Hamburg has five major stations: Hauptbahnhof (central station), Altona, Dammtor, Harburg, Bergedorf. Various types of train service are available.
* ICE (Inter City Express) high speed train service to or from most major German cities, including [wiki=ee1611b61f5688e70c12b40684dbb395]Berlin[/wiki], [wiki=34de6132f13e62a0c803d12062324ad6]Cologne[/wiki] (Köln), [wiki=c25fa34ca987da7badf27ae2882c4979]Dusseldorf[/wiki], [wiki=4312d5c8cdda027420c474e2221abc34]Frankfurt[/wiki], [wiki=7b88a4aca50f33c258efc438d098c9f4]Munich[/wiki] also to [wiki=aea93afdf4bee7f4b52526ee5f040cea]Basel[/wiki] and [wiki=2b29c5739ec4158573c66d2124e2c7e9]Zurich[/wiki] (Zürich) [wiki=3ad08396dc5afa78f34f548eea3c1d64]Switzerland[/wiki]. There are usually hourly service to most destinations during the daytime.
* Direct service to or from [wiki=2da3c827ccabc4855cb9921b4f1addfa]Copenhagen[/wiki] and [wiki=e8fd3d083b72983290af7b774a00a132]Aarhus[/wiki] ([wiki=424214945ba5615eca039bfe5d731c09]Denmark[/wiki]), [wiki=9fed5dae86e3030d9be3740efa198659]Budapest[/wiki] ([wiki=fa79c3005daec47ecff84a116a0927a1]Hungary[/wiki]), [wiki=a71105026dfe9155f7ac4d18e494a40b]Prague[/wiki] ([wiki=51802d8bb965d0e5be697f07d16922e8]Czech Republic[/wiki]), [wiki=601f9226a92f0a314068aa4395f65528]Vienna[/wiki] ([wiki=9891739094756d2605946c867b32ad28]Austria[/wiki]), and [wiki=c114af7c3a3c9bbbbe2875e03aa486f7]Bratislava[/wiki] ([wiki=88a392b5a8d8f73986d83a2deefb0472]Slovakia[/wiki]).
DB Autozug also operates car transport and sleeper trains to several European destinations. They can be a convenient -if a bit expensive- way of travelling within Europe while still keeping your car around.
Use the German railway's online trip planner [http://reiseauskunft.bahn.de/bin/query.exe/en?Z=Hamburg] to find connections to/from Hamburg and buy tickets.
via the Autobahn:
* A1 to/from [wiki=058d4f9fe48b8920d409f2ebb88e0247]Lübeck[/wiki] (north-east) - To get to the city change to the A24 at "Autobahnkreuz Ost".
* A1 to/from [wiki=92c1f80a07ad537ddb7e00137d6a25f9]Bremen[/wiki], [wiki=34de6132f13e62a0c803d12062324ad6]Cologne[/wiki] (Köln) (south/south-west) - To get to the city change to A255.
* A7 to/from [wiki=8a5411653b90e76023bc88d1d862d88e]Flensburg[/wiki], [wiki=1a75b35314be8c19f22c5c5334d78c8f]Kiel[/wiki] (north) - To get to the city exit at "Bahrenfeld".
* A7 to/from [wiki=e170433cb576a0b45fb493990df50393]Hanover[/wiki], [wiki=d0af1daaf551d7122bca625ff338e705]Kassel[/wiki] (south)- To get to the city exit right after the "Elbtunnel" at "Othmarschen" or "Bahrenfeld". Use the rightmost pipe of the "Elbtunnel" to exit at "Othmarschen".
* A23 to/from [wiki=578365a4bdd8e5d6652e949d81e92034]Husum[/wiki].
* A24 to/from [wiki=ee1611b61f5688e70c12b40684dbb395]Berlin[/wiki].
Be prepared to pay for parking. Hamburg has a wide selection of P+R (Park+Ride) parking areas outside the city centre, where you can park for free and very easily use public transport to get into the city.
Buses serving other cities (regional, national, and European destinations) arrive at or depart from Hamburg's central bus station ("ZOB") [url=http://www.zob-hamburg.de/],]which is located near the central railway station (Hauptbahnhof) (two minute walk). Destinations include [[Berlin[/url]] (several times a day).
Buses to [wiki=058d4f9fe48b8920d409f2ebb88e0247]Lübeck[/wiki] depart from Wandsbek.
Buses to Bosnia are eg. run by Salinea, [http://www.salinea.net/red_voznje.asp]
Throughout Germany and Europe, there is a broad culture of carpooling. Drivers save on fuel costs by sharing the ride with passengers who usually pay around 5€/100km. Several hundred thousand direct lifts to/from Hamburg and other European cities are offered on carpooling platforms like carpooling.com [http://www.carpooling.co.uk/searches/search_abroad] at any time.
