Book the Best Flights to Hamburg (HAM)

Nicknamed Germany’s Gateway to the World, Hamburg is Germany’s second-largest city. Famous for its thriving port, Hamburg operates as independently as possible from the nation’s other states. With a rich trading past, Hamburg has many elegant buildings as well as numerous churches and plentiful museums. Discover the best of Hamburg with this Finnair travel guide.

Sights in Hamburg

Frankfurt’s harbour area, split by canals, is attractive for many reasons: the warehouses of Speicherstadt radiate the ambience of the 1800s and HafenCity represents the finest modern architecture. A cruise on the Elbe River shows travellers the city's best, such as the baroque-style St. Michael's Church and the former fishing village of Blankenese. The ruins of St. Nicholas' Church stand as a sombre reminder of the devastations of war. Visitors who like fine architecture shouldn’t miss the Neo-Renaissance City Hall and plenty can be learnt at the city’s diverse museums, which include the BallinStadt Emigration Museum, Hamburg Museum, Deichtorhallen and the Art Hall Museum. Unsurprisingly, there are numerous sites dedicated to the city’s maritime and trading past, including the ship-shaped Chilehaus, the International Maritime Museum, the Dockland Museum, the cargo ship of MS Cap San Diego and the ship of Rickmer Rickmers. In the warmer months, the small beaches along the River Elbe attract many sunseekers, and sailing is offered on the artificial lake of Außenalster. Alternatively, there are several leafy parks, like Stadtpark, the old and new botanical gardens and Planten un Blomen, where you can relax away from city life for a while. The Miniatur Wunderland and Hamburg Dungeons are great for family outings. Tours of Volksparkstadion, performances at Hamburg State Opera House and Laeiszhalle, the famous red-light district of Reeperbahn and the trendy St. Georg, home of Hamburg’s gay scene, add to the city’s rich diversity.

Things to See and Do Near Hamburg

• Lüneburg Heath – Visit Hamburg’s hinterland and explore the woodlands and heaths that make up the nature reserve.
• Sankt Peter-Ording – Spend a day at the seaside and enjoy surfing off the coast of the beautiful, wide beach.
• Lübeck – Explore the UNESCO-listed medieval city with its attractive blend of architectural styles. Major attractions include the grand monumental gate of Holstentor, the City Hall, the Willy Brandt House and St. Mary’s Church.
• Ahrensburg – Travel out to this suburb to admire its splendid Renaissance-era castle.

Shopping in Hamburg

With a mixture of large shopping centres, markets, small boutiques, high fashion and quirky stores, Hamburg offers satisfying retail therapy for all.

• Mönckebergstraße – In the heart of the city, this is Frankfurt’s main shopping area. There’s a wide variety of stores housing a huge selection of goods. Smaller side streets, like Spitalerstraße, yield even more delights.
• Gänsemarkt – Many well-known fashion brands can be found here, including several flagship stores.
• Fischmarkt – Held on Sundays along the shores of the Elbe, this traditional fish market is a great place to see (and buy) freshly caught produce.
• Karolinenviertel – Home to offbeat, vintage, fancy and second-hand fashion boutiques, the local vibe is strong in this shopping quarter.
• Europa Passage – With more than 100 stores spread over five floors, Hamburg’s largest shopping centre contains a mixture of high-street and luxury brands.

Food and Drink

From gourmet restaurants to roadside snack sellers and everything in between, and with local delicacies and a broad selection of international favourites, Hamburg offers endless choices for food-loving travellers. The coastal location means that seafood and fish are prominent ingredients.

• Hamburger Hummersuppe – A creamy lobster soup, this is usually served with whipped cream and dill.
• Hamburger Speck – Ideal for people with a sweet tooth, these candies are made from foamed sugar and have various coatings.
• Krabbentoast – A popular snack or breakfast meal, small shrimps sit on top of toasted white bread.
• Birnen, Bohnen und Speck – One of Hamburg’s local dishes, this dish contains bacon, pears and green beans.
• Labskaus – This is a hearty, meaty stew with sea-faring roots. Fairly basic but incredibly filling, it is made from corned beef, potatoes and beetroot.
• Alsterwasser– A refreshing drink that is especially popular in beer gardens in the summertime, it is a mixture of beer and fizzy lemonade.
• Coffee – The love of coffee in Hamburg goes back hundreds of years and the city’s port was once home to the world’s biggest coffee market. Strong Javanese coffee can be enjoyed in the city’s many cafes.

Transport in Hamburg

Hamburg has a modern and efficient public transportation system, with transport available day and night around the city. Combined tickets that include buses, trains and ferries are available for a day, a week, a month or longer. Single-journey tickets can also be purchased.

• By foot – The Old Town is easy to discover by foot, with many attractions just a short walk from each other. Several shopping streets are vehicle-free, including Spitalerstraße and Colonnaden.
• By bicycle – Cycling in Hamburg is popular with locals and visitors during the warmer months and there are several rental kiosks around the city.
• Buses – Regular bus services operate around the city and beyond, connecting the main bus station with suburbs and surrounding towns. Night buses ensure that people can always get back to their homes and hotels.
• Train – The overground S-Bahn and underground U-Bahn are the main ways for many people to get around Hamburg smoothly. The different routes connect almost all places of interest. Services in the city run from early in the morning until around 1 am, though at weekends the lines run all through the night.
• Ferry - All ferries in Hamburg stop at Landungsbrücken and there are six lines that travel along the River Elbe and around the harbour.
• Taxis – Hamburg has many official metered taxis. Catch one directly from the street or from a designated taxi stand.