Have you been living in Hamburg for a few years and have already visited all the well-known sights in the Hanseatic city? Or have you been to Hamburg several times and are now looking for new spots? Then this article with Hamburg insider tips is just right for you. Because I’ll show you a few more spots that often only Hamburg locals know about.
I’ve been living in the metropolis on the Elbe for some time now and am always looking for new spots that not everyone necessarily knows about. My hood is Altona, but I regularly explore the different parts of the city from Blankenese to Wilhelmsburg to Poppenbüttel and always try to find secret spots that the locals from the respective area love.
This also means that this article with Hamburg insider tips is constantly growing here. So it’s worth coming here often to see if I’ve discovered anything new. If you have another good tip, I’d be delighted to hear your recommendation. Just let me know in the comments below.
All Hamburg insider tips can also be found here on the map:
But enough of the introductory words. Let’s start with the Hamburg insider tips:
Cultural Church Altona
District: Altona-Altstadt (Altona)
The Kulturkirche Altona is not a normal church, but an event church that has been hosting a wide variety of concerts and cultural events for almost 25 years.
From candlelight and rock concerts to poetry slams and tango evenings, you’ll find everything here. The light shows that sometimes take place here are also a highlight, as the interior of the church lights up in all kinds of bright colors. There is also a video of it here:
The church can also be hired for private events.
“Water” Café Canale
District: Winterhude (North)
There are cool cafés with all kinds of tasty treats in every district of Hamburg. But Café Canale is something special, because you can reach it by rubber dinghy, kayak, SUP or any other water-suitable vehicle that fits through the Mühlenkamp Canal.
At the window right on the canal, you just have to ring the bell, wait for the waitress, order and then, while taking your order and snapping a photo on your cell phone, make sure that your paddle doesn’t fall into the water (or worse: your order).
Special botanical garden
District: Wandsbek (Wandsbek)
There is a large botanical garden area in Planten und Bloomen. But pretty much all Hamburg weekend visitors go there and the greenhouses here have been closed for ages.
A less crowded alternative is the small but beautiful special botanical garden on Walddörfer Straße. Here you will find a place of tranquillity and contemplation in the middle of a busy city, where you can take a break from the stress of everyday life. Of course, it is especially beautiful here in summer when everything is in bloom.
Harbor tour with the harbor ferry 62
District: several in Altona and Mitte
Of course, a harbor tour is an absolute must-do for visitors to Hamburg. But there is also a much cheaper alternative for real connoisseurs – namely line 62 of the public transport system (HVV or, in this case, HADAG). HADAG is basically the operator of the ferries in the port of Hamburg.
This ferry line takes you up the Elbe from Landungsbrücken to Finkenwerder. It passes many sights such as the fish market, the Docklands or the Elbe beach.
You can find the timetable for HADAG Line 62 here. You can simply hop on with a Deutschlandticket and cruise off.
Fischbeker Heide
District: Neugraben – Fischbek (Harburg)
The Lüneburg Heath is known throughout Germany for its pink blooms, especially in August and September. But nobody knows the Fischbeker Heide in the south of Hamburg. It may be a little smaller, but it is no less beautiful.
You can really relax here on long walks, past the glider airfield, the Fischbeker Glatze and up to the Hasselbrack, Hamburg’s highest elevation at 116 meters. At the Fischbeker Heidehaus, you can also find out a lot more about the landscape and the heath in general.
Composers’ Quarter
District: Neustadt (Mitte)
Hamburg has so many great sights that this one is often not on the list. Yet the composers’ quarter is so centrally located right next to Hamburg’s Michel. It is especially worth a visit for music lovers.
Seven important composers, including Johannes Brahms, were born and worked here. In the exhibition rooms of the half-timbered houses, you can learn all about their lives and works in a historical setting.
The listening kiosk
District: Eimsbüttel (Eimsbüttel)
At the Emilienstraße subway station (U2) there is a very special kiosk where you are simply listened to. Here you can simply tell volunteers anything that’s on your mind – free of charge.
„Ich höre Ihnen zu. Jetzt gleich oder ein anderes Mal.“
Slogan on a large poster with an ear hanging on the listening kiosk
This is especially great for people who may be lonely or have no one else to talk to. That’s why it’s a good idea to donate a few euros for a good cause.
Mottenburger Twiete
District: Ottensen (Altona)
Mottenburger Twiete is a mini pedestrian zone in the heart of Ottensen where you can relax. A special feature here is the chicken farm with an egg vending machine where you can buy fresh eggs.
Also cool: There are also bee colonies here that produce Hamburg city honey, which you can also buy (30 grams for €2 at the vending machine).
