district

“Germany’s gateway to the world“ – that‘s what Hamburg harbor has been called for many centuries and it’s really a unique experience. The port is over 800 years old and the third largest in Europe, after Rotterdam and Antwerp. There are many ways to enjoy the harbor district. From the most famous water station (Landungsbrücken) you can take one of the many harbor tours offered or just take a public ferry along the shore. Or you might just let yourself drift and stroll a little according to your mood and enjoy this special atmosphere and the view of the harbor, the gigantic ships coming in, and the huge cranes in the near distance loading and unloading containers. And you might have some seafood dinner in a restaurant near by or just a „Fischbrötchen“ (fish-sandwhich) to go. (If you don‘t like fish and you prefer something sweet you should try one of the sweet specialities of Hamburg: a „Franzbrötchen“ – pastry filled with sugar and cinnamon.)

Located on the eastern tip of the harbor you find the famous and impressive Elbphilharmonie (Concert Hall) – not to be overlooked. Since its opening in 2017 the Elbphilharmonie has become the new symbol of Hamburg: The modern glass structure with its striking undulating roof seemingly floats above the historic warehouses. Like a lighthouse, the Elbphilharmonie greets incoming ships. You should for sure enter the building and go up: at a height of 37 meters, between the brick base and the glass structure, there is a publicly accessible level with an outdoor platform, it’s called the Plaza. From up here you have such a stunning and wide view over Hamburg, the harbor and ships – and you‘ll definitely get wanderlust while being up there. – It is really a must (and by the way it is easy to do by escalators!).

Just close to the harbor and the Elbphilharmonie there is another highlight: the historical warehouse district, the largest warehouse complex in the world. This remarkable complex was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2015 together with the Kontorhaus district. Here you can just stroll over the many bridges and paths or also see the Speicherstadt from a completely different perspective on a harbour and canal cruise. It is really impressive.

The Hamburg Rathaus

The government of Germany’s second largest city meets in this imposing and beautiful sandstone building in the heart of Hamburg. Not only the elaborate outer facade of the building is impressive. To gain insights of the interior of the building you can take part in an exclusive guided tour through the rooms and meeting rooms.

Church St. Michaelis

The baroque church of St. Michaelis is Hamburg’s unique experience, the signature landmark of Hamburg. “Michel”, as locals like to call the church, is the most famous church in the North of Germany; its seats 3000 people. Climb the spiraled top to enjoy the views of the Hamburg city scape and harbor.

St. Pauli and the Reeperbahn – the red light district

The Reeperbahn is the most famous street of Hamburg. It is the city’s legendary entertainment and red light district – sure, everyone knows! Famous and infamous all over the world, you can celebrate here endlessly, if you want to ‘til dawn. The eclectic mix of nightclubs, bars, restaurants, theatres and playhouses along with striptease clubs, erotic museums and erotic shops create a very special atmosphere. In the side streets of this extremely busy street you can also find cozy cafes and bars.

Museums

Hamburger Kunsthalle – it is the most impressive art collections in Germany. Over 700 years of European art history are represented here, from medieval to modern paintings. Highlights include masterpieces by Rembrandt, Caspar David Friedrich and Edvard Munch.

The Museum für Kunst und Gewerbe Hamburg (MK&G) – it is one of Europe’s leading museums of design. Its collection ranges from antiquity to contemporary innovations, encompassing the European, East Asian and Islamic cultural areas. The museum regards itself as an institution for discourse and considers the designing of our world as one of the most significant issues of our time.

The International Maritime Museum – it is housed in the heritage listed building, Kaispeicher B. Three thousand years worth of maritime history are displayed on nine ‘decks’ with precious exhibits, model ships and paintings. There is an entire deck dedicated to marine research.

Hamburgs green lung: Planten un Blomen

Take a deep breath, go for a walk or just sit down and relax a bit in Hamburg’s famous green scene: the beautiful park “Planten un Blomen” (by the way „Planten un Blomen“ is low or platt german and means „plants and flowers“). The 45 hectare park area is worth a visit. You can stroll here seemingly endlessly – and there is so much to marvel at. The park features a Botanical Garden and the largest Japanese garden in Europe. Throughout the summer months, you can enjoy concerts, theater performances and festivals in the park. By the way, the park is for free.

Enjoy your trip to Hamburg – let yourself drift and discover the city, its districts and the hanseatic way of life!