The port city of Hamburg has joined Berlin as a hot destination over the past few years with clued-up travellers heading there for weekend breaks. In fact, you could say that Germany’s second largest city has it all – beautiful beaches and lakes, world-class museums, designer shopping and a thriving restaurant and cafe scene.
With the recent opening of the spectacular Elbphilharmonie concert hall, Chanel’s Métiers d’art Paris-Hamburg 2017/18 Show and many new design hotels, there’s no better time to check out Hamburg.
To tempt you further, here is a mini guide to this stylish Hanseatic city…
SEE
Alster Lake Tour
If you happen to be in Hamburg when the weather is fine, you absolutely MUST take an Alster Lake Tour. Separated into two lakes by the Kennedy and Lombard bridges, the smaller Inner Alster is lined by majestic buildings around the Jungfernstieg. The Outer Alster is surrounded by public parks, upscale hotels and spectacular mansions with impressively-manicured private gardens.
The tour takes you far up the Outer Alster towards Winterhude, where you can marvel at the charming canals and sail alongside paddle boarders and rowers. A particularly good time to visit is in May when the Japanese community of Hamburg hosts the Cherry Blossom Festival, covering the Outer Alster in an abundance of pink blooms.
Deichtorhallen
Hamburg’s Deichtorhallen form one of Europe’s largest exhibition centres for contemporary art and photography, separated into two unique spaces. Located between the city centre and modern HafenCity, the two historic buildings date back to the early 1910s and have been beautifully renovated.
During our visit, we saw the fantastic exhibition, Proof: Francisco Goya, Sergei Eisenstein, Robert Longo, which was expertly curated and worked so well in this breathtaking venue.
Elbphilharmonie
Hamburg’s famous Elbphilharmonie, overlooking the River Elbe from HafenCity, is one of the largest and most acoustically advanced concert halls in the world. Built just last year, it’s the tallest inhabited building in Hamburg and its striking design reflects its maritime location, resembling a hoisted sail or a water wave.
It’s the place to enjoy performances by leading classical artists, from local jazz ensembles to international philharmonic orchestras. It also has panoramic views of the city from an observation deck in the Elbphilharmonie Plaza.
Speicherstadt
HafenCity’s historic Speicherstadt is the largest warehouse district in the world, characterised by its stunning Neo-Gothic, red-brick buildings and tranquil canals. Its regeneration began almost a decade ago and in 2015, it was awarded the status of UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The picturesque quarter is home to museums including the Deutsches Zollmuseum and Miniatur Wunderland, as well as cute cafes and shops.
Reeperbahn
Tell anyone that you’re going to Hamburg and they’ll suggest that you brave the Reeperbahn. The Beatles played in the music bars of this buzzing strip, but it’s most prominently known as Europe’s largest red light district and nightlife hub. Given its musical legacy, you might have visions of a neon-hued, bohemian playground. In reality, within just one block, we’d witnessed a drunken punter have his wallet stolen in plain sight, ageing punks smoking crack, numerous fights and sweaty dad dancing in some pretty uncool disco bars.
However, the next afternoon, the Reeperbahn was a lot calmer and we crossed it without apprehension when strolling through St. Pauli. It’s also worth mentioning that culture can be found on the ‘Kiez’ at a number of theatres, music halls and clubs. If you want to experience the Reeperbahn, simply have your wits about you and plan which part you want to see because it’s a long street to navigate if you’re just there to see the sculptures at Beatles-platz!
EAT
a.mora
The Alster lake is lined with elegant restaurants and lounges on each landing where you can watch the sailboats and enjoy the scenery. a.mora, next to the Atlantic station, is a stylish spot for a light breakfast, freshly-cooked waffles or sundowner cocktails. They do really good traditional German cakes too!
Mutterland
Gourmet delicatessen Mutterland is the place to find the finest German produce in a cosy, chic setting. Refuel with coffee and exquisite pastries or indulge in traditional specialities in the day-time brasserie.
LuiCella’s
I’m not ashamed to say that we queued for over 30 minutes at LuiCella’s and it was definitely worth the wait. The ice cream at this bijou St. Pauli parlour is 100% natural and comes in interesting, seasonal flavours such tonka raspberry, blackcurrant lassi and even avocado.
We loved our scoops of lavender lemonade, strawberry milk and Franzbrötchen (German cinnamon sweetbread), as well as the free rainbow sprinkles.
Brücke 10
The only way to round off a stroll around the Port of Hamburg is with a classic fish sandwich. There are many vendors along the seafront, but most notable is Das Fischbrötchen-
We really enjoyed the simple fried fish with remoulade and the hot smoked salmon – cheap and tasty eats at under 5 Euros each.
Hatari The Corner
If you’re out late in St.Pauli and in the mood for a really good organic burger, head to Hatari The Corner. This local institution is best described as an indie bar meets rustic canteen with a crowd-pleaser menu of flatbread pizzas, Mexican bowls, healthy vegans dishes and morning pancakes and eggs. Best of all, it’s open until 1am every night and good for people spotting in this fun part of town.
Hans im Gluck
We stumbled across Hans im Gluck by accident when looking for a quick Sunday lunch fix near the Rathaus and it turned out to be a good find. This cheerful burger-grill bar brand was established in Munich in 2010 and now has restaurants in most German cities. Its speciality is burgers (including vegetarian and vegan) made using well-sourced ingredients with a choice of sauces, as well as cocktails.
Go for the Hen flame-grilled chicken burger oozing with avocado cream, orange mustard sauce and sprouts with a side of Sweet potato fries – it’s comfort food heaven. Lavender lemonade, served in a glass jar, is delicious and refreshing too.
NENI
On our last night in Hamburg, we enjoyed an indulgent dinner at NENI, the cool ‘Balagan-style’ restaurant by chef Haya Molcho at the 25hours Hotel Hamburg Altes Hafenamt. It’s one of the most popular restaurants in HafenCity and has a relaxed vibe with stylish interiors inspired by a Middle Eastern bazaar.
We feasted on Baba ganoush and rustic Sweet potato with roasted almonds and crème fraîche, followed by the most delicious NENI-style kebab with Har Bracha tahina, parsley, baharat, grilled vegetables and pita bread. We also loved the moreish Jerusalem teller with tender grilled strips of chicken with spices, fresh herbs, humus, Har Bracha tahina, bell pepper, onion and pita bread.
Hamburg is a destination that really surprised me with its elegant architecture, outdoors feel and arty neighbourhoods. I can’t wait to return and explore the idyllic beaches of nearby Blankenese.
Have you been to Hamburg? What would be top of your Hamburg ‘to do’ list?
All photos by Chérie City
