Where to stay in Hamburg

See

The entirety of the city centre is worth walking throughout, as it is jam-packed with varied and truly interesting sights. Those range from the iconic Speicherstadt and Hamburg's five main historic churches, through the upscale area around the Binnenalster artificial lake and the town hall (Rathaus) to the ultra-modern Hafen-City. The centre is where the majority of Hamburg's canals and bridges are, as well as the old quays providing great views across the Elbe. There is also an unusual array of museums to visit. On the Elbphilharmonie Plaza, you can look out over the port of Hamburg.

Do

You can make a trip on the river Elbe with line 72 from Landungsbrücken to Elbphilharmonie, or line 62 via Museumshafen Oevelgönne to Finkenwerder, and line 64 to Teufelsbrück. Bicycles free of charge. Adults one trip €2.10, day card €8.20 (Apr 2026). The public ferries are part of the public transport system, meaning day tickets for buses, subway and interurban trains are valid for the ferries as well. These public ferries (which prominently feature their line numbers) must not be confused with sightseeing ships and the private ferries that operate between Landungsbrücken and the musical theatres on the other side of the Elbe.

• Hafengeburtstag
• Kirschblütenfest
• Hamburger Dom
• Wacken Open Air

Eat

Original Hamburg dishes are Birnen, Bohnen und Speck (Low Saxon Beren, Bohnen un Speck, green runner beans cooked with pears and bacon), Aalsuppe (Low Saxon Aalsupp/Oolsupp, often mistaken to be German for “eel soup“ (Aal/Ool translated ‘eel’), however the name probably comes from the Low Saxon allens [ʔaˑlns], meaning “all”, “everything and the kitchen sink”, not necessarily eel.

Drink

Reeperbahn in St. Pauli is the place to go for late-night, all-out partying. Matter of fact, that corner of the city has the highest concentration of all kinds of places to go out for a drink, from beach clubs along Elbe river to different music clubs, nightclubs and bars. If you want to relax and drink a coffee in some cafes go to Lange Reihe. Many bars, cafes and restaurants all along the street. Although the Lange Reihe is the heart of the gay community, most places are jointly visited by straight and gay people of any age. All places are gay-friendly, and many are gay-owned or gay-run. Here is some information on parties and other news from the gay scene.

Stay safe

Hamburg is a very safe city, and as long as you are aware of your surroundings and use common sense, there are no areas which are dangerous to be in, even at night. Having said that, pickpockets have been known to operate in touristy areas (especially in the area around the Mönckebergstraße, Central Station, and on the Reeperbahn), in buses and trains, but also on crowded escalators and other crowded places, so don't keep your valuables in easily accessible outside pockets. Additionally, some parts of the area just to the east of the main train station (particularly the Steindamm) can be a bit run-down.