Travel guide · Germany
Hamburg travel guide
Harbour city of brick warehouses, Alster lakes and the Elbphilharmonie
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Dietmar Rabich, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Germany's second-largest city is built around water: the working port on the Elbe, the canals of the UNESCO-listed Speicherstadt warehouse district and the two Alster lakes in the centre. Visitors come for the Elbphilharmonie's free viewing plaza, Miniatur Wunderland, harbour boat trips and the nightlife of St. Pauli, then stay for fish sandwiches, Sunday's early fish market and long walks along the Elbe beaches. Public transport is excellent, and even a harbour ferry is covered by a regular ticket. Plan 3 days for a first visit; the best months are May–September.
Key facts
- Country
- Germany
- Best time to visit
- May–September
- Ideal stay
- 3 days
- Main airports
- HAM
- Mid-range daily budget
- $160–$280 per person (estimate)
- Known for
- Elbphilharmonie, Port of Hamburg, Speicherstadt and Reeperbahn
Why visit Hamburg
- The Elbphilharmonie's Plaza, 37 metres above the harbour, gives a free panoramic view over the port and the city.
- The Speicherstadt and Kontorhaus District, including the ship-shaped Chilehaus, form a UNESCO World Heritage Site of red-brick warehouses and offices.
- Miniatur Wunderland, the world's largest model railway, is one of Germany's most visited attractions.
- HADAG ferry line 62 runs past container terminals and the Elbe beaches on a regular public-transport ticket.
- St. Pauli, the Schanze and Ottensen keep some of Germany's best live-music and bar scenes, from the Reeperbahn to small clubs where the Beatles once played.
Top things to do
The six sights most first-time visitors build a trip around. See all 18 things to do.
Architecture · HafenCity
Elbphilharmonie and Plaza
Herzog & de Meuron's concert hall, opened in 2017, rises in a wave of glass above a brick 1960s warehouse at the tip of HafenCity.
- Time needed
- 1 hour (Plaza)
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Free
- Views
- Architecture
- After dark
Historic site · HafenCity and Speicherstadt
Speicherstadt
Built between the 1880s and 1920s on oak piles, this is the largest warehouse district in the world: neo-Gothic brick blocks rising from canals, once full of coffee, tea and spices.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Free
- Architecture
- History
- Photo spot
- After dark
Museum · HafenCity and Speicherstadt
Miniatur Wunderland
The world's largest model railway fills two floors of a Speicherstadt warehouse with miniature landscapes from Hamburg and the Alps to Scandinavia, Italy and South America, including an airport where model planes take off.
- Time needed
- 3–4 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Iconic
- Kids
- Rainy day
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Experience · St. Pauli
Harbour boat tour and ferry 62
Harbour cruises leave from the Landungsbrücken piers to the container terminals, dry docks and Speicherstadt canals.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Iconic
- Kids
- Views
- Outdoors
Market · Altona
Hamburg Fish Market
Every Sunday from early morning, the riverside market in Altona sells fish, fruit, flowers and plants, with traders shouting their bargains.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Food
- Iconic
- Shopping
Street · St. Pauli
Reeperbahn and Beatles-Platz
Hamburg's entertainment mile has theatres, musical venues, clubs, bars and the red-light scene.
- Time needed
- 2–4 hours (evening)
- Cost
- Free
- After dark
- Free
- History
- Iconic
Where to stay
Altstadt and Neustadt is the easiest base for a first visit. Compare all 8 areas.
$$$ · Best for first-timers, shopping and luxury
Altstadt and Neustadt
City Hall, Jungfernstieg and shopping streets beside the Binnenalster
$$$ · Best for first-timers, families, culture and couples
HafenCity and Speicherstadt
Brick warehouses, canals and new waterfront architecture around the Elbphilharmonie
$$ · Best for nightlife, solo travellers and budget
St. Pauli
Reeperbahn neon, harbour piers and the city's football club
$$ · Best for food lovers, nightlife, budget and solo travellers
Sternschanze and Karoviertel
Alternative cafés, street art and independent shops north of St. Pauli
What to eat
- Fish sandwich — A crusty roll filled with pickled Bismarck herring, Matjes, smoked salmon, fried fish or North Sea brown shrimp, with onions and remoulade.
