Old Town
500 m from RathausmarktThe centre around the City Hall and the Binnenalster, with shopping streets, churches and offices. Central and convenient, but quiet in the evenings.
- Population
- ≈ 1,900,000
- Language
- German
- Currency
- Euro (EUR)
- Time zone
- UTC+1
- Best time
- May – Sep
- Nearest airport
- HAM, 9 km
Start in the square: Rathausmarkt
Rathausmarkt, 20095 Hamburg
Rathausmarkt is the wide square in front of the grand City Hall, finished in 1897, with a tall clock tower and green copper roofs. White arcades with cafés run along the canal on one side, and the Binnenalster lake is a few steps away. In winter, one of the city's best-loved Christmas markets fills the square.
Within a short walk
- SpeicherstadtAm Sandtorkai, 20457 Hamburg800 m
- Miniatur WunderlandKehrwieder 2, Block D, 20457 Hamburg800 m
- St. Michael's ChurchEnglische Planke 1 A, 20459 Hamburg1 km
- Hamburger KunsthalleGlockengießerwall 5, 20095 Hamburg800 m
- City HallRathausmarkt 1, 20095 Hamburg100 m
Where to stay in Hamburg
HafenCity
1 km from RathausmarktA new district on former port land, with modern buildings, waterfront walks and the Elbphilharmonie. Calm at night, with good hotels close to the Speicherstadt.
St. Pauli
2 km from RathausmarktThe district by the harbour with the Reeperbahn, Hamburg's famous nightlife street, plus music clubs and the football stadium. Lively and loud, best for night owls.
Sternschanze
2.4 km from RathausmarktA young, alternative area north of St. Pauli, with cafés, small shops and bars spilling onto the pavement. Busy and relaxed, with a mix of locals and visitors.
St. Georg
1.4 km from RathausmarktThe area just behind the main station, with the café street Lange Reihe and the lake a short walk away. Very central; the streets closest to the station feel rougher at night.
Ottensen
5 km from RathausmarktA part of Altona with narrow streets, old factory buildings and lots of small restaurants. It feels local and relaxed, close to the sandy banks of the Elbe.
Things to do in Hamburg
Elbphilharmonie
Platz der Deutschen Einheit 4, 20457 Hamburg
A concert hall of glass waves built on top of an old brick warehouse at the edge of the harbour. Even without a concert ticket, you can visit the public viewing deck; book a time slot online.
Speicherstadt
Am Sandtorkai, 20457 Hamburg
Rows of red-brick warehouses on wooden piles along narrow canals, built for coffee, spices and carpets. Walk through at dusk, when the facades are lit.
Miniatur Wunderland
Kehrwieder 2, Block D, 20457 Hamburg
The largest model railway in the world, with tiny towns, mountains and a working airport, inside an old warehouse. Book a time slot online, especially for weekends and holidays.
St. Michael's Church
Englische Planke 1 A, 20459 Hamburg
A bright baroque church whose green copper tower is a symbol of the city. Climb the stairs or take the lift to the viewing platform for wide views over the harbour.
Hamburger Kunsthalle
Glockengießerwall 5, 20095 Hamburg
A huge art collection next to the main station, from medieval altars to Caspar David Friedrich and modern art, spread over three connected buildings. Plan at least half a day.
City Hall
Rathausmarkt 1, 20095 Hamburg
The grand seat of the city's parliament and government, richly decorated inside. Guided tours show the state rooms when no meetings are taking place.
Planten un Blomen
Planten un Blomen, 20355 Hamburg
A large park in the centre with a Japanese garden, rose beds and playgrounds. On summer evenings, coloured fountains play to music on the lake, free to watch.
St. Pauli Piers
St. Pauli Hafenstraße, 20359 Hamburg
Floating piers on the Elbe where harbour boat tours and city ferries leave. A ride on a public ferry is an easy and cheap way to see the port from the water.
Old Elbe Tunnel
Bei den St. Pauli-Landungsbrücken, 20359 Hamburg
A tiled tunnel from 1911 that runs under the river, with old lifts at both ends. Walk through to the south bank for a classic view of the harbour and the city skyline.
Fish Market
Große Elbstraße 9, 20359 Hamburg
A noisy market on the riverbank early on Sunday mornings, with traders shouting their offers and fish rolls for breakfast. Night owls arrive straight from the clubs.
Getting there
Hamburg Helmut Schmidt Airport (HAM)
Flughafenstr. 1 – 3, 22335 Norderstedt
9 km from the city centre
Lübeck Blankensee Airport (LBC)
Blankenseer Straße 101, 23560 Blankensee
55 km from the city centre
Hamburg Hauptbahnhof
Hachmannplatz 16, 20095 Hamburg
Main railway station, 900 m from Rathausmarkt
When to go
Average daytime high and night-time low per month (2005–2024). Highlighted months are the most comfortable for sightseeing.