[wiki=058d4f9fe48b8920d409f2ebb88e0247#By_boat]Lübeck[/wiki], about an hour away by train, is a major Baltic ferry port. Ferries are available to [wiki=424214945ba5615eca039bfe5d731c09]Denmark[/wiki] and [wiki=c8f4261f9f46e6465709e17ebea7a92b]Sweden[/wiki]. Occasionally also longer trips to [wiki=6f781c6559a0c605da918096bdb69edf]Finland[/wiki], [wiki=d9051e0b77f8bb5521389618e70e2ada]Lithuania[/wiki] and [wiki=5feb168ca8fb495dcc89b1208cdeb919]Russia[/wiki] are offered.
Hamburg is also a major cruise port. Mostly during the summer months trips to Nordic countries are offered. However, there are also transatlantic services mostly to [wiki=d97e023dce2bb237a0d44f46d8ee9438]New York City[/wiki].
You can leave Hamburg to the south (A7-Hannover/Frankfurt/Munich) and southwest (A1-Bremen/Cologne/Netherlands) from the filling station known as "HH-Stillhorn" you can get there with the number 13 bus from suburbanstation S-Wilhelmsburg.
To Berlin you can start at the "Horner-Kreisel" and take the number 161 bus from S-Berliner Tor or walk from U2-Rauhes Haus.
You can find cars [http://www.mitfahrgelegenheit.de] driving to most German cities for €10-20.
From the UK, it may be an idea to take a ferry to Denmark and then hitch down rather than going via Holland.
Generally, try and have a cardboard sign which reads the local number plates of the place you wish to travel to, i.e. B for Berlin, HL for Luebeck, LN for Lueneburg and so on.
Hamburg has a well-developed public transport system. Buses go around the clock. At night, a special "Nachtbus" (night bus) service connects the outlying districts and the city center. The buses depart and arrive at "Rathausmarkt", near the town hall and operate all through the night. The S-Bahn and U-Bahn (metro) train services (underground and overground) run from approximately 5AM until 1AM in the central city, but there is often no service past 11PM in outlying districts. On weekends, it runs all night.
Vending machines in the rail stations (and at some bus stops) sell short distance, single ride, and day tickets. Group tickets are also available. On the buses, the driver will sell you what you need. To buy week or longer tickets, go to Hauptbanhof or Bahnof Altona, get passport photos in the automated photo booth, and buy your pass in the information office. You can also buy a Hamburg Card, which includes the public transport system, museums, and other things. You can get the Hamburg Card at all ticket offices and from the bus drivers.
Hamburg's public transit operates on a proof-of-payment system. Officials in red waistcoats make spot checks, but aside from that, you simply get on and off as you wish with no turnstiles or gates. From 2012 on you are required to show your ticket while entering a bus to the driver. The exception are the crowded bus lines 4, 5 and 6, except after 21h and on Sundays.
Try to avoid rush-hour before 9AM and between 4-7PM. If you start your travel after 9AM, buy a "9 Uhr Tageskarte". You are not allowed to take bicycles into subways before 9AM and between 4-6PM, unless it is a folding bike like a Dahon, Brompton, Bike Friday, etc. Folders are allowed on Hamburg public transit at any time of the day.
Six ferry services operate in the harbour and along the River Elbe as part of the regular public transport system. (Tip: take ferry line 62 from Landungsbrücken to Finkenwerder and back to enjoy a scenic trip through the harbour on a day ticket.)
On the two Alster lakes, a ferry boat travels once every hour from Jungfernstieg in the city centre to Winterhuder Fährhaus. These boats are not in the general HVV ticket system, thus more expensive, however, they offer a splendid view to some of the wealthiest neighborhoods of Hamburg.
If you are traveling to Hamburg using a Niedersachsen ticket or Schleswig Holstein ticket, you have access to all the HVV lines.
There is a good supply of taxis in Hamburg 24 hours a day, both at taxi stands and in the streets. You can identify a taxi rank by a green box on a post somewhat like an over-sized parking meter or alarm post. You will have to wait there or phone one of the numbers below, since the boxes can not be used to call a cab. Almost all vehicles are still in the traditional ivory white colour, but even if not, a yellow and black sign on the roof reading "Taxi" indicates a licensed cab. As usual, the sign is switched on to indicate vacancies. The meter starts at €2.80. A trip in the city area will be between €6-12. For a trip from the city to the airport, expect to pay roughly €25. Most taxis accept credit card payments.
Hamburg has six S-Bahn (commuter railway) lines and four U-Bahn (subway) lines, including the line U4. This line has been introduced in 2012 and it links the Jungfernstieg and Main Station (the city centre) with the new developments in the Hafencity. All lines run partly over and underground, in the city, and in the outskirts. The only difference is that these are two companies, but there is a unified fare system.
All train platforms have signs showing the next train, where it is headed, and how many minutes until it arrives. Trains are described by a number and the final station. Note that the final station may vary. For example, half of the S1 trains heading west go all the way to Wedel, but the other half go only as far as Blankenese. Also, all S-Bahn trains with one-digit numbers go via Landungsbrücken and Jungfernstieg and all S-Bahn trains with two-digit numbers go via Dammtor.
