Hamburg may not be known as the tourism mecca that Paris, London, Rome or others are. But it is a fascinating city to explore for its history, architecture, and culture. It was amazing when I looked back and realized how many things one can do for free in Hamburg to explore and joy this German city. So I decided to share twelve things to do in Hamburg for free There are more, for sure. Just consider this an unofficial guide to Hamburg and feel free to add via the comments below other suggestions you have (even if they are not free!).
The recommendations start at the Elbphilarmonie (Concert Hall), then move to the heart of the city and then move sort of out and westward so you can plan a route to explore following this sequence. I indicate U- or S-Ban stations near each spot when appropriate to help you plan the things to do in Hamburg.
1. Concert Hall (Elbphilarmonie)
The Elbphilarmonie is the magnificent and very modern concert hall built on top of a warehouse/residential structure dating from the 1960s in the Speicherstadt district of old Hamburg. It cost nearly a billion dollars to construct and many years delay, finally opening in January 2017. One wonders what that money could have done, say, to improve lives of refugees, improve social services or the like, but the building is impressive, like it or not.
The concert hall does not sit on top of the older building: it has its own foundations. Pretty darn good engineering trick! There are two cool ways to explore the concert hall: touring it or going to the viewing level.
The concert hall is just something to behold!
The tour lasts about an hour and costs 15 euros as of this writing. It requires a lot of physical activity. Going to the “Plaza” or viewing level is actually free and offers great views of the city. However, there is limited capacity at that level so, if you want to guarantee your access, you can get a ticket in advance by paying a nominal fee (2 euros). [U-Bahn station: Baumwall]
2. Speicherstadt
Close to the Chilehaus is the Speicherstadt district. This district was the warehouse district for decades. It was built in the late 1800s and seems to have survived WW II bombings so enough buildings either were OK or could be repaired (others were lost). The warehouses served a unique purpose in this important German port back when it was a customs-free zone. The rows of warehouses run long along canals and have access both from the water and the streets. It is curious to note that they are built on a foundation that uses timber poles to anchor them.
It is also neat to see how the whole district has been re-vitalized, I presume with new construction where the old buildings were destroyed in the war. As usual, modern German architecture is really fun to explore – they are much more creative than architects back home! [U-Bahn station: Baumwall]
3. St. Nicholas Church
I wrote about this church, in the heart of Hamburg, in an earlier post. It is a simple yet powerful reminder of the craziness of dictatorship and war. It is almost park-like but the message is clear. Of the list of things to do in Hamburg, this is for sure the most thought-provoking. In addition, St. Nicholas Church’s bell tower offers a phenomenal vantage point of the city (you do have to pay for that view…). [U-Bahn stations: Rathaus or Rödingsmarkt]
Tower from the front (L) and from what would have been the inside (R)
4. Chilehaus
If you love interesting architecture, stuff you don’t normally see, the Chilehaus (Chile House) building, with its massive scale, is the right sight for you. The building, in the Kontorhaus district of Hamburg, feels heavy with all those dark bricks but lightened by the small brick “features” that adorn in. I read somewhere that its design lends it lightness but I did not feel that lightness as an amateur.
In any case, the building dates from the 1920s and, like many things around this town, finds a way to evoke the maritime “centeredness” of the city, in this case, the shape of a ship. I had to look up why is it called the “Chile House” and learned that the shipping magnate who funded its construction made a lot of his money from trading in saltpeter from Chile.
Large wavy outer wall of the Chilehaus
Details of the exterior wall of the Chilehaus
When you are done checking the building out (and peek inside to the see old style staircases), walk some more around the area to see other old buildings. This link takes you to a live webcam offering almost 360 degree view around the Chilehaus. And I may add that it is across the street from the Chocolate Museum… [U-Bahn station: Meßberg]
5. Rathaus (City Hall)
The German word “Rathaus” is the word for “city hall.” I just love that word for a building where any politician sits. But I digress. Hamburg’s city hall is a beautiful structure close to water and the canal area of Hamburg and it houses both the First Mayor and the Parliament of the state of Hamburg. It is beautiful day or night.
