Hamburg
Hamburg, Germany’s second-largest city, is a vibrant northern port with a proud maritime heritage and a distinctly cosmopolitan character. Situated along the Elbe River, it has long been a key player in international trade, dating back to its days as a prominent member of the Hanseatic League in the Middle Ages. Its deep-rooted connection to the sea is reflected in the Port of Hamburg, one of Europe’s largest and busiest, which continues to drive the city’s economy and global ties. Though heavily bombed during World War II, Hamburg rose from the ashes, rebuilding itself into a modern, innovative metropolis while preserving its historic identity. Today, the city is known for its picturesque canals, the UNESCO-listed Speicherstadt (the world’s largest warehouse district), and a thriving cultural scene that includes renowned theaters, art galleries, and Germany’s oldest opera house. Surprisingly, Hamburg boasts over 2,500 bridges—more than London, Amsterdam, and Venice combined—earning it the nickname “Venice of the North.” With its blend of resilience, history, and modern flair, Hamburg stands as one of Europe’s most compelling and livable cities.
💡Hamburg: Good to Know
🛂 Visa: Canada, Australia, the US, Korea, and Japan are visa-exempt for a stay of up to 90 days
✈️ Closest Airport: Hamburg Airport (HAM)
💬 Language: German, but English is widely spoken
🏷️ Price Level: Germany offers a price level that is very much in line with what you would find in the United States
🍔 Big Mac Index: US: US$5.69 / Germany US$ 7.19
💰 Currency: Euro (EUR)| 1 USD = ca. 0.90 EUR)
☀️ Best Times to Visit: The best time to visit Hamburg is the months between May and September when 70-degree temps sweep through the city.
🚘 Transportation: local trains, metro, city buses, and taxis
🔌 Adapter: Germany uses type C and F plugs. No adapter is needed if you are from Europe, but it is needed when coming from the US
🛜 WiFi: widely available; “MobyKlick” is a free, privately-provided WiFi service that can be accessed citywide
🏧💰ATM and “Cash or Card”: While some stores take only cash, payments with cards are generally accepted; ATMs are available throughout the city
💸 Tipping: A 5–10% tip is standard in restaurants — round up and hand it to the server rather than leaving it on the table. Tipping is also common for taxis and hotel staff.
🚢 Cruise Terminal Address: Steinwerder: Buchheisterstraße 16, 20457 Hamburg, Germany (docked); Cruise Center Altona: Van-der-Smissen-Straße 5, 22767 Hamburg, Germany (docked)
✈️ 🚇🚕 Getting There and Around
🎟️ Tickets for Hamburg's public transport system (HVV) can be bought through the HVV app or at stations using a regular ticket machine. Prices depend on how far the ride is and at what time (before or after rush hour and weekend or weekday). Group tickets or day tickets are also available.
✈️ Hamburg Airport (HAM) is located around 5 miles (8km) north of the city center of Hamburg. S-Bahn S1 connects the airport to downtown. Trains depart every 10-15 minutes and the journey takes around 30 minutes.
To get to the Steinwerder Cruise Terminal, take the S1 train to Landungsbrücken. From there, walk to the nearby bus stop, Steinwerder (Alter Elbtunnel), and take bus 256 to Steinwerder Cruise Terminal. The entire trip from the airport takes around 45-60 minutes, depending on the connections, and a single ticket costs 3.60 EUR.
To get to the Cruise Center Altona, take S1 train to Königstrasse. From there, it is a 15-minute walk to the cruise terminal. The entire train takes about 50 minutes, and a single ticket costs 3.60 EUR.
🚇 To get from Steinwerder Cruise Terminal to the city center, walk about 20 minutes to the very last stop, “Argentinienbrücke,” and take the ferry to Landungsbrücke to connect there to the local train or subway to various points throughout the city.
From Cruise Center Altona, the easiest way to get to the city center is to walk to the Königstrasse stop on the S1 line or take a ferry from the Docklands stop to Landungsbrücken and connect there to the local train or subway to various points throughout the city.
🚌 Two different companies offer hop-on-hop-off buses that connect the main sights throughout the city. Both “Die Roten Doppeldecker” and “Stadtrundfahrt Hamburg” offer one city route each.
⭐️ Top Sights in Hamburg
"Hamburg is famous for having more bridges than any other city in the world."
📸 Elbphilharmonie: The Elbphilharmonie (Elphi) is a renowned concert hall and cultural hub in Hamburg, Germany, known for its unique architectural design and excellent acoustics. It is a key project of the Hafen City development and features a 26-story building with mixed-use spaces including apartments, a hotel, and concert halls. The Elbphilharmonie was officially inaugurated in 2017.
📸 St. Michael's Church: St. Michaelis Church, affectionately known as "the Michel," is a prominent landmark in Hamburg, Germany, and a significant baroque church in Northern Germany. Its history includes multiple reconstructions due to fires, most notably the one that destroyed the second church in 1906. The current church, completed in 1912, is known for its distinctive copper roof, massive tower, and expansive interior.
📸 Speicherstadt: The Speicherstadt, meaning "warehouse city" in German, is the world's largest coherent warehouse district in Hamburg, Germany, built between 1883 and 1927. It was constructed as a free economic zone to facilitate duty-free trade, using neo-Gothic brick architecture and a network of canals and bridges. The Speicherstadt is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is considered an outstanding example of maritime industrial architecture.
