The Outer Alster Lake (Aussenalster) is the larger of Hamburg’s two lakes, stretching to almost 400 acres (162 hectares) in size, although never more than 8 feet (2.5 meters) deep. Equally popular with tourists and locals, it provides a welcome place of calm and tranquility against the urban backdrop of the busy city.
In the late 1960s, if you wandered into the basement of Grosse Freiheit 36 (Kaiserkeller) you might’ve caught John, Paul, George, Stuart, and Pete—as there was no Ringo yet—perfecting their act. Today, Kaiserkeller and Freiheit are on the list of the world’s most famous nightclubs, attracting everyone from Meat Loaf and R.E.M. to The Black Eyed Peas and the Backstreet Boys.
Discover the leafy side of Hamburg during a visit to the Planten und Blomen Park in the heart of the city. While plenty of parklands line the city’s canals and waterways, this park offers a particularly beautiful concentration of green space. Hamburg’s old botanic garden is preserved within the park.
In the Beatles’ early days, they slept in meager conditions in Hamburg’s St. Pauli neighborhood, playing clubs like the Kaiserkeller. Today, visitors will find the Beatles-Platz, or Beatles Square, just steps away from their old stomping grounds—a circular landmark, like a vinyl record, stands below five statues depicting the Fab Four.
Located in Hamburg’s UNESCO-listed Speicherstadt District, the Hamburg Dungeon offers a spooky, macabre, and entertaining way to discover the darkest parts of the city’s history. On an interactive, actor-led visit, you can learn about the Great Fire of 1842, hear gruesome tales of torture, and have plenty of suspense and surprises along the way.
The Alster Lakes—the Inner Alster (Binnenalster) and Outer Alster (Aussenalster)—are the scenic heart of Hamburg. Created when the Alster river was dammed in the 12th century, the lakes are linked to the Elbe River via a maze of canals and lined with green parks and waterfront promenades.
Visitors and locals alike head to the Hamburg Fish Market (Altonaer Fischmarkt), held every Sunday morning near the Elbe riverbank in Hamburg, for much more than just seafood. Enjoy breakfast accompanied by live music, and then go shopping for fish, meat, fruit, vegetables, jewelry, clothing, souvenirs, and—naturally, because it’s Hamburg, beer.
Discover European art since the 14th century during a visit to the Hamburger Kunsthalle, Hamburg’s major art museum. See highlights from the permanent collection including paintings by Manet, Picasso, and Klee. The museum also features a range of special exhibitions from sculpture to abstract art to installations.
One of Hamburg’s most gorgeous architectural scenes, the UNESCO-protected Speicherstadt marks the largest historic warehouse district in the world—and it miraculously survived the bombings of World War II. To learn all about this globally famous district, visit the Warehouse District Museum (Speicherstadtmuseum), set inside an actual 1888 warehouse. You’ll get to explore, first-hand, the story of this historic ‘hood.
Glance over the Hamburg Harbor, and that three-masted, green-and-red beauty is the Rickmer Rickmers, a sailing ship from 1896 that’s now a museum—and one of the city’s most popular attractions. Visitors can explore 100 years of maritime history inside and on deck, dine at the onboard restaurant, and climb the masts for an epic view of the city.
Hamburg’s Speicherstadt—the UNESCO-protected warehouse district that managed to escape the bombs of World War II—has been largely converted into office buildings and museums. One brick behemoth, however, houses The Speicherstadt Coffee Roastery (Speicherstadt Kaffeerösterei). It’s sort of like a museum if museums focused on the taste and smell: Visitors line up for high-quality coffees as the roasting coffee beans put on a show.
Once known as the “gateway to the world,” the 9th-century fort of Hammaburg would grow into one of Europe’s foremost cities. Visitors can learn all about this meteoric rise at the Museum for Hamburg History (Museum für Hamburgische Geschichte), which contains the largest permanent city exhibition in Germany. You’ll also get to step inside an architectural masterpiece—this beautiful spot also doubles as a photo-worthy backdrop and event venue.
