Hamburg
3
Day Itinerary •
Germany
Three days in Hamburg and the north reveal the most extraordinary port city and Hanseatic heritage in Germany. The UNESCO Speicherstadt warehouse district, the Elbphilharmonie concert hall, the 5am Sunday Fischmarkt, the Beatles' Reeperbahn, the finest medieval city in northern Europe at Lubeck with its extraordinary Holstentor gate and its legendary marzipan, and the Baltic beach resort of Travemunde are all within reach of a single Hamburg base. This route explores Hamburg from its extraordinary warehouse canal district and the most modern concert hall in Germany through its neighbourhood culture and the Alster lake circuit to the Hanseatic queen city of Lubeck and the Baltic coast. Three days in the finest port city in Germany.
Best Time To Visit
April to October
Getting There
Fly into Hamburg (HAM) or train from across Germany
Getting Around
HVV public transport, S-Bahn and U-Bahn
Budget Per Day
Approx 85 to 260 EUR per person per day
Difficulity
Easy, flat city walking
DAY 1
HAMBURG
MORNING
THE SPEICHERSTADT AND THE ELBPHILHARMONIE, THE FINEST MODERN BUILDING IN GERMANY
Hamburg's Speicherstadt, the largest warehouse complex in the world built on oak piles in the Elbe between 1883 and 1927, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the most extraordinary historic waterfront district in northern Germany. The extraordinary red-brick canal warehouses now contain museums, design studios and the finest miniature world at Miniatur Wunderland. The adjacent Elbphilharmonie concert hall by Herzog de Meuron is the finest piece of contemporary architecture in Germany. Plaza entry approx 4 euros. Train/Travel: 20 min walk
MIDDAY
THE HAMBURG FISCHMARKT AND THE ST PAULI HARBOUR
The Hamburg Fischmarkt on Sunday mornings from 5am to 9.30am is the most extraordinary market in northern Germany, its extraordinary fish auction hall, the street vendors selling enormous bunches of flowers and fruit at the last minute before closing and the extraordinary atmosphere of clubbers returning from the Reeperbahn mixing with elderly locals buying breakfast making it the finest urban market experience in Germany. The harbour view from the St Pauli Landungsbrucken is extraordinary. Entry free. Train/Travel: 20 min walk
AFTERNOON
THE REEPERBAHN AND THE BEATLES' HAMBURG
The Reeperbahn in St Pauli is the most extraordinary entertainment district in northern Europe, the street where the Beatles played their formative residencies between 1960 and 1962 in the Indra and Kaiserkeller clubs and where John Lennon called the years that made them. The Beatlemania museum, the original Indra Club and the extraordinary Herbertstrasse are all remarkable. The Reeperbahn at midnight is entirely extraordinary. Beatles museum entry approx 18 euros.
💎 HIDDEN GEM
The Hamburg Chilehaus, completed in 1924, is the most extraordinary example of Brick Expressionism in Germany, its extraordinary ship's prow corner rising ten storeys above the Kontorhaus district with the finest relief sculptures and extraordinary Gothic-influenced brickwork of any 1920s office building in the world. The UNESCO-listed Kontorhaus district surrounding it contains the finest concentration of interwar commercial architecture in northern Europe. Entry to courtyard free. ourhiddenearth.com
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
Breakfast: Cafe Paris, Rathausmarkt Outstanding French-German breakfast at the finest belle epoque cafe in Hamburg. Extraordinary interior. | Lunch: Fischbrotenanbieter, Fischmarkt Outstanding fresh fish roll from the market stalls. The Bismarck herring roll is the finest in Hamburg. | Dinner: Haerlin, Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten The finest restaurant in Hamburg. Outstanding Hamburg cuisine and extraordinary Alster views. Book ahead.
DAY 2
THE HAMBURG ALSTER AND NEIGHBOURHOODS
MORNING
THE INNER AND OUTER ALSTER LAKES AND THE HAMBURG WALKING CIRCUIT
The Aussenalster and Binnenalster at the heart of Hamburg form the most extraordinary urban lake landscape in Germany, their 164 hectares of sailing water surrounded by extraordinary villas, parkland and the five-star Hotel Atlantic giving Hamburg its extraordinary quality of life. The 7.5km circumnavigation of the Aussenalster on foot is the finest urban walk in northern Germany. The Alster boat service from Jungfernstieg covers the lake in 50 minutes. Boat approx 16 euros return. Train/Travel: 20 min walk
MIDDAY
EPPENDORF AND OTTENSEN, THE FINEST NEIGHBOURHOODS IN HAMBURG
Eppendorf is the most extraordinary bourgeois neighbourhood in Hamburg, its extraordinary Eppendorfer Baum shopping street, the art nouveau villas behind and the extraordinary weekly market at the Isemarkt under the U-Bahn arches making it the finest neighbourhood experience in the city. Ottensen in Altona is the most extraordinary alternative neighbourhood, its extraordinary Fischerstrase food market and the Fabrik concert venue giving the finest contrast. Train/Travel: 20 min U-Bahn
AFTERNOON
THE HAFENCITY AND THE ELBPHILHARMONIE SIGHTSEEING
HafenCity is the largest inner-city urban development project in Europe, its extraordinary transformation of 157 hectares of former port land into the finest new urban district in Germany since reunification. The extraordinary International Maritime Museum in the Kaispeicher, the Oberhafen artists' quarter and the remarkable Marco-Polo-Terrassen riverside promenade are all extraordinary. The Elbphilharmonie guided tour is the finest architectural experience in Hamburg. Tour approx 15 euros.
