Things to do in Hamburg - 23 sights and experiences

What to do in Hamburg? This northern German city offers harbour life, boat trips, culture and the world's largest model railway, just to name a few things. Here are our top tips!

Hamburg

Hamburg is an exciting city to discover. We spent almost a week here, three nights in a hotel and the rest of the time in our motorhome, doing all sorts of things.

Hamburg is located in the north of Germany, about 30 miles north-west of Berlin.

What can you do in Hamburg?

So what can you see and do in Hamburg as a tourist? All sorts of exciting and fun things! We've put together a list of our top tips here.

1. Hang out in the harbour area

The port of Hamburg is Germany's largest and the third largest in Europe, after Rotterdam and Antwerp. Here you can observe and be fascinated by really large cargo ships. The harbour is home to the Landungsbrücken boat terminal, as well as plenty of restaurants, stalls selling fischbrötchen and sightseeing boats.

2. try fish rolls

The fast food 'fischbrötchen' is available everywhere along the Hamburg harbour. The dish consists of bread and some kind of fish, such as matjessill, salmon or breaded fish. Simple and delicious!

3. take a boat ride in the harbour

The port of Hamburg offers many different boat tours. A popular tour, given by different organisers, is the one called "Grosse Hafenrundfahrt Hamburg". The tour is available in both 1-hour and 2-hour variants, and we tried the shorter of the two.

We have to say that this was a nice way to see around, and at the same time learn a bit more. The guide on our tour was in German, but we were given written information in English. During non-pandemic times, tours are usually given in English as well, and this will probably start again soon.

4. Shopping at the Fischmarkt

Every Sunday morning the 'Fischmarkt' is organised at the Altonaer Fischmark in St. Pauli. The market dates back to 1703 and is immensely popular with locals and tourists alike. Here you can buy fish and fish rolls, of course, but the market also sells fruit and clothes, for example.

5. Travelling under the Elbe tunnel

The Elbe Tunnel is a 426.5 metre long tunnel that runs from Landungsbrücken in the centre of Hamburg to Steinwerder on the other side of the river Elbe. When the tunnel opened in 1911, it was a technical sensation. Since 1975, the New Elbe Tunnel also exists.

6. walk in the St. Pauli neighbourhood

St. Pauli is a large and sometimes exciting neighbourhood. For example, check out the Karolinenviertel and Schanzenviertel neighbourhoods, which offer underground culture and unusual shops. Here you can pick up a bargain at the Flohschanze flea market, held every Saturday, or check out the Scarpovino shop, which sells shoes and wine.

In the Schanzenviertel you can also get your fill of graffiti. In some cases, it can be really cool, and in other cases, the neighbourhood is more like a place of resignation. No matter what you think, it is different.

7. check out the Reeperbahn

In the St. Pauli neighbourhood you will also find the Reeperbahn street, a well-known red-light district with bars, nightclubs and striptease clubs.

8. Join us for a guided Beatles tour

The Beatles may have come from Liverpool, but Hamburg is where they started their career. Stepahnie Hempel has been leading guided Beatles tours for 18 years and knows what she's talking about. You get to see places you would never find on your own and Stephanie entertains you with the music of the Beatles.

9. walking in HafenCity

HafenCity is a neighbourhood on the River Elbe that is considered one of the largest redevelopment projects in Europe in the 21st century. It includes the famous Elbphilharmonie concert hall, as well as many other beautiful buildings.

10. Visit the Elbphilharmonie concert hall

The Elbphilharmonie concert hall in HafenCity is a concert venue but also a landmark. This very special building can be seen from many parts of the city. You can visit it by attending a concert, taking a guided tour or peering into the Plaza viewing area.

11. Discover the Unesco heritage Speicherstadt and the Kontorhaus neighbourhood

The 'Speicherstadt and Kontorhaus District with Chilehaus' has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2015. The Speicherstadt, a giant harbour warehouse, was originally built between 1885 and 1927 on a group of narrow islands in the River Elbe.

