Ahoi, Ahoi! A great thing about living in Germany is that a lot of other cities are in close reach. Or uper close reach. So why not catch a train for the weekend and go to Hamburg if the ride is not even two hours? Exactly. Why not?
Since also the Elbphilarmonie just opened earlier this year in January, I also got to see one of the most remarkable buildings in the city. The Elbphilarmonie (you might know it as Elb Philarmonic Hall) is a concert hall in the HafenCity quarter and supposedly one of the largest and acoustically advanced concert halls in the world! The architecture is quite impressive and I like the building a lot - even though in Germany a lot of people were quite upset as the building cost were much higher than expected! As it is also home to the Hamburg Westin Hotel I would love to come back and spend another night or two in the building itself!
Close to the "Elphi" is Hamburg's Speicherstadt (City of Warehouses), which is the largest warehous district in the world - brick wall galore! It was built from 1883 to 1927 and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2015.
Hamburg is also famous for their red light district called Reeperbahn, which is located in the St. Pauli district. It's nickname is the most sinful mile and I can guarantee that it is nothing for the fainted hearts. You can find several strip clubs, sex shops and brothels in this area and there is even one street, which is blocked from the view with signs saying that the street is prohibited for women and juveniles. Consequently, I cannot tell you more about the street but if you happen to be around and of suitable age and gender, you can check out Herbertstraße and its sex workers.
Before they became world famous, the Beatles used to play in this area a lot, since it is also big in nightlife and general entertainment.
“ “I might have been born in Liverpool – but I grew up in Hamburg”.”
The second nightlife district of Hamburg is called Schanzenviertel (or Schanze) and luckily more my idea of a fun nightlife experience. The district is very alternative and artsy and since I came just after the G-20 I could witness some of the results of the riots (I have seen quite a few shattered windows).
Altes Mädchen Brewhouse is right in Schanzenviertel and definitely worth a visit. Coincidentally they had a craft beer event going on where we were able to try different craft beers from 28 breweries. Even without a special event, the brewery is worth a visit, as they have a great bottle show. I
A nice spot in Hamburg is the Elbstrand, one of my highlights during the trip - as I not just super lucky with the weather (who says Hamburg is always rainy, huh?) but I also got to spend some time with friends I haven't seen in over a year!
Hamburg has just been named Germany's most livable city and even though I didn't like all it's attractions, it is definitely worth a visit.
Have you been to Hamburg, too? If so, what do you think I have to check out during my next visit?
Kate recommends: A visit in Hamburg goes well with a copy of A Most Wanted Man by John le Carré. As the king of espionage thrillers the British author describes the journey of a young Chechen ex-prisoner which was inspired by a real-life story of a Turkish citizen. John le Carré once worked as a British agent and consul in Hamburg so no better author for this setting. You might don't want to read it though if you are a huge fan of George W. Bush and are easily offended.