Visit Hamburg: A Magical Guide to a Magical City - Part Two

By George Manadis

Sitting in a cozy quaint café in Athens, basking in the warm sun, but still reminiscing about Hamburg. How I would love to jump on the first plane out of here and land in Hamburg.

Spring is almost here, and the whole city will start to bloom after a harsh winter full of snow. People will start flocking to the parks and the banks of the Elbe River.

Bicycles will fill the streets of the city (not that the hard weather ever stopped Hamburgers), and the ring roads around the lakes and the parks of the city will be filled with people jogging. But I am getting ahead of myself here.

The “inspiration” for this article was a travel vlog about the city on YouTube. I stumbled upon the episode around Christmas, and I was utterly disappointed. The vlogger presented such a boring view of the city. I was literally screaming at the TV. If I had never visited Hamburg and I came upon this video, I wouldn’t be at all intrigued to visit the city.

Luckily, you have me, though, an avid traveler and lover of Hamburg. Having visited the city many times and having lived there, I will present you with all the things you need to do and see in the city. Let’s note here that my list cannot include all the things present in the city. So, if you have any tips I have missed, I would love to hear them.

Hamburg: A brief history introduction

The city was founded by Charlemagne around 810 as a small fort in the Alster, and from then on, the city changed many hands, saw many rulers, its people suffered, but persevered. It was severely damaged during the Napoleonic Wars and also during bombings in July-August 1943 that killed 41.000 people. But the city endured.

Very early in its history, the city was rich with many industrial activities. During the Middle Ages, the city was already renowned for the production of beer. In the 19th century, the city had almost 500 breweries. The mentality of Hamburgers was also more open-minded (a trait evident even today) and not so much determined by one single activity. That mentality also explains why the city was not as hurt as other cities, resulting in the industrial city and one of the biggest ports that it is today.

Let’s not forget that even though Hamburg is the third industrial German city with principal industries such as aeronautics, shipping, metal construction and many more, this is not the vibe of the city at all. The entire city prioritizes quality of life and work-life balance, having been voted many times as one of the best cities in the world for someone to live.

Finally, Hamburg is not only one of the richest cities in Europe but also a city that is the cultural capital of Germany. Theater, fine arts, universities, music, all are present in a city that has everything to offer.

First day in Hamburg

This is your first day in Hamburg. Let’s start with the basics. Hop off the metro in Jungfernstieg. First thing you see: water, the Binnenalster or the Inner Alster (Lake). Water and greenery are two of the things that characterize Hamburg. In the middle of the lake, there is always a fountain (or a Christmas tree during Christmas), and if you are visiting the city in spring, the blooming cherry blossoms paint a scene.

From Jungfernstieg, you have many, many, many options. Whether you want to go shopping in the Europa Passage, visit Hamburg’s Apple store or head down to the river, the entire city is at your feet. A quick note: Hamburg has one of the better transport systems, providing you with many options, but I would definitely suggest walking since this is the only way that allows you to take in everything the city has to offer.

From Jungfernstieg, you can visit Hamburg’s Rathaus (the Town Hall), with a breathtaking exterior. This is the place where Hamburgers congregate when they have to protest about something. And trust me: they often do. People of the city, never miss an opportunity to show their support to refugees or protest about climate change.

If you walk a bit further down, you will come across the Speicherstadt, literally a huge complex of canals and warehouses where goods pouring into the port from all over the world are stored. If you have time, I would suggest dedicated 2-3 hours to the Miniatur Wunderland, a museum where entire cities and continents (miniature size) come to life. I guarantee that you will be blown away. Besides its exhibits, the museum itself has an amazing view into the canals and into the warehouses.

Let’s also note here that Hamburg is renowned for another thing also: its bridges and canals. Hamburg has more bridges and canals than Venice itself, giving to the city its distinct aura. In Hamburg you are never far from water and from a park.

From there, you are only one step away from the river and the amazing Elbphilarmonie, Hamburg’s philharmonic orchestra that dominates over the river. It is definitely worth checking what concerts are available during your visit. You can take in the river air, photograph the cranes that dominate the other side of the river or take a boat to go on a small cruise in the Elbe.

Pro tip here: there are many boats that are part of the regular transport system of the city. So, instead of hopping on a tourist trap, use these ones in a more reasonable price. If you are not feeling tired and still have time, you can always walk the Elbtunnel, an underwater tunnel of more than 100 years old that connects the two river banks. People still use it to commute from one side to the other, people walk or bike under 12 meters of water. This is definitely an experience that you cannot miss.

I think now we can call this a day. Find a cozy brewery or taproom or a restaurant to replenish all the calories you burned walking along the city. Hamburg, due to its location, is famous for a cuisine filled with fresh fish. Do not miss tasting a fischbrötchen, a fish sandwich, closing with a Franzbrötchen, Hamburg signature pastry. Trust me! Once you have one, you cannot stop.

Day two

It wouldn’t be Germany and Hamburg without a quick stop into one of the many German bakeries the city has to offer. Bread and pastries are a specialty. If you want also to try one of the best buffets/brunches in the city, Café May is the place for you. It has around 4-5 places around the city, but for our day I would recommend the one just opposite the Lattenkamp metro station.

Once full and replenished, a visit to Stadtpark, Hamburg’s biggest park, is highly recommended. There is a lake, a pool, playgrounds for the children, two restaurants for quick beer, statues, a lake where you can do your sports, roads for your bicycle and many more. During the summer, live music shows are hosted in the park and movie screenings also. The Hamburg Planetarium dominates over the park, a place that you can visit and enjoy astronomy screenings in its huge dome.

From there, you can always walk or bike towards Jungfernstieg. The route takes you along the two lakes, Aussenalster and Binnenalster in the end, along cherry blossoms and people enjoy nature. It is simply spectacular.

If you also want to include another great park in your day, Planten un Blomen is another great part close-by that you can visit and relax. From there, Schanzenviertel and Karolinenviertel are just five minutes away. Both boast hip areas with cool shops to shop from, restaurants to eat or drink. Sternschanze is always very close, and I would suggest closing your day at Altes Madchen, the taproom for Hamburg’s Ratsherrn beer. Lots of cool people, a lot of beer, many food options. What else do you need?

But this is not only Hamburg. Hamburg is also Altona and its Fischmarkt, an interior food court with lots of food options and live music. Hamburg is Blankenese, St. Georg, Langereihe. Hamburg is taking the bus or the train and going to Lubeck or Luneburg or even Bremen for a quick excursion.

Hamburg is its many churches that dominate the city’s skyline. Hamburg is St. Michael’s church whose top you can visit with a very fast elevator giving you access to an amazing view of the city. Hamburg is St. Nikolai church, a memorial to the bombings during WW2. Hamburg is everything. Hop on a plane, open up Google Maps and let the city amaze you. It is almost certain that you will not be disappointed.