Why go?

The sun is shining and this laid-back harbour city is now well and truly open for visitors. After years of development and building works, the cranes have rolled out and it is now back to its riverside best. The Hamburgers even voted against bidding to host the Olympics in 2024 to keep construction away; new waterfront districts such as HafenCity and Überseequartier are coming to life and the locals want to keep them that way.

What to do

Hamburg is a city full of parks, lakes and beaches spreading along the Elbe. Start in the chic Eppendorf district and trawl through the sidestreets chock-full of boutiques and cafés before you head past the Alster Lake with a majestic fountain in the city centre, and take a tour of the neo-renaissance town hall. From there, it’s a short walk to the historic Speicherstadt and Kontorhausviertel and their rustic Unesco-listed red brick buildings. When the sun sets, head to the beach at Ovelgönne and enjoy a sundowner while watching the ships go by. Later in the evening, drift along with the crowd on Reeperbahn, Hamburg’s liveliest spot jam-packed with cosy bars, cool clubs and great restaurants. Traditionally, a good night out here ends at the Fischmarkt down at the port, where fishermen peddle their catch as the sun rises.

Where to stay

Hamburg has a great mix of classy high-end hotels and cool boutique options that suit any budget. At the top of the scale, the five-star Atlantic Kempinski 00 49 40 28 880, kempinski.com overlooks the Alster and is home to legendary German singer Udo Lindenberg. Another top location is Louis C Jacob 00 49 40 822 55 405, hoteljacob.de on the Elbe. Its two- star Michelin restaurant is a favourite among locals. Another hotspot is the East design hotel 00 49 403 09 930, east-hamburg.de in a quiet street off Reeperbahn. Enjoy the in-house Uppereast club or relax in the East Mandarin Body & Soul spa. Smack in the middle of Überseequartier is the new 25Hours Hotel Altes Hafenamt 00 49 40 555 57 50, 25hours-hotels.com which is also home to the Boilerman Bar that serves excellent highball cocktails.

Where to eat and drink

ou can’t come to Hamburg and not have a traditional fischbrötchen – basically just a fish sandwich but held reverently by the locals, who celebrate the annual World Fischbrötchen Day in May each year. The best ones in town are served at Kleine Haie & Grosse Fische 00 49 176 103 37 847, kleinehaiegrossefische.de near Hans-Albers-Platz, a plaza surrounded by bars and cafés. In the middle of the new HafenCity district sits the excellent Asian brasserie Chilli Club 00 49 40 357 03 580, chilliclub.de with a lavish terrace overlooking the water. On the menu is an array of fantastic sushi dishes – go for the generously filled sushi and sashimi boat. At Brüdigams 00 49 40 570 12 999, bruedigams.de guests are welcomed with a warm living room feel. Think bookshelves filled to the top with cookbooks and a hotchpotch of chairs and tables. The food is locally grown and seasonal – try the salad with goat’s cheese and poached eggs. The best view over the port awaits in Clouds 00 49 40 309 93 280, on the top floor of the Tanzende Türme (dancing towers) in the Sankt Pauli district. Make sure you reserve a table along the floor-to-ceiling windows to enjoy the spectacular vista. Afterwards, ask to be seated on the rooftop terrace for a postprandial cocktail. Another great option for evening drinks is the Alsterperle 00 40 227 48 273, alsterperle.com– a tiny, intimate and secretly located waterfront bar at the north side of the Alster with stunning views of the lake and skyline of the old town.

Time running out?

Off the beaten track and not at all touristy is the 2.5-hour Kiezküchen tour through hidden gems of local cuisine, where you will not only taste a great selection of different street food, but also learn a lot about the fascinating history of Hamburg. 00 49 151 228 88 883, kiezkueche.com

Travel Information

Travel Information

Currency is the euro. Time is one hour ahead of the UK. Flight time from London is 1 hour 45 minutes. The cost to offset this trip is £1.39, for more details visit climatecare.org

Getting There

EasyJet has several flights a day from London Gatwick to Hamburg. easyjet.com

Resources

Hamburg Tourismus is packed with information on attractions, event listings and places to eat and drink. hamburgtravel.com