Even being the second largest city of Germany, Hamburg is often eclipsed by other cities like Munich, Dresden and Frankfurt from Tourist point of view. My Hamburg visit came as an impromptu plan. The previous night I decided to go to Hamburg, though weather forecast was showing it’d be grey and drizzly the next day.
Unlike most German Cities Hamburg doesn't have the old European medieval charm. So, this city really doesn't look like straight came out from a fairytale book. Rather, this city has nicely embraced a modern cosmopolitan vibes and has lot to offer in culture, history, gastronomy, shopping and nightlife. Being an international port city, it also has great significance for the country from economy and business point of view.
What to See in Hamburg !
Speicherstadt : Unesco World Heritage Site
Walk through the world's biggest warehouse district surrounded by red brick buildings of Neo gothic architecture paired with canals and bridges. This place is incredibly photogenic.
In 70's era Hamburg was gaining huge popularity as port city and there was a need for a warehouse for storing imported goods like coffee, spices and other stuffs. For this purpose this place in Hamburg was built as Warehouse. Later in 2015 this place was declared as World Heritage site by UNESCO.
The Gorgeous Rathaus (City Hall)
Most of the German Cities are extremely proud of their City hall in the middle of the town. Undoubtedly, Hamburg has one of the finest City hall built in Neo-Renaissance style. It is a prime tourist attraction in Hamburg and houses parliament, senate, mayor and other politically important divisions.
Take a Harbour Cruise on Elba River
Taking ferry or a cruise and sailing past the colourful houses along the bank is another level of experience. It's one of the most popular and common sightseeing activity in Hamburg City. Exploring Hamburg city from river and marvelling at the huge container ships is not doubt a thrilling activity to try.
Elbphillharmonie
Above Elba river stands the latest cultural landmark of Hamburg. This concert hall has been opened very recently and it brilliantly compliments the modern cityscape in the surrounding. This unique building is built of stone and brick and from exterior it gives a fancy crystal look. For any art lover, attending a concert in Elbphillharmonie would be like dream comes true. But for this, one should be well prepared from advance so the concert date coincides the visit dates in this city. Also the tickets can get sold out very fast. Hence one needs to be really upto the date regarding availability status. However, if attending the concert is not possible then one should definitely climb up to the top of the building to get a stunning 360 view of the city. To reach the viewing platform you have to get ticket onsite but on weekend there might be long queue. So try to get the ticket online in advance.
Hamburg has a long known reputation as musical city. For decades it has gifted from finest classical music to 'The Beatles' to this world. Elbphillharmonie stands strong to glorify the reputation even further. It's definitely should be in Hamburg's itinerary.
Grab a Beer & Sit on the Beach
Though Hamburg is almost 100 Kms away from North Sea but surprisingly, this owns a beach on the bank of Elba River. But don't expect anything like conventional beach. Local people gather on the beach on weekend with their kids and pets playing around. The annoying seagulls will be singing over the head when the huge vessel ships would peacefully float across the port. Although I didn't find the beach aesthetically pleasant but still felt happy for the local Hambaurgians for having a beach to spend quality time with family and friends.
Eat a Fish Sandwich at Fish Market
A visit to Hamburg Fish Market is definitely an unique experience. Every Sunday on the bank of Elba this market opens up at 5 am and stays upto 9:30 am. The market is jam-packed with stalls selling verities of sea food, fruits and vegetable. Getting a branch over there around 12 am and enjoying live band music can be a lifetime experience. If you are fond of sea food you must try this activity at Fish auction hall. But don't forget to reserve your seat in advance.
St. Nicolai Memorial
Another well known thing to visit in Hamburg is St. Nicolai Memorial. This tall structure can be seen from afar. It houses a memorial dedicated to the victim of war in between 1933 and 1945. A large part of this church was destroyed in war and only this tower section is still intact and standing tall. The entry into the church is free of cost but to visit the museum in the lower floor you need to buy ticket. Also by the glass elevator you can go to the view point at top and get a gorgeous view of the whole city.
Indulge in Vibrant Colours of St.Pauli
If you are a great fan of colourful street arts like me then you definitely should not miss the St.Pauli region. While meandering through the narrow alleys, I discovered some of the most eye catching street arts I have ever seen till date.
Bright colours, cartoon characters, day to day life of this port city, bold messages on adult entertainment, LGBT community, gender equality and social justice are the main themes of the street arts.
It is known that in past the sailors halting their journey at Hamburg used to gather at St. Pauli. for availing different types of entertainments like music, food, shops an notorious red light district area. This district can be the the number one spot in town for entertainment.
There are countless number of pubs and bars and if you are a party animal, this area has many interesting things to offer you. So even if you are not a night owl, you can spend one night here strolling around the streets, hopping in and out of famous bars and pubs and listening to concerts.
A heaven for Indian Cuisine
If you are an Indian (like me) who takes the task of finding high quality Indian restaurant in foreign land like an important mission, then I am going to make your challenge easy. Just opposite to the central station of Hamburg stands the Sarvana Bhaban. This famous chain is scattered all over Big European cities bringing big smiles on Indian faces.
I ended my day in Hamburg on a very tiring note. After exploring Hamburg like a lost wanderer in a rainy day, the delicious surprise of Madras Coffee, Indian bread, curry and mango lassi was the boost that exactly my soul needed.