Boberger Dunes
District: Bergedorf (Bergedorf)
Did you know that there is a wandering dune in Hamburg? No? Now you do. The dune in the Boberger Niederung almost gives you a bit of a desert feeling.
The dune is surrounded by marshland, moorland and heathland. The entire nature reserve is 350 hectares in size and many cycling and hiking trails pass through it.
Bunthaus beacon
District: Wilhelmsburg (center)
This small lighthouse stands at Bunthauser Spitze – and has done so for over 100 years. It marks the point where the Norderelbe and Süderelbe separate. You can also find out a lot about the history of the region on the information board next to the beacon.
It’s best to combine your visit here with a walk or a short bike ride through the unique Heuckenlock nature reserve.
Alsterpark, east of the Alster
District: Uhlenhorst (North)
Many people know the Alsterpark on the western bank of the Alster. There is a ferry landing stage and the AlsterCliff restaurant.
But another, lesser-known part of the park is on the other bank, right next to the mosque of the Islamic center. Although there are no toilets or cafés, it is not so busy here even on nice days. It is especially worth coming here at sunset to enjoy the last hours of the evening on one of the benches.
Honigfabrik
District: Wilhelmsburg (center)
There are no beekeepers or bees here and honey is not produced. Instead, the “Honigfabrik” (which translated means Honey factory) is a cultural center where regular events take place from Monday to Sunday. I find the Turntable meets Table Tennis Thursdays particularly cool, where you can play table tennis to beats and beer on the first Thursday of every month.
There are also workshops and studios where workshops take place and cultural activities for children.
Inselpark
District: Wilhelmsburg (center)
Most tourists visit the “Planten und Bloomen” park in Hamburg. Other parks, such as the Stadtpark or the Volksgarten north of the Elbe, are also well visited.
A rather less well-known park is the Inselpark in Wilhelmsburg. It has only been freely accessible since the end of the International Garden Show in 2013. This makes it one of the youngest parks in the Hanseatic city. And you can tell that there used to be an international garden show here. There are lots of great places to explore along the 85-hectare site.
One of my favorite places here is the rather centrally located geyser. A 12-metre-high water fountain shoots into the air every 5 minutes or so.
A canoe trip along the often densely overgrown waterways is like a little adventure. These run for 3 km in a circular route through the island park. You can hire the canoes at Willis Villa. You can also enjoy coffee, cake and other food and drinks in the beer garden.
There is also a skate park, a high ropes course and plenty of play and barbecue areas. My favorite activity, however, is throwing a frisbee. There are frisbee baskets in a few places in the park (one is near Willis Villa) and there are also frisbees lying around that you can use for free.
Dove-Elbe Water Park
District: Allermöhe (Bergedorf)
The Dove-Elbe water park is one of the most beautiful free bathing spots in Hamburg. There is a water sports center right next to it. Along a small spit of land between the Dove-Elbe and the Eichbaumsee, there are many sunbathing spots on the meadow, but along the Eichbaumsee in general you can lie on many shallow, partly sanded bathing spots and refresh yourself in the water.
Rieck House
District: Curslack (Bergedorf)
The Rieck House is a lovingly maintained open-air museum where you can see how people in this region once lived 500 years ago. It is one of the oldest preserved farmhouses in northern Germany.
In addition to the farm with barn, there is a show garden, an old mill and many other old buildings. In the exhibition inside, you can discover objects from a bygone era and get lots of information about the culture as well as the flora and fauna of the region.
Mercado Altona
District: Ottensen (Altona)
For me, one of the coolest food markets in Hamburg is the Mercado in Altona. The Mercado is actually a shopping center with a supermarket, perfumery, clothes and shoe stores and so on. But on the first floor there is a pretty cool food court where you can get everything your stomach desires, from homemade pasta to sushi and vegan delicacies – from all over the world.
Ohlsdorf cemetery
District: Ohlsdorf (North)
Okay, admittedly… A cemetery is not really a typical sight, but the Ohlsdorf cemetery is really special because it is more of a mixture of park and cemetery and also really huge. In fact, it is the largest park cemetery in the world.
There are over 200,000 graves here, including some of Hamburg’s famous people, such as Jan Fedder, Helmut and Hannelore Schmidt, Heinz Erhardt and Roger Cicero.
The park consists of many different areas that are best explored by bike. For example, there is a rose garden, a water tower from 1898, several ponds, a garden of scents and a Chinese cemetery.
Asia Imbiss – the Korean as in Korea
District: Altona-Altstadt (Altona)
The first time I went to this rather inconspicuous store with the rather generic name Asia Imbiss, I felt like I was in Korea again. Not only is the interior very authentic, but the food also tastes fantastic. You can tell by the fact that many guests come here with a Korean, but also a general Asian background.
