Hamburg

Like Berlin or Bremen, Hamburg is a federal city state. Its official name is Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg. The city has almost 2 million inhabitants, and it is one of the wealthiest cities in Europe. Nowhere in Germany you'll see as many convertibles on the street as in Hamburg, which is odd given the fact that it has the highest amount of rainfall of any city in Germany.

When you visit Hamburg, make sure to visit the port of Hamburg. It's one of the three biggest harbors in Europe and is truly impressive. If you want, you can go on a boat trip around the harbor. A local seaman will tell you everything that is to know about it. You can even find two museum ships near “Landungsbrücken”. One is an old freight ship and the other one is an old cargo sailing ship. Both are well worth a visit if you're interested in the history of seafaring.

If you like visiting old churches, you'll love Hamburg. The St. Nikolai church was the highest building in the world from 1874 to 1876, and it is still the 2^nd highest building in Hamburg. Its Neo-Gothic construction is very interesting. Other remarkable churches are the St. Michaelis Church, with its large bronze statue of the archangel Michael defeating the devil, St. Peter's Church which was interestingly enough build on top of different older churches, St. Jacobi Church, and St. Catherine's Church which is the oldest building in the city.

Another landmark is the Heinrich-Hertz-Turm, a radio telecommunication tower which is over 900 feet tall. Sadly, the observation platform has been closed since 2001. According to structural engineers, the building won’t last more than another 30 years.

Hamburg has two very nice botanical gardens to offer. The historic “Alter Botanischer Garten Hamburg” (Old Botanic Garden Hamburg) and the “Botanischer Garten Hamburg” (Botanic Garden Hamburg). Both are open daily and are free of charge. If you like strolling around on a sunny day and seeing a multitude of different plants, this is the place for you. Both feature all kinds of gardens, including a Japanese garden, a Chinese garden, and an Alpine garden. Whichever botanic garden you choose, make sure to bring a camera, because they're both a feast for your eyes!

There are many theaters in Hamburg, but if your German isn't that good, you might want to stick to the  English Theatre near Mundsburg station. It is the oldest professional English-speaking theater in Germany, and all the actors are native speakers. If you prefer to see some German acting, check out the “Deutsches Schauspielhaus”, the Thalia Theater,  the Ohnsorg Theater,  or "Schmidts Tivoli". 

If you like contemporary art, make sure to visit the “Kunsthalle Hamburg” and see its “Galerie der Gegenwart” (contemporary art gallery). Other interesting museums are the Museum for Art and Industry (“Museum für Kunst und Gewerbe”) and the “Deichtorhallen”.

In case you're visiting Hamburg with your kids, make sure to visit the worlds largest model railway museum, called “Miniatur Wunderland” (miniature wonderland). They basically recreated huge portions of the world in a very interesting and animated miniature world. Tiny cars driving around, little firefighters doing their difficult jobs, where ever you look, you'll be surprised about all the little details.

All the best,

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