In a nutshell
- Canoeing on the Alster: our favorite outdoor activity in Hamburg. Almost anyone can do it, it’s a lot of fun, and you’ll discover corners of the city you’d never see on foot.
- Dialog in the Dark Exhibition: Experience the world without sight — a seriously extraordinary activity for rainy days and something you truly won’t do anywhere else.
- See a Musical: the classic Hamburg experience, and always a great time. A musical makes for a wonderful evening out — especially for couples.
Chocoversum
A great rainy-day activity in Hamburg.
The Chocoversum, also known as the chocolate museum, is one of the most unique museums in Hamburg and a total paradise for chocoholics. You’ll learn everything about the cacao bean — its journey from the rainforest to the Port of Hamburg, historical machinery, and chocolate in every shape and color — and you get to snack along the way.
And the best part? At the end of the tour you get to create your very own personalized chocolate bar in the on-site chocolate workshop.
If you’re currently on a diet, skip this one. If not: go on an empty stomach!
Hamburg Dungeon
The perfect indoor activity for fans of all things creepy.
Alongside London, Amsterdam, and Berlin, the Dungeon series also has a home in Hamburg. On a 90-minute walk through the vaulted cellars of the Speicherstadt, you’re guided through the dark history of the city and actively pulled into the action.
Brilliantly creepy actors use sound and mechanical effects to bring to life the grim years of the plague, the horrors of the Great Hamburg Fire of 1842, and the brutal torture methods of the 18th century.
There’s also a new addition: the free-fall tower Drop Dead, which plunges you straight into hell. Definitely not for the faint of heart!
By the way, with the Hamburg Card you get a discount on admission to the Hamburg Dungeon.
Tickets for the Hamburg Dungeon
Stand Up Paddling on the Alster
The best outdoor activity for warm summer days in Hamburg.
Stand up paddling — SUP for short — has grown into a real trend sport over the years. And the great thing: you don’t need to fly to the ocean. The Hamburg Alster is perfect for a SUP outing.
There are plenty of rental providers in Hamburg where you can rent a SUP board. Once you’re set up with a board, paddle, and leash, you’re good to go.
We’re big fans of SUP because it gives you a workout without requiring extreme fitness or athletic talent. Plus, it’s a fantastic way to see Hamburg from a completely different perspective.
Important: Don’t forget your sportswear and swimwear.
Canoeing in Hamburg
Canoeing is the perfect Hamburg activity for couples.
Canoeing has become a genuinely popular sport in Hamburg — and we totally get it! Paddling across the Alster is not only beautiful, it lets you experience the city from a completely different angle. A canoe trip on the Alster will delight you even if you’re already a Hamburg regular.
You can rent canoes and head out on your own — find rental options here. Or join a guided tour, like those offered by KanuHelden.
Our tip: Canoeing too much of a workout? Then maybe the classic harbor cruise is more your speed. You’ll sail through the Speicherstadt and Hamburg Harbor with live commentary on the container ships at anchor. Check out our tips for the best harbor cruise in Hamburg.
Book the Hamburg Harbor boat tour
Dialog im Dunkeln
A unique activity in Hamburg for experiencing the world from a whole new perspective.
Dialog im Dunkeln (Dialogue in the Dark) is quite possibly one of the most extraordinary exhibitions we’ve ever come across. There’s absolutely nothing to see — but there’s a whole lot to experience. Still not sure what that means? Let us explain.
At Dialog im Dunkeln, you step into a world without sight. A blind guide leads you through a completely darkened exhibition, and you experience everyday situations — like a walk through the park or crossing a busy intersection — from the perspective of a blind person.
At the end, you can reflect on the experience at the Dark Bar and really put your sense of taste and smell to the test.
Honestly, this is one of the most fascinating and deeply respectful exhibitions we’ve encountered — well worth your time.
Hamburg Planetarium
Stargazing as an exciting Hamburg activity — great for kids too.
Inside a historic water tower, the Hamburg Planetarium lets you quite literally reach for the stars. It’s both one of the oldest and one of the most modern planetariums in the world — after two years of renovations, cutting-edge technology makes the experience more immersive than ever.
The star hall hosts a variety of shows that transport you into the depths of the universe, including special shows for children. The visuals are in 3D with extremely high resolution, and 70 speakers deliver full surround sound.
Anyone with a show ticket can also climb the observation platform 200 feet up for free and enjoy a spectacular panorama over the Hanseatic city. Also new is the Mensch Kosmos exhibition, which blends portrait photography with images of the stars.
