Hamburg’s Coolest Neighborhoods

The fact that there are 104 districts in Hamburg divided over seven different boroughs tells you that this isn’t just a vast city, but one where you can get a different vibe wherever you go.

You could easily stick to the tried-and-tested tourist areas and have a fantastic time – but head to some of these neighborhoods and you’ll be rewarded with a truly memorable vacation.

Some areas are residential, others commercial, but all have their own distinct appeal – and many have been swept up in the city’s extensive redevelopment and gentrification. It all adds up to you being able to see an alternative side of Hamburg every day of your vacation.

You might also like our guide to the Top 10 Hamburg Attractions.

Altstadt

Hamburg’s Old Town – Altstadt – blends in with the New Town – Neustadt – but it’s not hard to tell which one you’re in. This is an area that emerged back when Hamburg was first starting to prosper as a maritime power. As a result, it’s full of grand buildings including the Rathaus, the town hall, and numerous impressive churches.

Start by exploring the town hall and then stroll along the canal side. You’ll find great boutique stores next to the Inner Alster Lake, as well as excellent restaurants both modern and traditional. The Kunsthalle gallery is the highlight of the museum mile, housing art from Rembrandt, Holbein and other Old Masters. There are also a series of majestic churches to admire – especially St. Nikolai, St. Jacobi, and St. Petri.

It might not be very Germanic, but the handsome interior of Café Paris has been a fixture of Hamburg life since the 19^th century. Grab a table in the pretty art deco room and feast on francophone classics. From croque monsieur in the morning to steak frites, merguez sausage and bouillabaisse in the evening, it’s a Gallic classic transported to Germany.

Speicherstadt

Stroll south of the Altstadt to Speicherstadt, one of Europe’s most unique neighborhoods. Consisting almost entirely of red brick warehouses on oak foundations, this was where goods were stored for the port as Hamburg became a trading powerhouse.

Much of it has been renovated and it’s now a UNESCO World Heritage site. Modernization means the area is no longer dedicated to warehousing; these places are now museums, offices, start-ups and quirky stores.

There’s plenty for visitors to see here, whether it’s Spicy’s museum dedicated to the spice trade or the Deutsches Zollmuseum’s look at the history of German customs. Explore the life of the port at the International Maritime Museum or descend into the Hamburg Dungeon for a scare. This features 11 interactive shows, performed by a cast of actors, and puts you at the heart of the story. Perhaps best of all is Miniatur Wunderland – the largest model railway in the world.

Sternschanze

Some call it Sternschanze, others Schanzenviertel. The vast majority, however, call this area the Schanze. It’s the most bohemian of all of Hamburg’s neighborhoods and a great place to spend a chilled-out day. While some say the area has sold out and lost its edge, the Schanze still retains its population of students, artists and artisans.

What it certainly isn’t is shabby. This is a place full of elegant buildings and streets, cafes prime for people-watching, independent stores stocked with antiques, and flea markets where you can discover little treasures or unique art to take home. Sample lunch or dinner on Schulterblatt, a leafy street that’s always bustling with locals.

As you’d expect in such an area, there’s a great range of eateries with plenty of choices for vegetarians and vegans. Carnivores will love the steaks at Bullerei, but Jellyfish might be the area’s best place to eat, having recently gained a Michelin star. Imaginative presentation perfectly accompanies the impeccably sourced cuisine, with a focus on seafood.

St. Pauli

Far from the serene streets of the Schanze, St. Pauli is Hamburg’s brash, loud and most in-your-face neighborhood. It hosts the Reeperbahn, the city’s red-light district, which is completely safe these days. This area is where many come to party – both visitors and locals – and there are some great clubs and bars to be found. Just make sure you have a way to get home before you find them.

It’s also a place of pilgrimage for fans of The Beatles, as they played more than 250 shows here between 1960 and 1962 while they lived in the city. Head to the Indra Club, where the Fab Four started their Hamburg adventure, and then on to the Kaiserkeller, where they famously moved afterwards to hone their electric stage show.

St. Georg

A friendly slice of Hamburg with a bit of an edge, St. Georg is the area between Lake Alster and the train station and has a strong LGBTQ scene. It’s also multicultural and the perfect place to sample a host of international cuisines: whether Indian, Turkish or Chinese. There are architectural delights to be found here – mosques and churches, museums and galleries, and great lakeside stretches to amble along with the locals.

Grab a table in the subtly stylish German-French bistro Cox. Tempting vegetarian options are available, while the cod tartare with wasabi cream and salmon fillet with horseradish mousse will tempt almost any diner.

Hafencity

Close to Speicherstadt, Hafencity is very much a work in progress, but an exciting one. The city is throwing millions of Euros at redeveloping this former port area, no longer in use, into a residential and commercial zone. Wander through it and you’ll come across plenty of areas that have been regenerated and populated with places to eat, drink and shop.

The finest symbol of this new area is the stunning Elbphilharmonie. This opera house cuts into the sky like a fin and is built on top of a former warehouse building, symbolizing the marriage of the old and the new. Very much like the rest of Hamburg.

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