Imagine gently floating along the canals as golden light dances on the water. A mix of harbor breeze and city life in the air. Waterside cafés spread a scent of just-ground coffee and freshly-baked Franzbrötchen, bars pulse with soft music, and markets spill over with delicious treats. Around you, a city full of hidden gems and unique things to do in Hamburg just waiting to be explored.
I want to be completely honest with you. While many instantly fall for Hamburg and call it their favorite city in Germany, it took me three times until I fell in love with Hamburg. But whoa, how much I fell for it was completely unexpected. To be fair, the first two times I was welcomed by heavy, stormy rains, so I wasn’t really able to experience the city – neither the well-known highlights nor the hidden gems in Hamburg. And I mostly stuck to the famous tourist spots, which was my biggest mistake. Once I looked beyond that and tried to experience a more local side of the city, this was when Hamburg conquered my heart.
When visiting a city for the first time, of course you want to check out famous sights. But make sure to spare some time for more alternative things to do in Hamburg, as well. I’m convinced this is where the true charm of this city lies. Strolling through its gorgeous neighborhoods, sitting in a café chatting to locals, spending time on the water. Especially in summer, the city is full of magical places you’ll love, believe me.
Last summer, I spent a whole week in Hamburg, met several local friends who showed me their favorite spots and now I’ve gathered all these tips on what to do Hamburg in this post. Already curious? So let’s dive deeper together and explore the authentic side of Hamburg that so many tourists flocking to the Northern German city miss.
Contents
Alternative neighborhoods in Hamburg
Ottensen – a colorful mix of cultures, for bar lovers and fans of hip eateries
My favorite unique things to do in Hamburg’s neighborhood Ottensen:
- Hop into some alternative stores – There are several individual labels and eco stores in Ottensen
- Saturday market – On Saturdays, there’s a small market in Ottensen with fresh, regional products
- Elbstrand/Övelgönne – Wondering what to do in Hamburg on a hot summer day? I’ve got you covered! Yes, there are actually beaches in the city of Hamburg! Elbstrand and Övelgönne are the central ones right next to Ottensen.
- Munch amazing food – There are many fantastic cafés & restaurants in Ottensen. In summer, you can sit outside and soak up the neighborhood’s laid-back flair. Here are some of my favorites:
- Bistro & Café Ivy – Sit in the sun and enjoy a delicious brunch in the heart of Ottensen. They have amazing vegan options, too!
- Lily of The Valley – Gorgeous vegetarian bistro with delicious food
- TIDE Treibholz & Feinkost – This little café makes the perfect coffee stop when exploring Ottensen. Sadly, no vegan options but you’re allowed to bring vegan and glutenfree food.
- Frau Meis Eisladen – A super cute, small ice cream shop with vegan options.
- Strandperle Hamburg – Beer garden vibes right next to the Elbe river and Elbstrand
Impressions of Ottensen & Elbstrand
Eimsbüttel – a green neighborhood for a laid-back vibe & café lovers
My favorite unique things to do in Hamburg’s neighborhood Eimsbüttel:
- Isemarkt – A wonderful outdoor market where you can enjoy lunch (until 2 p.m.) on Tuesdays and Fridays
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Ride a bike along Isebekkanal – Such a nice area to enjoy outdoors (ride your bike along this channel and you’ll automatically reach Isemarkt)
- Planten un Blomen – An all time favorite among Hamburgers, as you can hang out in this park & soak up the sun next to a small lake. There’s also a Japanese tea house and sometimes concerts in summer.
- Stroll along Osterstraße – The streets around are full of lovely cafés
- Enjoy amazing food – Eimsbüttel is home to many awesome cafés and also restaurants. Some of my favorites:
- Der Geheime Garten – Blumencafé – This gorgeous café full of green plants is just my kind of vibe!
- Café geen – An all-vegan Café with nice outdoor seating
- Weidenkantine – A hip café where you can come fro brunch or even for drinks on Thursdays and Fridays
- Citta Vegan House – A cosy resturant with vegan Asian fusion kitchen
- HEEMANN – If you’re looking to treat you with something special, definitely give Heemann a try
- MOMO Ramen – Delicious Ramen, no need to say more.
