2 days in Hamburg

Day by day

1. Day 1: Elbphilharmonie and Plaza and Speicherstadt

   Elbphilharmonie and Plaza, Speicherstadt, Miniatur Wunderland and Harbour boat tour and ferry 62, then Reeperbahn and Beatles-Platz in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Elbphilharmonie and Plaza

      A long curved escalator leads to the Plaza, a public viewing terrace that wraps around the building 37 metres up with views of the port, the Speicherstadt and St. Michael's Church.

   2. Late morning

      Speicherstadt

      It is UNESCO-listed with the neighbouring Kontorhaus District, and the Wasserschloss on its point is the classic photo stop.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Fish sandwich

      Kiosks along the Landungsbrücken, the Sunday fish market and fishmongers across the city.

   4. Afternoon

      Miniatur Wunderland

      Day and night cycles run every few minutes.

   5. Late afternoon

      Harbour boat tour and ferry 62

      On a budget, the HADAG public ferry line 62 runs from the Landungsbrücken past the Elbphilharmonie views and Övelgönne to Finkenwerder on a normal HVV ticket.

   6. Evening

      Reeperbahn and Beatles-Platz

      Explore the side streets such as Hamburger Berg and Große Freiheit for live music and bars.

2. Day 2: Hamburg Fish Market and Landungsbrücken and Old Elbe Tunnel

   Hamburg Fish Market, Landungsbrücken and Old Elbe Tunnel, St. Michael's Church (Michel) and Hamburg City Hall, then Planten un Blomen in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Hamburg Fish Market

      In the historic fish auction hall, live bands play to a crowd that includes night-owls still out from the Reeperbahn.

   2. Late morning

      Landungsbrücken and Old Elbe Tunnel

      Beside them, the Old Elbe Tunnel of 1911 takes pedestrians and cyclists down by lift and through a tiled tube under the river; on the far side is one of the best views of the city skyline.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Franzbrötchen

      Every Hamburg bakery; it is rarely found outside the north of Germany.

   4. Afternoon

      St. Michael's Church (Michel)

      A lift or 450-odd steps lead to a viewing platform over the harbour, and the crypt holds the tomb of composer C. P. E. Bach.

   5. Late afternoon

      Hamburg City Hall

      Guided tours visit the lavish state rooms, while the courtyard with its Hygieia fountain is open to anyone.

   6. Evening

      Planten un Blomen

      Check the summer schedule for the water-light concerts after dark and bring a picnic.

Before you go

• Elbphilharmonie and Plaza: Concert tickets sell out months ahead; check the official site for returns and less popular dates.
• Miniatur Wunderland: Reserve a timed entry online, especially for weekends and school holidays.

If it rains

• Swap in Hamburger Kunsthalle (St. Georg): Head straight to the Caspar David Friedrich room before it fills.
• Swap in International Maritime Museum (HafenCity and Speicherstadt): Start at the top floor and work down; the ship-model floors are the highlight.
• Swap in St. Nikolai Memorial (Altstadt): The lift view combines well with a walk to the Deichstraße and its old merchant houses.

Where to stay for this itinerary

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 13–20 hours of visiting over 2 days, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 7.5 hours in December to 17 hours in June, so in winter start early and keep museums for the afternoon.

Getting between stops: Metro. Four U-Bahn lines and the S-Bahn network connect the centre with St.

More or fewer days

• One day in Hamburg
• 3 days in Hamburg

Questions travellers ask