Note that train doors do not open automatically. You have to press a button or pull a handle on the door. Wait for the passengers to get off first before you enter. In the cold season, close the door after getting on the train if it looks like a longer stop. Either push the handle or press the closing buttons on the inside until the door is closed.
All signs and notifications at stations and in trains are shown in at least two languages (German and English).
Hamburg is an extremely bicycle-friendly city and during the warmer months, many of the cities residents will use bicycles as their normal form of transportation. Several hotels within Hamburg provide residents with access to hotel bicycles.
The city itself also offers bike rental services. This service is called StadtRad [url=http://stadtrad.hamburg.de/],]and there are several kiosks located around the city. To use this service, customers must register On the [url=http://stadtrad.hamburg.de/kundenbuchung/]Stadtrad website[/url[/url] and create an account with a credit card or e-mail and telephone. Once the account has been created, you can go to any one of these terminals and use one of their bikes as long as you want. The first 30 minutes are free, the next time coast 8 Cent/min. and the maximum charge is € 12 per day. Note that one can even take two bicycles at the same time with just one account. Moreover, it is possible to take out a bicycle and return it after 29 minutes, only to rent another right away. By doing so, you could ride the whole day without paying anything, as the '30 minutes free' rule applies over and over.
Alternatively, Hamburg City Cycles [http://www.hhcitycycles.de/] (working with the bicycle store next door) rents bicycles for €23 for 2 days and €7 for each additional day. Hourly rates are also available. The bicycles are large "cruiser" style bikes and the rental includes a lock, air pump, and toolkit if desired.
There are generally 2 options:
*Parking in the city centre: most likely, you will have to pay for parking. However, the maximum fee is €12 for 24 hours. This is a viable option if you would like to walk around the central area and you/your friends will not use the public transport.
*Parking in HVV P+R[http://www.hvv.de/en/all-you-need-to-know/car-drivers/park-ride/] (Park & Ride): HVV offers free parking lots outside of the city centre. The idea is that you leave your car there and use the public transport to get around. If you and/or your company merely would like to travel around the city centre on foot, the first option is cheaper and makes more sense.
Bergedorf once was an independent town, but now is a quarter of Hamburg. It is situated in the south-eastern side of Hamburg. Bergedorf borders with the quarters of Lohbrügge, Billwerder, Allermöhe, Curslack and Altengamme. Sometimes it is called the "garden of Hamburg". This is because the Vier- und Marschlande are part of the quarter of Bergedorf, which consists mostly of farmland.
Touristic Attractions are the Bergedorf Castle, which is the only castle still intact within the borders of Hamburg, the shopping arcade, starting at Lohbrügges Alte Holstenstraße, continuing on Bergedorfs Sachsentor (lots of frame houses can be seen here) and ending on Mohnhof, where the "city center" of Bergedorf is located.
Another attraction is the observatory, which was build in 1912 and is still in use today. It is owned by the University of Hamburg.
In the past few years Bergedorf underwent a heavy reconstruction, with a new main bus terminal and a new commercial center.
To get there, take the S2 or S21 to Bergedorf/Aumühle. Another possibility is to take the Regional Train R20, which also stops in Bergedorf and can be used with a regular HVV ticket. The train station lies on the border of Lohbrügge and Bergedorf. Exit the station to the left hand side (facing the direction the train travelled coming from Hauptbahnhof) and you will end up in Lohbrügge. Right hand side is Bergedorf with the newly build commercial center.
U 434 - One of the biggest non-nuclear Soviet submarines.
*Church St. Katharinen - One of the five main churches of Hamburg.
* The Chilehaus, depicting the form of a ship, is probably the best example of the 1920s style of "Kontorhaus" architecture. Large office buildings are displayed in the typical, northern red brick style.
Planten un Blomen is a park in the city with an emphasis on flower displays. Subway station Dammtor.
* Alter Botanischer Garten with Tropenhaus (Schaugewächshäuser) in the Area of Planten un Blomen. Admission free.
* Neuer Botanischer Garten in Klein Flottbek. Admission free.
* Alstervorland, at the Außenalster.
* The Stadtpark (city park) - Has a pretty good Planetarium situated in an old water tower in the middle of the park (closed for refurbishing until end of 2016).
* Ohlsdorfer Friedhof - One of the world's biggest graveyards.
* Jenischpark, Baurs Park, and Garten der Alma l'Aigles, down the river Elbe close to Teufelsbrück.
* Hagenbecks Tierpark - Hamburg's Zoo.
There are a number of small beaches on the North side of the Elbe river between Övelgönne and Blankenese. Even though not common, it is safe to swim in the Elbe there (if you don't swim out too far). You may have a barbecue there in the evenings, as long as you bring a grill and clean up after yourself. Watch out for surprisingly large waves created by large ships passing by and stay clear at least 50m of any structure in or reaching into the water! See [wiki=a6affab887c86c964f344906c9282571]#Stay safe|Stay Safe[/wiki] below!
In addition, there are a usually number of commercial beach clubs during the summer, usually between Fischmarkt and Övelgönne. Other than the name might indicate, these are bars open to the public.
