25 Attractions to See in Hamburg

Since the days of the medieval Hanseatic League, Hamburg has been a free city and a port of international significance. It still boasts the second busiest harbor in Europe and is a city-state within the Federal Republic of Germany.

The influx of sailors has given Hamburg a distinctive reputation, embodied in the infamous image of the Reeperbahn street in the St. Pauli district.

When Hamburg finally joined the German customs zone in 1888, authorities immediately began work on creating a new warehouse district for its port. The residential areas along the Zollkanal were demolished to make way for massive Gothic revival style warehouses built on oak piles.

Today, Speicherstadt, or the "City of Warehouses," is a UNESCO World Heritage site distinguished by its own unique atmosphere.

It's enough to simply stroll along the magnificent red brick buildings, cross the canals, and admire the glass ornamentation of the pointed facades of Speicherstadt to feel the spirit of the city.

Some warehouses have recently been converted into residential apartments, others into tourist attractions, and some still serve their original purpose, providing storage for spices, tea, coffee, electronics, and much more.

Address: Speicherstadt, Hamburg, Germany.

HafenCity is a new waterfront district that was officially opened in 2008. It is located on the site of the old city port and is set to grow steadily over the next 15 years, providing housing for more than 12,000 people and creating jobs for 40,000 employees.

Shiny office blocks, elegant residential complexes, and state-of-the-art leisure facilities are all designed with the latest aesthetic trends and maximum comfort in mind. The main attraction in HafenCity so far is the Elbphilharmonie, which deserves a separate description.

Address: HafenCity, 20457 Hamburg, Germany.

The Elbphilharmonie was officially opened in 2017. It is currently the tallest residential building in Hamburg, reaching over 100 meters in height. Despite its impressive size, the project, implemented by the Swiss firm Herzog & de Meuron, features a light and airy profile, resembling either the waves of the sea, the sail of a ship, or a bright crystal of clear quartz.

The sparkling facade consists of 1,000 curved windows, and at the top, there is a plaza, an observation deck, and cozy cafes open to the public.

The large concert hall can accommodate up to 2,100 spectators, and if you truly love music, you must hear the local orchestra perform in one of the most acoustically perfect concert halls in the world.

Address: Elbphilharmonie, Platz der Deutschen Einheit 1, 20457 Hamburg, Germany.

St. Nicholas Church was the tallest building in the world from 1874 to 1876, and it remains the second-tallest building in Hamburg (after the TV tower). The church was heavily damaged during World War II, and it is now a huge memorial (Mahnmal St. Nikolai) in memory of the war victims.

You can take an elevator to the observation deck at a height of 76.3 meters inside the surviving spire for a view of Hamburg's center.

The crypt houses an interesting underground exhibition dedicated to the horrors of war. The museum's exhibition focuses on three events of World War II: the 1940 bombing of Coventry, the destruction of Warsaw, and Operation "Gomorrah," as well as the three-day joint British-American bombing of Hamburg in 1943, which resulted in 35,000 deaths and the destruction of much of the center.

Address: Mahnmal St-Nikolai, Willy-Brandt-Straße 60, 20457 Hamburg, Germany.

If we're tasked with making a list of the best city parks in Europe, the magnificent Planten un Blomen with its 47 hectares of gardens, lawns, ponds, greenhouses, and botanical plantations would undoubtedly be near the top.

On the park's territory is the Old Botanical Garden, established in 1821 on the site of the former city wall.

Pay attention to the unique ecosystem composed of five interconnected greenhouses: the largest, the Schaugewächshaus, hosts plants from the Mediterranean, including laurel, olive trees, palms, and eucalyptus.

The Kakteenhaus is equally charming with its exotic plants brought from arid regions. In summer, the park boasts a breathtaking rose garden, and the colorful musical fountain adds a note of true magic to the atmosphere.

Address: Planten un Blomen, Marseiller Str., 20355 Hamburg, Germany.

Kaispeicher B is the oldest warehouse in Speicherstadt, featuring 11 stories and distinguished by its original neo-Gothic facade. A massive propeller mounted outside hints that the Hamburg Maritime Museum (opened in 2008) is housed within.

