Travel Guide: Hamburg

Dirty, crowded, and kind of ugly, Hamburg was a stark contrast to the much prettier Copenhagen, which we had arrived from.

At a glance…

• Days To Spend: 3-4
• Get Around: S-Bahn, U-Bahn, buses, or just walk in the city centre
• Get In and Out: By train or plane
• Pay: With Euros, cash is preferred, but card is generally accepted
• Speak: German is useful to know, not all Germans will speak English
• See:
• Should you go?: Maybe, if you like the activities

General Impressions

My first impression of Hamburg was not positive. Beggars started asking us for money basically as soon as we stepped off the platform, and we felt uneasy from how some people were looking at our bags. It was not a warm welcome.

As we spent more time in Hamburg however, we found some really cool and unique activities, that made the trip seem worthwhile. I would not come to Hamburg to enjoy a stroll through a beautiful city, but it is certainly a city where you can experience something completely new.

Public Transport

Getting Around

We mostly used buses when we needed to get to more distant spots, combined with the S-Bahn and U-Bahn. These are the suburban rail, and metro networks respectively. All of these are fairly reliable and cheap. The centre itself, where a lot of the attractions are concentrated, is quite walkable, and you can probably reach most places on foot.

Getting In and Out

Hamburg’s train station is incredibly well connected, having trains going as far as Budapest and Stockholm, as well as most major cities in Germany. This connectivity makes the train the best way to travel in and out of Hamburg. There is also an airport, which has connections to many European cities, and a few more distant connections too.

Money

Germany is still heavily a cash-based society. Many shops prefer it if you pay in cash, but card payment is still widely available, but don’t expect it in all places.

Language

Many Germans speak English, but just as many don’t. You will find a few phrases of German quite useful, especially outside of the touristy areas.

Time

There’s enough activities in Hamburg to take up 3 or 4 days, so long as you’re willing to pay for them. There are few things in Hamburg that are both enjoyable and free.

My Favourite Spots

Miniatur Wunderland

If there was only one activity to visit Hamburg for, it would be Miniatur Wunderland. Several floors of absolutely beautiful dioramas and train sets that show scenes from the Andes to the Alps. I can’t recommend this attraction enough, you can spend hours here exploring what feels like the whole world.

Hamburg Dungeon

A fun, actor-driven activity where you are taken through the darker parts of Hamburg’s history, including a fun water ride, and tasting a dance on the gibbet at the end.

Chocoversum

This is one of the better chocolate museums I’ve been to. It is a fully guided tour taking you from cocoa beans, all the way to the actual production of chocolate. You get to sample the chocolate at multiple stages (including cocoa beans, if you’re lucky), and at the end, you get to make your own chocolate bar with any number of toppings.

Dialogue in the Dark

A profound learning experience, Dialogue in the Dark takes you through an hour in the life of a blind person. You are taken through a series of rooms in blacker-than-black darkness, with only a white cane, and a blind guide to take you safely through. You finish with a sit down at a bar (still in darkness) where you can chat with your guide about their life.

Spots That Might Be Good

U-Boot Museum

An old soviet submarine has been converted to a museum showing what life was like under the waves. It’s a small, and the exhibits aren’t all that detailed, but it’s a fascinating piece of history.

St Nikolai Memorial

St Nikolai Church was bombed out during WW2, and has now been converted into a sobering monument about the bombing of Hamburg, and the city’s fate during the second world war. You can take a lift up to the top of the tower to get an impressive view of Hamburg.

Conclusion

Hamburg as a city leaves a lot to be desired. It is not pretty, and it is definitely very dirty, and you will experience beggars asking your for a handout quite regularly. On the other hand, there are some fantastic things to do there, which may well worth be the hassle.