- memán – Strictly speaking already in the neighboring quarter Schanzenviertel, but I loved this Afghan restaurant!
Impressions of Eimsbüttel
Winterhude – along the Alster canals
My favorite unique things to do in Hamburg’s neighborhood Winterhude:
- Rent a SUP or kayak – The one and only best thing to do in Hamburg’s Winterhude (more on that a bit further down)
- Café Canale – Once you’re on the water, you can’t miss ordering a coffee and/or cake from this cafés window. One of my favorite things I always recommend when asked what to do in Hamburg!
- Goldbekufer market – An idyllic market directly next to the water (every Tuesday, Thursday & Saturday mornings)
- Monkey Beach – A super nice beach bar right on the water where you can hang around in lounge chairs and enjoy the sunset vibe
Impressions of Winterhude
Blankenese – steep alleys, luxurious houses and idyllic river views
My favorite unique things to do in Hamburg’s neighborhood Blankenese:
- Stroll through the steep alleys – The best way to explore this neighborhood, lovely houses and catch great views is definitely on foot
- Falkensteiner Ufer – A large, sandy beach on the Elbe River that is much calmer than the more centrally located Elbstrand, so a visit here is a great alternative thing to do in Hamburg!
- Walk along Strandweg – You can walk along the Elbe River for several kilometers, enjoying the waterfront and stop in one of the riverside cafés
- Kaffeegarten Schuldt – A traditional café with a terrace overlooking the Elbe River serving coffee, cakes and small bites
- MAATS Blankenese – A riverfront café where you can enjoy a glass of wine or beer in a deck chair, so it’s the perfect option if you’re looking for what to do in Hamburg or Blankenese during sunset.
Impressions of Blankenese during sunset
Alternative & unique things to do in Hamburg
Rent a SUP or kayak & explore the Alster’s canals
What would Hamburg be without the Alster and the surrounding canals? The river is such a huge part of the vibe the city spreads, especially in summer. Once the sun comes out, it feels like whole Hamburg flocks to the Alster to spend time by the water. And the most fun is being on the water!
I guess if I lived in Hamburg, I’d definitely buy a SUP and join all the Hamburgers every sunny second on the Alster.
But the cool thing is – you can do that! There are several places where you can rent a SUP or a kayak for a few hours or a whole day and join the floating fun!
I especially loved the machines where you can rent a kayak (“Kayakomat”) or a SUP (if you’re an Urban Sports member, an hour is even included for free here!).
Don’t miss Café Canale where you can buy coffee and cake from the canal (yes, you can literally sit in a kayak on the water and order your coffee at the cafés side window facing the canal). And afterwards, you can head to Monkey Beach for a sunset drink by the water.
Renting a SUP in Hamburg
Munch through Isemarkt
Wondering what to do in Hamburg during lunchtime? Every Tuesday and Friday, the long stretch underneath a beautiful old iron bridge in Hamburg Eppendorf transforms into a lively market. Many Hamburgers love to spend their lunch break here, because the market offers way more than farmers stalls and flowers. There are numerous delicious street food stalls where you can find all kinds of yummy meals – Asian dumplings, freshly made pasta, Middle Eastern stalls and much more.
I even found a bakery with many vegan options. You have to try the vegan Franzbrötchen (a local sweet pastry similar to a cinnamon roll but with puff pastry).
If I lived in Hamburg, I’d definitely come here every week.
Opening times: Tuesdays and Fridays 8:30 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. | Between the U3 underground stops “Hohe Luftbrücke” & “Eppendorfer Baum”
Isemarkt in Hamburg
Walk through Alter Elbtunnel
Walking through a historic tunnel far down under the millions of liters of water under the Elbe River? That’s for sure one of the most unique things to do in Hamburg! The thought is a bit creepy, and fascinating at the same time. Alter Elbtunnel (“Old Elbtunnel”) has opened in 1911 to connect the northern shore of the Elbe River with the southern harbor side – so it’s more than 100 years old. For years, there has been no more car traffic (there has been a new Elbtunnel for vehicles since the 70s), so you can walk or ride a bike through this interesting piece of Hamburg history. Entrance is free.
