14 Unusual Things to Do in Hamburg—Perfect for First-Time Visitors

Hamburg is such a fun city, it’s absolutely worth visiting—and not just for a day.  I’ve been there a couple of times now (to make extra sure), and I’ve created this list of the coolest and most unique things to do in Hamburg based on my own real experiences. I won’t add any tourist traps, but I will add one warning about a place that’s not worth your time.

Hamburg’s architecture is okayish with its modern buildings, but its top trio: Miniature Wunderland, Maritime Museum, and the Kunsthalle quickly elevate it to one of the top  European cities and make it clear that Hamburg is a super fun city to visit in Germany

Where else can you find a guy flashing the police in a miniature diorama, a claustrophobic Soviet submarine, and a fish sandwich that somehow justifies waking up at 5 am, and other things to do in Hamburg unusual?

The dominant of the city is the delta of the Elbe Riverand thehuge port, and I mean really huge—the 3^rd largest in Europe. You’ll always see cranes and container ships when you’re in Hamburg. It has Nordic vibes and it strongly reminded me of Copenhagen and London

I found Hamburg’s population cool and collected, and restaurants and infrastructure are fantastic too—it’s a big city, but easy to get around and feel comfortable in. See FAQs and recommendations for Hamburg’s top restaurants at the end of this article.

Pro tip: If you’ve already settled on Hamburg as your next destination, let me usher you over to my 3-day Hamburg itinerary. Most of the places on this list are on there.  

 

Highlights: Cool and unusual places to visit in Hamburg

• Miniatur Wunderland: tiny cities, tiny TMI jokes, and hugely obsessive detail
• International Maritime Museum: 9 floors of ships, models… basically seafaring nerd heaven
• Hamburg Kunsthalle: even if you hate art, "The Wanderer" might win you over
• Old Elbe Tunnel: a 100-year-old pedestrian tunnel under the Elbe River
• Elbphilharmonie: wave-shaped, river-adjacent building with killer views
• U-Boat Museum Hamburg: crawl through a Soviet submarine
• Rickmer Rickmers: explore a restored 19^th-century cargo ship
• Hamburg Rathaus: city hall with 600 rooms
• Chilehaus: a sharp-edged architectural icon
• Docks and riverfront: fish markets, cranes, and the best sandwiches
• Plants and Flowers Park: a giant green escape in the middle of the city
• Hamburger DOM: a fairground three times a year with food, lights, and screaming kids
• Speicherstadt and HafenCity: the redeveloped warehouse district
• Skip: St. Pauli and the Red Light District: not worth your time or money
• Bonus: Hotel Volksschule: sleep in a school-turned-hotel (unexpectedly fun experience!)

 

 

 

Is Hamburg worth visiting? 

In terms of being spectacular—it’s really not. You won’t be blown away by its beauty or find it super unique, but Hamburg’s tourist attractions are well worth your time.  

I was skeptical about visiting Hamburg, but since I generally like Germany, I gave it a shot. And now I can confidently say: Yes, Hamburg is very much worth visiting.  

It’s even possible to spend 3 days in Hamburg without it seeming like it’s too much, which is a very rare animal among the cities of the world. 

 

 

Here are the top places I think are worth visiting in Hamburg: 

 

1. Miniatur Wunderland—A Massive Miniature World (and Hamburg’s #1 Attraction) 

I was so excited about Miniatur Wunderland!

 

Practical information:

• Opening hours: Open daily at least between 9:30 am–6 pm, but on weekends they’re usually open until 1 am
• Price: EUR 20  

If you’re an adult kid like me, you’ll absolutely love it in Miniatur Wunderland (=miniature wonderland). Miniatur Wunderland is certainly among the top 10 things you can do in Hamburg… heck, it’s one of the best places I’ve visited in any city in the world! It really lives up to the hype and then some.

