"A beer with a Hamburger (bad pun)" Hamburg by planxty

Hamburg Travel Guide: 1,452 reviews and 3,459 photos

A great weekend break.

My ex-girllfriend and I went to Hamburg for a long weekend break. I had only ever visited there briefly in 1974 on a school trip, so it was really like going for the first time.

I found Hamburg to be a pleasantly laid out city with large squares, even larger churches and an interesting regenerated dock area reflecting the city's historical importance as a maritime trading port.

My ex-girlfriend raved about the shopping opportunities (much cheaper than London she said).

There are ample eating and drinking establishments with large influences from Turkey (especially), and the Middle East.

There is not a huge amount to do on the "tourist trail" and I would suggest three or four days would be sufficient to get a good flavour of the place.

We enjoyed it very much.

The ubiquitous Hummel

Ex-Mrs. planxty meets Mr. Hummel

Everywhere you go in the centre of Hamburg you will see fibreglass / plastic figures of "Hans Hummel" a historical water carrier in the city. He lived 1787 - 1854 and was a grumpy bugger by all accounts so the children used to tease him with the name "Hummel" meaning Bumble Bee.

The figures are sponsored by businesses and individuals and each one was created by a different artist.

They are eventually to be sold / auctioned off to assist a homeless charity. I thought they were quite fun and really brightened up the place.

Pros and Cons

Pros:Compact city centre, good travel connections, good eating options.
Cons:Avoid the red light districts if you don't like that sort of thing.
In a nutshell:Good place for a weekend break.

Last visit to Hamburg: Jan 2005
Intro Updated Dec 3, 2011
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Reviews (14)

View from St. Michael's tower, Hamburg - Hamburg

Lovely church, amazing views Things to Do (3)

You really should visit St. Michaels Church, one of the landmarks of Hamburg. The church itself is very interesting but... more travel advice

Dealing anyone? Off The Beaten Path (2)

Just to the rear of the Rathaus (Town Hall) is the Borse (Stock Exchange). Selected areas are open to the public during... more travel advice

Hamburg fischmarkt, Sunday morning. - Hamburg

Sunday morning outing. Things to Do (3)

The fish market held on a Sunday morning must be high on visitors lists of things to do. The actual produce markets are... more travel advice

The spice of life? Probably not. Tourist Traps (1)

It's perhaps a bit strong to call this a tourist trap, but there does not seem to be another category it fits in. On a... more travel advice

What to Pack (1)
Pack warm
Restaurants (3)
See All One of many, but nice food.
Transportation (2)
See All Hamburg card or not?

Warnings and Dangers (1)
Lighters at German airports
Hotels (1)
Cheap, clean and cheerful.
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Comments (11)

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Jerelis Jul 3, 2012 at 12:24 AM

Very nice page of Hamburg. I also visited during a school trip and am in need of revisiting it to explore it again. Sorry to read about your Zippo ... I also never heard of this regulation.
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planxty Apr 26, 2012 at 11:24 PM

Thanks for pointing that ut Marg. This page was written a long time ago at the start of my VT "career" and I genuinely cannot remember what I took the hotel pic on. I have no clue how to resize it or even if it would stand up to resizing. Hopefully my more recent efforts are better. Hamburg is well worth a visit if you can spare a day or two. fergy.
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wise23girl Apr 26, 2012 at 11:14 PM

Nice reviews...I had hoped to be there in July but David has not yet agreed. QM2 leaves for Norway in July...Nice lead photo but a really 'wee' one of the hotel...LOL
Marg
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nepalgoods Nov 24, 2007 at 1:11 AM

There are many more sightseeing spots. Hamburg is a very interesting place.
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barbskie Jul 29, 2006 at 12:03 PM

Yeah, Hamburg is one of our next destinations. My husband has told me about the fish market, the shopping area and etc. An interesting place.Thanks for all the tips......though i don't drink beer ;-) Cheers
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Acirfa Jul 29, 2006 at 5:43 AM

Great tips here. Am off on a VT to Bonn in October, will be a first visit to Germany. Thanks for checking out my Namibia pages. Will check back for more perusing of your pages soon
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Mariajoy Nov 5, 2005 at 5:51 AM

I'm thinking of taking a cheap flight here in March! Saw an offer I can't refuse!
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Nemorino Jul 5, 2005 at 12:44 PM

Glad you enjoyed your weekend break in Hamburg. It's a city I have always found very pleasant and interesting. The fish market, though, would not be my thing, since I am not (at all!) an early riser.
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JetlagCity Mar 28, 2005 at 9:06 AM

Excellent tip re: the fact that that airport really isn't in Hamburg. I used to have a penpal here & have been curious about this city ever since. Very nice page!
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J.I.M Jan 29, 2005 at 7:19 AM

Great page, Hamburg is a place that's always appealed to me, so I can't wait to go there :)