Things to Do in Hamburg: 22 Top Attractions & Activities

Our Hamburg Attractions Map

For a quick overview, we’ve marked the most important things to do in Hamburg on a map so you can see exactly where each sight is located in the city.

Hamburg Port

The Port of Hamburg is the second-largest port in Europe after Rotterdam: 13,000 ships from around the world dock here every year, connecting to more than 900 ports in over 170 countries.

You can explore the port both on land and on the water — and we seriously recommend doing both. You could easily spend half a day here, as there’s a lot to discover.

Tours at the Port

Sightseeing on the Water: Harbor Cruise

The best way to explore the Port of Hamburg is a harbor cruise. For us, a harbor cruise in Hamburg is simply non-negotiable — we’ve done several ourselves.

The cruises last one to two hours and take you past massive docks, container ships, and cruise liners. The boats get right up close to the large vessels, giving you a fantastic sense of the sheer scale of these ocean giants.

Our tip: Take a small barge instead of one of the large passenger boats.

The big ships can’t navigate through the Speicherstadt, so you’d miss a really exciting part of the port.

On top of that, the large ships often play pre-recorded commentary, frequently in two languages. On the small barges, the captain talks to you himself — which is usually a lot more fun than a generic recorded announcement.

The barges depart directly from the Landungsbrücken, and trips of between one and two hours are available.

You can buy your tickets directly online:
1-hour harbor cruise for 20 euros

1.5-hour harbor cruise for 34 euros

A harbor cruise at night is also highly recommended. The lighting makes the scenery particularly spectacular:

Book tickets for the lights cruise
Our tip: After the harbor cruise, treat yourself to a fish sandwich. The best ones in the city are at Fischbeisl, tucked away near the fish market on a side street. Absolutely delicious!

Sightseeing on Land: Jan Fedder Promenade

The Port of Hamburg is worth seeing not only from the water, but on land as well.

We recommend a stroll along the Jan Fedder Promenade, which has borne the name of the famous Hamburg actor since January 2022 — he was known for playing Detective Dierk Matthies in the TV series Großstadtrevier. Before that, it was called the Elbpromenade.

The roughly 1-kilometer footpath between the Landungsbrücken and Baumwall subway stations runs right along the water, and the best part: you have the Elbphilharmonie and the port in view the entire time.

Along the way, you’ll also pass two more highlights: the museum ships Cap San Diego and Rickmer Rickmers.

Landungsbrücken

For most visitors, the Landungsbrücken — accessible via the subway station of the same name — is their first point of contact with the Port of Hamburg.

Ships have been docking here since the early 19th century. Today, the Landungsbrücken is no longer used for large ocean-going vessels, but rather for tourist boats on harbor cruises and the public ferries of the Hamburg transit authority.

Everything here is geared toward tourism. The former terminal building now houses souvenir shops and restaurants. Even if it’s not quite the typical Hamburg experience, you can eat pretty well at the Blockbräu restaurant and the Hard Rock Café.

Our tip: If you want to save some money, take public ferry number 62 instead of a harbor cruise. For the price of a regular transit ticket, you’ll see a fair amount of the port — though not quite as much as on an actual cruise.

Speicherstadt

The Speicherstadt is definitely one of the most popular photography spots in Hamburg. No surprise there — the historic Speicherstadt between Oberhafen and Baumwall is a real eye-catcher.

The Speicherstadt was built as a warehouse complex starting in 1883. Some of the buildings are still used as warehouses, while many others have been converted into offices.

The entire Speicherstadt is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. A stroll through it is an absolute must. We and our camera gear love spending several hours there.

As already mentioned, many harbor cruises also pass through the Speicherstadt — so you can admire it both from the water and from land.

Our tip: The Wasserschloss is one of the most beautiful structures in the Speicherstadt. The best view of the building is from the Poggenmühlenbrücke.

Fish Market and Fish Auction Hall

The Fish Market and the Fish Auction Hall are definitely among Hamburg’s top points of interest. Both are located at the port, but in our opinion they’re a highlight in their own right.

Every Sunday, the otherwise quiet square in front of the Fish Auction Hall transforms into a gathering of market barkers, drawing thousands of bargain hunters, tourists, and night owls.

There is a little bit of fish, but the market actually sells all kinds of things: pasta, flowers, live animals, and souvenirs.

Be ready to get up early — the fish market starts at 5:00 AM and wraps up around 9:30 AM.

