Free things to do · Hamburg · Germany
9 free things to do in Hamburg
Hamburg without the ticket prices: sights, walks and views that cost nothing.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Bildersindtoll, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
You can fill at least 3 days in Hamburg without paying an entry fee: Elbphilharmonie and Plaza, Speicherstadt, Hamburg Fish Market and Reeperbahn and Beatles-Platz are all free. Use ferry 62 on a normal HVV ticket instead of a paid harbour cruise for similar views.
Key facts
- Free sights in this guide
- 9
- Low-cost extras
- 4
- Cost level
- Expensive
- Lowest hotel prices
- January–March
Free sights and experiences
Architecture · HafenCity
1.Elbphilharmonie and Plaza
Plaza tickets on the day are free at the entrance; book a timed slot online for a small fee if you visit at weekends.
- Time needed
- 1 hour (Plaza)
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Free
- Views
- Architecture
- After dark
Historic site · HafenCity and Speicherstadt
2.Speicherstadt
Walk it at dusk, when the warehouses are lit and the canals reflect the lights.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Free
- Architecture
- History
- Photo spot
- After dark
Market · Altona
3.Hamburg Fish Market
Arrive early: the market winds down by mid-morning. Grab a Fischbrötchen and a coffee by the river.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Food
- Iconic
- Shopping
Street · St. Pauli
4.Reeperbahn and Beatles-Platz
Explore the side streets such as Hamburger Berg and Große Freiheit for live music and bars.
- Time needed
- 2–4 hours (evening)
- Cost
- Free
- After dark
- Free
- History
- Iconic
Waterfront · St. Pauli
5.Landungsbrücken and Old Elbe Tunnel
Walk through the tunnel and look back from the Steinwerder side at sunset.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- Views
- Kids
- Photo spot
Waterfront · Altstadt
6.Binnenalster and Außenalster
Walk or cycle the roughly 7-km loop around the Außenalster, stopping at a lakeside café.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Couples
- Outdoors
- Active
- Views
Park · Neustadt
7.Planten un Blomen
Check the summer schedule for the water-light concerts after dark and bring a picnic.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Kids
- Outdoors
- Couples
- After dark
Architecture · Altstadt
8.Chilehaus and Kontorhaus District
Stand at the corner of Pumpen and Burchardstraße for the classic prow view.
- Time needed
- 30 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Architecture
- History
- Photo spot
Neighbourhood · Blankenese
9.Blankenese and the Elbe beaches
Take ferry 62 to Neumühlen/Övelgönne, walk along the beach, then continue by bus or S-Bahn to Blankenese.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Outdoors
- Couples
- Off the beaten path
- Views
Free sights by area
| Area | Free sights | Time needed |
|---|---|---|
| HafenCity | Elbphilharmonie and Plaza | 1 hour (Plaza) |
| HafenCity and Speicherstadt | Speicherstadt | 1–2 hours |
| Altona | Hamburg Fish Market | 1–2 hours |
| St. Pauli | Reeperbahn and Beatles-Platz and Landungsbrücken and Old Elbe Tunnel | 2–4 hours (evening) + 1 hour |
| Altstadt | Binnenalster and Außenalster and Chilehaus and Kontorhaus District | 2–3 hours + 30 minutes |
| Neustadt | Planten un Blomen | 1–2 hours |
| Blankenese | Blankenese and the Elbe beaches | Half a day |
Worth a small ticket
-msu-2021-4873-.jpg){kind=link}
Experience · St. Pauli
Harbour boat tour and ferry 62
Smaller barge tours can enter the Speicherstadt canals at high tide; larger boats cannot.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Iconic
- Kids
- Views
- Outdoors
Religious site · Neustadt
St. Michael's Church (Michel)
Combine it with the Krameramtsstuben, a courtyard of 17th-century almshouses just around the corner.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- Views
- Architecture
- History
- Rainy day
Architecture · Altstadt
Hamburg City Hall
Join a guided tour of the interior; tours in English run on most days when parliament is not sitting.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- Architecture
- History
- Rainy day
Historic site · Altstadt
St. Nikolai Memorial
The lift view combines well with a walk to the Deichstraße and its old merchant houses.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Views
- Rainy day
More ways to save
- Use ferry 62 on a normal HVV ticket instead of a paid harbour cruise for similar views.
- The Elbphilharmonie Plaza, Speicherstadt, Old Elbe Tunnel, fish market and Alster walks cost nothing.
- Weekday lunch menus are the best-value way to eat in restaurants.
- Avoid big trade-fair weeks, when hotel prices rise sharply.
- A Hamburg CARD or day ticket pays off if you ride trains and ferries several times a day.
- Fish sandwiches from kiosks and market stalls make a cheap, filling lunch.
Questions travellers ask
+Is Hamburg expensive to visit?
Hamburg is expensive for most visitors, but 9 of its best-known sights are free, which makes a tight budget workable.
+What is the best free thing to do in Hamburg?
Elbphilharmonie and Plaza: Plaza tickets on the day are free at the entrance; book a timed slot online for a small fee if you visit at weekends.