Outdoors · Hamburg · Germany
5 best outdoor things to do in Hamburg
Parks, viewpoints and open-air sights for the dry, bright days.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Unknown author, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
Start with Harbour boat tour and ferry 62, Binnenalster and Außenalster and Planten un Blomen. Together the 5 picks below take roughly 10–15 hours across 5 areas; 3 are free.
Key facts
- Places in this guide
- 5
- Free entry
- 3
- Time to see them all
- 10–15 hours
- Areas
- St. Pauli, Altstadt and Neustadt
Outdoors in Hamburg
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Experience · St. Pauli
1.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
Waterfront · Altstadt
2.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
3.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
Zoo · Stellingen
4.Tierpark Hagenbeck
Buy the combined ticket with the Tropen-Aquarium for a rainy-day back-up.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Outdoors
- Nature
Neighbourhood · Blankenese
5.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
Grouped by area
| Area | Places | Time needed |
|---|---|---|
| St. Pauli | Harbour boat tour and ferry 62 | 1–2 hours |
| Altstadt | Binnenalster and Außenalster | 2–3 hours |
| Neustadt | Planten un Blomen | 1–2 hours |
| Stellingen | Tierpark Hagenbeck | Half a day |
| Blankenese | Blankenese and the Elbe beaches | Half a day |
Booking and timing
Of these 5, 3 free, 1 low cost, 1 mid-priced. None needs booking far in advance. The longest visit is Tierpark Hagenbeck; group the rest by area to save travel time.
How to fit them into 4 half-days
Grouped by area and kept to about four hours each, so you walk more than you ride.
- Half-day 1 (St. Pauli and Altstadt): Harbour boat tour and ferry 62 → Binnenalster and Außenalster, at least 3 hours.
- Half-day 2 (Neustadt): Planten un Blomen, at least 1 hour.
- Half-day 3 (Stellingen): Tierpark Hagenbeck, at least 3 hours.
- Half-day 4 (Blankenese): Blankenese and the Elbe beaches, at least 3 hours.
The best months to be outside
- June: highs of 21°C (70°F), about 11 rainy days, busy crowds. Light until after 10pm, beach bars open on the Elbe and new Matjes herring arrives.
- July: highs of 23°C (73°F), about 12 rainy days, busy crowds. Warmest month, ideal for the Elbe beaches, Alster boating and open-air events; showers are still common.
- August: highs of 23°C (73°F), about 12 rainy days, busy crowds. Warm and lively, with summer festivals and evenings outdoors.
The neighbourhoods they are in
- St. Pauli — Reeperbahn neon, harbour piers and the city's football club
- Sternschanze and Karoviertel — Alternative cafés, street art and independent shops north of St. Pauli
- Uhlenhorst and Rotherbaum — White villas, rowing clubs and lakeside paths around the Außenalster
More of Hamburg
Questions travellers ask
+Where should I start in Hamburg?
Harbour boat tour and ferry 62. Harbour cruises leave from the Landungsbrücken piers to the container terminals, dry docks and Speicherstadt canals.
+Which of these are free in Hamburg?
Binnenalster and Außenalster, Planten un Blomen and Blankenese and the Elbe beaches.