The best way to come to the most popular beach is to take the harbour-ferry bus from the Landungsbrücken station to Neumühlen/Övelgönne.
Hamburg publishes a thick, detailed booklet of local museums called "Museumswelt Hamburg". You can find the Museumswelt Hamburg at the information desk at any of the museums.
Night of Museums[url=http://www.langenachtdermuseen-hamburg.de/]]in April is big in Hamburg. Over fifty places take part and are open till 2AM. Entrance to museums is not free, but the cost is symbolic, ticket everywhere (plus public transportation) costs 12 € (discounted 8 €).
* [url=http://www.mkg-hamburg.de/en/home.html]Museum für Kunst und Gewerbe[/url[/url] (Museum of Arts and Crafts), Steintorplatz, just to the southeast of Hauptbahnhof, Tel: 489 133-200, Fax: 426 136-29 32, Open Tu-Su 11AM-6PM, Th 11AM-9PM, Admission: € 10, reduced: € 7, children unter 18 years free, family: 17 €.
The museum is a leading centre for art, applied art, and design. Its collections of work from Europe and the Middle and the Far East are of the finest-quality and span all epochs from the Ancient World to the present day. They also have many activities and concerts (see the Classical Music section). The museum is housed in an 18th century palace, which has the original roofs and ceilings.
* [url=http://www.hamburger-kunsthalle.de/index.php/home_en.html]Kunsthalle[/url] (art museum), Glockengießerwall, north of Hauptbahnhof, Tel: 428 131-200, Fax: 428 54-3409 [url=http://www.hamburger-kunsthalle.de/].]Open Tu-Su 10AM-6PM, Th 10AM-9PM. Adults 12 €, Concessions 6 €, Family Day Ticket 18 €, under 18 free admission.
The museum houses an important collection of paintings from the 19th century with works from Max Liebermann, Lovis Corinth, Philipp Otto Runge, Caspar David Friedrich, Adolf Menzel, and modern arts. It rises on both sides of a paved court. The Baroque building on one side has the older works. The areas under the courtyard and the other, modern looking building house an extensive collection of very modern art. There are some extremely fine pieces, but the quality is uneven and the curacy curious at times. For instance, in a far back corner with minimal climate control and no observation are four or five gorgeous French Impressionist paintings which are among the finest in the museum.
* Deichtorhallen[url=http://www.deichtorhallen.de/index.php?id=5&L=1[/url]]- The Deichtorhallen is one of the best known exhibition galleries worldwide. The historical buildings are divided into an exhibition hall for contemporary art and the "House of Photography". Together the two buildings organize a highly diverse program of changing exhibitions.
* Hamburg Museum[url=http://www.hamburgmuseum.de/index2.html[/url]](former: Museum für Hamburgische Geschichte), Holstenwall, close to Underground station "St. Pauli". This is the museum of city history, bringing the past to life with a lot of models showing the development of the harbour and the city. The club "MEHEV" is showing a 40-year old and one of the largest scale model railroads here.
* Originally built in 1892 under the guidance of Albert Ballin, the complex was built to provide medical care and accommodation to migrants, who were emigrating to the United States on HAPAG ships. The complex was converted into a museum, though its original design and layout is not the same because parts of the complex were destroyed. The museum is dedicated to the five million persons who emigrated via Hamburg. It has a computer terminal where visitors can look up information on their emigrant ancestors. At €12, it's pricey, and the English translations can be sparse and superficial. Unless they can read the German documents, American visitors who have been to museums such as Ellis Island will find much of the content familiar.
* [url=http://www.internationales-maritimes-museum.de/]International Maritime Museum[/url[/url] - Privately owned museum in HafenCity district houses a collection of thousands model ships, construction plans, uniforms and photographs on ten floors in the oldest preserved warehouse in Hamburg (from 1879). Opening Hours: Tue - Sun 10.00 - 18.00 h, Normal ticket € 12.50, family € 24.50, Audio-Guide € 3,50, Koreastraße 1, Tel. +49 (0)40 300 92 30-0.
* [url=http://www.speicherstadtmuseum.de/#]Speicherstadtmuseum[/url] (Dockland Museum), branch of Museum of Labour located in docklands warehouse. History of the district and tea and coffee trade. Entrance: 3.60 €, discounts apply. Am Sandtorkai 36, Tel. 040 / 32 11 91
* Automuseum Prototyp[url=http://www.prototyp-hamburg.de]]HafenCity, Shanghaiallee 7. Museum of car prototypes, nice shop inside. Open 10AM - 6PM, Mondays closed. Tickets 9 EUR, kids
Hamburg is traditionally a Lutheran evangelic town. But due to the large number of different ethnic groups who settled in the harbour town, one is most certainly going to find a suitable temple of any religion. Almost all synagogues have been destroyed during the time of Nazi-government.
*St. Michaeliskirche Protestant baroque church, the building as it is known today was built in 1786.
*Synagoge Hamburg, situated in the traditionally Jewish Grindel neighbourhood.
