Wilhelmsburg

Wilhelmsburg sits in the middle of the Elbe and is the largest inhabited river island in Europe, a stepping stone between the harbor and Harburg that most visitors never think to get off at. It is worth the detour. The island's landmark is the Energiebunker, a Second World War flak bunker converted during the 2013 International Building Exhibition into a renewable power plant with a cafe and a viewing platform; from the top the view runs out over the port and the city. That building exhibition left the whole island a legacy of experimental housing designed around sustainability, still very visible in the newer blocks. On the grounds of the 2013 garden show lies the Wilhelmsburger Inselpark, a large park with playing fields, waterways, the Wälderhaus and one of the biggest indoor climbing halls in northern Germany, making it the island's outdoor center for families. The living heart of Wilhelmsburg is the Reiherstiegviertel around the Veringstraße, where Turkish, Portuguese and many other influences mix into a food and culture scene of its own, while the Rathaus Wilhelmsburg and the Stübenplatz mark the everyday center. Where to stay: cheaper and quieter than downtown, well connected by S-Bahn, and a real option for budget-minded travelers who want the working, lived-in Hamburg rather than the postcard. Getting there: S3 or S31 to Wilhelmsburg, roughly halfway between the main station and Harburg, with buses from the station out to the Reiherstiegviertel, the Inselpark and the Energiebunker.