Guided Beatles tour in Hamburg - join us at the Reeperbahn

Writer: Helena Bergström

Updated: August 2026 | We have taken a guided Beatles tour in Hamburg, and we can highly recommend this. Very interesting and very fascinating! It was in Hamburg that the world-famous band started their career in the early 1960s.

Hempel's Beatles tour in Hamburg

During our visit to Hamburg, we took part in a press trip for a few days, organised by the Hamburg Tourism Organisation. They took us on a slightly shortened version of the Hempel's Beatles tour of Hamburg, in the St Pauli neighbourhood.

The tour is organised by Stefanie Hempel, who developed the tour herself and led it for 18 (!) years. What is special about the tour, apart from Stefanie's love of the Beatles and their history, is that she also enhances the tour by playing and singing the group's music live.

She takes you to lots of little alleys that you wouldn't have found on your own, but which played a role in the Beatles' lives. In the picture below, for example, she shows a gateway that features on one of the group's album covers.

A tough start for young Beatles members in Hamburg

We learnt that the start for the young members of the Beatles was anything but painless. When they arrived in Hamburg, they thought they would be staying in a hotel, but instead they were housed in cold and dark storerooms at the back of the 'Bambi' cinema.

They spent many months in the inhospitable cinema and today you can find a small sign outside that says "The Beatles lived here in 1960".

Reeperbahn in Hamburg

The guided Beatles tour in Hamburg took us to the (island) famous street Reeperbahn. The Beatles thought they would play the big famous clubs here, but instead they had to start at "Indra", which was located in a dark and remote corner of the street and attracted only a few confused souls.

The young group was also unprepared for what lay ahead. At home in the UK, they were used to playing for an hour, until the clubs closed at 11pm. Now they were expected to play all night, for 4-5 hours. They didn't even have that many songs, and they had to drag out each song forever with endless solos...

In the beginning, the Beatles were a cover band, playing 1950s rock. Over time, they developed their own style, both in terms of music and their 'look'. The group evolved, and eventually they finally got to play at the Kaiserkeller club, at the bright end of the Reeperbahn.

The Beatles started in Hamburg as very young and inexperienced guys. But it was here, on the Reeperbahn in Hamburg, that they got to know each other and grew as a team. It was also here that Ringo Starr was included in the group, and we all know the story that followed.

On the Reeperbahn today you can find a plaque listing many of the famous artists who have played here. You can also visit the Beatles-Platz, which looks like a round disc in the ground, and is designed to commemorate the group.

Today, the Reeperbahn is still a very busy place in the evening, filled with nightclubs and strip clubs. For those who wish, it is interesting to take a walk here, and perhaps have a beer in one of the many pubs along the street.

More to see and do in Hamburg and Germany

Hempel's Beatles tour in Hamburg is one of the most exciting things we've experienced here, but there's a lot more to see and do. To start, we recommend strolling around the harbor area, and perhaps taking a boat trip.

Other interesting experiences include the fascinating Elbphilharmonie concert hall and the "Miniatur Wunderland" with a huge and fantastic model railway. Read more here:

• Miniature Wonderland
• Elbphilharmonie Concert Hall
• Restaurants in Hamburg
• Things to do in Hamburg

Have you been on a Beatles tour in Hamburg?

Do you like the Beatles? Have you been on a Beatles tour in Hamburg, or maybe somewhere else? Tell us about it!

Good to know about Hempel's Beatles tour in Hamburg

• Length: 3 hours
• Meeting point: Underground Feldstrasse
• Language: German/English
• Tickets: hempels-musictour.de
• Book for groups: Groups can book other times, at [email protected]