In simple terms, it’s a model railway. In reality, it’s a tiny but vast world of incredible detail. It was so f*cking fun and sooo overwhelming, there’s so much going on! 

The whole thing is based on famous sites from around the world, with thousands of people, but also fantasy characters, all over the place, each with their own thing going on. I spent half an hour walking 10 meters (30 ft)—and it’s on several floors! There are so many stories to witness, and so many quirky details to find.  

For example, day and night, realistic topography, a modern airport, Atlantis under the sea… but then also weird things like penguins at the train station, a guy taking a dump under a tree, Snow White and the Seven Dwarves on a hike. And of course, how else to summarize humankind than including kinks like someone flashing the police, a lady giving her bf a BJ in a field, and lots of examples of baby-making procedures.

 

You’ll see lots of naked people at Miniatur Wunderland

 

Just be expecting TMI around every (tiny) corner. Your eyes will start hurting from staring at a million things that you can notice.  

You even get a checklist of peculiarities to try to find in Miniatur Wunderland—definitely one of the most interesting places in Hamburg if you have any curiosity left in you:  

• Milka cow  
• Cows in scuba suits  
• Pervert flashing the police  
• Easter bunny school  
• Whore giving a blowjob to the priest  
• Porn stage in Rio  
• Gang killings in favellas  
• SWAT action in the outback  

Pro tip: Make sure to buy your tickets in advance. We didn’t and had to wait until the next day to get in. They limit the number of people that go in on any particular day, but you’ll still feel like there’s a million people inside at once. Get ready to be in everybody’s personal bubbles.

 

Looks like a drone view, doesn't it?

 

Miniatur Wunderland is located in Speicherstadt, the cool warehouse district.

 

2. International Maritime Museum—Explore 9 Floors of Nautical Everything 

International Maritime Museum

 

Practical information:

• Opening hours: Open daily 10 am–6 pm 
• Price: EUR 18 

Hamburg strikes again! This time with possibly the best maritime museum in the world. It’s 9 floors of pure joy and… ships. And it’s very close to Miniatur Wunderland.  

Plan to spend at least 4 hours there, or 7 if you’re going with me. There is literally everything boat-related: from the start of boatbuilding and sailing, to trade navies, world navies, the age of exploration, history, wars, and everything in a very educational and fun manner.

 

Choosing my captain’s outfit

 

Signs are mostly in English but sometimes only in German (boo for that, Hamburg).  

Have I mentioned that there are thousands of models, big and small? And the entire 9^th floor is dedicated to just miniatures. I mean, what’s going on with the miniatures, Hamburg? You got a really cool but pervy fetish going on there, buddy. It’s yet another example of the unusual things to do in Hamburg that make it stand out from other German tourist cities.

 

3. Hamburg Kunsthalle—Home of My Favorite Painting

Me admiring “The Wanderer” on the left and “The Salon” on the right

 

Practical info:

• Opening hours: Open daily except for Mondays 10 am–6 pm, Thursdays until 9 pm 
• Price: EUR 16

I’m not much into art, but this Kunsthalle (=art hall) is one of the best I’ve ever suffered through (I mean visited).  

There is a really good collection of impressionists and paintings of artists like Renoir, Degas, Cézanne, Manet, and Monet. Aside from those, you’ll get the whole spectrum from Old Masters to modern photography. 

And there’s one specialty—this gallery includes my favorite painting ever. When I was little, I’d thought I was going to buy it when I grew up. Then, when I was older and realized the price and quickly changed my mind, but I saw it in Hamburg’s Kunsthalle and I was smitten.  

It’s a painting called “The Wanderer” by Caspar David Friedrich—very dear and special to me. By the way, it’s from the Enlightenment period, which was especially strong in Germany and also made Germany very strong (see what I did there).   

You’ll need about 2–3 hours to visit Hamburg’s Kunsthalle. It’s spread across three buildings, so there is a lot to see.

