Hamburg Things to Do Tips by nepalgoods Top 5 Page for this destination

Speicherstadt Speicherstadt Review

Around 1880 is became nessecary to separate an area near city and harbour for the free-port. Red-Brick warehouses were build, where before had been an old town with buildings from 17th century. This old houses have been destroyed and people had to move elsewhere.

Now the warehouse district with old and also very new buildings is no longer free-port but still houses some old trading firms with carpets, coffee and tea. It has become an area, where people can live in expensive flats, where the new Elb-Philharmony is being build and where the big cruiseships stop for a visit of Hamburg.

The small channels between the houses are called Fleet and can bee visited by boat.

There also some very interesting museums and attractions: Spicy's spice Museum, Speicherstadt-Museum, Hamburg Dungeon and Miniatur Wonderland (the world largest model railway)

Directions: Metro-Station Baumwall

Alter Elbtunnel Elbtunnel Review

The Old Tunnel beneath the Elbe River was opened in 1911. It was the sensational first river tunnel in continental Europe. It was build to offer easy and indepent transit of the river. No storm, nor ice could stopp the traffic.
The tunnel is almost 500m long and 6m high, between St. Pauli Landungsbruecken and Blohm& Voss-Warft in Steinwerder. At its best time more than 2 Mill. people used the tunnel. Now there are about 500.000 people, mainly tourists, who visit the tunnel every year.

On special times cars could use the tunnel, going down and up to the tunnel using an elevator.

Nowadays it is a very interesting experience to walk through the tunnel and see all its nicely decorated tiles. The use as a pedestrian is free. When you come before 10:oo a.m. then it is very likely you are almost alone in the tunnel. This a bit spooky but also very nice (no tourists).

Directions: Between St. Landungsbruecken and Steinwerder.

Blankenese Blankenese Review

Blankenese is a smal suburb of Hamburg on the Elbe River. It has been the place where many captains lived with their family. Beautiful old houses and staircases on the stepp banks of Elbe River are the main sight. It is a nice walk along the river. There are restaurants to have a coffee or lunch and dinner.

Blankenese is a great destination for a day's excursion from Hamburg city center. The S1-trains take about half an hour to reach Blankenese trainstation.

Main Church St. Petri

St. Petri is the oldest parish church in Hamburg. in 1195 was a "ecclesia forensis" - a market Church first mentioned. There is nothing left of this oldest church. There is a bronce handle of the door at the left wing. The door gives evidence of the foundation of the tower in 1342.

The old church was completely destroyed in a big fire in 1842. ONly the foundation have been left. In 1849 the new church was completed in neo-gothic style. The architects were Alexis de Chateauneuf and Hermann Fersenfeld. The present tower of 132m was consecrated in 1878. St. Petri is a protestant church.

Number of steps to the top of the tower:
- to the museum by stone spiral staircase: 111
- to the big bell: 177
- to first level with porthole windows: 330
- to the highest point of view in the spire: 544

Opening hours:
The church itself is open every day.
The tower can be accessed from Mnday to Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Sunday: after the 10 a.m. servcie until 4 p.m.

I think, that St. Petri is not an important sightseeing spot. It does not show important architecture or famous art. But it is a place of quietness and peace in the middle of the bustling city. So, if you are tired and worn out after all the sightseeing or shopping than this is the place to go!

Address: Moenckebergstrasse

Directions: Near Townhall

Phone: 040 - 32 57 40 0

Website: http://www.sankt-petri.de

Town Hall Town Hall - Rathaus Review

The old Town Hall of Hamburg has been destroyed in the big fire of 1842. After many years a new town hall has been build and was completed in 1897. This New Town Hall shows the wealth of Hamburgian merchants.

It is 111m long, 70m wide. It has 647 rooms. The tower is 112m high. The rooms are dark with a lot of wood and gold. They show the bombastic style of the end of the 19th century. I really do not like it and get depressed by the dark furniture. The rooms are made to impress people, who visit, and make them feel small and poor.