The core of the collection was created by Peter Tamm, the chairman of the largest publishing house in Europe, Axel Springer AG-an avid collector of ship models and naval antiquities.

Fans of the romantic sea will surely be impressed by the abundance of exhibits: entire sailing ships and all sorts of fascinating artifacts, such as letters from Admiral Nelson, a replica of Ernest Shackleton's lifeboat, and a 3,000-year-old canoe found in the harbor of Hamburg.

Address: International Maritime Museum, Koreastraße 1, 20457 Hamburg, Germany.

Here's the perfect excuse not to go to bed on Saturday night: every Sunday morning since 1703, about 70,000 locals and visitors descend on the famous Fish Market in St. Pauli to purchase delicious delicacies.

The market has been working since 1703, and its undisputed stars are the boisterous marktschreier (market criers) who sell their goods with jokes, songs, and loud phrases. In the nearby hall of the former fish auction, local musicians perform covers of old German hits.

Address: Fish Auction Hall, Große Elbstraße 9, 22767 Hamburg, Germany.

If you think St. Pauli is just another neat business district, you will be sorely disappointed. The district, located east of the center and descending towards the Elbe, is characterized more by graffiti on the walls and neon lights on the buildings than by neat office complexes. This is where the famous Reeperbahn street is located, renowned for its abundance of porn shops, prostitutes, and strip clubs.

However, these very features attract many people to the area, as the rebellious and creative atmosphere of St. Pauli makes it a great place to live (especially if you're young). Beatles fans can take a self-guided tour of the city's landmarks.

Three clubs where the "Fab Four" performed in the early 1960s are still in operation: Kaiserkeller / Große Freiheit 36, Indra, and Moondoo. Decades after the band's breakup, Paul McCartney sent the owner of the bar Gretel & Alfons 200 marks for a bill that the band never paid on their last dinner there.

Address: St. Pauli, Hamburg, Germany.

The Kunsthalle is a treasure trove of artworks from the Renaissance era to the present day. The museum consists of two buildings connected by an underground passage. The main building features paintings ranging from medieval portraits to classic works from 20th century masters like Klee and Kokoschka.

There is also a magnificent room dedicated to the works of the famous 19th-century landscape painter Caspar David Friedrich.

In 1997, a uniquely shaped cubic building opened nearby the Kunsthalle, showcasing contemporary art by modern German artists, including Rebecca Horn, Georg Baselitz, and Gerhard Richter, as well as works by global stars such as David Hockney, Jeff Koons, and Barbara Kruger.

Address: Hamburg Kunsthalle, Glockengießerwall, 20095 Hamburg, Germany.

The majestic Hamburg City Hall with its splendid coffered ceiling is one of the most luxurious administrative buildings in Europe. It's famous for its grand halls-the Great Hall and the Imperial Hall.

40-minute tours allow you to see only a small part of the 647 rooms! Be sure to check out the charming inner courtyard, where you can take a break and catch your breath. To the north, you can take a few memorable photos against the white arches of the Alsterarkaden, where shops and cafes are tucked away.

Address: Hamburg City Hall, Rathausmarkt 1, 20095 Hamburg, Germany.

"Michel," as the locals affectionately call her, is one of Hamburg's most recognizable landmarks and the largest Protestant Baroque church in northern Germany.

The ascent to the tower (by stairs or lift) rewards visitors with magnificent panoramic views of the city and its canals. In the crypt, there is an engaging multimedia exhibition dedicated to the city's history.

Address: St. Michaelis Kirche, Englische Planke 1, 20459 Hamburg, Germany.

What should young tourists see in Hamburg? Of course, Miniature Wonderland! Visiting this enormous miniature world can melt the hearts of even the most hardened young cynics. The train models passing through the Alps look good, but that's just the beginning.

The descent of the A380 model from the skies and landing in a fully operational model of Hamburg Airport is truly impressive! The current miniature city covers almost 1,300 square meters, and it even has a day-night cycle that transforms the city.