💎 HIDDEN GEM
The Hamburg Planetarium in the Stadtpark is the most extraordinary planetarium in Germany, its extraordinary star shows in the former water tower and the remarkable history of the building, a Wilhelmine brick water tower converted in 1930 to the finest public planetarium in northern Europe, making it the finest hidden cultural venue in the city. The Stadtpark surrounding it with its extraordinary open-air summer concerts is remarkable. Planetarium entry approx 16 euros.
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
Breakfast: Cafe Koppel, Eppendorf Outstanding neighbourhood breakfast at the finest independent cafe in north Hamburg. | Lunch: Nil, Eppendorf Outstanding Hamburg neighbourhood lunch at the finest bistro in Eppendorf. Local produce throughout. | Dinner: Die Bank, Neustadt The finest brasserie in Hamburg in an extraordinary former bank building. Outstanding Hamburg cuisine.
DAY 3
LUBECK AND THE BALTIC COAST
MORNING
LUBECK, THE QUEEN OF THE HANSEATIC LEAGUE AND THE FINEST MEDIEVAL CITY IN THE NORTH
Lubeck is the most extraordinary medieval city in northern Germany and the finest surviving Hanseatic city in Europe, its extraordinary UNESCO World Heritage Altstadt on its island between the Trave and Wakenitz, the extraordinary Holstentor gate from 1478, the seven towers of the five medieval churches and the birthplace of Thomas Mann making it the finest day trip from Hamburg. Entry to Holstentor museum approx 10 euros. Train/Travel: 45 min train
MIDDAY
THE LUBECK MARZIPAN AND THE FINEST CONFECTION IN GERMANY
Lubeck's Niederegger marzipan, produced since 1806 in its extraordinary shop on the Breite Strasse opposite the Rathaus, is the finest marzipan in the world, its extraordinary range of flavours, the marzipan museum in the shop and the extraordinary array of sculpted marzipan figures making it the finest food heritage destination in northern Germany. The Lubeck Rathaus with its remarkable brick and terracotta facade is the finest Gothic civic building in Germany. Entry to shop free. Train/Travel: 20 min walk
AFTERNOON
TRAVEMUNDE AND THE FINEST BEACH RESORT ON THE BALTIC
Travemunde at the mouth of the Trave is the most extraordinary beach resort in Schleswig-Holstein, its extraordinary Baltic promenade, the extraordinary Priwall beach accessible by ferry and the remarkable four-masted sailing ship Passat moored at the harbour making it the finest afternoon destination on the western Baltic. The Baltic Sea at Travemunde in summer is the finest swimming in northern Germany. Ferry approx 2 euros.
💎 HIDDEN GEM
The Lubeck St Mary's Church organ loft contains the extraordinary surviving pipes of the Baroque organ that Dietrich Buxtehude played from 1668 to 1707, the instrument that Johann Sebastian Bach walked 400km from Arnstadt to hear in 1705. The extraordinary Gothic interior with the destroyed bell from the 1942 bombing preserved where it fell and the extraordinary astronomical clock are the finest in any Hanseatic church. Entry to church free, tower approx 4 euros.
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
Breakfast: Fuhrkamp, Lubeck Outstanding northern German breakfast at the finest bakery in the Lubeck Altstadt. | Lunch: Niederegger cafe, Lubeck Outstanding marzipan-themed lunch at the finest confectionery institution in Germany. Extraordinary experience. | Dinner: Schiffergesellschaft, Lubeck The finest historic restaurant in Lubeck since 1535. Outstanding Baltic fish in the extraordinary maritime interior.
DAY 4
MORNING
MIDDAY
AFTERNOON
💎 HIDDEN GEM
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
DAY 5
MORNING
MIDDAY
AFTERNOON
💎 HIDDEN GEM
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
Where To Stay
Hamburg Altstadt or HafenCity, All Nights 25hours Hotel or East Hotel. Approx 100 to 250 euros per night. St Pauli option Hotel Wedina or Gastwerk Hotel. Approx 90 to 200 euros. Best for Reeperbahn evenings. Budget Generator Hostel Hamburg or Superbude. Approx 25 to 55 euros per night.
Top Tips
1. Fischmarkt Sunday 5am to 9.30am: the most extraordinary market in Germany. Take cash and arrive before 7am.
2. Elbphilharmonie Plaza: free but requires timed ticket from elbphilharmonie.de. Book the day before.
3. Miniatur Wunderland: Europe's largest model railway. Book online and go at opening to avoid queues.
4. Lubeck marzipan: buy the Niederegger 1806 box. The finest marzipan in the world. Take home a whole loaf.
5. Reeperbahn at midnight Saturday: the finest entertainment street in northern Europe. Take licensed taxis only.
6. Hamburg harbour ferry: Line 62 from Landungsbrucken to Finkenwerder is a public ferry and costs 3.60 euros.
Total Budget
85 to 255 EUR/day