Welcome to Hamburg
Hamburg is one of the coolest cities on earth. A maritime spirit infuses the entire city, bequeathing its diverse neighbourhoods astonishing culinary, architectural and musical excellence and variety. To put it another way, its impossible to come to Hamburg and not have a really good time.
Hamburg harbour | GERCKENS-PHOTO-HAMBURG/SHUTTERSTOCK
HamburgTop Sights
An architectural icon, with world-class music.
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Hamburg Top Sights
Hamburgs grandest medieval building.
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Hamburg Top Sights
Outstanding art spanning the ages.
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Hamburg Top Sights
Haunting monument with extraordinary views.
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Hamburg Top Sights
Hamburgs Sunday-morning happy hour.
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Hamburg Top Sights
Baroque city landmark with views.
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Hamburg Top Sights
Maritime excellence in HafenCity.
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Hamburg Top Sights
Europe in miniature.
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Eating
Virtually every part of Hamburg has good dining options, ranging from humble to fine. Unsurprisingly, seafood is a favourite in this port city, with everything from traditional regional specialities to sushi on offer. Youll also find a truly global variety of foods reflecting this citys international links and traditions, but dont neglect the widely available local specialities.
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Local Specialities
On paper, Germanys (and Hamburgs) best-known specialities appear deceptively simple: wurst, brot, kartoffeln and sauerkraut (sausage, bread, potatoes and pickled cabbage).
Labskaus
If theres one Hamburg or northern German dish that Hamburgers love more than any other, its labskaus. The constituent ingredients are potato, cured beef, herrings and beetroot (the latter gives it the rather lurid colour that distinguishes true labskaus) and although its usually called a stew, mash would be more accurate. Its usually served topped with an egg.
Fischbrtchen
Finding the perfect fischbrtchen (fish roll or fish sandwich) is something of a Hamburg obsession, at once lunchtime snack or late-night comfort food for those on the way home from a big night out. Its a very simple dish, with a piece of pickled herring (sometimes salted, sometimes sweet) served in a small roll, often with a token piece of lettuce.
Best Restaurants
German specialities, cooked to perfection in St Georg.
Local specialities in a gorgeous Hamburg street.
One of Hamburgs most prestigious restaurants.
Home cooking in a down-home setting.
Part of Hamburgs new-wave dining scene.
Pickled herring in a roll in Hamburg tick!
Best Labskaus
Try their labskaus with their homemade bread two German passions in one.
No-frills restaurant with terrific, hearty labskaus.
Upmarket restaurant with large and small labskaus offerings.
Longstanding labskaus classic next to St Michaelis Kirche.
Best Fischbrtchen
Our pick for the best fischbrtchen, down by the port.
Twenty different types and many peoples prize for the best in town.
Late-night fish sandwiches as comfort food in the heart of Reeperbahns party zone.
Drinking & Nightlife
Hamburgs nightlife is legendary, and rightly so. Elite cocktail bars, nonstop nightclubs and world-class DJs are all part of a mix that rocks and rolls with energy and innovation. Hamburg is renowned for its electro-punk sound, which started in the 1980s and has evolved and morphed endlessly. Clubkombinat (www.clubkombinat.de) has club listings.
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Bars & Pubs
The mainstay of Hamburgs drinking culture, this catch-all category includes the rough-and-tumble neighbourhood pubs of St Pauli and the quietly sophisticated bars of Altona. Most open around 5pm during the week, earlier on weekends, and stay open until the last customer staggers out the door.
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