Looking for a travel guide to Hamburg? Check out my travel guide to Hamburg with lots of great tips!
Hamburg is the second-largest city in Germany and is home to almost 1.9 million people. This beautiful and lively city is becoming more and more popular with tourists from all over the world! Most people love to explore Hamburg with the amazing architecture, gloomy history, and fun things to do in Hamburg.
But do you know where to stay in Hamburg? What sights to see? Or how to get around Hamburg? There are usually hundreds of questions before a trip, which is why you should read my travel guide to Hamburg. In this guide, you’ll get answers to all these questions before your trip to Hamburg in Germany.
Table of Contents
When is the best time to visit Hamburg?
Hamburg is a destination that you can visit all year round. I can recommend visiting Hamburg in December, where there’s a magical atmosphere with Christmas markets and lots of Christmas lights in the streets. It’s so cozy and wonderful!
However, you should be aware that it’s cold in Hamburg in the winter, so remember plenty of warm clothes! I actually wouldn’t visit Hamburg in the other winter months because it’s simply too cold.
Another great time to visit Hamburg is during the summer months. In the summer it rains less than in the autumn and spring in Hamburg, and although it may be hot, the temperature is still comfortable.
How much time should you spend in Hamburg?
Most people who visit Hamburg only spend a few days exploring the city. If you want to make the most of your trip to Hamburg, I can highly recommend that you spend 3-4 days in Hamburg. This way you’ll have enough time to see all the most important and best things to do in Hamburg.
To be completely honest, staying in Hamburg for a long time might get a little boring. Even though there’s a lot to do, I personally think that there are much more fun things to do in Berlin, for example. But that’s just my opinion.
I still return to Hamburg regularly because I live in Denmark, a fairly short drive from Hamburg. And even though Hamburg isn’t exciting for a whole week, Hamburg is still great for a few days!
Where to stay in Hamburg?
So there are already hundreds of travel blogs recommending specific hotels in Hamburg and other travel destinations. I personally don’t like being limited to a few hotels, and would much rather research offers on Hotels.com or Booking.com myself. Prices are constantly changing and you may be able to find better hotels by searching yourself.
For example, I just stayed at a brand new hotel in the Harz Mountains, Germany for less than half the price. If I had not searched for hotels myself, I would never have found it – because I was the first to ever stay there. So be sure to check out the hotels in Hamburg yourself so you don’t miss out on great deals!
But in return, I would like to recommend the best neighborhoods in Hamburg. There are many cozy neighborhoods in Hamburg, and none of them are dangerous to stay in. But of course most it’s obvious to stay close to the city center, especially if you want to experience Hamburg. When looking for a hotel, you should consider staying in one of the following neighborhoods in Hamburg:
Altstadt is the center of Hamburg and is the perfect neighborhood in Hamburg if this is your first visit to the city. This is where you’ll find the town hall, the main train station and many of the best sights in Hamburg. Of course, there are also plenty of shops and restaurants in Alstadt.
Neustadt is part of the center of Hamburg and is another perfect choice if this is your first visit to the city. The neighborhood is close to many sights and offers several cozy restaurants, shops, and bars.
St. Georg is located near the center of Hamburg and is close to the major sights of the city. It’s a lively and cozy district with lots of shops, restaurants, cafes, and bars. St. Georg is an exciting area, known as the gay and artist district of Hamburg. The atmosphere is wonderful and there’s a large selection of hotels.
St. Pauli is a lively and entertaining neighborhood with partying around the clock. The area is especially popular for young people who want to experience the nightlife in Hamburg.
Karolinenviertel is a hip and creative neighborhood in Hamburg with a great atmosphere and lots of small shops, cafes, restaurants, and parks. The relatively quiet district is perfect for families with children or people who just want to take it easy.
How to get around Hamburg?
