What to see and do in Hamburg, Germany.
Hamburg is one of the world's most important centers for commerce and communication, and its port historically has been the center of its growth, its culture and its identity. If you travel to Hamburg on business or as a tourist, the city will offer you a plethora of sights and sounds that will keep you busy and entertained in your free time.
Hamburg was one of the centers of power within the North German Hanseatic League of merchant cities that ruled the Baltic and North Sea lanes during the Middle Ages. You can get a sense of this history as you experience the sounds and smells of the Sunday morning Fish Market on the Elbe River. The Market is crowded by 7am, so get there early if you want to stroll with any leisure through the stalls of fresh and cooked fish in the open air. More than just a bargain of culinary delights, the Fish Market is a show in itself with performers and fish hawkers vying with each other for your attention.
The nearby Fish Auction Hall hosts music and eats and makes Sunday morning in Hamburg a unique experience. Some of the people you might meet at the Fish Market didn't get up early for the festivities. They were partying all night. A couple of blocks away is the rather infamous Reeperbahn, the sex and sin street in the St. Pauli District. This is the section of town where the Beatles got their start. Not quite "touristy", the Reeperbahn is less forbidding than in earlier days but its parade of prostitutes and its sex clubs keep its sleazy side up.
If your sense of raw nature is less concerned with "sin city" and more with the zoo, Hamburg won't disappoint you either. Hagenbeck's Tierpark is one of Germany's best zoos in a country known for its informative and well-maintained animal parks. If you're up to it, you might try its elephant ride, or you can enjoy one of the first zoos in Germany to place animals in large, open spaces for viewing.
Another family event for tourist to the city is the Dom Fair, Hamburg's Fun Fair held at the Heiligengeistfeld near the St. Pauli District. Games, rides and food draw millions of people to Fair each year. It's only open at intervals during the year so check with the Tourist Bureau to get the exact dates.
As with any big German city, especially those with a history going back to the days before German unification in the 19th century, opera and music play a big part in Hamburg's cultural life. The world-renowned North German Radio Symphony Orchestra calls the Laeizhalle home and it is a center of classical music in the city. The Staatsoper not only is a first class venue for both modern and classical opera but is a center of ballet as well. As with all events of this sort, always check with the relevant web sites or tourist office to get the latest in scheduling and prices.
Hamburg is home to many attractions for the visitor. From jazz clubs to the International Short Film Festival, from the English Theater (plays actually in English!) to the Betty Ford Klinik (a favorite watering hole for the trendy set), Hamburg shows its cosmopolitan side to all those who have the time to spend in Germany's second largest city - but its first city in fun and culture.
