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What to See in Hamburg? 10 Best Tourist Attractions in Germany’s Second Largest City

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What to See in Hamburg? 10 Best Tourist Attractions in Germany’s Second Largest City

Hamburg is the second largest city in Germany and the eighth largest in the whole of Europe. Its port, its historic architecture, its cultural attractions and its lively nightlife all make it an exciting place to visit. Whether you are a first time visitor or a frequent traveler, there are plenty of points of interest to draw your attention. Here is a list of the ten best places in Hamburg to enjoy a memorable experience.

1. Elbphilharmonie

This modern performance hall is one of Hamburg’s most spectacular tourist attractions. Opened in January 2017, the Elbphilharmonie stands proudly on the Elbe riverfront, with its distinctive glass façade reaching 107 metres skyward. Of course, Elbphilharmonie is primarily a concert venue, offering a wide range of musical performances on its three state-of-the-art stages. It also incorporates the Kaispeicher A building nearby, which dates back to the 19th century and is now used as a public event space. If you’re visiting in the summer months, don’t miss the open air concerts in the adjoining plaza!

2. HafenCity

The regeneration of Hamburg’s old port area, HafenCity, has been transforming the cityscape since 2003. Of UNESCO World Heritage Category A importance, this area to the east of Hamburg’s Inner City is home to a diverse array of buildings from the 19th century Speicherstadt warehouse district to modern skyscrapers like Elbphilharmonie. The buildings house apartments, offices, hotels and museums, as well as several riverfront parks. During the day and in the evening, you can see boats and ferries speeding along the River Elbe – HafenCity is definitely worth some of your time if you’re in Hamburg.

3. Speicherstadt

One of popular distinct areas of Hamburg is Speicherstadt – meaning “warehouse district’ – which is located next to HafenCity. Throughout this entire area there are huge brick warehouses built between 1885 and 1927. Some are now used as museums where visitors can learn more about Hamburg’s history of trade and industry; others have been converted into picturesque cafés and restaurants where you can sit and absorb the atmosphere. Groups above 10 people can book a guided tour of Speicherstadt to learn more about how it has developed over time and all about the local ships, harbours, rivers and warehouses.

4. The Reeperbahn

The Reeperbahn in St. Pauli is one of Germany’s most infamous streets and for years it has been synonymous with Hamburg’s nightlife. Today, visitors will still find sex shops and strip clubs in some areas; but there’s so much more to explore in this colourful neighbourhood, where you’ll find plenty of restaurants, bars, theatres and live music venues to suit a variety of tastes. Don’t miss out exploring the vibrant Herbertstraße; be sure to book Hamburg St. Pauli Tour of the Reeperbahn for an exhaustive tour with highly informative commentary about this district about its culture and reputation!

5. Fish Market

In addition to the more controversial sights, Hamburg is home to many pleasant activities. Every Sunday morning from 5am until 9am there is an open-air market that takes place in the historical centre of St. Pauli on Großneumarkt square. While bargain hunters flock to browse for old books and antiques for sale by vendors, food vendors sell traditional homemade dishes – don’t miss out on their fantastic fish sandwiches! Also available onboard are various stalls selling craft items such as handmade jewellery and handmade soap. You can also enjoy traditional live music while you stroll the stands!

6. St Michael’s Church

St Michael’s Church – also known as Michel – is located in the Neustadt area at what was once the western extremity of Hamburg. This 18th century neo-Gothic building is one of the biggest in Northern Germany and draws visitors year-round with its ornate interior featuring grand organs, expansive ceilings decorated with stucco angels and art pieces from renowned sculptors. Throughout the year, St Michael’s holds services (in German) and hosts concerts by some of Europe’s top musical talent – be sure to check their schedule for details!

7. Deichstrasse

The Deichstrasse was built in 1529 as a defensive wall between Hamburg and Altona (now part of Hamburg). Over time it was renovated many times, but it maintains its original character as a city on stilts between two rivers: the Elbe and Alster. Today, it’s an amazing place to walk along while admiring stunning views all around – the best way to explore it is taking a leisurely stroll or by bike! Along its entire length there are bars, cafés and restaurants where you can stop off for a bite or a drink.

8. Tierpark Hagenbeck

If you want to add something for kids (or for those who are kids at heart) then it should be a saunter through Tierpark Hagenbeck – one of Europe’s first open-air zoos! Established in 1907, this 45-hectare zoo is home to over 1,500 animals such as elephants and gorillas – many who roam free around their habitats – as well as animal shows held throughout the day like bird shows at 11am or a meet & greet with arctic foxes at 2:30pm! You can even get closer to some creatures by taking a ride on their Helium Balloon Safari or getting behind the wheel of a Zoovie jeep!

9. Alster Paddling

There are several different ways to explore the waterways of Hamburg – but one of the best is certainly paddling activity that takes you along Lake Alster in the heart of Hamburg city centre! Paddling in crazy little motorized boats with friends is one of the most fun ways to discover Hamburg over water without being too physical! Embrace your inner pirate by challenging your friends to race around Lake Alster; you can even take along a picnic and toast your success afterwords with a glass of vino at one of the park benches surrounding Lake Alster – now that sounds like an adventure worth having!

10. Miniatur Wunderland

Last but definitely not least on our list of awesome things to do in Hamburg is Miniatur Wunderland – one of Hamburg’s top attractions! It consists of scale models representing famous cities around Europe on a scale 1:87 scale – creating what looks like an incredible miniature world that spans over 4 floors! Visitors can control train tracks, send mini ships off on rivers, operate car lifts – grabbing impressive panoramas as they do so – or visit miniature versions of Hamburg airport or Las Vegas Strip; this makes Miniatur Wunderland one of those experiences that will make you smile time after time!

As you can see from this list, there is plenty to explore in Hamburg without paying too much for sightseeing activities; not only does it boast some amazing tourist destinations but also some quirky attractions that will make your journey really special! It is definitely worth dedicating some decent amount of days to visiting all these great points of interests if you ever visit Germany – with so much diversity available at almost every corner you will never runout out things to do here in Hamburg!

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What to See in Hamburg? 10 Best Tourist Attractions in Germany’s Second Largest City

Experience Adventure Like Never Before: Book Your Tour Today!