Not a fan of early mornings? Then just do what the young locals do — party the night away on the Kiez and cap it off with a visit to the fish market at sunrise.

Landmarks

Elbphilharmonie

It had barely opened before it became Hamburg’s new landmark: the Elbphilharmonie.

For years it was mocked for its long construction time — Hamburg’s equivalent of Berlin’s airport saga.

Now that the Elphi is finally complete, all of that is forgotten, and the architectural masterpiece delights locals and visitors alike.

As you stroll along the Hamburg waterfront, you simply can’t miss the Elphi. But we strongly recommend going inside — it’s absolutely worth it.

For a visit to the Elbphilharmonie, you have several options.

Option 1: Free Visit to the Plaza

The Elbphilharmonie is worth a visit even without attending a concert. The public area is called the Plaza.

It sits at a height of 37 meters and offers a spectacular view over the port area. Even the ride up on Western Europe’s longest escalator is a real highlight — the curved escalator takes you through a tunnel studded with glass sequins, which is a genuinely unique experience.

However, you can’t just walk in — you need a ticket first. On-site tickets are free, and outside of peak season and on weekdays you can usually get one right away. But if too many visitors are inside, no more tickets are issued.

If you want to be on the safe side, reserve a time slot online in advance. This costs a symbolic 2 euros, which is money well spent if you’re on a tight schedule.

Buy tickets for the Plaza

Option 2: Guided Tour of the Elbphilharmonie

If you’d like to peek inside the concert halls but haven’t managed to snag a concert ticket — or just want to have a look — you can see the halls on a guided tour. Tours of the concert halls are only offered irregularly and sell out quickly.

Concert hall tours

Alternatively, there are tours that don’t include the concert halls, offered on a regular basis and equally worthwhile.

When you book a tour, your entry ticket is already included, and you’ll get genuinely interesting and entertaining information about the building and its history.

Book a guided Elbphilharmonie tour

Option 3: Attend a Concert at the Elbphilharmonie

In the first few years after it opened, it was nearly impossible to get concert tickets for the Elphi. It’s a bit easier now, since many locals have already experienced their new landmark from the inside.

It’s not just classical concerts — well-known singer-songwriters also perform at the Elphi from time to time. You can get tickets on the Elbphilharmonie website or sometimes also through Eventim.

Main Church of St. Michaelis: The Michel

For a long time, the Michel was Hamburg’s landmark par excellence — these days the church faces some serious competition from the Elbphilharmonie.

Landmark or not, a visit to the Michel is definitely a standout experience.

Michel, by the way, is an affectionate nickname for St. Michaelis, the main church of Hamburg‘s real name.

The church stands an impressive 132 meters tall, has five organs, a vaulted cellar, the largest church clock in Germany, and offers spectacular panoramic views over the city.

The Michel has had a turbulent history: since it was first built in 1647 and up until 1912, the church was completely destroyed twice and rebuilt three times.

A particular highlight is the Nachtmichel. Take an elevator up to one of the tallest church towers in the world at night. Every evening at 9:00 PM — except Sundays and public holidays — a tower trumpeter plays from the historic watchman’s level.

St. Nikolai Memorial

The main church of St. Nikolai was, upon its completion in 1874, the tallest building in the world for a full three years. The church was destroyed during the air raids on Hamburg in 1943.

All that remained of the once magnificent church was the tower, which has since served as a memorial. The basement rooms house a fascinating exhibition about the history of the church and Hamburg during World War II.

You can also ride a glass elevator up to the observation platform at 76 meters and enjoy one of the best panoramas over Hamburg.

Hamburg City Hall

Hamburg’s City Hall is a true colossus, standing out prominently from the city center with its ornately decorated façade and many small towers.

In fact, it’s essentially City Hall 2.0 — the historic original was badly damaged in a fire in 1842.

The “new” City Hall features beautiful courtyards with cafés, impressive architecture to admire, and the Hamburg Stock Exchange at the rear.

One definite highlight is the grand banquet hall. Every year, a state banquet is held here, to which prominent figures such as Angela Merkel or the Crown Prince of Denmark have been invited.

If you’d like to take a look inside the building, you can do so on a guided tour, which runs on many days on the hour and half hour.

Due to official events, tours can sometimes be canceled. It’s best to check the City Hall website in advance for tour schedules.

