Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg
Hamburg, also known as the Gateway to the World, sees itself as a major cosmopolitan city replete with natural, historical and cultural gems. While New Yorkers and Londoners might sniff, visitors will quickly discover that they need far more than four days to discover everything Hamburg has to offer.
We'd like to give you a bit of a feel for Germany's second largest city and some tips on things to see and do if you'd like to see more than the inside of the Altonaer Theater.
The theater is located in the district of Altona, important enough to get its own section on our site.
Dos and Don'ts in Hamburg
DON’T …
- Get on public transport without a valid ticket. There is no need to validate your ticket once on board, but spot checks take place and fines are pretty hefty and instant!
- Get into the wrong part of the S-Bahn on your way back to the airport. The front three carriages go to the airport, the rest of the train to Poppenbüttel.
- Get the wrong train and end up in Diebsteich. If you're taking the S-Bahn from the city center to Altona, make sure you get the S1, S3, or S31, not the S21.
- Visit the Reeperbahn during the day. It’s disappointing. If you want to visit it at night, ask a local where you should go.
- Take a harbour tour – they take a long time (and parts of the tour are quite boring) and are fairly expensive.
- Be late for the FEATS performances – start time 7.30 p.m. (19.30 hours).
Do …
- Take care of wallets and handbags. Hamburg is a big city and it is best to be careful.
- Have cash with you to buy your travel tickets from the ticket machines. The only machines that take credit cards are those at Hamburg airport.
- Take a trip on one of the HADAG ferries, which are part of the local transportation network and covered by your daily HVV ticket. It is much cheaper than a harbour tour and a lot of fun as you can visit places along the way. Stop off at Oevelgoenne and have a wander around – it’s very picturesque.
- Take a look at the Hafen City (Harbour City) development of which Hamburg is very proud and the (still under construction) Elbphilharmonie concert hall dominating the skyline. Very interesting architectural styles (if perhaps not to everyone’s taste).
- Visit the Miniatur Wunderland (model railway exhibition), which is truly unique and absolutely fascinating. We have arranged a visit on Sunday 24 May.
- Enjoy what Hamburg has to offer – either on foot, by train or on a hop-on, hop-off tour bus. It’s a lovely city.
- Details