*Christianskirche, Baroque church in Ottensen.
*Dreieinigkeitskirche St. Georg, Post-war church with Baroque steeple in Sankt Georg.
*St.-Marien-Dom St. Georg - Since 1995, this neo-romanesque church is the cathedral of the youngest Roman Catholic archbishop of Germany. Though the church has not the splendor one might expect, next to it you may find the first statue world wide of the late pope, John-Paul II.
*Flussschifferkirche, Germany's only floating church next to the Speicherstadt [http://www.flussschifferkirche.de/home.html].
*Imam-Ali-Mosque - Biggest of all mosques in Hamburg. Centre of the religious and cultural life of the huge Iranian community. The Imams of Hamburg happen to have played important roles in Iran's religious and political everyday life since their installation in the 1950s.
*International Baptist Church (IBC-Hamburg) - Biggest English-speaking church in Hamburg. Meets 12:30-2pm on Sundays. Large Young Adult Group that meets Tuesdays as well.
*St. Thomas Becket Anglican Church - First non-Lutheran parish permitted in Hamburg after reformation. The classical building from 1831 is close to St. Michaeliskirche.
The best way to explore Hamburg's extensive waterways (Hamburg has more bridges than Amsterdam, Venice and London combined) is on a ferry or pleasure boat. A variety of boat tours lasting from 50 minutes to 3 hours depart regularly from the Jungfernstieg on the Inner Alster lake. The exact offer varies depending on the season, so do check in advance or at the landing stage to see what's available. The simplest and shortest tour is the Alsterrundfahrt or Alster tour that lasts 50 minutes and takes in the Inner and Outer Alster lakes (adults: €15). The small cruise boats are often hired for weddings. One is an old steamer. Contact Alster Touristik on 35 74 24-0 or check out the website at [url=http://www.alstertouristik.de]www.alstertouristik.de [/url].
Hamburg is home to the Hamburg State Opera House (Staatsoper Hamburg [http://staatsoper-hamburg.de/en/1_state_opera/hso/geschichte/index.php]), one of the leading opera houses in Germany. It holds great historical significance, as in 1678 the first public opera house in Germany was built in Hamburg at Gänsemarkt Square, which is where the opera house is still located today. The In 2011 the Staatsoper celebrated 333 years of opera at Gänsemarkt.
Hamburg also has many theaters, and is known to host a number of different musicals, as well as other music events.
The Imtech-Arena (formerly The HSH-Nordbank-Arena, and AOL-Arena, commonly known as Volksparkstadion) is the stadium of the local Bundesliga football/soccer club HSV. Newly constructed and reopened in 2000, it is arguably the prettiest stadium in Germany with a great atmosphere. In addition to guided tours, it also features a museum presenting the history of the club. See also the HSV website [http://www.hsv.de].
* The Millerntor-Stadion is the home of the famous Bundesliga football/soccer club FC St. Pauli [http://www.fcstpauli.de]. It lacks the modernity and prettiness of the Volksparkstadion, yet its atmosphere during games is unique and well worth a visit. The Millerntor-Stadion is located at the east end of the Reeperbahn. Nearest station is St. Pauli on the underground line U3.
*Hamburg Blue Devils - Fourfold German American Football Champion (German Football League).
*Hamburg Stealers HSV-aligned baseball club, with field located near Hamburg Airport.
*HSV Handball is the local handball team, playing their matches at the modern o2 World Hamburg (formerly Colorline-Arena), right next to the Volksparkstadion.
*Hamburg Freezers share the Colorline-Arena with HSV Handball. The premier-league ice hockey team features many international top class players.
* The German Open in Men's Tennis are held at the Rothenbaum in Hamburg. The tournament is one of nine ATP Masters Series tournaments.
*Deutsche Bank Players’ Championship, at the Gut Kaden Golf and Land Club. Golf tournament of world class, prize money €600,000.
*Vattenfall Cyclassics - World Cup and public bike race.
*Holsten City Man - The only German Triathlon World Cup.
*Conergy Marathon Hamburg - Usually in spring, open to the public.
Fischmarkt (Fish Market) - Every Sunday morning vendors praise wares of virtually every type at Hamburg's oldest open-air market, dating back to 1703. The market takes place at the foot of the century-old Fish Auction Hall, where live-bands perform jazz, skiffle, country, or western music. Open every Sunday from 5AM-9:30AM, in winter from 7AM-9:30AM.
*Hafengeburtstag (Harbour Birthday) - Every year in May the harbour birthday attracts millions of people. Dozens of stands and stages, a ship parade, and changing events are organized to celebrate the cities spring of wealth. The harbour filled 800 years in 1989. Since then, the Harbour Birthday grew the greatest harbour party in the world. It is generally in early May.
*Kirschblütenfest (Japanese Cherry Blossom Festival) - On May 19th, the Japanese community of Hamburg celebrates the Japanese Cherry Blossom Festival by the Lake Alster. Enormous fireworks and a peaceful atmosphere are characteristics of this event.
