The second-largest city of Germany after Berlin, Hamburg houses a population of around 1.8 million people. Hamburg lies on the River Elbe and two of its Tributaries River Alster and River Bille. Hamburg is known for its port known as Port of Hamburg. It is Europe’s third-largest port. It is also the seat of Germany’s older stock exchange which is also the world’s oldest merchant bank known as Berenberg Bank. Hamburg is a major international and domestic tourist destination. Apart from the port, Hamburg is known for its museums, food, nightlife, and architecture.
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Things to do in Hamburg
1. Take a walk around the harbor
Imagine a place where around nine million containers are handled in a single year. That’s how big the harbor is. You also get to see the two historical ships namely Rickmers and Cap San Diego. Both of these ships as have now been turned to museum ships. You can roam the decks; explore the crew’s and officers’ quarters. Apart from that gallery and the engine room is also accessible to the visitors. Cap San Diego was one of the six ships known as the white swans of the south.
2. See Hamburg’s prettiest canal
Nikolaifleet is Hamburg’s famous beautiful canal and one of the oldest spots. It is located in the Altstadt. The Nikolaifleet is so large that in the 12th century, it was the nucleus of the Port Of Hamburg. Earlier it connected Alster and Elbe. Today, you reach the canal and you won’t realize how hours would pass away so beautifully.
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3. Design your own chocolate at Chocolate Museum
Chocoversum is a museum dedicated to chocolate, one of the wonders of the food industry. Here at the museum, you get to know about the history of chocolate, right from its inception. You will also get to taste many types of chocolate during the tour. The coolest thing is that you also get to make your own chocolate.
4. See Hamburg’s tallest residential building
Elbphilharmione, currently Hamburg’s tallest inhabited building, was unveiled back in 2017. Despite the size, the building looks elegant and its ethereal quality is reflected in its design. It has around 1000 curved windows. The top of the building is designed like sea waves and has an observation deck and a café open to the public. It also has the Great Concert Hall which can house 2100 spectators. If you have a love for music, you can also attend the Elbpilharmione Orchestra.
5. Visit the coolest neighborhood of Hamburg
St. Pauli’s is the coolest neighborhood in Hamburg. The thing that makes it so unique is that nearly every door and wall is covered with street art. You can spend the entire day looking at these walls and doors. The neighborhood as a not so good past. Its former name was Hamberger Berg which was changed to St. Pauli’s. the name is adapted from a church that was present there. To this day St. Pauli’s is known as the sinful mile. But it is still the coolest neighborhood as it has major sources of entertainment.
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6. Visit Miniature Wonderland
Miniature Wonderland is the largest model railway and airport system. And the greatest thing is that it is fully functional. It has been voted as the most popular tourist attraction in the whole of Germany. Besides having the miniature versions of Hamburg, you can also see the miniature versions of the mountainous German region of the Harz, the Australian Alps, France, Italy, Scandinavia, and North America as well. Hamburg’s miniature replica is about 200 square meters. The most amazing detail is that there are 50000 miniature residents known as Wunderlander in the model replica of the city.
7. Shop at Hamburg’s vintage shops
Pick N Weight is the best vintage shop in Hamburg. Apart from clothes, you can buy many vintage things like vintage nameplates, vintage posters, etc. and the wonderful thing about all this is that they sell things by weight. That is you pay a specific amount for a kilogram of things.
8. Visit Tierpark Hagenbeck zoo
This zoo has been family owned for six generations and is one of the most popular zoos of Germany. The zoo is reputed for successfully breeding some of the rarest species of animals. In addition to a zoo, there’s also a four-level Tropical aquarium. The zoo houses some of the most exotic species of both, animals and fishes. They even have a separate place for arctic animals in the zoo. They even keep walruses.
9. Treat yourself in the best restaurants in the city
Estancia Steaks is the place for every meat lover. They present perfectly cooked and presented dishes. Along with it, you get the perfect selection of drinks to go along with your meal. Their selection of sauces and spices is beyond perfection. Crave some seafood? Liman is a restaurant known for its excellence in preparing dishes made of fishes. It is suitable for eating with family, friends and even for a romantic candlelight dinner. The leaf is a restaurant inspired by the international and German cuisines. The type of food served here is vegan. Apart from the quality of food, you will fall in love with the cozy atmosphere. They prepare some really innovative dishes.
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10. Spend the sunset at Alster lake
What’s better than spending a lovely evening watching swans and sunset at the same place. Tired from the excursions of the day, Alster Lake is the best place to spend the evening. The lake is not real. It is formed by the Alster River. There are two lakes Inner Alster and Outer Alster. The Outer Alster is surrounded by ancient trees, green parks, and beautiful mansions. You can also do a boat ride in the lake, which is quite enjoyable and peaceful. In summers the parks serve as a perfect place to enjoy the sun’s bliss. In winter, the lake might freeze giving an opportunity to do ice skating.
Hamburg is a must-visit place. It is considered good for its nightlife. Its diversity and culture are quite astounding. Being a port city, you get to eat good seafood. The architecture and things to do are also good.
