Dave’s Travel World

Summary

This post sets out to describe my experiences in Hamburg. In all, I was in the city for little over a day as part of my journey to the Artic Circle. It details my arrival, my sightseeing activities and my thoughts.

In addition, it also provides a brief summary of other attractions that might be worth visiting and a list of local food delicacies you may wish to try.

The map below details my sightseeing route through the city.

Arriving in Hamburg

On Wednesday evening, four hours after leaving Wernigerode in the Harz Mountains, I arrive in the dark at Hamburg Hbf. Now it is just a simple switch to a S-Bahn train (part of Hamburg’s Public Transport system) and then I will head off to Reeperbahn and my hostel for next two nights. 

Nothing is ever simple however. Once I find the correct platform I jump on the first departing train only to find out, too late, that the platform is shared by several other S-Bhan routes. Finding my way back to Hamburg Hbf, once my error is comprehended, takes a further 30 minutes.

Finally, on emerging from the Reeperbahn’s S-Bahn station into the Hamburg night air I am immediately dazzled by the sound of traffic and the neon lights of the Reeperbahn – once home to John, Paul, George and Ringo and now a buzzing mass of bars, fast food joints and hawkers. For all its commercialism however it has a rather nice laid back Asian city feel about it.

The rambling A&O hostel, my home for now, is easily found in a courtyard opposite the S-Bahn exit. After safely booking in to my private room, complete with en-suite, it is time to hit those bars for a beer of two.

Now, let’s ‘see’ where we are

First things first, my reading glasses have fallen to bits after three days of travelling. One arm has come off and I am reduced to blindness. To make matters worse I can’t read the google screen on my phone to locate an optician or plan my sightseeing for the day.

Apparently, according to the hostel receptionist, there is a shopping mall about a kilometre away where I might (or more likely will not) find an optician. Armed with bottled water it is time to set out for the day.

Would you believe it, emerging from the hostel courtyard, glancing across the road, the first thing I see is an optician – must be my lucky day. 15 minutes and 10 euros later I depart from the shop with eyesight fully restored.

It must be time for a coffee to celebrate. Two doors down from the optician is a local cafe / bar that looks ideal. It turns out to be a welcome breakfast retreat, especially as it comes complete with a people watching pavement terrace and posters of James Dean and Marlene Dietrich.

A boat trip on Alster Lake

Next, its on to the S-Bahn and off to Jungfernstieg to start a tour of the Old City, the canals and warehouse areas. Again though, not fully prepared for my tour I am distracted by riverboats heading out onto Alster Lake and what I think is the canal system running through the Old City. The next boat is due to depart in ten minutes so I hurry to buy a ticket and scramble aboard. After five minutes of travel however, and after studying the onboard handout leaflet, it became obvious the boat is heading away from the Old City, rather than through it. 

No problem really!!! In fact I quickly convince myself that this is an added bonus as I will now see new parts of the city, thus understanding more about Hamburg than perhaps I might otherwise do. In hindsight, although interesting in its own way, the next hour and half does little to inspire. We do nonetheless pass some grand houses, the Hochschule Music Theatre and a few parks.

On writing up this blog I discover that there is another boat trip from the same pier (and run by the same company) that does indeed travel through the Old City canals rather than the afore mentioned suburbia. Rather confusingly however this is marketed as ‘The Waterways Trip’ and not ‘The Canal Trip’. So, there it is, you will know which one to choose when you visit.

City Hall to Deichstrabe

Back on Terra firma I recommence my original plans and set off in a southerly direction towards the 140 year old City Hall. This building, built on 4,000 stilts that were sunk into the muddy shores of Alster Lake, sits on the south side of Rathausmarkt and houses Hamburg’s parliament, senate and mayoral seat.

From City Hall I make my way along the Asterfleet waterway towards the historic 14th century Deichstrabe with its twee shops and bars before settling down for a well deserved beer and snack. 

What I only start to realise while sitting outside a cafe in Deichstrabe is that the vast majority of the original historic centre of Hamburg was destroyed in 1842 by the Great Fire of Hamburg, killing some 50 residents and making 20,000 people homeless, with only a part of Deichstrabe remaining.

Then subsequently, following a 100 year period of renewal and modernisation, the city was again systematically destroyed by allied air bombardments during the second world war. This happened primarily during the last week of July 1943 when the allies undertook ‘Operation Gomorrah’, killing around 40,000 Hamburg citizens over an eight day period. (Note: To understand the enormity of this second destruction it needs to be remembered that the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima killed around 130,000 people).

These historic events in the centre of Hamburg go a long way towards explaining why the city centre is now dominated by a proliferation of mostly post war architecture. Those notable buildings that did survive the 1943 bombings and subsequent firestorms were painstakingly restored to retain as much of the historic centre as was possible. Today though, historic buildings such as the City Hall and those in Deichstrabe are very much an exception.

Speicherstadt

Moving on from Deichstrabe I make my way south towards Speicherstadt and the Norderelbe. The former is the old port warehousing area on the northern bank of the River Elbe and the latter forms the northern arm river Elbe as it passes through the city.