*Hamburger Dom (Fair) - The Dom is one of the largest fairs in Germany. The streets of the fairground, lined on both sides with stalls and rides, are some 3.3 km long. It takes place in spring, summer, and early winter for the duration of one month each. See the Dom's website [http://hamburgerdom.de/].
*Street Parties - Watch out for neighbourhood and street parties during summertime. Some of the biggest are:
**Altonale, in Ottensen.
**Bergedorfer Stadtfest, in Bergedorf.
**Osterstraßenfest, in Eimsbüttel.
**Schanzenfest, in Schanzenviertel is self-organized and full of peace and happiness until it ends around 10PM in fighting between a crowd and the police.
**Stuttgarter Weindorf - Vintners from southern Germany present their products at the Rathausmarkt (town hall square).
*Street Parades
**Schlagermove Parade, a parody on the Berlin Loveparade with schlager instead of techno music. [http://www.schlagermove.de/]
**Hamburg Pride, the Gay Pride Parade usually takes place in August and moves from the Central Station through the shopping streets to end at the Jungfernstieg with the set up party tents. [http://www.hamburgpride.com/]
**Carnival of Cultures, a colouful and interesting parade showing off worldwide cultures. [http://www.karneval-kulturen-hamburg.de]
Original Hamburg dishes are Birnen, Bohnen und Speck (Low Saxon Birn, Bohn un Speck, green runner beans cooked with pears and bacon), Aalsuppe (Low Saxon Oolsupp, often mistaken to be German for “eel soup“ (Aal/Ool translated ‘eel’), however the name probably comes from the Low Saxon allns [ʔaˑlns], meaning “all”, “everything and the kitchen sink”, not necessarily eel. Today eel is often included to meet the expectations of unsuspecting diners.), Bratkartoffeln (Low Saxon Brootkartüffeln, pan-fried potato slices), Finkenwerder Scholle (Low Saxon Finkwarder Scholl, pan-fried plaice), Pannfisch (pan-fried fish), Rote Grütze (Low Saxon Rode Grütt, related to Danish rødgrød, a type of summer pudding made mostly from berries and usually served with cream, like Danish rødgrød med fløde) and Labskaus (a mixture of corned beef, mashed potatoes and beetroot, a cousin of the Norwegian lapskaus and [wiki=afce84ff226407a47c9782a742ba02f7]Liverpool[/wiki]'s Scouse (food), all offshoots off an old-time one-pot meal that used to be the main component of the common sailor's humdrum diet on the high seas).
Alsterwasser in Hamburg (a reference to the city's river Alster with two lake-like bodies in the city centre thanks to damming), a type of, a concoction of equal parts of beer and carbonated lemonade (Zitronenlimonade), the lemonade being added to the beer.
Hamburg is also home to a curious regional dessert pastry called Franzbrötchen. Looking rather like a flattened croissant, the Franzbrötchen is somewhat similar in preparation but includes a cinnamon and sugar filling, often with raisins or brown sugar. The name may also reflect to the roll's croissant-like appearance - franz appears to be a shortening of französisch, meaning "French", which would make a Franzbrötchen a “French roll.” Being a Hamburg regional food, the Franzbrötchen becomes quite scarce outside the borders of the city; as near as [wiki=a772cf1e331b3eb9e5d5e9716f7ded19]Lunenburg[/wiki] ([wiki=a772cf1e331b3eb9e5d5e9716f7ded19]Lüneburg[/wiki]) it can only be found as a Hamburger and is not available in [wiki=92c1f80a07ad537ddb7e00137d6a25f9]Bremen[/wiki] at all.
Ordinary bread rolls tend to be oval-shaped and of the French bread variety. The local name is Rundstück (“round piece” rather than mainstream German Brötchen, diminutive form of Brot “bread”), a relative of Denmark's rundstykke. In fact, while by no means identical, the cuisines of Hamburg and Denmark, especially of Copenhagen have a lot in common. This also includes a predilection for open-faced sandwiches of all sorts, especially topped with cold-smoked or pickled fish. The American hamburger seems to have developed from Hamburg's Frikadelle: a pan-fried patty (usually larger and thicker than the American counterpart) made from a mixture of ground beef, soaked stale bread, egg, chopped onion, salt and pepper, usually served with potatoes and vegetables like any other piece of meat, not usually on a bun. Many Hamburgers consider their Frikadelle and the American hamburger different, virtually unrelated. The Oxford Dictionary defined a Hamburger steak in 1802: a sometimes-smoked and -salted piece of meat, that, according to some sources, came from Hamburg to America.
Joker, Reeperbahn 153. Excellent food at very low prices. Great for a quick bite before going out in the area. Try the Oriental Chicken!
* Cafe Piya, Susannenstraße 8. Excellent burgers for reasonable prices, in the heart of Schanzenviertel.
* Geelhaus, Koppel 76 (St. Georg), [url=http://www.geelhaus.de/].]Daily 6PM-11PM, some meals until midnight. Menu changes frequently, fresh food, creativity.