The owners are also Korean. Inside, it is rather small and bustling. There are often no seats left and it smells of food everywhere. But you can also order food to take home. My favorite is the rice with shrimps (there really are a lot of shrimps in it) for 16 euros.
Schrødingers
District: Sternschanze (Altona)
In Schanzenpark under the green trees, you can celebrate wild parties in the Schrødingers cultural center, take part in cool events or simply chill out on one of the couches in the beer garden with a fresh drink.
Sunset at the Coco Riviera
District: St. Georg (Mitte)
Are you still looking for a good spot where you can watch the red sun slowly dip into the horizon while you sip your Aperol Spritz through a straw?
Then perhaps the Coco Riviera at the Atlantic jetty is a good option for you. In general, I think the eastern bank of the Alster is great for sunsets. At the Coco Riviera, you can also relax on one of the sun loungers with a drink of your choice and enjoy the summer evening spectacle.
Bar “Der Player”
District: Ottensen (Altona)
Table tennis and cocktails? You can get that, plus delicious food, at the somewhat different cocktail bar “Der Player“.
You can experience a fantastic evening here according to the motto “Eat, Drink & Play”:
- First, book a seat in the fine dining restaurant with open kitchen and order one of the high-quality delicacies from the menu.
- Then you have the bartenders next door mix you a delicious cocktail, which you enjoy to the beats of the DJ.
- And finally head to the upper floor, the Playground, and play a game of table football, table tennis, pinball or one of the other games available to all guests.
Rhododendron blossom in the city park
District: Winterhude (North)
Sure. Everyone in Hamburg knows the Stadtpark. Most people hang out at the Stadtparksee lake, the large meadow, the planetarium or the playgrounds. The rhododendron-framed paths to the north and east near the duck pond are less popular and often quite quiet even on busy days.
It is particularly beautiful in May and June when the rhododendrons are in bloom. Then the otherwise green area of the park shines in pink, yellow, white, blue and every other color you can imagine.
Energy bunker
District: Wilhelmsburg (Mitte)
Everyone knows the bunker on Feldstraße next to the Millerntor stadium. The energy bunker in Wilhelmsburg, on the other hand, is not so well known.
It got its name because there are solar heat storage tanks on the roof, which generate heat for a not inconsiderable number of Wilhelmsburg residents. You can take the elevator to the roof for free during opening hours and enjoy the fantastic view of Hamburg’s skyline.
There are lots of information boards with all kinds of details about the bunker and Hamburg’s history. You can also relax with coffee and cake in Café Vju.
Bergedorf Castle
District: Bergedorf (Bergedorf)
Hamburg has only one remaining castle. It is located in the Bergedorf district and is now a museum with a beautiful landscaped park around it.
Roman garden
District: Blankenese (Altona)
Next to the Elbe beach, this small, green plateau is one of my favorite places in Blankenese. The green area exudes a Mediterranean flair that is otherwise only found on the Italian coast. It is a small Roman garden that was once designed by the Hanseatic banker Warburg. The Roman-style open-air theater is by no means from Roman times.
Free shop – Umsonstladen
District: Altona-Nord (Altona)
The Umsonstladen at the former Viktoria barracks is a mutual aid project. You can find useful things here, but you can also hand them in if you no longer need them. All this happens without the use of money. Swapping is also not compulsory. You can also just take something without bringing anything or vice versa if you want.
Fliesomat vending machine
District: Generalsviertel (Eimsbüttel)
At this special vending machine at Eppendorfer Weg 158, you can draw ceramic tiles with different motifs. And once you’re there, you can also take a look at the creative homemade ceramics from the TonArt store.
Incidentally, there are several vending machines like this in Hamburg. Here is an overview.
Neon lights in the Penny store on the Reeperbahn
District: St. Pauli (Altona)
The Penny supermarket on the Reeperbahn is actually something of a major attraction in Hamburg. There are already numerous Spiegel TV documentaries about this supermarket.
Even if you don’t want to shop here, a visit to this special Penny is worthwhile.
After its renovation, the Penny on the Reeperbahn shines in new splendor. And in the truest sense of the word. NEON lights shine everywhere above the products, with slogans that some hip marketing agency has probably come up with.
Riverbus
District: Hafencity (center)
The Riverbus is an amphibious vehicle that can travel both on land and on water. You can take a guided tour of the city on a Riverbus. You will not only explore the Speicherstadt and Hafencity, but also some hidden places in the original Rothenburgsort district.
I hope you have discovered a few Hamburg insider tips here that you don’t know yet. Of course, I’d also love to hear your tips that are still missing from my list. Feel free to write me a comment!
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About the Author: Matthias
