Blankenese

Blankenese is Hamburg's most exclusive address and, without much competition, its prettiest corner: a former fishing and river-pilot village built up the steep slope above the Elbe. Its landmark is the Treppenviertel, the staircase quarter, a car-free labyrinth of narrow lanes, terraces and villas connected by roughly 5,000 steps. In parts of it, mail and deliveries still arrive by special hill vehicles. Between the old captains' houses the view keeps opening onto the river and the container ships working their way up to the port. At the bottom, along the Strandweg, lies the Blankeneser Strand, a real sand beach facing the shipping channel. Above the neighborhood rises the Süllberg, a lookout hill with a restaurant terrace and a wide view over the Elbe. The Hessepark and nearby Baurs Park are the quarter's green spaces, and the Blankeneser Bahnhofstraße at the top of the hill serves as the small town center, with boutiques and cafes. A practical warning: this is a hiking neighborhood. Wear real shoes, start at the station, work your way down to the water and eat by the river. Anyone who would rather skip the steps can take the small quarter bus, nicknamed the Bergziege, or mountain goat, which winds through the narrow lanes. Where to stay: green, quiet and residential, a good match for travelers who want the river and the scenery rather than nightlife, with the S1 still running directly to the main station. Getting there: S1 to Blankenese, then downhill on foot. In summer the HADAG ferry line 62 also reaches Blankenese from the Landungsbrücken, a trip of about 90 minutes.