Nestled along the banks of the Elbe River, Hamburg City is a vibrant and historic destination that offers a wealth of experiences for visitors. Upon spending only one day here, I felt as if Hamburg City could be a city I can live in. From the beautiful gardens of Planten un Blomen to the lively bars at Reeperbahn, there is something for everyone.
Table of Contents
- How to get from Berlin to Hamburg
- Where to stay in Hamburg City – Generator Hostel
- Things To See in Hamburg City
- Where to Next?
How to get from Berlin to Hamburg
I took the Flixbus from Berlin to Hamburg. The bus left from the central bus station in Berlin. I took the metro to the station and walked around the bus station until I found the right platform for my bus. The bus ride itself was very straightforward, roughly 4 hours. When I arrived in Hamburg the bus station was within 5 minutes walking of the Generator hostel.
Where to stay in Hamburg City – Generator Hostel
The Generator Hostel is right near the main train station (Hauptbanhof) which means the area around it can also be a little sketchy. Once you walk west past the train station towards the city center it get’s a lot less sketchy looking and you will be in the city center. Walking east from the train station gets a bit more sketchier so I avoided going into that area altogether.
The hostel itself was clean and social. There is a bar and pool area that seems to be popular in the evenings. I stayed in the 6 bed room with its own bathroom. The bathroom was really two makeshift rooms: one with a toilet and sink, another with a shower and sink. Both rooms were incredibly tiny but luckily I am a small person so this didn’t bother me as much. There is a full bathroom down the hallway that I used most often. The beds were very comfortable and there was a big locker that pulled out from under the beds that was big enough for my bags. Breakfast was available at an additional cost and late checkout is also available for an extra cost.
Things To See in Hamburg City
Hamburg Rathaus
Hamburg Rathaus, or City Hall, is an impressive neo-renaissance building that has beautiful architecture. There is no way you can miss seeing this because it’s right in the center of town. This magnificent structure captivates the whole area.
Reeperbahn
Similar to the Red Light District in Amsterdam. There’s even a street that is “men only” that I can only assume what goes on there. There are tons of bars and clubs and it gets very crowded especially on the weekends. It’s a vibe for sure but I am not much for staying out late drinking so I don’t have any recommendations to give here. Definitely worth walking around just to get the general experience.
Fischmarkt
This is exactly what it sounds like. Fischmarkt is a market where you can find fruits, vegetables, breakfast meals and of course fish. It’s open on Sunday’s early in the morning which is super convenient for drunk munchies for those that went out Saturday night and are just ending their night in time for the Fischmarkt. Unfortunately I got there too late and many of the vendors were packing up their stores, so make sure you get there early!
Jungfernstieg
This is a nice walk around the lake. An excellent spot for a quick run in the mornings or even just a walk for fresh air.
Planten un Blomen
A beautiful park located North Western of City Center. This park was so lovely that I managed to come here twice! There are lots of trails and interesting things to see. There is a Japanese Garden, several water fountains, a larger lake with flowers, a cafe, and my favorite, an herb garden that lists out which parts of the body each herb aids. This is one thing I highly recommend visiting if you like walking and are a nature lover like me.
Elbphilharmonie
Very cool to see the architecture, however, I did not go inside so cannot speak to that. The surrounding area is very beautiful and nice to walk around.
Where to Next?
While I was here in Hamburg, I also met up with a friend who I hadn’t seen in nearly 2 and a half years. The great thing about having travel friends is having friends all over the world, making the world seem a little bit smaller. After a few days of exploration in Hamburg, I was ready to head into the mountains for some hiking. My next stop takes me to the small town of Garmisch-Partenkirchen in beautiful Bavaria. When everything seemed to be going great, it all fell apart. Stick around for my next blog post to find out where it all went wrong.
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Any walk that involves pastries is a walk I’ll take! There are so many cool spots in Germany I would love to see…
The architecture is beautiful but Planten un Blomen looks amazing. I’d love to see it! Thank you so much for sharing. Hoping to see more of Germany one day.
So many cool things. I would definitely want to be early for the market!
Thanks for the helpful info. I love these quick lists of things to do with snippets of information.
Nice photos by the way!
I love a trip to a local market. Fischmarkt would be a place I’d like to check out where I can eat and drink everything!
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