Nearby is the Kontorhaus area with huge office complexes built between 1920 and 1940 to house port-related businesses. The special Chilehaus building is also located here. If you want to, you can peek into some of the doorways to discover beautiful staircases.

12. Learn about boats at the International Maritime Museum

Located in an impressive building in the Speicherstadt, the 'International Maritime Museum Hamburg' is one of the most recommended museums in Hamburg.

The museum includes model ships, uniforms and paintings. We thought this museum was perhaps a little too traditional, but if you're interested in maritime history, there's a lot to learn.

13. go on a guided bus tour "Hop on hop off"

There are many guided bus tours around Hamburg, in the form of 'hop on hop off' buses. Some are red, some yellow and some blue. The different buses are operated by different companies, but offer similar experiences.

The guidance in the speakers is in German. You can get the audioguide in English or Danish. Peter thought this worked great while I (Helena) had difficulty listening to the audio guide while the German was loudly heard from the speakers.

14. Check out the Hamburg Museum

The Hamburg Museum, or 'Museum für Hamburgische Geschichte' as it is called in German, tells the story of Hamburg's history. We may not have had high expectations when we came here, but we were pleasantly surprised.

This museum offers stunningly beautiful rooms, ceilings and furniture. Definitely worth a visit! What do you see in the small picture on the left below? It's an old lottery machine!

15. Become a child again at Miniatur Wunderland

Miniatur Wunderland showcases the largest model railway in the world. The museum extends over several floors and the details are almost endless. Here you can see environments from all over the world, but in minimal size. Don't forget to buy your tickets well in advance!

16. Admire the town hall

The Hamburg City Hall (Hamburger Rathaus) is the seat of the Hamburg Parliament and Senate. This stunningly beautiful building was completed in 1897.

You can book a guided tour of the Town Hall. However, visiting the entrance hall and courtyard is free of charge and can be done on your own.

17. Take a boat trip on the Baltic Lakes

The Baltic Lakes can be discovered starting from the Jungfernstieg boulevard, which you will find right next to the Town Hall. Here you will find exclusive shops, but also a lovely environment with a quiet atmosphere, boat docks and cafés.

Several different boats take tourists around the lakes, and we did a one-hour tour in a glass boat. The guidance was in German, but if you have a smartphone and your own headphones, you can get guidance in English via an app.

During the tour you pass green and very exclusive areas with huge villas. Canoeing is popular here, and you can also walk around the lakes. The walk around the outer Baltic Sea reportedly takes around two hours and offers beautiful scenery.

18. See the ruins of St Nikolai's church

St. Nicholas Church was built in the 1870s and its 147.3 metre tower was the tallest in the world at the time of its inauguration. The church was destroyed on 28 July 1943 during Operation Gomorrah in World War II.

After the war, it was decided not to rebuild the church, and the ruins of the church were left as an anti-war monument. Today, there is a modern lift inside the tower, so visitors can go up and get a view that stretches for miles.

19. See art at the Museum für Kunst und Gewerbe.

The Museum für Kunst und Gewerbe is a museum of arts and crafts, where new exhibitions are constantly on display.

When we were here, at the end of April 2022, the focus was on the exhibition 'Moments of Connection' by the artist duo DRIFT. This exhibition was really delicious and it's impossible to explain in pictures. The duo's artworks are inspired by nature and move in a way that feels completely natural, yet technically advanced.

20. Go up the tower of St Michael's Church.

Built in 1669, St Michael's Church is one of Hamburg's most famous churches.

If you wish, you can take the lift (or stairs) to the 132 metre high church tower, which offers a great view of the whole city in all directions.

You can also go down into the crypt, where you will find tombs and small exhibitions.

21. Try the local speciality "labskaus".

One of the most traditional dishes in Hamburg is "labskaus", which is similar to Swedish lapskojs, but with a hint of pytt i panna. The "Old Commercial Room" restaurant is famous for serving this dish well, but you can also try it in many other places.

