Nightlife · Hamburg · Germany
Hamburg nightlife
Where the evenings happen in Hamburg, from early drinks to late nights.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Kim Lembke, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Hamburg has one of Germany's strongest nightlife scenes: live-music clubs and bars on and around the Reeperbahn, laid-back bars in the Schanze and Ottensen, and cocktail bars in the city centre. Weekends run until dawn. The main areas are Reeperbahn and Große Freiheit, Hamburger Berg, Sternschanze and St. Georg.
Key facts
- Nightlife areas
- 4
- Stay near the action
- St. Pauli
- Local drink
- Astra beer
Where to go out
Reeperbahn and Große Freiheit
Clubs, music venues, theatres and late bars, busiest from Thursday to Saturday nights.
Hamburger Berg
A side street of small, crowded bars just off the Reeperbahn, popular with students.
Sternschanze
Bars and cafés around Schulterblatt and Susannenstraße, with crowds spilling onto the pavement.
St. Georg
Bars on and around Lange Reihe, the centre of Hamburg's LGBTQ+ nightlife.
Nightlife tips
- U-Bahn and S-Bahn lines run all night on Friday and Saturday nights.
- Clubs on the Reeperbahn get busy after midnight; bars fill earlier.
- Drinking from kiosks on the street is common and legal, but respect residents and take your bottles with you.
Evening sights
Architecture · HafenCity
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
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
Street · St. Pauli
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
Park · Neustadt
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
What to drink
- Astra beer — Hamburg's cult lager, sold in squat bottles with a heart-and-anchor logo, is the unofficial drink of St. Pauli bars and the Elbe beaches.
Evenings through the year
Sunset and the overnight low decide how long the outdoor part of a night lasts. July has the warmest evenings, with lows around 13°C (55°F).
| Month | Sunset (15th) | Overnight low | Rainy days |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | About 16:30 | -1°C (30°F) | 12 |
| April | About 20:20 | 4°C (39°F) | 9 |
| July | About 21:42 | 13°C (55°F) | 12 |
| October | About 18:24 | 7°C (45°F) | 11 |
Getting home late
- Metro — Buy tickets in the HVV app or from machines before boarding.
- Ferry — HADAG harbour ferries are part of the HVV network; line 62 from the Landungsbrücken to Finkenwerder is the classic budget harbour cruise.
- Walking — The Rathaus, Jungfernstieg, Speicherstadt, Elbphilharmonie and Landungsbrücken are linked by 10–20-minute walks along canals and the harbour.
- Bus — Buses fill gaps in the rail network, including the steep Blankenese hillside served by small buses nicknamed 'mountain goats'.
Late-night bites
- Fish sandwich — Kiosks along the Landungsbrücken, the Sunday fish market and fishmongers across the city.
Staying safe at night
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.
- Emergency number
- 112 (fire and ambulance), 110 police
Where to stay for nightlife
$$ · Best for nightlife, solo travellers and budget
St. Pauli
St. Pauli runs from the Landungsbrücken piers up to the Reeperbahn, Hamburg's famous entertainment mile of clubs, theatres and bars, and the Beatles-Platz. Away from the main strip it is a lively residential area, and the Sunday fish market and Elbe tunnel are close by.
- Good
- The city's nightlife on your doorstep; Close to the harbour and ferries; Good-value hostels and hotels
- Watch out
- Noisy and rowdy on weekend nights; Litter and red-light scene around the Reeperbahn
- Nearby
- Reeperbahn, St. Pauli Piers, Elbe Tunnel (1911), Hamburger Fischmarkt
Questions travellers ask
+Where is the best nightlife in Hamburg?
Reeperbahn and Große Freiheit, Hamburger Berg and Sternschanze. Clubs, music venues, theatres and late bars, busiest from Thursday to Saturday nights.
+Which area of Hamburg is best for nightlife?
St. Pauli: Reeperbahn neon, harbour piers and the city's football club.