 

4. Old Elbe Tunnel—One of the Most Unusual Things to Do in Hamburg

Old Elbe Tunnel

 

Practical info:

• Opening hours: Always open, but elevators do not work past 8 pm on weekdays and 6 pm on weekends 
• Price: Free

This is kinda cool, I’ve never seen anything like it before. The 100-year-old Alter Elbtunnel is 426 m (1400 ft) long and leads under the river. It was built in 1911 as a path for workers from the pier to the docks.  

What’s wrong with bridges?! Jk. They did eventually build those as well, and since then, the Old Elbe Tunnel has stayed as a tourist attraction, but also just a means of getting around for locals. You’ll see cyclists and pedestrians crossing through at all times.  

It’s really a novelty and you go for the tunnel itself, because there’s not much to see on either side of the tunnel, but the tunnel itself is one of those interesting places in Hamburg you won’t find in every European city. Though once you get to the other side, there are some serious viewpoints towards the city.

Take 1 hour to visit and walk there and back. There’s no entrance fee. You can take the stairs or the elevators which are basically just cages going up and down. No wonder it was an engineering marvel back in its day.  

The Old Elbe Tunnel is right in the middle between the Elbphilharmonie and the U-Boat Museum, both also attractions on this list.

 

5. Elbphilharmonie—Visit Hamburg’s Iconic Concert Hall for Architecture and City Views

Elbphilharmonie

 

Practical info:

• Opening hours: The Plaza viewing platform is open daily 10 am–12 am 
• Price: EUR 3 

The Elbphilharmonie is the tallest building in Hamburg, so it’s hard to miss. Though it’s no skyscraper, it’s very distinct in its design… and it sits in the middle of the Elbe River.  

When you see the wavy glass top section sitting on top of a red brick warehouse from the 60s, you’ll know you’ve found the Elbphilharmonie. It serves not only as a concert hall, but also as a 5-star hotel (the Westin Hamburg, going for a cool EUR 380 a night) and restaurant.  

Most importantly, the Elbphilharmonie invites everyone to its public viewing platform called the Plaza. It’s a very cool area right between the glass and brick sections of the building. There’s an indoor and outdoor area.

 

The Elbphilharmonie escalator and “Plaza”

 

You can visit the Plaza for a small fee of EUR 3. Not only do you get fantastic views of the city and the massive port, but you get to see the architecture of the Elbphilharmonie from the inside. Even the escalators are awesome! A great place to see in Hamburg, for sure.

If you want to be sure you get to visit the plaza, book your tickets online in advance. There are limits on the number of people visiting, and you get a time when you’ll be allowed in. 

 

6. U-Boat Museum Hamburg—Crawl Through a Soviet Submarine for a Glimpse of Cold War Life

U-Boat Museum

 

Practical info:

• Opening hours: Open daily, Monday to Saturday 9 am–8 pm, Sundays 11 am–8 pm 
• Price: EUR 9 + EUR 5 for guided tour

A former Soviet submarine called the U-434 awaits you. The very fact that Germany was able to get Russia to sell the special series submarine for them to exhibit as a museum is something to brag about. It was decommissioned in the 1990s, so it’s relatively new.   

A what-boat? U-boat, or U-boot in German, is the shortened version of the word for submarine, Unterseeboot (“undersea boat”).  

 

A great experience on a U-boat!

 

It’s really cool to get a feeling of how hard it was to serve on the U-boat. A lot of the cabins probably look just like they were 20 years ago when the boat arrived in Germany—messy. You’ll need to watch your step and be prepared to bend over, step over, and get through narrow passages. Certainly one of the more unusual things to do in Hamburg.

There are some English signs inside, but not many. If you visit with a guide, there’s no English being spoken, just German. But you do get to visit the command center, which isn’t accessible without a tour guide.  

About 1 hour to visit (with or without a guide). Tour groups are very small, so you may need to wait for an available one.