By the way: Hamburg’s City Hall is also the annual venue for the historic Christmas market. It’s our absolute favorite among the most beautiful Christmas markets in Germany!

Streets & Neighborhoods

Reeperbahn

If you haven’t seen the Reeperbahn, you haven’t really been to Hamburg. As touristy as it is, a visit is simply part of the deal.

The Kiez is Hamburg’s entertainment strip in the St. Pauli neighborhood and really only comes alive in the evening. During the day it can actually look pretty bleak.

On the Reeperbahn you’ll find nightclubs, bars, strip clubs, and some of the most colorful characters in all of Germany.

Among the best-known draws are venerable institutions like the bar Zur Ritze with its own boxing cellar, the legendary Herbertstraße, the Davidwache police station, Beatles Platz, and Club de Sade, Europe’s oldest S&M club.

Life spills out into the side streets to the left and right of the Reeperbahn as well. Worth a detour are, among others, Große Freiheit, Hans-Albers-Platz, Silbersackstraße, and Hamburger Berg.

Our tip: Highly recommended is the guided tour “Sex & Crime on St. Pauli.” Here you’ll learn everything you ever wanted to know — or maybe didn’t — about the Kiez: How much does a visit to a brothel cost? How much do the women earn in a night? Who runs the Kiez? Who are the legendary characters of Hamburg’s nightlife?

Sex & Crime Tour on GetYourGuide

Deichstraße

Deichstraße is one of the last streets where you can get a sense of traditional Hamburg as it looked before the great fire of 1842.

Old Hamburg half-timbered houses with beautiful façades line the street, there are great cafés and spots like Kartoffelkeller, and the whole area has a wonderfully relaxed vibe.

On the other side of the row of houses lies the Nikolaifleet, a small branch of the Alster. Most of the houses on Deichstraße were accessible both from the street and from the water, so that merchants could receive goods directly from the Nikolaifleet.

Jungfernstieg

The Jungfernstieg is one of the city’s most famous streets and simply cannot be left off any list of Hamburg activities.

The street runs along the shore of the Binnenalster and is a major transit hub in Hamburg’s city center. The U1, U2, and U4 subway lines, as well as the S1, S2, and S3 commuter rail lines, all stop at the station of the same name.

Around the Jungfernstieg you’ll find the Kolonnaden and Mönckebergstraße, two of the Hanseatic city’s most important shopping streets. But the Jungfernstieg itself is also a shopping highlight, as it’s home to the famous Alsterhaus. Along with the KaDeWe in Berlin and the Oberpollinger in Munich, the Alsterhaus is one of the most well-known department stores in Germany.

After a major redesign of the Jungfernstieg, no cars other than scheduled buses are allowed to drive there anymore, which has made the street significantly more pleasant to walk.

Kontorhausviertel

If you walk from Mönckebergstraße toward the Speicherstadt, you’ll pass through the Kontorhausviertel.

Here you’ll find numerous buildings, mostly erected in the 1920s, that impress with their distinctive brick façades. The most well-known is certainly the Chilehaus with its characteristic pointed corner. All of the district’s notable buildings have since been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Some of the buildings have impressive inner courtyards. Keep your eyes open for a passageway — there might be one of those courtyards hiding just behind it.

HafenCity

HafenCity is one of the largest inner-city urban development projects in Europe, spread across an area of 157 hectares. For a long time, the HafenCity project was viewed with skepticism — is it really possible to build an entirely new city neighborhood from scratch, one where more than 100,000 people are meant to live, work, study, and stroll?

Many of the new buildings are now complete and the neighborhood is coming to life. It seems like the project is going to be a real success. The most famous attraction is of course the Elbphilharmonie, but for fans of modern architecture there’s even more to discover. A genuine standout and also a very popular photography spot is the futuristic Überseequartier subway station — well worth a visit.

Our tip: For a quick, tasty, and affordable lunch, stop by Andronaco. This Italian grocery store with a bistro offers delicious pizza and pasta in a self-service format at fair prices.

Schanzenviertel

The Schanzenviertel, or Schanze for short, is Hamburg’s hipster neighborhood. What was once an under-the-radar pick in Hamburg has since evolved into one of the city’s classic attractions.

In the Schanze you’ll find independent shops, numerous restaurants, and plenty of bars and clubs. The autonomous cultural center Rote Flora, located right on Schulterblatt — something like the main street of the Schanzenviertel — is known throughout Germany.

A stroll through the Schanze is a great change of pace from typical sightseeing in Hamburg.