- Franzbrötchen — A flattened, buttery cinnamon-sugar pastry related to the croissant, sticky and caramelised; bakeries also sell versions with raisins, chocolate or poppy seeds.
- Labskaus — A sailor's dish of corned beef, potato and beetroot mashed together, topped with a fried egg and served with pickled gherkin and rollmops herring.
- Hamburg fish pan — Pan-fried pieces of white fish served with fried potatoes and a mustard sauce, originally a way of using up the day's leftover catch.
- Finkenwerder plaice — Whole plaice fried in butter with diced bacon, sometimes topped with North Sea shrimp, served with potato salad or boiled potatoes.
- Hamburg eel soup — A sweet-and-sour broth with dried fruit, vegetables, dumplings and ham; recipes vary, and despite the name not every version contains eel.
When to go
The best time to visit Hamburg is May to September, when days are long and mild, beach bars on the Elbe open and the port anniversary and summer festivals take place. December is popular for Christmas markets. Winters are cold, dark and wet but cheap and fine for museums and concerts.
| Season | Months | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| Spring | March–May | Cool, changeable weather that warms through May, with the spring DOM funfair, blossom along the Alster and the port anniversary. |
| Summer | June–August | Mild, long days rarely too hot, with Elbe beach bars, Alster boating and open-air events; showers remain common. |
| Autumn | September–November | Mild September with the Reeperbahn Festival, then windy, wet weeks with autumn colour and fewer visitors. |
| Winter | December–February | Cold and dark with drizzle, brightened in December by Christmas markets; low prices in January and February. |
Getting there and around
Hamburg Airport is about 9 km north of the centre; the S1 S-Bahn reaches the Hauptbahnhof in about 25 minutes. A taxi takes about 25–35 minutes depending on traffic.
Hamburg's U-Bahn, S-Bahn, buses and harbour ferries are run under one HVV fare system, so one ticket covers trains and boats. The centre, Speicherstadt and St. Pauli are walkable, and cycling is popular.
Plan your days
Two days covers the Speicherstadt, the Elbphilharmonie Plaza, a harbour trip, the Rathaus and the Alster, with an evening in St. Pauli. A third day adds Miniatur Wunderland, the Kunsthalle or Blankenese; with longer, add Lübeck or Lüneburg by train.
Practical information
- Currency
- EUR
- Language
- German
- Plugs
- Type C and F sockets, 230 V, 50 Hz
- Tap water
- Tap water is safe to drink and of high quality.
- Emergency number
- 112 (fire and ambulance), 110 police
- Tipping
- Round up or add about 5–10% for table service, telling the server the total when you pay rather than leaving cash on the table.
Hamburg is generally safe for visitors, but pickpocketing occurs on busy trains, at the Hauptbahnhof and on the Reeperbahn at weekends. The area immediately around the Hauptbahnhof can feel uncomfortable late at night, so stay alert.
Flights to Hamburg
Questions travellers ask
+How many days do you need in Hamburg?
Two days covers the Speicherstadt, the Elbphilharmonie Plaza, a harbour trip, the Rathaus and the Alster, with an evening in St. Pauli. A third day adds Miniatur Wunderland, the Kunsthalle or Blankenese; with longer, add Lübeck or Lüneburg by train. How to split your days.
+When is the best time to visit Hamburg?
The best time to visit Hamburg is May to September, when days are long and mild, beach bars on the Elbe open and the port anniversary and summer festivals take place. December is popular for Christmas markets. Winters are cold, dark and wet but cheap and fine for museums and concerts.
+What is Hamburg known for?
Elbphilharmonie, Port of Hamburg, Speicherstadt, Reeperbahn, Miniatur Wunderland, Fischbrötchen and Alster lakes. The Elbphilharmonie's Plaza, 37 metres above the harbour, gives a free panoramic view over the port and the city.
+Is Hamburg expensive?
Hamburg is expensive for international visitors: a mid-range trip costs roughly $160–$280 per person per day before flights (AMZBooking estimate). Costs and money-saving tips.
+Do you need a car in Hamburg?
No. Public transport, bikes and ferries cover the city, and parking is expensive. A car helps only for rural Schleswig-Holstein or the North Sea coast.