Most of Hamburg’s main sights are within walking distance and require only a short walk. Besides walking around on foot, the easiest way to get around the city is by taking public transportation in Hamburg. It’s easy to navigate and is well developed with buses, trains, metros, and ferries to transport you around the city.
If you use public transportation more than a few times a day, it may be a good idea to buy a Hamburg Card. It costs around $ 12.50 for a full day, but you can also buy it for several days and get a discount. Once you have purchased a Hamburg Card, you can use public transport in Hamburg indefinitely, and you can even get discounts on some of the best sights in Hamburg! It’s actually a win-win situation!
Of course, there’s also plenty of opportunities to take a taxi around the city, but it’s more expensive. In a taxi, there’s a risk of traffic jams on the roads, just like if you rent a car or arrive in your own car. If you’re driving around in a car, keep in mind that parking fees in Hamburg can be expensive.
Another opportunity to get around Hamburg is to rent a bike and experience Hamburg in a different way. It’s really easy to rent bikes at the many bike stations around the city. You just have to pay for the bike in a vending machine, and when you no longer bother, just drop it off at the nearest bike station. Besides getting around the city, it’s also a really fun experience in Hamburg.
What sights to see in Hamburg?
Hamburg is a wonderful city with an exciting history of world wars, shipping, and different cultures. And there are many fun things to do in Hamburg, so here’s a list of some of the most important must-see things to do in Hamburg:
Miniatur Wunderland is the largest model railway in the world with miniature versions of landscapes and famous buildings from large parts of the world! The exhibition is huge and it’s impressive to see the work behind the model railway.
Port of Hamburg is one of the largest ports in the world and has a long maritime history. You should definitely visit the port during your trip to Hamburg. It’s so nice to go for a walk along the quay.
Speicherstadt is the largest warehouse district in the world and is a UNESCO World Heritage site. The area is absolutely charming with old red brick buildings, tranquil canals, iron bridges, and small idyllic streets.
Reeperbahn is a long and festive street filled with nightclubs, bars, restaurants, theaters, entertainment, and strip clubs. In other words, this is where you’ll find Hamburg’s best nightlife!
Planten un Blomen is a beautiful park in the center of Hamburg. In the park, you can visit a botanical garden and the largest Japanese garden in Europe!
Where to go shopping in Hamburg?
As in any big city, there are also many opportunities for shopping in Hamburg. Shopping malls, department stores, pedestrian streets, designer shops, and discount stores – Hamburg has it all! Here’s a small selection of the best places to go shopping in Hamburg:
Mockenbergstrasse is the largest shopping street in Hamburg. Here is everything from large international stores to small specialty stores and lots of department stores.
Europa Passage is the largest shopping center in Hamburg with more than 120 stores. The center offers a wide selection of shops for any type of shopper.
Neuer Wall is a street full of exclusive and extremely expensive branded stores such as Gucci, Prada, Hugo Boss, Armani, and Rolex. This is where you should go if your pockets are filled with gold.
What to eat in Hamburg?
In Hamburg, there are restaurants on every street corner and it’s difficult to tell which the best restaurants in Hamburg are. We all have different tastes in food, so I just want to tell you what kind of food you should definitely not miss in Hamburg!
When visiting Hamburg, I would recommend trying German specialties. Some of the most traditional food in Germany are sausages, wiener schnitzels, fried potatoes and of course German beer! Try some of it, I’m sure you’ll love it! If not, you have still had the experience of trying traditional German food. Fun!
Tips for Hamburg
- In Hamburg and Germany in general, payments are made in Euros.
- Remember to withdraw some money as many places in Hamburg do not accept credit cards. Unbelievable, but true.
- It’s common to pay 5-10 percent of the bill in gratuities at restaurants in Hamburg.
- Consider buying a Hamburg Card that offers unlimited use of public transportation and great discounts on many sights in Hamburg.
So, that was my travel guide to Hamburg, Germany. What are you looking forward to on your trip to Hamburg? And did you like my travel guide to Hamburg? Feel free to leave a comment.
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