Hamburg was founded in 810 by Charlemagne and earned its place in history by becoming the most strategic port in the Hanseatic League of North German cities, which controlled trade in the Baltic and North Seas between the 13th and 15th centuries.

A great fire destroyed much of the city in 1842, and a century later World War II bombing raids again laid it waste, but Hamburg bounced back with style, thanks to the wealth garnered from its position as a trading center.

Today, Hamburg is now home to more millionaires per capita than any other city in Europe. Most of the sights of interest are centered on its maritime traditions, particularly in the harbor area, where the 'Warehouse district' has been transformed into an entertaining destination offering several attractions.

Further afield Hamburg is the gateway to the seaside and spa resorts of the Baltic and North Sea coastline.

Our program allows you plenty of time to discover your new country, culture and customs. Below are some of our recommended highlights. Some tours and packages can be organized when booking your program, please see the program price page for more information.

Altona Fish Market
It may be billed as a fish market, but there is just about anything and everything on sale at this lively, colorful Hamburg market that takes place early on Sunday mornings, and has done since 1703. There is a restaurant in the historic Fish Auction Hall, along with some live musical entertainment, to rejuvenate tired shoppers.

Warehouse complex
The world’s oldest warehouse complex, built of red brick with gables and turrets, is a century old and still in use for storing exotic goods from around the world. Known as the Speicherstadt in German, this historic section of the Free Port between the Deichtorhallen and Baumwall has been turned into a tourist attraction by the addition of an open air theatre, a spice museum, a miniature exhibition and an old Russian submarine open for exploration.

Another attraction is the 'Hamburg Dungeon', an interactive experience showcasing the more unpleasant and gory aspects of the city’s history. The Speicherstadt is illuminated at night, creating an enchanting spectacle, particularly viewed from a boat on a harbor night tour.

Hamburger Kunsthalle

Hamburg’s premier art gallery offers the chance to view works across the time spectrum from the Middle Ages through to the present day. The Kunsthalle’s main aim is to educate about art, rather than showcase particular art treasures, and exhibitions are constantly changing to introduce new forms of art.

Blankenese
This quaint destination on the steep Elbe hillside was once a fishing village favored by retired ship captains. Today it has become popular with locals as a weekend outing, and visitors also throng the narrow alleys and stairways between picturesque houses packed together on the Cliffside. The village offers an abundance of cafes and restaurants where patrons can relax and watch ships steaming in and out of the harbor. There is a ferry service to Blankenese from St Pauli-Landungsbrucken in Hamburg’s Free Port.

Museum of Hamburg History
The museum gives a detailed description of the city of Hamburg from the 8th through to the 20th centuries. Scale models have been used to illustrate the changing shape of the city’s famous harbor. Exhibits also include reconstructions of various typical rooms, such as the hall of a 17th-century merchant’s home to an air raid shelter from World War II.

Reeperbahn
Hamburg’s notorious red light district to the east of the city center in the St Pauli zone has become its second-greatest tourist attraction, according to the city management. The Reeperbahn (Rope Street) is where rope used to be produced for the ships in the harbor. It is now a half-mile long street which, along with its cross-streets, is filled with bright lights and flirtatious prostitutes, crammed with bars and establishments offering erotic entertainment.

The Reeperbahn became the neighborhood where sailors of old were encouraged to seek entertainment after they were banned from invading the city’s more respectable areas in the 19th century. The district also boasts an Erotic Art Museum (at Nobistor 10A), which is privately owned and restricted to persons over 16.

Sylt
The island of Sylt is Germany’s most northern point, lying off the northwestern coast in the North Sea. The island boasts some lovely sandy beaches and stunning views, and its main town, Westerland, has become a popular seaside resort. The island also has miles of bicycle paths meandering through pine forests. The island offers plenty of entertainment for tourists, including shops, spas and exclusive restaurants. Trains arrive several times a day from Hamburg. The island is connected to the mainland by the six-mile (10km) long Hindenburgdamm bridge.

Hamelin
The famous town of the Pied Piper tale told to children around the world is a popular tourist destination in Lower Saxony, northern Germany, lying beside the River Weser. The old town center has been reconstructed with several Renaissance buildings, and some wood-frame historic buildings, all adding to the fairytale atmosphere that brings alive the legend of the piper who offered to rid the town of rats, and ended up stealing all the children. A short musical version of the story is performed each Wednesday in the old town between May and September at 4.30pm. The Pied Piper himself conducts tours around the town!

Lubeck
Lubeck lies 41 miles (66km) north east of Hamburg, close to the Baltic coast. Not only is this historic town the home of a couple of noted Nobel Prize winners, but as a living monument to the wealthy Hanseatic merchants of the 13th century, it sports some architectural treasures that have ensured its status as a Unesco World Heritage Site.

The town’s famous sons were Willy Brandt, the West German chancellor who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1971, and Thomas Mann, whose novel Buddenbrooks won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1929. As far as the architecture goes, the town is known for its steeples and spires, high-gabled houses, strong towers and massive gates. The town is also billed as the world capital of marzipan, having been the spot where this delightful confection was first devised (there is a legend attached, of course). Samples of marzipan are freely available in Lubeck.