Address: Miniatur Wunderland, Kehrwieder 2-4/Block D, 20457 Hamburg, Germany.

One of the most beautiful buildings in Hamburg is the gem of the new Kontorhaus quarter, designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site. The dark brick Chilehaus was built in 1924 in the shape of an ocean liner, with unique curved walls meeting at the bow of the "ship" and step-like upper floors reminiscent of decks.

The building was designed by architect Fritz Höger specifically for a merchant who made his fortune trading with Chile. Casual visitors are not particularly welcomed inside the building, but isn't its exterior what's most interesting?

Address: Chilehaus Hamburg, Fischertwiete 2A, 20095 Hamburg, Germany.

BallinStadt is a German equivalent of the Immigration Museum on Ellis Island in New York. The Hamburg Emigration Museum showcases the conditions and circumstances that caused around 5 million people to leave Germany for the United States and South America in search of a better life between 1850 and the 1930s.

Videos in several languages describe the many difficulties immigrants faced during their journey as well as upon arrival in the New World.

Address: BallinStadt - Auswanderermuseum Hamburg, Veddeler Bogen 2, 20539 Hamburg, Germany.

Jungfernstieg is a magnificent promenade by the Binnenalster lake, located in Hamburg's dynamic commercial center. Its name derives from a historical tradition where wealthy Hanseatic families openly married off their unmarried daughters (Jungfern) to worthy bachelors.

There are flagship stores and trendy department stores, such as the legendary Alsterhaus, located in tall buildings in neoclassical and historical styles. Also, take note of the elegant white arcade across from Klein Alster, built in the mid-19th century.

Directly across from the Binnenalster lake is a convenient terrace where you can sunbathe in the summer or enjoy a cup of coffee and a croissant at the famous Alster Pavilion café.

Address: Jungfernstieg, Hamburg, Germany.

This 426-meter tunnel, excavated 24 meters below the river, opened in 1911, and at that time, the world had never seen anything like it. It immediately changed the lives of Hamburg's dock workers, who previously had to swim across from the right bank to the left.

The northern entrance to the tunnel is located near the Landungsbrücken station, whose bright green dome is hard to miss. There are two parallel lanes in the tunnel for vehicles and pedestrians/cyclists.

If you walk, it's advisable not to rush so you can appreciate the scale of this project and enjoy the old signage and glazed tiles.

Address: Elbe Tunnel, St. Pauli 1, 20359 Hamburg, Germany.

If you truly love animals, you likely do not favor zoos, but Hamburg has always prioritized comfortable living conditions for its animals. Carl Hagenbeck and his son, who founded the zoo, organized a so-called "panoramic exhibition," in which near-natural habitats were created for the animals, using wide moats as natural barriers.

All this allowed zoo visitors to gain a better understanding of how various animals behave in the wild. The zoo is located on 24 hectares of the Planten un Blomen park, with its walking trail extending over 6 kilometers.

Among the 510 residents of the zoo are Asian elephants, Rothschild giraffes, impalas, leopards, orangutans, zebras, ostriches, lions, porcupines, and alpacas. In the aquarium, more than half of all zoo species live-ranging from spiders to sharks, all housed in terrariums and 29 separate fresh and saltwater tanks.

Address: Hagenbeck Zoo, Lokstedter Grenzstraße 2, 22527 Hamburg, Germany.

In Speicherstadt, there is also one of the few museums that can truly change your perspective on the world. "Dialogue in the Dark" places you in the shoes of a blind person-you will navigate through the museum with your eyes covered in a small group led by a blind or visually impaired guide.

The power of the museum lies in temporarily reversing the natural order of things, placing you in the position of a vulnerable person fully reliant on your guide. Andreas Heineke created this museum in an attempt to cope with the distressing thought that members of his family were killed during the Holocaust.

Address: Dialogue in the Dark, Alter Wandrahm 4, 20457 Hamburg, Germany.

Between the central train station and HafenCity is an exhibition center for contemporary art and photography that occupies glass, brick, and steel pavilions built on this site in the 1910s.

Deichtorhallen was built in an industrial style and successfully combines features of German modernism with post-war styles like Bauhaus and Art Deco.