Address: Rathausmarkt

Directions: U3: Rathaus

Cruiseships Port - Hafen Review

Every year are more cuiseships coming to Hamburg. Hamburg with all its attractions is n ideal cuise harbour. Now a big cruise terminal is build in Harbour City. In 2007 about 80 cruise ships visited Hamburg, bringing about 100.000 tourists. Most ships stay about one to two days in Hamburg.

There is a cruise center in Harbour City and there will be another one in a very attractive location: at Altona Fishmarket (2009).

Hagenbecks Tierpark Zoo Hagenbeck Review

In 1848 Carl Hagenbeck, a Hamburg fishmonger, established a wild-animal import business in Hamburg. In 1863, he opened a menagerie near Hamburg’s harbour, passing on its management to his son Carl Hagenbeck, Jnr, (1844 – 1913) in 1866. The first "Carl Hagenbeck’s Thierpark" (to use the spelling of the time) was inaugurated on a new site nearby in 1874, and from this centre Carl Hagenbeck, Jnr, built up the family enterprise to what would become the world’s premier wild-animal dealership. Today’s Tierpark Hagenbeck was opened to the public in 1907. This was the world’s first zoo featuring barless, moated animal exhibits simulating a natural landscape – a concept that would set the standard for wild-animal parks around the world.
Air raids during World War II brought the zoo close to annihilation, but the Hagenbeck family and a devoted staff rebuilt the park to one larger and more beautiful then ever. The year 2003 saw greater changes than any since the immediate post-war period: an authentic Nepalese temple tower now crowns a new entrance across the street from the underground railway station. With it, a new circular route guides you through the zoo, touching base at each exhibit while allowing you to make best use of your time. Young animals too, including two baby elephants, two baby giraffes and a baby leopard in 2006 are the main attractions. The latest baby is a cute Orang Utan.

Tierpark Hagenbeck is open every.

Summer season (mid-March through October): 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at least. When the weather is especially nice, the zoo may be open until 7 p.m. On the Summer Nights the zoo closes late.

Winter season (November through mid-March): 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

On Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve the zoo closes at noon.

Entrance fees 2006

Single ticket
Adult € 14.50
Child (4 – 16) € 8.50
Children 3 or younger free

Family ticket No 1
2 adults, 2 children € 41.00

Family ticket No 2
2 adults, 3 children€ 46.00

Group ticket (10 paying visitors or more)
Adult€ 13.00 each
Child (4 – 16)€ 7.00 each

Address: Lokstedter Grenzstrasse 2, 22527 Hamburg

Directions: in suburb of Stelling. Easily to be reached by U-Bahn U2, Station Hagenbecks Tierpark

Phone: +49-[0]40-540 001-0

Website: http://www.hagenbeck.de

Hafencity Port - Hafen Review

100 years ago there were only big warehouses and storerooms here. Hafencity was a place of hard work and of trade with the whole world. Now Hafencity is developing here with luxurious appartments and the Elbphilharmonie, a big concert hall.

Directions: Not far from Landungsbruecken and the harbour. Easy to be reached by U-Bahn, trainstop Baumwall

Cruiseships Port - Hafen Review

Hamburg is getting more and more attractive to cruiseships. Hamburg itself offers a lot as for example good shopping, great museums and friendly people. Cities like Berlin or Luebeck can easily be reached in a day-trip.

For 2006 the following cruiseship will spend some time in Hamburg:
- Queen Mary 2
- Deutschland
- Silver Cloud
- Bremen
- Europa
and more

For dates and names: Calendar of Cruiseships in Hamburg

Website: http://www.hafen-hamburg.de

Port of Hamburg Port - Hafen Review

The official beginning of the Port of Hamburg was in 1189, when Emperor Friedrich Barbarossa gave the right to hold markets to Hamburg. Now Hamburg is not only the biggest port in germany but also number 9 of all container-harbours in the world.

Website: http://www.hafen-hamburg.de