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Hamburg, Germany Welcomes The World
Hamburg, Germany's largest port and one of Europe's key trans-shipment centers, has long shown visitors from around the world a good time. Said to be the city with Germany's youngest and most creative population, it lures more and more sophisticated travelers each year. Low cost carriers from throughout Europe bring in weekend party-goers, so the city's Red Light district and clubs on the famed Reeperbahn (the main nightlife thoroughfare) are throbbing with a multi-cultural throng.
However, a summer visit convinced us that families with school-age children will also find Hamburg a great weekend destination.
Hamburg, Hipper & More Multi-National
Adults who recall Hamburg prior to the fall of the Berlin Wall may concur with Ian Fleming's description from his 1959 collection of travel essays, Thrilling Cities: "the last bastion in Europe of 'anything goes.'" A new generation comes to admire the Indra, the club where the Beatles first performed in 1961, and other sites related to the Fab Four's early days in this wild city. In fact, you can check out Dr. Mark A. Schneegurt's cool Beatle Fan Walking Tour for more info about this aspect of the city.
Past visitors to Hamburg won't forget the Reeperbahn, the city's funky multi-lane artery of shops, restaurants and clubs in the St. Pauli district. To explore, catch the U-Bahn subway to St. Pauli, then walk from there; it's a very long boulevard with lots to see and many over-scale buildings typical of this larger-than-life city.
On the eastern side of Elbpark, one of Hamburg's 1,400 parks and gardens, are many historic highlights. The steepled Grosse Michaeliskirche (St. Michaelis Church) dominating the skyline is considered the most important Baroque Protestant church in northern Germany. Dating to 1751, it is especially known for the sound of its three huge organs. The Michel's Tower can be toured day or night for great city views. St. Nikolaikirche is worth a stop; it was gutted by bombing during WWII, but its burnt neogothic façade remains standing as a reminder of all those who died.
The impressive architecture housing the Hamburg History Museum, Brahms Museum and other vast collections comprise the area known as Museum Mile. The enormous Rathaus or City Hall is a huge sandstone building dating from 1886. It's a bit larger than Buckingham Palace with its 647 rooms and still houses the city parliament and senate. Plan on paying a visit to its lavishly decorated rooms any day of the week. English language tours are given regularly, though visitors are not allowed in during official events.
The Hamburger Bahnhof is a fantastic converted train station that houses the city's modern art collection. From the Max Liebermann paintings to the Andy Warhol portraits, kids will have a lot of fun here. If the weather is fair (Hamburg can get extremely hot and extremely cold), consider joining one of the many walking tours of Alt-Hamburg, the old city center, that depart from the Rathaus.
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