It is also one of the largest exhibition venues in Europe, where exhibitions by masters like Nobuyoshi Araki, Gilbert & George, Sarah Moon, and Antony Gormley have taken place over the last few years.

Address: Deichtorhallen, Deichtorstraße 1, 20095 Hamburg, Germany.

This quirky old neighborhood is located ten kilometers from the city center on the right bank of the Elbe. Treppenviertel literally means "Stair District," and it truly lives up to its name.

The neighborhood features a chaotic intertwining of winding lanes encircled by beautiful whitewashed houses and connected by staircases. You won't find a single flat place here-only ups and downs all around.

On Easter, the Blankenese district hosts some of the largest bonfires in the city.

Address: Treppenviertel Blankenese, Am Hang 9, 22587 Hamburg, Germany.

In Hamburg, entertainment venues can be found in the most unexpected places, but you will still be quite surprised to see the Kampnagel theater on the Osterbek Canal. The halls, reminiscent of hangars, were recently used for the production of port cranes, and now serve as the largest center for contemporary performing arts in Europe.

The nature of the performance does not matter much: it doesn't matter whether you come for a play, concert, exhibition, film, symposium, or concert-you will definitely feel the scale and power of this place.

In August, Kampnagel hosts an International Summer Festival, featuring over 50 productions in the genres of dance, cinema, visual arts, and theater.

Address: Kampnagel, Jarrestraße, Hamburg, Germany.

The Hamburg Museum of Arts and Crafts, located near the train station, has one of the richest collections of German, European, and Asian applied arts-only the Bavarian National Museum in Munich can compete with it.

The Hamburg museum was founded in 1874 modeled after London's Victoria and Albert Museum and is known for its exhibitions of porcelain, furniture, and silver from northern Germany, applied arts from East Asia, and its collection of works by Oscar Kokoschka.

Music lovers will surely appreciate the rich collection of keyboard instruments.

Address: Museum of Arts and Crafts, Steintorpl., 20099 Hamburg, Germany.

Ohlsdorf Cemetery is not only the largest rural cemetery in the world but also one of the most significant-it occupies nearly 4 square kilometers, has 12 chapels, and more than 1.5 million graves on 280,000 plots.

There is a Commonwealth soldier memorial with a separate cemetery for more than 400 Allied POWs, as well as those of allied soldiers killed in battles on German soil.

Other notable memorials commemorate the victims of Nazi persecutions, Hamburg's bombings during World War II, and members of the city's anti-Nazi resistance. Today, the cemetery has become a real attraction: over two million people visit its memorials, monuments, and museum every year, strolling through its green gardens.

Another significant memorial is the statue of Bismarck-the most famous of many towers in Germany dedicated to the memory of the most respected politician in the country's history.

Address: Ohlsdorf Cemetery, Fuhlsbüttler Str. 756, 22337 Hamburg, Germany.

Altona is a lively and picturesque district of Hamburg known for its neoclassical-style houses, many of which are historic landmarks. Here is the famous Museumstraße, which runs north from Palmallee Avenue, and the Altona Museum with its diverse exhibits concerning the geology, landscape, and economy of Schleswig-Holstein and the Lower Elbe region.

After visiting the Altona Museum, be sure to stroll around the area, visit the Altonaer Balkon district, and enjoy its beautiful view of the river and port, then head to the fishing harbor and fish market.

Address: Altona, Hamburg, Germany.

Near the Old Elbe Tunnel in Klein Flottbek lies the beautiful Jenisch Park, which is one of the largest open public spaces in the city. Here you will find a magnificent neoclassical Jenisch House from the 19th century, whose rooms reflect the aesthetic tastes of successful middle-class representatives of that era.

You'll see for yourself the blend of its diverse styles-from Art Nouveau of the time of Louis XVI to eclectic modernism. Next, we recommend visiting the Ernst Barlach House and getting acquainted with its collection of sculptures, drawings, and prints.

Address: Jenisch House, Baron-Voght-Straße 50, 22609 Hamburg, Germany.