Hamburg’s Rathaus was built in the late 19th century to replace the prior one that burned over 40 years before. It seems the building survived WW II well…
There are guided tours on offer during weekdays. I did not take the tour but I imagine it is a beautiful building inside… [U-Bahn station: Rathaus]
Rathaus as seen from St. Nicholas Church’s belltower
6. Alsterfontane and Binnenalster
This area by the water, right near the Rathaus and the Neustadt fancy shopping district, offers a unique opportunity to feel you are somewhere like Nice enjoying a stroll, a lunch, or a beverage right by the water. In Hamburg, the water normally means the Elbe River but this lagoon-like body of water (the Binnenalster), which connects by canals to the river, has a totally different feel. You can watch the Alsterfontane, which reminded me of a similar fountain in Lake Geneva, while sitting at one of the cafés or restaurants in the area before you go to the nearby Kunsthalle Museum or the fancy stores in the Neustadt district! [U-Bahn station: Jungfernstieg]
Alsterfontane and Binnenalster
Enjoying a drink and a bite by the water
7. Planten un Blomen
Wandering a little aimlessly away from Binnenalster, we ran into the park named Planten un Blomen which does not sound German but Dutch, perhaps. It is located near the Alster and the Congress Center, forming a green belt surrounding part of the core of the city. We actually happened upon it by accident. It was nice to stroll the trails along the water features of the park and see a good number of locals enjoying the place. If you need a break from walking around and want to just find a park that feels remote from “urbanity,” this would be a great spot! [U-Bahn station: Stephansplatz]
8. Old Elbe Tunnel
Now, the route goes back to the riverside… The entrance to this old tunnel under the Elbe River is just west of the city center and down the hill from the infamous St. Pauli district (another free thing to do is walk around there…).
This neat engineering marvel (at least back when it was built) is not only worth going through but, on the other side, one is rewarded with a good view of the modest Hamburg skyline. It is free and it is quite easy to do. For more about this experience, check out this post in this blog! [S-Bahn station: Landungsbrücken]
Bikes cannot be ridden if you are going against vehicular traffic
9. Fischmarkt
Continue moving westward along the Elbe River (away from the city center; a long walk with not a lot to look at), you will eventually get to Hamburg’s famous fish market (more or less below the Altona district). The recommended thing to do is be there at the crack of dawn on a Sunday (it opens at 5 AM and closes by 9:30 AM) and see everything for sale (not just fish!).
Unfortunately, I was not in Hamburg on a Sunday so I can’t serve as a witness to the event. However, I did make it over there. I really liked the main building. Its roof had an Eiffel-like feel to it and the structure inside (I could not go it but peeked) and outside reminded be of the Central Market (Mercado Central) in Santiago, Chile. Next time I come to Hamburg, I WILL be there on a Sunday!
10. St. Pauli Street Art
The St. Pauli district is known for one thing: the St. Pauli Girl beer! Well, that may be the case in North America but it is known for being a rather raunchy place. I will let others talk about that part of the district’s “appeal” but I liked how eclectic it fell and no better example of that than the diverse and colorful street art (I will leave the raunchy ones out…). So among the things to do in Hamburg on this list, this may be the funnest! [U-Bahn stations: Feldstraße or St. Pauli]
My favorite: the octopus wrapped around Hamburg!
11. Ottensen / Altona
Head up from the fish market to explore these two sections of town, Ottensen and Altona, just west of the heart of the city. They are very livable neighborhoods with neat modern and older buildings, pedestrian shopping areas, parks, shops, and some funky spots. Take the S-Bahn over and spent a couple of hours aimlessly walking these neighborhoods! [S-Bahn station: Hamburg-Altona station]
Altona’s Rathaus
12. Blankenese Treppenviertel – the Stair District
Off-the-beaten path in Hamburg, and further west than Ottensen and Altona, is a district to its west named Blankenese. As I shared in this earlier post I wrote about this district, it was an area where ship owners lived back in the day. The district is beautiful with its many stairs to walk to explore the homes of these shipowners. Some of these stairs lead down to the edge of the river Elbe. It is the last in this list of the things to do in Hamburg, but not least!
Nice path’s along the stair district – no paths for cars!
Hope this list of things to do in Hamburg helps you plan your visit there – or encourage to go there if you were not considering it!
Do you have other suggestions, be them free or at a cost?? Share via a comment!
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