Quick look
What To See
Eating Out
Sleepover
Getting There

If you’re planning a city break for anytime in the near future then the chances are you won’t have even given Hamburg the inkling of a thought; after all it’s not the first city that comes to mind and if we’re honest how many of us actually know where it is. So what do we know about Hamburg? Probably more than we realise; where would the burger bars be today if it had not been for immigrants leaving the port of Hamburg for the United States way back in the 18th and 19th centuries taking with them their beef patties and onions in slices of bread. Unable to pronounce the German word for them the Americans called them hamburgers and history was written!

And what of the Beatles if they had not had the chance to perform in the infamous Reeperbahn area of the city; would their fame have spread worldwide if they had stayed in Liverpool. Ah, so now Hamburg is starting to ring a bell but where is it? Located in Northern Germany, Hamburg is approximately a 1 hour flight from most UK airports and upon arriving one is impressed by the cleanliness of the airport and efficiency of the baggage handlers; this theme carries on for the rest of the trip; Germans are just SO organised.

What To See : Back to top

Hamburg Card One of the best ways to get your bearings is to take an open top bus tour on one of the many city tour double-decker buses; they usually have a friendly guide who will give a knowledgeable running commentary both in German and English. Also get yourself a 3 day Hamburg card for18 € giving you unlimited travel on public transport within the Greater Hamburg area and discounts on many sightseeing tours.

On the water Hamburg is very proud of its waterways and rightly so; despite being 100kms from the sea Hamburg port on the mighty Elbe River is one of the largest in the world and the entire city is interspersed with various waterways and canals. The Alster Lake, in the centre of the city, is a huge body of water enjoyed by locals and tourists alike. Use your Hamburg card to get a discount on one of the many cruises around the lake or Alster canals which run off the lake through pretty backwaters around the city. A typical trip is around 2 hours, a very tranquil way to get a different perspective of the city.

Planten un Blomen Of course there are all the usual shopping malls and stores that can be found in every large city anywhere in the world and if that’s what you like to do then you won’t be disappointed but it would be a shame to spend all day indoors when Hamburg’s “green lung” beckons. Planten un Blomen, an absolutely enormous park, is right in the heart of the city and has something for everyone ranging from magnificent Japanese gardens to a skating rink; it’s all there and you should devote a whole day to get round everything it has to offer. If you happen to visit in May the Japanese Cherry Blossom Festival is not to be missed as Hamburg has over 5000 Japanese cherry trees throughout the city providing a spectacular show at blossom time.

Eating Out : Back to top

Brauhaus Joh. Albrecht Hamburg has a host of traditional German eateries as well as all the usual international dining options that you would expect to find in a cosmopolitan city. Lunch, at Brauhaus Joh. Albrecht, overlooking one of Hamburg’s canals, was a northern Germany delicacy of pickled herring, sour cream with gherkins and fried potato. It soon became evident why most of the other diners had huge tankards of German beer to hand, obviously to wash down the delicious but seriously salty herring. Maybe an acquired taste! Dinner the same evening was at the very nautical Schifferborse restaurant frequented in bygone days by sea captains whilst their ships were in port. The set menu made deciding what to eat much easier although I thought I might be disappointed by the lack of choice. In fact it all went together really rather nicely: everybody gets a salad to start then choice of turkey, lamb or salmon with rice and veggies followed but an enormous bowl of ice cream; simple but good.

Close by - Käseglocke in Worpeswede Just over an hour from Hamburg is Gut Stockseehof; a garden centre with show gardens. Each year they hold a mini Chelsea Flower type show with each of the competitors creating their own garden in an allocated small plot. This year the theme was “Other countries- other gardens”. All the exhibits are left to mature for the rest of the season for visitors to admire whilst the winners get to stay permanently. Another couple of hours further on is Worpeswede, a thriving artists colony founded at the end of the 19th century by artists Hans am Ende, Fritz Mackensen and Otto Modersohn.

This year is the 100th anniversary of the death of artist Paula Modersohn-Becker, wife of Otto, who died very suddenly at age 31 after the birth of her first child. Although she had been painting for many years her work was not discovered until after her death and now many of her paintings can be seen hanging in the home she shared with her husband Otto Modersohn in Worpeswede. The town is still an artists colony today but it has to be said that the main attraction has to be the houses formerly owned by many famous artists which are open to the public.

Sleepover : Back to top

Hamburg Many of Hamburgs top hotels are situated on the banks of the Alster Lake enjoying views through the lazy willow trees to the water and one such hotel is the Intercontinental. A large and glitzy hotel, the Intercontinental provides comfortable luxury at a price you can afford with many rooms having views across the lake. The hotel is a short stroll along the shores of the lake from the city centre. Breakfast is an experience not to be missed; a huge buffet caters for everyone with the usual full English (American), continental cold meats and cheeses and the not so usual Japanese breakfast, all taken in quiet surroundings overlooking the lake.

www.intercontinental.com

Worpswede - Hotel Buchenhof Hotel Buchenhof in Worpeswede, formally the house of Hans am Ende, was turned into a hotel in the late 1990’s. The rooms are individually furnished and manage to keep much of the original atmosphere whilst maintaining the comfort and convenience one expects from a 4* hotel in the 21st century. The hotel itself is a gallery housing much of the work of Hans am Ende.

www.hotel-buchenhof.de

Getting There : Back to top

Lufthansa flies to Hamburg from most UK airports.  
www.lufthansa.co.uk

For more information on Hamburg visit www.hamburg-tourismus.de