Quirky Attractions

Miniatur Wunderland

Miniatur Wunderland is the dream come true for grandfathers and their grandkids: the world’s largest model railroad layout.

Even if you’re not a model railroad fan, Miniatur Wunderland is seriously impressive and absolutely not to be missed. It’s no coincidence that the exhibit has already been voted the most popular attraction in all of Germany by international travelers four times. For us, it’s one of the best activities with kids in Hamburg!

To give you a sense of the incredible scale: the layout consists of almost 1,000 trains with more than 10,000 cars, 130,000 trees, 263,000 figurines, 9,250 vehicles, 15,400 meters of track, 4,340 buildings and bridges — all assembled by more than 300 employees over more than 795,000 hours of meticulous detail work. Incredible, right?

In the model landscape you’ll see realistic, fully computer-controlled train sequences, and every 15 minutes day and night actually alternate in the railroad world.

Mini-Las Vegas dazzles with 33,000 lights, and if you want, you can admire the six-meter-tall Matterhorn in the middle of “Switzerland” while visiting a mini chocolate factory at the same time. Most recently, the “Bella Italia” section opened in February, and Miniatur Wunderland will continue to grow through 2028.

Our tip: Since Miniatur Wunderland is one of the most popular things to do in Hamburg and space is limited, buy your tickets online in advance.

Old Elbe Tunnel

The Old Elbe Tunnel is Hamburg’s most underground attraction — which is of course meant entirely as a compliment.

Since 1911, the Elbe Tunnel has connected the St. Pauli Landungsbrücken with the port area of Steinwerder, running 426 meters beneath the Elbe.

While the New Elbe Tunnel is used for car traffic, the Old Elbe Tunnel is mainly intended for pedestrians.

What makes it special is that it was a technical sensation when it opened and is now considered a “historic landmark of engineering in Germany.”

Crossing it on foot or by bicycle is possible around the clock. Cars are sometimes allowed through the tunnel as well — but since there’s no road access, they are lowered down using special elevators.

Museums

Deichtorhallen

The Deichtorhallen is all about contemporary art and photography. The museum consists of two historic halls from the 1920s: the northern and the southern Deichtorhalle.

The northern Deichtorhalle, also known as the Hall of Contemporary Art, houses rotating solo exhibitions by contemporary sculptors, painters, and designers.

The southern Deichtorhalle is the House of Photography, featuring outstanding rotating exhibitions by the world’s most renowned photographers. The exhibitions are pretty much always excellent.

Our tip: If you want to visit several art museums, get the Kunstmeile Hamburg museum pass. For 35 euros, you’ll have three days of access to five art museums: Deichtorhallen, Bucerius Kunst Forum, Hamburger Kunsthalle, Kunstverein Hamburg, and the Museum für Kunst und Gewerbe. It usually pays for itself after just the second museum.

Get the 3-day Hamburger Kunstmeile pass

Hamburger Kunsthalle

The Hamburger Kunsthalle consists of three interconnected buildings, with the entire complex spanning 13,000 square meters. It features several major art exhibitions, ranging from the Middle Ages to contemporary art.

Artists represented include Caspar David Friedrich, Picasso, Edvard Munch, and Paul Klee, and there are also regularly changing exhibitions.

The museum also includes a huge library and the quite impressive Café Liebermann. The whole complex is really large, so plan on at least half a day here.

International Maritime Museum

Located right in HafenCity, this museum covers 3,000 years of maritime history: from Phoenician galleys to Viking longships to today’s giant passenger liners.

You’ll also get a very vivid explanation of how both historical and modern technical devices work, such as Morse code machines, compasses, and signal books.

Particularly interesting is the section on ocean research, which has an entire deck dedicated to it — covering research equipment, submersibles, and footage from the deep sea.

Museum für Kunst und Gewerbe

This museum is one of the most popular museums in Hamburg and offers exhibitions on arts and crafts, design, photography, and art and cultural history.

What can you expect to find there? Around 500,000 objects from 4,000 years of art and design from around the world.

The museum’s sections cover various categories such as antiquity, photography, the Middle Ages through the Renaissance, graphic arts, Art Nouveau, and fashion.

There’s also a section for special exhibitions on the first floor. So as you can tell: set aside plenty of time for this one too.