Tickets for the Hamburg Planetarium
Street Kart Tour through Hamburg
In the mood for a little action? The Street Kart Tour is the perfect activity for you!
Go-karting on its own is already a ton of fun. But instead of going around in endless laps on a track, this tour takes you past Hamburg’s top attractions — like the Hamburg Harbor and the Elbe riverbank.
The tour includes plenty of stops for great photos, plus stretches where you can really put the pedal to the metal.
Protective gear, fuel, and insurance are all included in the ticket price. Hop in and enjoy the ride!
Important: Bring your driver’s license — you won’t be allowed to drive without it.
Book the Street Kart Tour in Hamburg
Hard Rock Café Hamburg
A fun pick that younger visitors especially tend to love.
Hard Rock Cafés are simply iconic — and it’s not even primarily about the food. Okay, we wouldn’t say no to a good cheeseburger either. But the chain is the epitome of American lifestyle and rock ‘n’ roll history.
Each location is individually decorated with original guitars from music legends and cool vinyl records that’ll make any collector’s heart skip a beat.
Hamburg’s Hard Rock Café sits right near the Landungsbrücken, and from the rooftop terrace you get a great view over Hamburg Harbor. You can also stock up on Hard Rock merchandise at the Rock Shop on your way out.
Our tip: Hard Rock Cafés are real tourist magnets and lines build up fast. Buy a skip-the-line ticket online in advance to save yourself the wait.
Skip-the-line ticket for Hard Rock Café Hamburg
Tierpark Hagenbeck
The perfect activity when exploring Hamburg with kids.
Tierpark Hagenbeck is a true Hamburg institution and one of the best activities for kids in Hamburg.
Hagenbeck was actually the first zoo without barred enclosures, designed to give visitors a genuine safari feeling. Of course, captivity is still captivity — but at least in a more humane form.
More than 1,850 animals from every continent call the zoo home, and there are incredible themed worlds like the Arctic Ocean with penguins and walruses, the Tropical Aquarium — a kind of exotic jungle world — and the Orangutan House.
For kids, there are some real highlights: they can watch feeding sessions and take part in rally activities.
Tickets for Tierpark Hagenbeck
Catch a Musical
A true Hamburg must-do and a great indoor activity when the weather turns.
It all started with Cats in the 1980s — today Hamburg is known as the musical capital of Germany.
Die heiße Ecke, Pretty Woman, The Lion King — these productions make childhood dreams come true, and there’s genuinely something for everyone. Some shows have been so popular they’ve been running for around 15 years.
The musicals are staged at various venues, from the Musical Boulevard at Hamburg Harbor to the infamous nightlife strip, the Reeperbahn.
We seriously recommend combining your Hamburg city trip with a musical. That said, shows are extremely popular, so book your tickets early.
Buy tickets for Hamburg musicals
HSV versus Sankt Pauli - Soccer in Hamburg
A Hamburg activity for die-hard soccer fans.
Brown and white versus blue — Hamburg is a divided city, home to not one but two well-known soccer clubs: FC St. Pauli and Hamburger SV.
Tickets for a game are easier to come by with HSV, mainly because their stadium is significantly larger. But the atmosphere at FC St. Pauli is definitely more intense.
You can buy tickets directly on the clubs’ websites:
If a live game doesn’t work out, both clubs offer stadium tours of the Millerntor and the Volksparkstadion. You can step into the hallowed halls and even walk out onto the pitch.
Both clubs also have club museums covering the biggest moments, legendary players, and more. Museum admission is included with the respective tour — or you can visit the museums on their own.
Book a tour of HSV’s Volksparkstadion
Book a tour of FC St. Pauli’s Millerntor
If you’re a true soccer romantic, put a visit to Altona 93 on your list. Soccer here hasn’t been overtaken by commercialism yet — which is why this is one of our favorite under-the-radar picks for Hamburg.
Reeperbahn Comedy Club
The perfect Hamburg activity for when you just want a really good laugh.
At the Reeperbahn Comedy Club, up to eight comedians take the stage on Fridays and Saturdays to get you laughing. And trust us, that’s not a hard task for them.
Alongside funny newcomers, you can look forward to well-known comedians like Felix Lobrecht or Alex Stoldt.
So if you’re spending a weekend in the city and have already caught a musical — or you just want to have a great, uninhibited laugh — this is exactly what you need.
Tickets are available on the website of the Reeperbahn Comedy Club.
Our tip: An evening at the Reeperbahn Comedy Club is the perfect way to kick off your night on the Reeperbahn. Shows usually wrap up around 10 PM, after which you can take your good mood straight to the next bar. Or combine your visit with a Kiez tour.
