Hamburg - Pearl of the North [31.08.22]
So as we all know now the LÄND is nice and beautiful - But if you want to expand your travel horizon beyond Baden-Wurttemberg then this might be something for you: Hamburg.
Hamburg – Pearl of the North
Why Hamburg?
Hamburg is one of the four cities in Germany with over a million inhabitants at almost two million inhabitants. The city has a maritime flair, is known for fresh fish, the Reeperbahn and the proximity to the North and Baltic Sea, as well as the Wadden Sea, which is considered a World Heritage Site. Hamburgers are known for being very nice and easy going. Whether city, beach or party trip - Hamburg has it all.
How much time should I plan for Hamburg?
You should use at least one weekend, if you have more time available and maybe also want to make a trip to the sea you should calculate with 5-7 days.
Accommodation in Hamburg
In Hamburg you can find good accommodation with fair prices via platforms such as booking.com or Hostelworld. Good hotels with breakfast are available from 300-400 € (prices depend on season and booking time) for a weekend and two people. You can also get single rooms in hostels from 300 € or dormitories (with up to 8 people) for 80 € per weekend.
What to do in Hamburg?
We have listed some of the countless sights for you here:
1. Elbphilharmonie
The newest landmark of Hamburg is the Elbphilharmonie or also called "Elphi", which was built from 2007 to 2016. The 110 m high building is in the HafenCity and consists of a concert hall, a hotel, several apartments, a parking garage and restaurants. The structure of the glass facade is reminiscent of sails, water, waves, or crystals. At a height of 37 meters the "Plaza" viewing platform is located, from which there is a sweeping view of the city and harbor. Tickets for the platform must be booked in advance for a fixed time (1 h stay) and cost 2 €. The platform is open from 10 am to midnight, so you can decide if you want to enjoy the view during the day or the night. On the same floor you will also find the Elbphilharmonie Shop, which is open from 10 am - 10 pm, as well as a restaurant or café where you can grab a bite to eat and a drink from 10 am – 8 pm. The Elbphilharmonie also offers guided tours which give you some insight in the history of the building, the concert halls, the acoustics of the Philharmonic Hall, as well as the concert operations. Guided tours cost 20 € and usually last 90 minutes. They are offered in German and English and are not barrier-free. Barrier-free tours are unfortunately only offered in German. If you are interested in upcoming events at the Elbphilharmonie and would like to attend a concert, you can find information about them here: Events at the Elbphilharmonie.
2. Reeperbahn
The notorious Reeperbahn is a central street in the entertainment and red-light district in the St. Pauli neighborhood. In fact, the "Reeperbahn" or the "Kiez", as it is called by the people of Hamburg, is spread over the streets Große Freiheit, Hamburger Berg, as well as the Hans-Albers-Platz. Likewise, it is nicknamed "the most sinful mile in the world" and is the hub of Hamburg's nightlife. The nightlife district is home to countless clubs and bars, as well as strip and burlesque clubs where both women and men dance. Brothels are located in the Herbertsstraße and when passing through you will probably see prostitutes. In addition, there are also many theaters and musical houses on the Reeperbahn, since 1879 a wax museum called Panoptikum, as well as the Reeperbahn Festival, which always takes place at the end of September and offers many concerts and cultural events. Also interesting is the St. Pauli night market, which takes place every Wednesday from 4 to 10 or 11 pm. Here you can buy fresh and regional products. Random Fact: the Beatles had one of their first gigs at the Reeperbahn in the "Club Indra".
3. Speicherstadt
UNESCO World Heritage Site and the largest warehouse ensemble in the world - the Speicherstadt in Hamburg. In 1883 until the end of the 1920s, it was built on thousands of oak piles and has been a listed building since 1991. The original function of the warehouses was duty-free storage, as well as for refining goods. Nowadays, the Speicherstadt is a popular photo motif and houses many museums. Among them, for example, the Speicherstadt Museum, the German Customs Museum, the International Maritime Museum and many others. In addition, the Miniatur Wunderland Hamburg can be found the Speicherstadt, which shows the world in a 1:87 scale.
4. Landungsbrücken
Another typical feature of Hamburg are the Landungsbrücken on the Elbe. In the past, the ensemble of buildings was a landing stage for steamships. Today, they have developed into one of Hamburg's most popular promenades and numerous restaurants and tourist stores invite visitors to linger and watch the container and cruise ships. The first jetties at the Landungsbrücken were opened in 1839. They were first built at the beginning of the 20th century and had to be partially rebuilt after the destruction of the war in the 1950s. Here you can also find numerous boats for harbor cruises or catamarans, e.g., to Helgoland. Two towers with striking green domes mark the 205 m long terminal building at the landing bridges. One of the towers informs about the time as well as the water level of the Norderelbe.