 

7. Rickmer Rickmers—Tour a 19th-Century Cargo Ship Permanently Docked in Hamburg

Rickmer Rickmers

 

Practical info:

• Opening hours: Open daily 10 am–6 pm (restaurant opens at 11 am)
• Price: EUR 7

I feel like this list of unique things to do in Hamburg needs another boat. And this time, you don’t have to worry about bumping your head or running into a stuffed Soviet!  

The restored interiors of this 19th-century cargo ship are a world away from the claustrophobic submarine (see previous item). Going to buy rice and bamboo to Hong Kong on this thing had to be a blast.

Rickmer Rickmers’ run was a whirlwind, ending up rotting away in Portugal. After it was returned to Germany in 1983, it took a few years and dozens of volunteers, unemployed shipbuilders and welders to spruce her back into shape.  

The permanent exhibition on the ship takes you through Rickmer Rickmers’ busy history. Then there is the special exhibition, which is a gallery space. The paintings/photos there are always thematically connected to either the sea or Hamburg. You can even send your postcards from the post office on board! 

If you need something extra to convince you to visit, note there is also an escape room, a restaurant, and, for you adrenaline junkies, the possibility to climb the masts.

Pro tip: If you’re searching for a less urban German vacation destination, take a look at Bavaria. You can still go to Munich for your city break, but then there are the Alps, beautiful lakes, and attractions like Hitler’s Eagle’s Nest and Neuschwanstein Castle to fill your days with. Here you go:

 

 

8. The Grand Neo-Renaissance Town Hall Worth Visiting Inside and Out

Hamburg Rathaus

 

Practical info:

• Opening hours: Open daily 8 am–6 pm
• Price: EUR 7

Hamburg’s town hall aka Rathaus is one of the few town halls that’s actually worth visiting on the inside. It’s easy to find, because you can see the tower from almost everywhere in the city center.  

It’s an impressive, beautiful neo-renaissance building with a green roof and a commanding presence.  

It sits right by Alster Lake. Building it there was a stupid idea, because muddy shores and huge buildings don’t mix well, but the 4000 wooden poles they had to force into the mud before starting the build solved the problem pretty well.

 

This shot of Hamburg’s Town Hall is epic!

 

You can enter the foyer and courtyard freely for a small peek. If you manage to catch an English guided tour (they don’t run daily), you’ll even know what they’re talking about when they show you some of the 600 (!) rooms in the Rathaus. Tours last 1 hour.  

As is pretty much mandatory in the German-speaking world, there is a large Christmas market in front of Hamburg’s Town Hall every December. No winding ice-skating rink like in Vienna, but still nice.

 

9. Chilehaus—Admire the Sharpest Expressionist Landmark in Hamburg’s UNESCO Zone

What to see in Hamburg? Chilehaus!

 

Another place worth a stop on your Hamburg itinerary is Chilehaus. Built in 1922, it symbolizes Hamburg’s economic recovery after WWI. There’s something special about the iconic expressionist-style building, and it’s not just because it looks like a huge ship.  

See its triangular shape from the intersection of Burchadstrasse and Pumpen, and then head into the public courtyard. There are many shops and some restaurants in the Chilehaus, so just take a 20-minute wander. Don’t forget to look up! These are the kinds of interesting places in Hamburg that sneak up on you. 

Also take a look around inside Chilehaus, which serves mainly as an office building. The tiles and the winding stairwells are particularly interesting (and Instagram-friendly).  

Tip: If you visit after dark, the lights on the exterior add another layer of visual pleasure.

For more than just a look at the cool design, stop by the World Heritage Information Center to learn about Chilehaus’ history and architecture.

 

10. Docks and riverfront—See Hamburg’s Working Port and Try the Famous Fish Sandwiches

The fish market building on Hamburg’s riverfront

 

If you don’t go to Hamburg’s docks, it’s like you missed half of the city. The waterfront is the place to see in Hamburg, especially if you’re visiting for the first time. 

