Hamburg
Germany's greenest city and gateway to the world

Hamburg is Germany's second-largest city. Its grand merchants' houses and magnificent promenades, international musicals, shopping malls and St. Pauli district give Hamburg a cosmopolitan feel. A touch of the exotic clings to the warehouse district and the city's trademark canals. With its many parks and gardens, Hamburg is also Germany's greenest city.

Places of interest

The port is the second-largest container terminal in Europe and HafenCity is Europe's largest urban construction project. The river Elbe, where the port is located, has been vital in shaping the city's development throughout history. The Alster lake is a recreational area in the heart of the city. Blankenese is an exclusive residential suburb; the baroque church of St. Michael is Hamburg's most famous landmark. The Speicherstadt warehouse district is the world's largest former warehouse complex - and last but not least there is the Reeperbahn, the renowned "red light district".

Hamburg port and the Landungsbrücken jetties
The port is among the world's busiest transhipment ports. It is the gateway to the markets in north, central and eastern Europe, the bridge between continental Europe and the rest of the world and the most important overseas port for Scandinavia and central/eastern Europe. Harbor tours start from the 700 meter floating pontoon on the Landungsbrücken jetties.

St. Michael's Church
Hamburg's skyline is defined by the steeples of its principal churches. The 132 metre tower of St. Michael, known locally as "Michel", is Hamburg's famous landmark. Climb the 453 steps to the viewing platform and be rewarded by fabulous views over Hamburg and the harbor.

"Speicherstadt" warehouse district
The 100-year-old warehouse district is located between the Deichtor Halls and Baumwall. It is a very pretty quarter - not at all the kind of place visitors expect to find in an international port - with its Wilhelminian brick Gothic buildings, unusual gables and little towers. Behind the thick walls, high-value goods such as coffee, tea, cocoa, spices and tobacco are stored. This is also the location of the world's largest Oriental carpet store.