📸 City Hall: The Hamburg City Hall (Rathaus) is a prominent historical building in Hamburg, Germany, and serves as the seat of local government. Built between 1886 and 1897, it's known for its neo-Renaissance architecture and houses the city's parliament and senate.
📸 Landungsbrücken: The Landungsbrücken are Hamburg's largest landing site and a major tourist attraction. They are a 700-meter-long floating jetty connected to land by movable bridges. Initially built in 1839 as docks for steamships, they were expanded between 1907 and 1909. Today, they serve as a central transport hub (local trains and ferries) a starting point for harbor tours, and a popular promenade with restaurants and shops.
📸 Reeperbahn/ St. Pauli: St. Pauli is a district in Hamburg, Germany, known for its entertainment, nightlife, and the famous "Reeperbahn". The Reeperbahn is a famous street and entertainment district in Hamburg's St. Pauli neighborhood, known for its nightlife, bars, clubs, and a red-light district. It has a rich history, from being a ropemakers' area to a popular destination for sailors and, later, a hub for musical talent, particularly in the 1960s with bands like The Beatles. The district has a history rooted in the port's activity and a reputation as a haven for sailors and entertainment.
📸 Jungfernstieg: Jungfernstieg, meaning "maiden's walk," is a popular promenade in the heart of Hamburg, Germany, located along the shores of the Binnenalster (Inner Alster). It's a historical area, known for its elegant architecture, shopping arcades, and beautiful views of the lake. The name Jungfernstieg comes from the tradition of wealthy Hanseatic families taking their unmarried daughters for a stroll along the promenade on Sundays, a casual coming-of-age tradition.
📸 Alster: Alster is a river and two lakes in Hamburg, Germany. It's a major feature of the city, especially the lakes, which are known as the Binnenalster (Inner Alster) and the Außenalster(Outer Alster). The Alster's history is closely tied to Hamburg's, with the river being dammed to power mills and shaping the city's landscape.
📸 Miniatur Wunderland: Miniatur Wunderland in Hamburg, Germany, is the world's largest model railway, boasting an intricate and detailed miniature world. It features various themed sections representing different countries, cities, and historical periods, complete with fully functional trains, cars, airplanes, and other vehicles. The exhibition is located in the historic Speicherstadt district of Hamburg. Construction began in December 2000, and the first three sections opened in August 2001. The Miniatur Wunderland has expanded significantly over the years, with new sections and features being added. It has become a major tourist attraction in Hamburg and Germany, drawing millions of visitors each year.
🍽️😋 Regional Specialties
Due to its centuries-old history as a major port town, the cuisine of Hamburg is very diversified and sapid as the ingredients' supply was safe. Until the 20th century, the cuisine of Hamburg was predominantly characterized by the extensive choice of different kinds of fish from the river Elbe and the nearby Baltic Sea.
🍽️ Franzbrötchen: A Franzbrötchen is a small, sweet pastry baked with butter and cinnamon, similar to a cinnamon roll. Sometimes other ingredients are used as well, such as chocolate or raisins. It is usually served for breakfast, but is also enjoyed along with coffee and cake. As its name indicates, the Franzbrötchen was probably inspired by French pastries.
🍽️ Labskaus: Labskaus is a traditional dish from northern Germany, especially popular in Hamburg, Lübeck and Bremen. It consists of corned beef or other salted meat, accompanied by potatoes and onions. There are variations on the dish (for example, some include an egg, beetroot, or herring), but this is its basic make-up.
🍽️ Fischbrötchen: It is a sandwich made with fish and other components such as fresh white or dried onions, pickles, remoulade, creamy horseradish sauce, ketchup, or cocktail sauce. It is commonly eaten in Northern Germany, due to the region's proximity to the North Sea and Baltic Sea. A common preparation is made with Bismarck herring or soused herring. Fischbrötchen are commonly served at fast food stands or take-out restaurants.
🍽️ Currywurst: Currywurst is popular throughout Germany and locals from Hamburg have long contested Berlin’s claim to the dish. Currywurst is a fried sausage, usually Bratwurst, covered in a special sauce that combines ketchup with curry powder, and served with fries.
🍽️ Pannfisch: This is a German classic dish where the star ingredient is white fish, typically cod, coalfish or redfish. It is said that this humble dish gained popularity in Hamburg, where fish was inexpensive, so families would get together to buy several, cook them up, and share their leftovers. The fish is served with sliced potatoes, spring onions, and mustard sauce.
🍽️ Rote Grütze: Rote Grütze, a cherished dessert in Northern Germany, holds a special place in Hamburg’s culinary tradition. This vibrant delicacy is crafted from a medley of red berries—such as redcurrants, raspberries, strawberries, and cherries—gently cooked to a thick, pudding-like consistency, and it is often served with a generous drizzle of vanilla sauce, a dollop of whipped cream, or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
📍🗺️ Maps, Apps & Links
🌐 Hop On Hop Off Sightseeing Tour I
🌐 Hop On Hop Off Sightseeing Tour II
🚕 Uber
🚕 Bolt