But even if you don’t come here with the sole intention to see the riverfront, you’ll visit anyway because it’s where Ricker Rickmers, the U-Boat Museum, and the Elbphilharmonie are located. It’s also where you’ll get Hamburg’s famous fish sandwich at Brücke 10 Restaurant.

What better way to start your Sunday than by smelling fish first thing in the morning? Now you can too, at the Sunday fish market! They actually have a wide variety of produce on sale, so don’t be afraid and go find your breakfast there. It all closes down at 9:30 am, so this might be the time to set your alarm and see the sun rise over Hamburg’s port cranes. It takes place in the Altona Market Hall and outside along the riverfront. 

We froze our butts off at Hamburg’s riverfront, but it’s a great place to just stroll and take in the atmosphere. This is, after all, the “gateway to the world”.
 

 

11. Plants and Flowers Park—Relax in Hamburg’s Central Green Space by the TV Tower

Plants and Flowers Park with Heinrich Hertz TV Tower

 

Leading from the docks right up past Hamburg’s New Town and Old Town into its main area next to Alster Lake, is Hamburg’s huge public park called simply “Plants and Flowers” (Planten und Blohmen).

Use the UFO-looking Heinrich Hertz TV tower as your point of navigation, and you’ll stay on track as you walk through the park.

There are several themed areas, a Japanese garden, waterfalls, lakes, cafes, fountains, playgrounds… basically everything that doesn’t seem too out of place in a park, you’ll find it at Plants and Flowers.

It’s a pleasant place if you need to get away from the hustle and bustle, but you’re still close enough to the center so you can hop right back into your Hamburg sightseeing itinerary when you’ve had enough fresh air.

 

12. Hamburger DOM—Visit the Seasonal Amusement Park That’s Been Around for 700 Years

A different kind of Dom

 

Practical info:

• Opening hours: Open daily, Monday to Thursday 3 pm–11 pm, Friday and Saturday 3 pm–midnight, Sundays 2 pm–11 pm
• Price: Free entry, you pay for individual rides

Not exactly a weird thing to do in Hamburg, but it is relatively rare, since it’s only on for about 3 months each year. It also sounds like you’re going to a cathedral (Dom=cathedral in German), so what you actually find here might be a weird surprise if your original intention was to say hi to Jesus. Although… 

The Hamburger DOM is a very nice, pretty big theme park/fair where you can find trash food and great attractions ranging from the vintage kind to the I-want-to-throw-up-my-currywurst kind. So hey, you might be screaming for God on Circus Circus or the other rollercoasters.  

I usually don’t like these types of places but there is something special about it on a winter night with all the lights and sounds. Interestingly, wintertime was actually when the DOM was originally on, with summer and spring only added later.  

There’s history behind this (and you’ll understand why it has such a strange name): The old Mariendom (cathedral) was used by merchants and entertainers as a shelter in the winters since the 11^th century. Then, when the cathedral was demolished, they all became freezing and homeless, and the city found them a new area to take cover. Yep, it’s the same area that the DOM fair gets built on 3x a year.

 

13. Speicherstadt and HafenCity—Wander Hamburg’s Redeveloped Warehouse and Port District

Wasserschloss viewpoint

 

The Speicherstadt district is part of the HafenCity quarter, but you can’t tell where one ends and the other starts. All you need to know is that it’s the warehouse/port district. One look at the red brick facades and you’ll know you’ve found it.  

Many of the attractions on this list are within the area (like the Elbphilharmonie, Miniatur Wunderland, and Chilehaus close by), and it’s just generally a cool area that has undergone a lot of redevelopment. I enjoyed a walk around because it has a specific atmosphere that reminds me of Hamburg.

Think bars, restaurants, shops, etc., all right by the water, giving Spericherstadt and HafenCity a great vibe. It very much reminds me of Copenhagen.  

Head to Wasserschloss viewpoint for some great photo ops of the buildings between the individual channels of the river.