The tunnel itself isn’t the actual highlight, I would say. The beautiful surprise comes at the other end: Aussichtspunkt Steinwerder. From this viewpoint, you have an amazing view of Hamburg’s waterfront. This is a great spot to enjoy the sunset.
Tunnel opening times: Mon-Fri 5:30 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.; Sat&Sun 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.| Entrance at U & S-Bahn “Landungsbrücken” (here)
Free harbor cruise with your public transport ticket
A harbor cruise is probably not really what you would call a hidden gem in Hamburg, right? But there’s an awesome way to see the city’s fascinating harbor like the locals do. So, here’s the trick: With an HVV public transportation ticket, you can not only use the city’s metro and buses, but also the ferry lines. Yep, it may sound like a unique thing to do in Hamburg, but as a local, you may have to take the ferry to get to work.
A friend who has lived in Hamburg has recommended taking the ferry line 62 and I absolutely loved it! You can start at Landungsbrücke, ride to Övelgönne/Elbstrand and can even see some of the harbor business like huge container ships getting loaded. Quite fascinating!
A great time is during sunset. This brings an even more magical spark when you’re on the water and the wind dances around your face. Afterwards, you can also walk from the Hafenstadt to Speicherstadt and take a closer look at Elbphilharmonie (or “Elphi” as Hamburgers love to call their famous concert hall), which is a beautiful scenery as well.
If you prefer learning more about the harbor and include a bit more sightseeing, there’s, of course, the option to book an iconic harbor and Speicherstadt tour. Very special is also an evening harbor cruise where you can admire the spectacular lights on the waterfront.
Impressions Hamburg’s harbor
Explore the Green Bunker
Right in the heart of St. Pauli, an impressive urban nature project has transformed an old bunker into a museum, creative space and a green park on its roof. Built by forced laborers during WWII, the bunker is a witness of Germany’s darkest chapter. Today, it serves as a memorial to the victims of the Nazi regime and a visit here is one of the most interesting alternative things to do in Hamburg for sure.
The highlight that has been recently added is the green park on the bunker’s roof – a spectacular natural oasis with a gorgeous view of Hamburg’s city center. There are self-managed urban gardening spaces and room for exhibitions, concerts and art. What a role model in how a piece of dark history can be transformed into something beautiful. This is absolutely worth a visit!
Enjoy a picnic at the Außenalster
The Außenalster is clearly the most adored oasis of Hamburg. The lake is the result of the Alster River being dammed up to a millpond almost 800 years ago. Locals love to come here for a run around the lake, an after-work drink on the shore, or to rent a sailing boat and spend time on the water. Of course, you can also rent kayaks, pedal boats and SUPs here.
But my favorite unique thing to do in Hamburg when you’re at the Außenalster Lake is to have a picnic by the shore, watch the sailing boats and enjoy sunset. At Alsterwiese Schwanenwik you can sit on a wall and even hang your feet into the water if you feel like it.
Visit a musical or theater
Außenalster & on the way to The Lion King by boat
Explore the city by bike
Oh, how I loved cruising through beautiful Hamburg last summer!
Ride through the city with this bike tour where you can discover many unique things to do in Hamburg, see the city’s highlights, experience the charm of the Speicherstadt, the Alster and much more.
A wonderful alternative thing to do in Hamburg in order to explore the city by bike is with the StadtRAD App. There are public bikes on many stations all around the city and you can ride 30 minutes for free. That’s actually how I saw most of Hamburg for free within the week I was there.
Exploring Hamburg by bike
Map of unique, alternative things to do in Hamburg
Map of hidden gems & unique things to do in Hamburg (click for interactive map with all details)
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