Sternschanze

The Sternschanze, known to everyone simply as the Schanze, is Hamburg's loudest and most opinionated neighborhood, wedged into the corner where Altona, Eimsbüttel and St. Pauli meet. Everything happens within a few hundred yards of the Schulterblatt, the main street: street art on nearly every wall, record shops and vintage stores, late-night corner kiosks, and one of the densest concentrations of bars and cafes in the city. Its symbol is the Rote Flora, a former theater on the Schulterblatt occupied as an autonomous cultural center since 1989 and still the emblem of the quarter's left-wing politics. By day the Schanze is relaxed and browsable; from early evening the Schulterblatt fills up and stays full. Food is a large part of the draw, from international kitchens and craft beer to third-wave coffee. On Saturdays the Flohschanze flea market sets up at Neuer Kamp beside the Rindermarkthalle, one of the best-known markets in Hamburg. For a break from the noise, the Sternschanzenpark climbs to the historic water tower of 1907 to 1910, now a hotel, visible from far across the neighborhood. Where to stay: the Schanze suits younger travelers, solo visitors and anyone who wants a living neighborhood instead of a hotel district. The Reeperbahn, the trade fair grounds and downtown are all walkable. Getting there: U3 or the S-Bahn lines S11, S21 and S31 to Sternschanze, which serves the quarter directly. St. Pauli, the Karolinenviertel and the fairgrounds are a few minutes away on foot.