My mini Hamburg guide

Hamburg had a hard time. After three wonderful days on the Halligen, the city seemed a bit too grey to us at first glance. The starting point of our exploration tour was the Mövenpick Hotel Hamburg, which is located in what was once the largest water tower in Europe – the Schanzenturm. Architecturally, the hotel is a true gem. The rooms are functionally furnished and the breakfast buffet leaves little to be desired. Nevertheless, the hotel did not convince me in all respects. On the one hand, the ladies at the reception were more disinterested than service-oriented, and on the other hand, Wi-Fi is not included free of charge in all room categories. In the Standard and Superior rooms, a fee of 17 euros/24 hours must be paid. Since free Wi-Fi is a fixed booking criterion for me, I would choose a different hotel the next time I visit Hamburg.

The positive thing about the hotel is the location. The lively Schanzenviertel with its many restaurants, cafés and boutiques is within walking distance. We fortified ourselves in Grandma’s pharmacy (Schanzenstrasse 87), where a lunch table dish including salad and dessert is served for an incredible 5.90 euros. A real bargain by Swiss standards – and it was delicious too.

After we had made a first impression of “Hamburg’s heart” from the boat, we continued the discovery tour on foot. Amazed, we immersed ourselves in the historical world of the Speicherstadt. In contrast to HafenCity, which in my opinion does not yet exude any charm at all, I was impressed by this unique ensemble of brick buildings. We took the time to take a look or two into the courtyards. Of course, the obligatory photo of the picturesque moated castle was not to be missed.

Of course, a walk through the Hafencity is also worthwhile. One of the largest inner-city construction projects in Europe is not to be missed. I was just a bit disappointed that the neighborhood still didn’t seem really lively. Sure, the weather wasn’t ideal either, but somehow the quarter hasn’t yet developed its own character and looks like a loveless collection of cubic residential and office buildings.

Around noon we walked away from the Elbe, through the old town to the Inner Alster. We took a sweet break in the Alster Pavilion before taking a closer look at this part of the city. Personally, I really liked the town hall. When the sun kissed Hamburg with its rays for a short five minutes, we could guess how great the city is on nice days.

The miniature model of Hamburg on the Rathausplatz lured us to the next highlight. You know, I like the bird’s eye view and what could be better for it than the landmark of the Hanseatic city par excellence? Of course, we had to go to the Michel. The main Protestant church of St. Michealis is not only the most famous church in Hamburg, but also has the largest tower clock of its kind in Germany. If you are travelling with a Hamburg Card, you benefit from a reduced admission to the tower (4 euros instead of 5 euros). The 452 steps up to the tower are definitely worth it. From the top you have a wonderful view of the whole city and harbour area.

Last but not least, we dedicated ourselves to the notorious St. Pauli. We enjoyed dinner in the traditional Trattoria Cuneo (Via David 11). We were lucky to get a small table even without a reservation and enjoyed the Italian delicacies. The digestive walk then led us through the sometimes bizarre and colorful world of St. Pauli.

Even though Hamburg is manageable, you shouldn’t think that one day is enough to get to know the city in all its facets. We only scratched the surface that day and collected a lot of ideas about what we will do on our next visit to the Hanseatic city.

Note: Hamburg Tourism and Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts supported my visit to the Hanseatic city – thank you very much for that. As always, my readers can be sure that I always represent my views and enthusiasm here.

The most important facts about Hamburg

Best time to visit:	Spring and Autumn
Entry requirements:	Valid Swiss identity card – a Swiss passport that has expired for less than 5 years will also be accepted. (February 2019))
Currency:	Euro (EUR)
Languages:	Mostly German
Population:	1,834,823 (July 1, 2018)