- 3°Jan
- 5°Feb
- 9°Mar
- 14°Apr
- 18°May
- 21°Jun
- 23°Jul
- 22°Aug
- 19°Sep
- 14°Oct
- 8°Nov
- 4°Dec
| Measure | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °C | 3 | 5 | 9 | 14 | 18 | 21 | 23 | 22 | 19 | 14 | 8 | 4 |
| Low °C | -1 | -1 | 1 | 4 | 8 | 11 | 13 | 13 | 10 | 7 | 3 | 0 |
| Rain mm | 72 | 58 | 51 | 41 | 63 | 70 | 84 | 69 | 56 | 66 | 62 | 76 |
| Rain days | 15 | 12 | 11 | 10 | 12 | 13 | 16 | 15 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 16 |
| Daylight h | 8 | 9.7 | 11.7 | 13.9 | 15.9 | 17 | 16.5 | 14.8 | 12.6 | 10.4 | 8.5 | 7.5 |
The year in Hamburg
The biggest events that come back every year, starting with the next one.
Late September to early OctoberFilm
Filmfest Hamburg
Ten days of new films from around the world in cinemas across the city, many in their original language with subtitles. Some screenings include talks with the makers.
Spring, summer and winter, about a month eachFestival
Hamburger DOM
A huge funfair with rides, games and food stalls, held three times a year on a large field in St. Pauli. There are fireworks on Friday evenings.
AprilSport
Hamburg Marathon
Germany's largest spring marathon, with a course past the lake, the harbour and many districts. Thousands of people cheer along the streets, and roads close for the day.
MayFestival
Port Anniversary
Three days when the port celebrates its birthday, with tall ships, a parade of boats and fireworks over the Elbe. Over a million people come, so the waterfront gets very crowded.
Late July or early AugustFestival
Hamburg Pride
A week of LGBTQ+ events ending in a big, colourful parade through the centre and a street festival around the Jungfernstieg. Expect crowds and closed streets.
SeptemberMusic
Reeperbahn Festival
Four days of concerts by new bands in clubs, bars and theatres in and around the Reeperbahn. A festival pass lets you move between hundreds of shows.
Practical information
- Currency
- Euro (EUR)
- 1 EUR = 1.12 USD = 0.83 GBP (ECB, 30 October 2026)
- Language
- German
- Plugs
- Type F and C, 230 V
- Emergency number
- 112, 110
- Time zone
- UTC+1 (summer UTC+2)
- Country calling code
- +49
- Traffic drives on the
- Right
Public holidays in the next 12 months
Shops and museums may close or keep Sunday hours on these days.
- Reformation Day (Reformationstag)31 Oct 2026
- Christmas Day (Erster Weihnachtstag)25 Dec 2026
- St. Stephen's Day (Zweiter Weihnachtstag)26 Dec 2026
- New Year's Day (Neujahr)1 Jan 2027
- Good Friday (Karfreitag)26 Mar 2027
- Easter Monday (Ostermontag)29 Mar 2027
- Labour Day (Tag der Arbeit)1 May 2027
- Ascension Day (Christi Himmelfahrt)6 May 2027
- Whit Monday (Pfingstmontag)17 May 2027
- German Unity Day (Tag der Deutschen Einheit)3 Oct 2027
Hamburg FAQ
When is the best time to visit Hamburg?
May – Sep, when the average daytime high is between 18 and 23 °C.
Which airport is closest to Hamburg?
Hamburg Helmut Schmidt Airport (HAM), about 9 km from the city centre.
What currency is used in Hamburg?
The euro (EUR).
What plugs are used in Hamburg?
Type F and C, 230 V.
What are the biggest yearly events in Hamburg?
Filmfest Hamburg (Late September to early October), Hamburger DOM (Spring, summer and winter, about a month each), Hamburg Marathon (April), Port Anniversary (May), Hamburg Pride (Late July or early August), Reeperbahn Festival (September).
Nearby cities
All guides in Germany →Bremen · 95 kmBremenPopulation ≈ 550,000
Schleswig-Holstein · 86 kmKielPopulation ≈ 250,000
Schleswig-Holstein · 58 kmLübeckPopulation ≈ 210,000
Mecklenburg-Vorpommern · 94 kmSchwerinPopulation ≈ 97,000
Last updated 31 October 2026. Spotted something out of date? Let us know.