22. Take a photo of yourself at the "Museum of Popcorn"

The Museum of Popcorn isn't really a museum in the true sense of the word, but rather a studio where you can take photos of yourself and your friends in various nice, different and crazy settings. Fun!

Update in 2023: Sorry, the Museum of Popcorn is closed.

23. Look up - at different architecture

Last but not least, we'd like to advise you to look up from time to time. Hamburg is full of buildings with unusual architecture, especially those that seem to lean this way and that in all sorts of imaginable and unimaginable ways...

More things to do in Hamburg for culture and history lovers

Here you will find more suggestions for things to do in Hamburg for those interested in culture and history.

• Car Museum PROTOTYP showcases cars (Shanghaiallee 7).
• Ballinstadt tells about emigration history. (Veddeler Bogen 2)
• Hamburg Art Gallery is an art museum with older art. (Glockengiesserwall 5)
• Composers' Quarter is a museum about classical composers (Peterstrasse 29-39).
• Triennial of Photography are photography exhibitions organised on a regular basis (phototriennale.de).
• U-434 is a submarine that is also a museum. (St. Pauli Fischmarkt 10)

More things to do in Hamburg for food, beer and wine lovers

If you like food, beer and wine, there is of course a lot to do in Hamburg. For example, you can try the local beer Astra, or try different craft beers at the restaurant Altes Mädchen in Sternschanze. In the following article you will also find tips on different restaurants to visit:

More things to do in Hamburg for nature lovers

Here are also some more suggestions for things to do in Hamburg for nature lovers.

• Old SwedeThe "Old Swede" is a boulder that was transported from Sweden to the Elbe River during the Ice Age (Elbstrand).
• Plants and flowers is a botanical garden and park in the centre of Hamburg (Marseiller Strasse).
• Walking, jogging or cycling around the outer Baltic Sea.

More things to do in Hamburg for those travelling with kids or teens

Travelling with children or teenagers? Then you'll find some more tips for things to do in Hamburg here.

• Hamburg Dungeon tells, with the help of actors, the dark history of Hamburg. (Kehrwieder 2)
• Hidden in Hamburg offers escape room games on board the ships Rickmer Rickmers and Cap San Diego.
• Hagenbeck Zoo is a zoo. (Lokstedter Grenzstrasse 2)

Things to do in Hamburg - on film

Here you can also check out two short films from Hamburg.

Where can you stay or park your motorhome?

There are of course many different hotels and other accommodation options in Hamburg to choose from. We stayed a few days at the hotel Pierdrei Harbour City, which is in a great location for visiting the city, and is also nice and tidy.

If you're travelling by camper van, the "Parkplatz am Strand Pauli" car park (Sankt Pauli Hafenstrasse 89) is a great place to explore the city. However, there are no services here other than rubbish collection.

More to do around Hamburg

Of course, there is also more to experience in the vicinity of Hamburg. For example, you can discover the beautiful city of Bremen or the historic city Lübeck. It is also interesting to visit Schwerin Castle. Below you will find even more inspiration and reading about Germany.

More tips for things to do in Hamburg?

Have you been to Hamburg? Tell us about your experience and your relationship with the city! Do you have even more tips for things to see and do in Hamburg?

Facts about Hamburg

• Country: Germany
• Federal Republic of Germany: Hamburg
• Official name: Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg
• Established: 9th century
• Residents: More than 1.8 million (2019)
• Read more: You can find more information at the city's website

Travelling to Hamburg

• Flight: You can fly directly from Stockholm Arlanda to Hamburg, for example with SAS or Eurowings.
• Car: For example, you can take the ferry Finnlines Malmö - Travemünde. Other options include ferry lines Nynäshamn - Rostock, Gothenburg - Kiel or Rödby - Puttgarden.
• Trains: SJ night trains will run from Stockholm to Hamburg, starting in September 2022.