Harbour command centre at twilight
Hamburg, planned from the Elphi Plaza.
The independent travel guide to the Hanseatic City: harbour, UNESCO Speicherstadt, 14 districts, starred restaurants and probably the best Fischbrötchen in Germany.
Landmarks
The six Hamburg must-stops.
From the Elbphilharmonie to the Speicherstadt, from the Treppenviertel to the Außenalster — Hamburg's iconic six.
Elbphilharmonie
Hamburg's landmark since 2017: a spectacular glass wave on a brick base, with a public plaza and a world-class concert hall.
Speicherstadt
The world's largest continuous warehouse complex – a UNESCO World Heritage site since 2015.
Miniatur Wunderland
The largest model railway in the world – 16,000 metres of track, 1,120 trains, Hamburg airport included.
Landungsbrücken
688 metres of floating harbour promenade – the starting point for every harbour tour.
Reeperbahn
The world's most sinful mile – cradle of the Beatles, musical theatre row, club stronghold.
St. Michaelis (Michel)
Hamburg's main church with a viewing tower – a sailors' landmark since the 17th century.
Hotels
Where to stay.
From The Fontenay at the Alster to the harbour-view 20up Bar at Empire Riverside.
Winterhude
The Fontenay
Sweeping architecture on the Außenalster shore — one of Germany's most spectacular hotels.
Neustadt
Fairmont Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten
Hamburg's grand hotel since 1897 — right on the Binnenalster, home of the Haerlin.
St. Georg
Atlantic Hotel Kempinski
The white palace on the Außenalster — Udo Lindenberg has lived here since the 1990s.
Altstadt
Park Hyatt Hamburg
In the Levantehaus between the main station and city hall — industrial loft charm in a Kontorhaus.
Restaurants
Where to eat.
Kevin Fehling's three-star Table, Tim Mälzer's Bullerei, and Hamburg's last word in fish: Brücke 10.
HafenCity
The Table
Kevin Fehling's three-star temple in HafenCity - one 17-metre oak counter, one menu, one universe.
Neustadt
Haerlin
Christoph Rüffer at the Vier Jahreszeiten - classic French cuisine with views over the Binnenalster.
Winterhude
Lakeside
Cornelius Speinle's restaurant at The Fontenay - modern cuisine with an Alster panorama.
HafenCity
bianc
Matteo Ferrantino's Italian-Mediterranean star kitchen - right on the Marco-Polo-Terrassen.
Annual
When to visit.
The Harbour Birthday in May, the Reeperbahn Festival in September, the Christmas markets in December.
Hafengeburtstag Hamburg
World's largest port festival – three days of ship parades, tug ballet and 1.5 million visitors.
Hamburger DOM
Northern Europe's biggest funfair – 30 days of rollercoasters, gingerbread hearts and a Ferris wheel on the Heiligengeistfeld.
Haspa Marathon Hamburg
Germany's oldest city marathon, running since 1986 – 25,000 runners through port, Speicherstadt and Alster.
1.9 M
inhabitants (2nd largest city in Germany)
3rd
largest sea port in Europe
2015
UNESCO World Heritage Speicherstadt
2,500
bridges – more than Venice & Amsterdam combined