Into the Great Outdoors

Alster

The Alster is something like the lifeblood of Hamburg. Technically, the Alster is a river — but when people in Hamburg talk about the Alster, they usually mean the Alster lake, which itself consists of two parts: the Binnenalster (Inner Alster) and the Außenalster (Outer Alster).

It sounds complicated, but it’s really not. The Binnenalster is located right in the heart of Hamburg, across from the famous Alsterhaus on the Jungfernstieg.

On the Binnenalster you’ll find the 60-meter-tall Alster Fountain, which shoots into the air daily from 9:00 AM until midnight. The fountain only rests in winter.

Separated by the Lombardsbrücke and the Kennedybrücke, the much larger Außenalster lies just behind. The Außenalster and the Alsterpark are perfect for a pleasant walk or a jog.

If a run around the Außenalster sounds a bit too athletic, you can also explore it on a guided boat tour.

Boat tour on the Außenalster

Planten un Blomen

If you’re visiting Hamburg between May and August, don’t miss an evening visit to the park with the charming name Planten un Blomen.

Every evening at 10:00 PM, water fountains rise up to 26 meters into the air in colorful light, accompanied by classical music. And the best part: the whole spectacle is completely free.

Extra Tip: Musicals in Hamburg

On top of all the great attractions, Hamburg is also a hotspot for musicals. A city trip to the Hanseatic city pairs wonderfully with a night at the theater.

Here are the most popular shows you can catch in Hamburg:

The Lion King

It’s considered one of the most beautiful and successful musicals of all time, and for over 15 years it has been taking Hamburg visitors into the world of the African bush.

The Stage Theater im Hafen has created a spectacular African world that draws audiences into the adventures of young lion Simba and his friends.

Since its premiere, the show has been performed more than 6,000 times — and sold out every single time. We’ve been there, of course!

The Lion King is performed daily except Mondays. On weekends there are even two performances a day.

Buy tickets for The Lion King

Heiße Ecke

Heiße Ecke is a uniquely Hamburg cult musical.

Every evening, nine actors slip into 50 different roles and stage 24 hours of life around the snack bar “Heiße Ecke” in St. Pauli.

At the hot corner, free spirits, night owls, and everyday people cross paths — just like in real life.

The show has been running since 2003 at Schmidts TIVOLI right on the Reeperbahn and has already delighted over 2 million audience members. With around 2,000 performances, it is currently the most successful German-language musical production.

“Heiße Ecke” runs almost daily and is our absolute recommendation, even if you’re not usually a big musical fan.

Tickets for Heiße Ecke

More Musicals in Hamburg

While The Lion King and Heiße Ecke have been running forever and will probably never end, the other shows rotate from time to time.

Currently, the following musicals are also playing in Hamburg:

Holiday on Ice

Hercules

General Tips for Your Visit to Hamburg

Those were our favorite Hamburg attractions. Now here are a few practical tips to make your stay in the Hanseatic city even better — whether you’re staying for a long weekend or making a quick stop on a road trip through Germany:

1. The Best Hotel for Sightseeing in Hamburg

As a base for your sightseeing tour, we recommend the following hotels:

2. Getting Around Hamburg's Best Spots Quickly and Cheaply by Public Transit

Hamburg is relatively compact. In theory, you can reach all the attractions in this article on foot. But taking the subway for a few stops here and there will save your feet.

We recommend buying a day pass, which lets you use all trains, buses, and ferries in the HVV network until 6:00 AM the following day. Select the “1-2 Ringe” option at the ticket machine. The ticket costs just under 8 euros. With a group pass for 16 euros, up to five people can travel unlimited. This is almost always cheaper than buying individual tickets.

You can find all information on tickets and prices on the HVV website.

3. Saving Money on Sightseeing

If you want to visit many paid Hamburg attractions, a discount card will very likely be worth it for you. There are several options:

• • Hamburg Card (Official city card. Valid for public transit and offers discounts at many attractions. Often worth it.)
  • Hamburger Kunstmeile (3 days, the 5 best art museums in the city, 25 euros. Usually pays for itself after just the 2nd museum visit.)
  • Turbopass Hamburg (Worth it for very intensive sightseeing when visiting many attractions)

4. Guided Tours of Hamburg

Hamburg is very easy to explore on your own. That said, a guided tour of the Reeperbahn is highly recommended. There are many operators offering exciting, and sometimes wonderfully offbeat, tours. Our top pick is the Sex & Crime on St. Pauli Tour.

Book the Sex & Crime Tour here