* Lühmanns Teestube, Blankeneser Landstraße 29, (take the S-Bahn to Blankenese, and walk west on Blankeneser Landstraße from the station), phone 040 / [url=http://www.luehmanns-teestube.de/[/url]]M-F 9AM-11PM, Sa 9AM-6PM, Su 10AM-11PM. Friendly local café. Light fare and local specialties, wonderful pies, and baked goods. Their Cornish tea with fresh scones is worth trying. €5-15.
* Murphy's Roadhouse, Saseler Markt 1 (S-Bahn station Poppenbüttel, then take the Bus to Saseler Markt). M-Th Noon-1AM, F Sa Noon-2AM, Su 10AM-midnight. Serves a variety of American type food. Good quality and portions at decent prices. Located in the northern suburbs, so it's a bit of a trip unless you are in the area. Typical meal should run about €10-17.
* Teufels Küche, Ottenser Hauptstraße 4, M-Sa 11AM-11PM, Su Noon-10PM. Serves International "freestyle" food.
* Ristorante Borsalino, Sternstraße 125, Schanzenviertel, [url=http://www.ristorante-borsalino.de[/url],]just three minutes from train station Sternschanze in the trendy neighbourhood of Schanzenviertel. This little Italian gem serves great and very affordable Italian food at even better prices. Pizzas start from €6, fresh pasta is around €7-10 (Pasta Mista is highly recommended), the meat dishes are delicious (it is right next to the "Schlachthof"-Slaughterhouse) and the four course menu is unbeatable at €19.50. From noon-3PM they serve a lunch menu for €6,50. Opening hours M-F noon-3PM and 6PM-midnight, Sa 6PM-midnight, Sundays closed. Reservations recommended.
* In central station, you can get all kinds of snacks, including the fast food chains. But also fresh fish - Hamburg or Sushi style.
Vegetarian/vegan food.
Every day, you can get vegetarian food for donation (€1.50) in different places check out on this site:
[http://www.nadir.org/nadir/initiativ/bewegungsmelder/index2.htm[/url].
In the Hauptbahnhof (Central Station), there are a lot of snack bars to have a quick meal.
While there are probably not many vegetarian snack bars, there is a fairly decent selection of veggie food to be found, such as croissants with brie cheese and meat-free pizza slices.
Traditional greece food
* Traditional local food in the amazing basement of the Rathaus
* French cuisine, fresh four or five course meal, changing daily, including wine at approximately
* Trendy restaurant with consistently good international cuisine, often local German dishes. It has a very good value lunch deal (two course menu for €11), close to the Central Station.
* Good portugese and German food
* Famous for their great Schnitzel. This place was found by this text author via Tripadvisors guide to the best Schnitzel in Hamburg. The large Schnitzet is ridiculously large.
* Sensational Italian food, in a trendy, friendly atmosphere. By the entrance you will get a "credit card", you show when you order food in the different kitchens. You pay when you leave.
* this restaurant provides a surprisingly cozy atmosphere. It is a must visit for all lovers of high quality meat and fish, but the menu offers some vegetarian dishes, too. For beef and fish, it is probably the best value for money you can find in Hamburg. Dishes are huge and the preparation quality comes close to star-awarded locations. It is advisable to reserve a table in advance, especially on Fridays and Saturdays in the autumn and winter months.
* This restaurant is a must see for local seafood specialties. It is nestled in an architecturally beautiful and very characteristic hall in Altona. The decor is cozy, low lit and very comfortable. The entrance is through a sea food shop where all ingredients are laid out and the open kitchen is visible. Incredibly friendly(and English-speaking)staff will recommend the daily specials and freshest catches. Not to be missed for an authentic and delicious Hamburg seafood experience.
Fischereihafen-Restaurant, Große Elbstraße 143, 22767 Hamburg, phone +49 40 381816.[http://www.fischereihafenrestaurant.de/]. Excellent view of parts of the port and the river Elbe. Many celebs have dined here, including English royals.
Cafe Gnosa, Lange Reihe 93, St. Georg-area. Coffeehouse with wide range of delicious self-made cakes and pastries, also good for breakfast. Gay-owned. Customers mixed by straight and gay people of any age. May not be easy to catch a table during rush-hours. Highly recommended for sugar- and caffeine-addicts.
* Cafe Klatsch, Glashüttenstraße 17, 20357 Hamburg. A small cafe serving delicious breakfast and other tidbits in a very cozy environment with friendly staff.
If you want to relax and drink a coffee in some coffee Bars go to:
* MarYSol ("Ottenser Hauptstraße"), Café Schmidt , König (both Bahrenfelder Straße) or some other Cafés in the Ottensen area.
* Piazza, in the "Schulterblatt" (Schanze). You will find a high number of bars and cafés here, many of portuguese or spanish background.
* Lange Reihe Many Bars, Cafes and Restaurants all along the street. Although the Lange Reihe is the heart of the gay community, most places are jointly visited by straight and gay people of any age. All places are gay-friendly, many are gay-owned or gay-run, but not all of them. Especially restaurants of ethnic background are mostly not gay-owned.