5. St. Michaelis Kirche
St. Michael's Church or the "Michel" is a 132 m high baroque church with a tower made of copper, which is considered the landmark of Hamburg. The church was opened in 1912. You can get to a viewing platform at a height of 106 m after climbing 452 steps and then have a beautiful view over the Elbe and Hamburg. The tower clock is the largest in Germany with a diameter of eight meters. Random Fact: The long hand measures 4.91 meters, the small one 3.65 meters. Each hand weighs 130 kg. Open daily from 9 am to 8 pm (May to September; seasonal), ticket office closes half an hour before, and admission for students is 6 € (observation deck).
6. Planetarium
In 1930, the planetarium was built in Hamburg's Stadtpark in a former water tower. The planetarium contains a projection dome with a diameter of 20.6 m, making it one of the nine large planetariums in Germany. An observation deck is located on the eighth floor and can be reached by stairs or elevator. From here you have a panoramic view over Hamburg, the Elbphilharmonie, church towers of the city, the Jahn-Kampfbahn and more. Events you can find on the website: Events at the Planetarium.
7. Alster The Alster is a 56 kilometer long tributary of the Elbe and flows through southern Holstein and Hamburg. In 1235, the Alster was dammed by the "Oberdamm" at the level of today's Jungfernstieg. From this the so-called "Alstersee" developed, around which the Alsterpark and the Alsterwiese Schwanenwik are located. The above-mentioned Jungfernstieg is another popular promenade of Hamburg. For example, in the Alsterpavillon you can take a break with a cold drink or an Alsterwasser (shandy beer).
8. Planten un Blomen Park
Planten un Blomen Park (English: Plants and Flowers) was established in 1821. The park covers 45 hectares and contains magnificent plants and flowerbeds. There are lawns, idyllic streams, small lakes and landscaped theme gardens. However, the park also hosts concerts and colorful water light concerts, especially in the summer months (May to September). In the past, the area of the park was used to defend the independence of Hamburg. Here were the ramparts, which were built between 1616 and 1625 as a fortification ring around the then city center. This part of the park got its present name as a result of the Low German Garden show "Planten und Blomen", which took place in 1935.
9. Fischmarkt
The fish market is a public market in the Altona Old Town that exists for over 300 years. On Sundays, the market directly on the Elbe is open from 5 to 9:30 pm. Here you can find everything related to fish (as the name suggests), flowers, clothes as well as souvenir items. This market originally served to supply the citizens with fresh fish. Since the early 18th century, Altona fish market started selling fruits, vegetables and plants.
10. Mahnmal St. Nikolai
The church of St. Nicholas is the fifth highest church tower in the world, 147 meters high. It also serves as a central memorial to the victims and tyranny of the years 1933-1945. The church has a museum about the causes and consequences of the air war in Europe, namely it was destroyed during the Allied air raids in 1943. The memorial also has a lookout tower at a height of 76 meters, which can be reached by a glass panoramic elevator. From here you have an impressive panoramic view of the city and you can have a look at historical footage of the war destruction. The church is open daily (except Tuesday) from 10 am to 6 pm and costs 4 € admission for students.
Tours:
If you don't feel like exploring the city on your own, you can join one of the many city tours or boat cruises. The cost can vary from 0 to 25 € and you can choose and book different tours depending on your interests and preferences. Titles of some tours are for example “World Heritage Kontorhausviertel & Speicherstadt", "Reeperbahn - Lust & Laster" or "From landmark to landmark". If you want to decide for yourself how much the city tour was worth to you, you could book a free walking tour. If you prefer to sit on a ship and enjoy, you could book a harbor tour or an Alster tour.
How can I get to the sea?
If you have time or want to see the sea (not only the Swabian Sea) you can reach the North Sea from Hamburg for example with the RE 5 (direction Cuxhaven) in about 1 h 45 min. The Baltic Sea is about 1 h 15 min away from Hamburg (Timmendorfer Strand). Other cities nearby (not necessarily by the sea) are Lübeck, which is 45 minutes away by train, the city of Kiel which is between 1-2 h away by train. Or the city of Bremen, which is also an hour away from Hamburg.
How can I get to Hamburg?
You can reach Hamburg from Stuttgart main station in between 5:30 to 6:30 h, depending on the connection. The costs can vary between 80 and 150 € depending on the capacity and time of booking. Night trains are usually cheaper, but the journey time is often up to 3 hours longer. A journey by car takes between 7 and 8 h for 660 km.
Has Hamburg piqued your interest? Then let’s go!
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