As a point of interest, Hamburg’s modern day port area lies nearby, primarily on the south side of the Elbe. Also, despite the present day port being some 65 miles from the North Sea it is nonetheless the largest seaport in Germany and the third largest in Europe. Hamburg is therefore Germany’s seafaring ‘Gateway’ to the world. This perhaps explains why it was considered such a strategic target by the allies during World War II.

Today, the old port area of Speicherstadt, the world’s largest complex of warehouses covering an area approaching 300,000 square metres, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

A walk by the Elbe

Having visited the warehouse area I then make my way along the northern bank of the Elbe towards Landungsbrücken S-Bahn station following Jan-Fedder-Promenade and passing the sailing ship Rickmer Rickmers.

In terms of the former, although I don’t know it at the time, the promenade was designed by the renowned Iraqi -British architect Zaha Hadid – I must admit though. it doesn’t stand out as one of her most memorable works. Nonetheless, the promenade is of passing interest in so far as its primary function appears to be that of flood protection. Following a storm surge that flooded large parts of the city centre, this flood defence / promenade was constructed in 1962. Subsequently, presumably due to the effects of climate change, its height had to raised from 7.2 m to 8.9 m above sea level. This change, which was implemented in the last 10 years, involved the commissioning of Zaha Hadid in an attempt to improve the streetscape of the area.

With regards to the sailing ship, Rickmer Rickmers, it was built in 1896 in the nearby seaport of Bremerhaven and up until World War I it regularly carried cargo around the world from Hamburg port. Originally it carried rice and bamboo back from Hong Kong and subsequently operated between Hamburg and Chile carrying cargos of saltpeter. After World War 1 it served as a training ship for the Portuguese navy and is now a museum.

A wheat beer to finish

After my potted history tour of the wonders of Hamburg I arrive at Landungsbrücken S-Bahn station at around 5.00pm and make my way back to the Reeperbahn and my hostel.

During the evening I consume one or two wheat beers (or is it three or four, my memory is somewhat blurred) before retiring to bed, ready for my next day’s journey to Copenhagen.

Other Attractions in the City

Buildings:

• Elbphilharmonie: A world-class concert hall and architectural masterpiece.

• St. Michael’s Church: A Baroque masterpiece providing panoramic city views from its tower.

Parks and Gardens:

• Planten un Blomen: A scenic park with gardens, fountains, and free summer concerts.

• Jenisch Park: Jenisch House Museum and gardens.

Museums and Art Galleries:

• Hamburger Kunsthalle: Contains art from the Middle Ages through to contemporary pieces.

• Kunstverein Hamburg: An art gallery displaying contemporary art exhibitions.

• International Maritime Museum: Contains  a vast collection of maritime artifacts and history.

Other Attractions:

• Hamburg Dungeon: An interactive journey through Hamburg’s dark history.

• Hamburg Zoo: A family-friendly zoo containing a diverse range of animal species and attractions.

• Chocoversum: An interactive experience of chocolate-making.

• Miniature Wunderland: An intricate miniature world, including the world’s largest model railway.

• Ohlsdorf Cemetery: Europe’s largest park cemetery with impressive mausoleums and sculptures.

Local Food Delicacies to Try While in Hamburg

Bread based Dishes

• Rundstück warm: A warm roll filled with various ingredients like meat, cheese, and vegetables.

• Fischbrötchen: Fresh fish, typically herring or salmon, served in a bun with various toppings and sauces.

Soup / Stew Dishes

• Labskovs: A warm potato stew with meat, typically beef or pork.

• Pfeffersack: A hearty stew with beef, pork, and beans.

• Aalschnüüsch: A thick eel soup with vegetables and herbs, a regional specialty.

• Aalsuppe: A traditional eel soup with vegetables, often enjoyed as a hearty meal.

Meat based Dishes

• Labskaus: A traditional sailor’s dish made with corned beef, potatoes, and beetroot, often topped with a fried egg and pickles.

• Knipp: A local sausage dish made from minced meat, bacon, and oats.

• Pannfrikadellen: Pan-fried meatballs made from a mixture of minced meat and bread.

• Königsberger Klopse: Meatballs in a creamy caper sauce, typically served with potatoes or rice.

• Grünkohl: Kale cooked with smoked sausage and other meats, often served with potatoes and mustard.

• Kohlrouladen: Cabbage rolls stuffed with meat, rice, and spices, often served with gravy.

Fish based Dishes

• Pannfisch: Pan-fried fish, often served with potatoes and a mustard sauce.

• Bismarckhering: Marinated herring fillets, usually served with onions and a creamy sauce.

• Räuchermatjes: Smoked herring fillets, a popular local delicacy.

Vegetable based Dishes

• Rotkohl: Sweet and sour red cabbage, a common side dish in Hamburg.

• Französischer Salat: A German potato salad with mayonnaise and pickles.

• Birnen, Bohnen und Speck: A hearty dish featuring pears, green beans, and bacon.

Desserts / Pastries

• Franzbrötchen: Cinnamon and sugar pastries, similar to cinnamon rolls but with a unique local twist.

• Rote Grütze: A red berry pudding or compote, often served with cream or vanilla sauce.

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