Batman Döner, Steinstraße, St. Georg.
*
* Pamukkale Grill and Restaurant, Susannenstraße 34-35, 20357 Hamburg; Opposite Lokma. One of the oldest Doener stores in Hamburg. Operates a takeaway bistro and a restaurant.
* Lokma, Susannenstr. 16, 20357 Hamburg. One of the best places to treat yourself with a nice Doener. It is not without reason that a lot of Turkish people love this place. Take the S11 subway and get out at Sternschanze. From there Lokma can be found within a seven minute walking distance.
Falafel factory, next to S-Sternschanze, price €2.60-3.10.
* Azeitona, Beckstraße (Schanze), price €2.50, you can get there also other great oriental food and smoke a shisha.
* Aladin, on the other side of the "Fabrik" in the Bahrenfelderstraße (Ottensen/Altona).
The Academy, Hans-Albers-Platz (right off the Reeperbahn). People in wheelchairs not always welcome.
* Molly Malone, Hans-Albers-Platz (right off the Reeperbahn).
* Lehmitz, Reeperbahn. free entry
* The New Thomas Read, Reeperbahn opposite from Hans-Albers-Platz.
* Molotow/Meanie bar, now located at Nobistor 14 (Reeperbahn). Concert location and club.
* Knust, Feldstrasse, concert location and club
* Headcrash, Hamburger Berg 13, concert location and club (free entry).
* Logo, Grindelallee, concert location
G-Bar [url=http://www.g-bar.org/],]Lange Reihe 81. The New Generation. Open 6PM-2AM.
* Cafe Gnosa [url=http://www.gnosa.de/[/url],]Lange Reihe 93, phone +49 40 243034. Open 10AM-1AM, Fridays and Saturdays until 2AM, famous for its cake buffet, also a great place to have breakfast or lunch.
* kir [url=http://www.kir-hamburg.de[/url]]Barnerstr. 16, Altona. Gay party called "Love Pop" on Wednesdays and every 2nd Friday in the month from 11PM;
* Information on parties and other news from the gay scene of Hamburg [http://www.hinnerk.de[/url]
There is a Church mission on the West side of the main train station, mainly for homeless people and people with problems. But it's very clean, people are friendly, and if one is humble and polite, there is a good chance you can enter to chat (even in English) and sleep there on the floor in your sleeping bag. The night shift opens the place at midnight and everyone has to leave before seven in the morning.
Nevertheless, as a traveller, you should contribute some money to run the volunteer's service or at the very least offer some help. Remember: This is not a place for the unprepared traveller and definitely not a hotel!
The traditional country manor style Courtyard located close the airport.
*A 4-star hotel less than 3km from the Hamburger Sportveiren. A comfortable hotel, convenient for football fans, featuring a fitness room and sauna.
* 119 suites available in a modern style.
* The MEININGER Hotel Hamburg City Center is located directly by Altona railway station. It is the ideal starting place if you want to explore the tourist attractions of the Hanseatic city. The 116 low-cost, well-equipped rooms all have a TV and telephone.
The Atlantic and the Vier Jahreszeiten share the prize of Hamburg's best hotels over the last one hundred years. Emperors and movie stars have stayed there, including James Bond (Tomorrow never dies, 1997).
* 4-Star hotel with 270 guest rooms and 8 suites, also has a Body Care Centre with indoor pool and whirlpool as well as 416-sqm conference facilities.
* One of the best hotels overlooking the Alster lake. Each room is designed in the "Art & Tech" design. Restaurant with nice view over the lake and spa.
* Designer hotel with one of the best lounges/bars in town. Very trendy and stylish.
* A David Chipperfield designed hotel located in the St. Pauli district near Reeperbahn and the harbour. Each rooms is designed with a floor-length panoramic window that allow for a great view from any point in the room.
*100 metre walk from terminals 1 and 2.
*
*
St. Marien, Domkirche (catholic cathedral), Danziger Str. 60 (St. Georg, near to central station).[url=http://www.domgemeinde-hamburg.de/gottesdienste.htm].]Holy Mass Su 8:30AM, 10AM, noon (Portuguese), 3PM (Croatian), 6:15PM, M-Sa 6:15PM; Th 9:30PM.
St. Elisabeth, Oberstr. 65 (district Harvestehude). [url=http://www.sankt-elisabeth-hamburg.de/lageplan/lageplan.html[/url]]Holy Mass Sa 6PM, Su 10AM, noon (English), 5:30PM (Spanish), 7:30PM (3rd Su only), Tu, Th, F: 7PM, W 3PM.
St. Ansgar (kleiner Michel), Michaelisstr. 5 (district Neustadt). [url=http://www.kleiner-michel.de[/url].]Holy Mass Su 9:30AM, 11:30AM, 3:30PM (Tagalog), 7:30PM. M F 6:30PM, W 9:30, 7PM (Tagalog).
Index of all Catholic churches in the archdioceses of Hamburg [http://www.eba-schwerin.de/ebhh/gemeinden/index_gemeinden.php[/url]