Hamburg - Germany

Warehouse District/ Speicherstadt

Having lived in Germany many moons ago, I have a soft corner for this country and more often than not, like to keep going there and meeting up with friends.

Hamburg is a Hanseatic city situated up north. And though it's pretty large in size, it feels surprisingly cozy. As a tourist, there are several things you can do in Hamburg. My favourite activity in Hamburg is to walk. Yes, you read that right. I love walking in most cities because it lets me absorb the many sights and sounds of a city which would otherwise get lost in a bus or metro/tram.

The amazing view from our room at 7 am. 

25hours room based on a maritime theme

If you base yourself in the Hafen (Harbour) area in Hamburg, you can actually get stunning views of the sea and also of the gigantic ships that go past. And most of the places you would want to go see are at walking distance. Of course, my idea of walking distance might not be the same as yours. But I would say about 30 minutes of walking to the Alster is not really all that bad specially if you are covering many sights along the way. Yes, by all means, take a bus or tram if you want to reach faster but the idea is to relax and enjoy the journey. There are many cool hotels in the Hafen area like the 25hours hotel that also lets you borrow their cycles if you don't want to walk.  Just make sure you follow the rules and are cautious at crossings or big junctions. If you are a music buff, the Elphi is right around the corner. Elphi or Elbphilharmonie is not only one of the largest but also one of the most acoustically advanced concert halls in the world. That's not all, it's architecture is simply breath-taking and I spent a good 40 minutes just admiring the exteriors. If you don't want to go for a concert, you can choose to go on a guided tour here.

Miniature automated version of the Elphi

If you want to see everything in miniature using German engineering and precision, head over to the Miniatur Wunderland ( Miniature Wonderland). This is again in the hafen region. This is quite an extraordinary place! I wasn't very keen on entering and when I finally did, I wasn't keen on leaving this place!

If maritime history interests you, you can go visit the Internationales Maritime Museum.  

If you keep walking, you pass the Warehouse district. Known for its architecture, this place is always has professional photographers,  civil engineering and architecture students outside (who are sketching and discussing specifics). Quite interesting to watch!

Office building

I find the new buildings in Hamburg very impressive as well. Even ordinary offices look spectacular.






About twenty minutes walking distance from here, is the old city. Have a look at their town hall and admire its grandeur.

If you feel tired, there are several cafes along the way and you should stop and have a snack and a drink before continuing.
Hamburg, being a port city, has an amazing variety of seafood, fruits and vegetables available and there are several places that give you good deals. It's important to note that everywhere in Germany, a plate of food can really fill up two people with normal appetites. So if you want to avoid money and food wastage, ask for one main and then share it. If you still have space, you can always order some more.

Did not expect this inside a shopping complex! Totally surprised and thrilled!

If you want good deals and buffet meals, always head to one of the bigger malls. Most of them have great cafeterias and serve very good fares at good prices. This way, you can choose what you want and the quantity as well. I was pretty happy to find that the smaller complexes also had very good bistros and food stores. Excellent quality and great prices! One Italian trattoria that we ate at  in a shopping complex reminded me of this little place outside Napoli, Italy. The tuna spaghetti as well as their stuffed peppers were absolutely outstanding. They also had an oyster bar which was packed with locals.
The stores and also the malls  in Hamburg are lively with all the popular local and international brands.
If you want to go shopping, head to The Moenckebergstrasse . It's located between the Main station (hauptbahnhof ) and Townhall (rathaus).

The people of Hamburg are really outgoing and friendly and if you ever have a question, they won't hesitate to answer. It helps to know a few German words like Danke Schoen ( Thank you very much) or Bitte (please).

Locals and tourists dancing in a square in summer

Once you are in the old city, take a walk around the Alsterakaden. It's a historical arcade along the water front and has some of the luxury brands and also some of the older high-end hotels and clubs. In the back lanes, are small family run shops that are unique. I bought a cake tin and also some cookie cutters from a small shop that also had its own bakery and training studio at the back. 

The Alster itself is very grand.

Alster 

You will find locals jogging along the waterfront and also, many young colleagues talking about their day as they eat their packed lunches. A walk around this area is very rejuvenating and  I recommend it after a heavy lunch at one of those cafes around. 

View from the docks

If you want to head to see the docks and watch the dealing and trading, it's best to head there early mornings. We reached at noon and the place was deserted and given how further away it is from the old city, we finally decided to take a bus back. The area as such doesn't have much to do or see in terms of sightseeing. 

Overall, Hamburg offers you a fun and rejuvenating break away from routine. If you are wondering how long a trip you should plan here, I would say a 2 night stay is enough. If you intend attending a concert, then please keep an additional night free for that.
I hope you enjoyed traveling through this beautiful city. For comments, questions or suggestions, please use the space below.

Danke Schoen und Tschuss!