Germany · Hamburg
Hamburg travel guide
A harbour city of canals, concerts and the Reeperbahn
The Speicherstadt warehouses. Photo: Thomas Wolf, www.foto-tw.de, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Hamburg is Germany's great port, with more bridges than Venice, red-brick warehouses in the Speicherstadt and the striking Elbphilharmonie concert hall on the water.
The Beatles cut their teeth in St Pauli's clubs, and the Reeperbahn is still the nightlife hub. The Sunday fish market starts at dawn.
What Hamburg is known for
- Elbphilharmonie
A glass concert hall with a free viewing plaza.
- Speicherstadt
The world's largest warehouse district.
- Miniatur Wunderland
The biggest model railway on Earth.
- The Reeperbahn
Where the Beatles played.
Top things to do in Hamburg
Where to stay in Hamburg
Best time to visit Hamburg
Best value: Mar–Apr, Sep–Oct. May to September, when the harbour and lakes are at their best.
- Best valueGood weather, smaller crowds
- PeakBusiest, highest prices
- QuietCheapest, cooler or wetter
Getting there and around
About 1h 30m from London to HAM, and flights from most UK airports.
The U-Bahn and S-Bahn are excellent. Harbour ferries are part of the public transport network.
Good to know
- It rains a lot, so pack a jacket.
- Ferry 62 is a cheap harbour tour.
- Book Elbphilharmonie concerts months ahead.
Hamburg FAQ
How many days in Hamburg?
Two or three days.
Is the Reeperbahn safe?
Yes, but busy and rowdy at night.
More places in Germany
BerlinCity · Berlin
MunichCity · Bavaria
CologneHistory · North Rhine-Westphalia
Black ForestNature · Baden-Württemberg
Bavarian AlpsMountains · Bavaria
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