Hamburg, 5 hotel

For early risers, a visit to the Fischmarkt on Hamburg’s harbour is well worthwhile. In the Summer months the market opens from 5am, while in Winter it opens at 7am. Everything your heart desires is available here - from fish and fruit, to flowers, porcelain and clothing. The Fischmarkt is also famous for its live music. In the former auction hall, partygoers rave well into the night and the following morning.

Built at the end of the 19th century, the Hamburger Speicherstadt is the world’s largest interconnected warehouse complex. It has been a protected building since 1991. Visitors can explore the Speicherstadt on foot, or from the water during a boat tour of the harbour. The Gothic buildings of the warehouse complex are home to a variety of cafes, as well as the Hamburg Architectural Archive, an information centre about the harbour city, and several museums, including the German Customs Museum, the Spice Museum and the Speicherstadtmuseum. It is also home to a miniature wonderland, which will appeal to all visitors, not just children.

The church of St. Michaelis is the symbol of the City of Hamburg. Visible from various points around the city, the Michel quickly arouses the interest of visitors. The tower is over 130m tall and affords visitors a wonderful view across the city. The church’s baroque crypt is also open to the public.

Known as ‘The most sinful mile on earth’, Hamburg’s Reeperbahn attracts countless curious onlookers year after year. Quiet by day, the neighbourhood takes on a life of its own after dark. Tourists and locals alike meet up here to party late into the night. Various restaurants, bars, nightclubs, discos and theatres are waiting to be explored. There’s also the Café Keese, home of the Quatsch Comedy Club, as well as the Operettenhaus, where the musical ‘Sister Act’ is currently being performed, the famous Starclub and the infamous Dollhouse.

The Hamburg Jungfernstieg is located on the southern bank of the inner Alster, and extends from the Reesendammbrücke to the Gänsemarkt. The boulevard’s name is derived from its historical meaning: this was a place where Hamburg’s families once promenaded with their unmarried daughters, in the hope of finding a suitable husband. Today, you can meet up on the historic Flaniermeile, and set off on an excursion around the city, a shopping expedition in the neighbouring Alsterhaus, or simply relax on the banks of the Inner Alster.

The residents of this Hanseatic city need never stray very far to spend some time on the water. The inner and outer Alster rivers - in the very centre of the city - offer many opportunities for recreation: relax on deckchairs beside the Ufer, take a stroll along the inner Alster, or enjoy views of the city from a boat. Many restaurants and cafes along the banks of the river invite you to stop and rest for a while.

One of the most remarkable buildings in Hamburg is the Chilehaus. Located in the Kontorhaus district, the building impresses above all with its unusual construction. Made from almost 5 million bricks, the top of the house is modelled on the bow of a ship. Inside the clinker brick building, a variety of shops and restaurants invites you to linger.

Those who have had enough of the hustle and bustle of the city should head for the Planten un Blomen park in the centre of Hamburg. At the beginning of the 19th century, this 47 hectare facility was created, offering variety for young and old. From a Japanese garden to a rose garden, a tropical greenhouse and an Alpinum, this park has something for every plant lover. As well as enjoying its plants, you can attend various workshops here, on topics including Japanese calligraphy, and events such as water light concerts and live music. Little ones will be enchanted by the children’s theatre shows and the playgrounds - especially the water playground.

Hamburg’s Elbbrücken are a series of independent bridges, which cross over the river Elbe in Hamburg. One generally distinguishes between the northern and southern Elbbrücken. If you are travelling across the A1 from the south, you will automatically come across one of the Elbbrücken. When you cross over the river, you should see a fantastic view over the Elbe. Another bridge spanning the southern Elbe is the old Harburger Elbbrücke, which was first opened in 1899 and which continues to be used by pedestrians and cyclists to this day.

With its wave-shaped glass formation, the concert house hovers dramatically over Hamburg’s harbour city. An area used as a quay with warehousing facilities until the end of the last century has been transformed into the foundations for 200,000 tons of cultural property. An enormous crystal with a glittering glass facade has become a new symbol of this Hanseatic city.