Hamburg leisure tips
Tips for indoors and outdoors
Hamburg is always worth exploring – both outdoors and indoors. We have compiled our favourite tips for you to make your break at Lütthüs even more memorable.
City centre
Shopping
The most beautiful place to shop is the Stadthöfe (with furniture shops). The most beautiful department store in the city is the Alsterhaus on Jungfernstieg.
The exclusive boutiques are on Neuer Wall, while chain stores can be found on Mönckebergstrasse and Spitalerstrasse.
The most beautiful shopping arcade is in the Levante Haus on Mönckebergstrasse.
Inner and Outer Alster
Discover the magnificent villas on an Alster steamboat. Departure point: Jungfernstieg.
On the River Elbe
Speicherstadt, Hafencity, Elbphilharmonie
Take the U4 to Hafencity University (great light show!). Stroll through Hafencity and Speicherstadt and discover the mix of historic buildings and modern architecture, including the Elbphilharmonie, which opened in January 2017 (the plaza is open to the public, anyone can go there). It is best to secure Plaza tickets for EUR 2, as otherwise you will regularly be denied entry due to overcrowding. You can purchase tickets here. We recommend visiting the coffee roastery, where you can sample rare coffees (Kopi Luwak, for example).
The fish market
For early risers, every Sunday until 9:30 a.m., in summer from 5:00 a.m., in winter from 7:00 a.m.
Once through the old Elbe tunnel and back
The tunnel is lined with beautiful tiles and is very nicely lit. A highlight!
Mit dem Schiff oder dem Amphibienbus
Harbour tour
Take a barge through the warehouse district to a container terminal. Start: Landungsbrücken
Take the HVV ferry from Teufelsbrück to the city centre (spectacular view).
Take ferry 64 towards Finkenwerder, then change to ferry 62 towards Landungsbrücken. For the price of a bus ticket (part of the HVV).
From Blankenese to the Altes Land
The ferry departs directly from Op’n Bulln and terminates in Cranz, from where you can embark on a cycling tour through the Altes Land. For the price of a bus ticket (part of the HVV network).
With the amphibious bus
City tour on land and water. Starts in the Speicherstadt.
By catamaran to Heligoland
Day trip to the North Sea island. Start: Landungsbrücken
Special museums
Deichtorhallen
For photography enthusiasts. Excellent exhibitions
Maritime Museum
Located in a beautiful warehouse in the Speicherstadt, with a ship simulator. A must for ship enthusiasts.
Emigration Museum
In BallinStadt. In the halls where Germans who wanted to escape poverty had to wait for their passage to America. Very impressive.
Museum ship Cap San Diego
Near the Landungsbrücken. A cult ship in Hamburg, listed as a historic monument. Still seaworthy, it sails on the Elbe for the port’s birthday celebrations.
Events and seasonal activities
Cathedral
In spring and winter
For ship lovers
Harbour birthday, Blue Port, Cruise Days
Christmas markets
The most beautiful one is at the Town Hall Market, with Father Christmas floating through the sky with his reindeer every hour on the hour at the weekend.
Entertainment
Miniatur Wunderland
The world’s largest model railway exhibition awaits you in Speicherstadt. Buy tickets online in advance and secure a time slot, otherwise the queue will be very long.
Hamburg Dungeon
Right next to Miniatur Wunderland. A journey through 600 years of Hamburg’s gruesome history (the plague, the great fire…) with real actors.
Dialogue in the dark
In the Speicherstadt warehouse district. What is it like to be blind? Experience it for yourself here: blind people will guide you through darkened rooms.
Live football
At a home game of one of the two Bundesliga clubs, at Millerntor with FC St. Pauli or at Volksparkstadion with HSV.