Universum Bremen is an expansive science museum featuring over 250 exhibits. There’s also a large outdoor area and a variety of entertaining and educational science shows suitable for all ages. The children's area features about 25 exhibits designed for kids ages 3 to 8.
The Harbor Museum (Hafenmuseum Hamburg) is located in the remaining historical part of the free port built over a hundred years ago and showcases the history and operation of this important harbor. Due to container shipping, the look of the port has changed profoundly over the last several decades, but the museum has rented one of the last remaining wooden quai sheds, number 50A, and has worked hard to keep the history of the Hamburg harbor alive. On 2500 square meters, topics ranging from cargo handling, shipping and ship building to marine engineering are explained to the visitors. Outside the shed, the more heavy machinery is showcased. Highlights are a floating crane, a steam-powered suction machine, a barge and a mooring car. The collection is located in the heart of the hustle and bustle of today’s hectic harbor and just as authentic as the location are the experts doing the explaining on what equipment is used and how the vessels are constructed in the shipyard. Every weekend between 10am and 6pm, former harbor workers and ship experts who have spent their whole lives around the port are available to teach visitors about the inner workings of a busy harbor and answer questions.
Established in 1879, Hamburg’s Panoptikum, a wax museum, has roots long before worldwide media—wax replicas of famous artists and politicians helped many visitors put faces to names. Today, Germany’s oldest and largest wax museum rivals Madame Tussaud’s, romping through the centuries to the modern-day, from emperors and kings to Harry Potter and Madonna.
Located on the shore of the Baltic Sea, the SEA LIFE®Timmendorfer Strand is home to over 2,500 creatures of all shapes, sizes, and colors. Although small in size, the aquarium houses more than 100 different fish and marine species including octopus, otters, and sharks.
Treppenviertel, in Hamburg's Blankenese district, is known for its Mediterranean–style atmosphere and picturesque scenery. This small and affluent neighborhood features over 5,000 stairs, winding alleyways, and charming riverside villas with views of the Elbe River. Originally a fishing village, it has since become a popular residential area. Visitors are drawn to its distinctive architecture and the romantic walking paths along the riverside.
Go for a stroll in Hamburg’s Old Town (Altstadt) to get a sense of the city’s history. See restored 18th-century homes along the Deichstrasse and charming old churches such as Saint Petri. The center of the Old Town is the Rathaus, or city hall, located on the old market square.
Hamburg’s Panik City crosses boundaries–and defies them. Part music venue, part gallery, and part hall of fame celebrating German musician Udo Linbenberg, the multimedia venue is truly an all-sensory experience. Head inside the eye-catching building that looks like it’s made from stacked building blocks for a 60- or 90-minute guided tour (in German) to learn more about the rock legend.
A submarine from the Nazi era, this piece of history has been given a permanent resting place on the Baltic Sea Coast in the resort town of Laboe. It’s part of the Laboe Naval Memorial complex, a coastal landmark paying tribute to all lives lost at sea. Visitors can board the structure, which now sits aboveground on the sandy beach.
See elephants, giraffes, and tigers during a visit to the Hamburg Zoo (Tierpark Hagenbeck). Run by the Hagenbeck Family since 1907, this private zoo was one of the first to keep animals in moated, open enclosures. Animals, including rare and endangered species, are spread over dozens of acres. Kids will especially enjoy the petting zoo and participating in animal feedings.
Klimahaus Bremerhaven 8° Ost combines the best of a science center, a climate museum, and a theme park. The museum takes visitors on an interactive journey across five simulated continents to experience the world’s climate extremes, from the humidity of the tropics to the icy summits of the Swiss Alps.
Located outside of Kiel on Germany’s Baltic Sea Coast, this minimalist memorial complex pays tribute to all lives lost at sea in World War I and World War II—German seafarers but their opponents. The complex contains a tower, naval museum, and WWII-era U-boat submarine. On clear days, views from the flame-shaped vertical tower span to Denmark.
The German Emigration Center Bremerhaven (Deutsches Auswanderer Haus) explores the history of German immigration and emigration. The museum, located on the harbor where German emigrants left Bremen for the New World between 1830 and 1974, also gives visitors the chance to search for their own ancestors on two international databases.