 

14. What NOT to do in Hamburg: St. Pauli, Red Light District

 

I know St. Pauli’s Reeperbahn is always cited as one of the best places to visit in Hamburg, BUT WHY!? There are restaurants, some popular clubs, a football stadium, and it’s close to Hamburger DOM (see above). I’ve even seen it called the best place in the world for nightlife. Wtf?!  

It’s also famous for its prostitutes and sex shops, so not exactly a family destination. But even if that entices you, it’s still just one little street—Herbertstraße—and it serves more as a tourist attraction than anything else.

The ladies are really nice (certainly nicer than in Amsterdam), but it's super short and worth going only if you have crazy amounts of spare time or if you’re visiting with a group of guys. In that case, it’ll probably be something like the 4^th best place to see in Hamburg, but for everyone else, there are plenty of other cool things in Hamburg that you’ll enjoy way more.

 

Bonus experience in Hamburg: Sleep in a former schoolhouse!

Hotel Volksschule is a former school—slightly intimidating from the outside, very cool on the inside

 

Your quest for explore unusual places in Hamburg doesn’t have to stop after dinner. One of my favorite finds in this city is a hotel, Hotel Volksschule. It's a 4-star hotel in a former schoolhouse! They took the theme and ran with it—even their Christmas tree was school-themed when I last visited

The breakfast and service—from the reception to the cleaning staff—were amazing. The location is good, just a 15-minute drive from the city center. The rooms have high ceilings, meaning lots of oxygen, and are completely silent and dark, meaning you get an incredible night of sleep.  

I am not easily impressed, but I give Hotel Volksschule a 10/10.

 

I was very happy with the breakfast served at Volkschule Hotel

 

The best fish restaurants in Hamburg

I tried and can recommend these seafood restaurants/bistros:  

Daniel Wischer is a great fish restaurant close to Rathaus Square. The fish was made to perfection, and the interior is cool and casual, with high ceilings and brick walls. It’s better to make a reservation in advance to secure yourself a spot.  

Brücke 10 is famous for its fish sandwiches (Fischbrötchen). So, again, it's a more casual place, ideal for lunch, exactly what you need during a busy trip to Hamburg. We had a herring with onion in a bread bun, and it was surprisingly delightful. It’s located at the docks close to the Old Elbe Tunnel.

 

FAQs: What’s the best time to visit Hamburg?  

Anytime is suitable to visit Hamburg. It does lie close to the sea, so expect milder weather conditions, but wind and rain shouldn’t surprise you.  

Winters are cold but rarely freezing, and then there’s the Christmas market and the winter edition of the DOM as a bonus. There are also awesome museums to take cover in if it gets too much for you outside.  

Summers aren’t unbearably hot, with the hottest months being July and August. But they can bring more rain, so just pack accordingly. And even if you’re visiting in the summer, don’t forget a light jacket for the evenings.

 

From dodging torpedoes to dodging Christmas market crowds—Hamburg really is full of fun places to visit

 

FAQs: What is the best area to stay in in Hamburg? 

Stay in the wider center since the hotels in Old Town are excessively expensive. Hamburg’s infrastructure is so good that there is no reason to pay a premium when you can get a fantastic hotel a little further away and easily get to the Old Town when you need to.  

Hotel Volksschule is the hotel we stayed at and LOVED IT. It’s a 15-minute drive from Hamburg’s Old Town. They have room rates starting at EUR 150 per night, including breakfast. Even if you weren’t sure whether Hamburg is worth visiting, just one night at this hotel and a day of quirky sightseeing will settle that.

 

You might also be interested in reading:

• One Week in Bavaria Itinerary—An Ultimate Guide
• 1 Day in Dresden: A Detailed Itinerary
• Neuschwanstein Castle: 10 Facts You Need to Know Before You Go
• 5 Reasons Why You Have to Visit Hitler’s Eagle’s Nest

 

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