
I honestly wasn’t even really that excited to go to Hamburg in the first place – I really only went because we found a house sit there and it was for 2.5 weeks which I was stoked about (since we’d been traveling everywhere for about 1 week and I was ready to camp out in one spot for a hot minute), and because my friend really realllllly (like reallllly) wanted to go to Germany.

But now I just feel like Hamburg is super underrated (And I honestly prefer it to Berlin, too, for similar reasons that I preferred Lyon to Paris. But shhhh I didn’t say that…), and it actually ended up coming on top as one of my favorite places! Here’s why:
THEIR BIKE RENTAL SYSTEM IS SO GOOD

And their bike rental system (called StadtRAD) is so awesome! You do have to download an app in order to rent them, and have to put €5 on it to start out, BUT it’s very worth it if you end up using the bikes often each day (all day rental bikes cost upwards of €12 usually.)
There are rental stations all over the city, and the first 30 minutes of each ride are free, baby! And after that, it’s only 10 cents/minute. Plus, Hamburg isn’t HUGE but it’s not small either, so biking is perfect. And, unless you go to Blankenese or down to the dock area it’s relatively flat which makes biking a real breeze! Learn more here.

So, biking often felt like the path of least resistance haha.
THERE ARE PARKS ERRYWHERE


Needless to say, we had a LOT of picnics while I was there. You can rate a park on its picnic-ability by the presence and type of grass, scenery around it, how far you have to walk from the train station, absence of wind, etc. And many parks in Hamburg rate really well based on that scale!

My favorite parks: Ohlsdorf Cemetery, Stadtpark, Planten un Bloomen, and Hammer Park. And all the random green spaces in the Othmarschen/Blankanese areas. Clearly I almost visited all 1460!!!!


VIEWS ABOUND



THE BRICK BUILDINGS/ARCHITECTURE



SO MANY FUN NEIGHBORHOODS TO EXPLORE

Here’s a post on the different neighborhoods if you’re interested in learning more about them.
YOU’LL NEVER BE BORED




SUPER DUPER SAFE
Like, SUPER safe. Like you can ride the train back in the middle of the night by yourself and feel totally fine.
THE NIGHTLIFE IS SOME OF THE BEST IN EUROPE

And the drinks are CHEAP (we’re talking €3 shots and even cheaper beers) which just adds fuel to the fire. The trains also run really late, and on weekends pretty much all night, so it’s super easy to get around, too! Most places don’t charge an entrance fee, either.

But yeah, any vibe you want you can find! You can go dancing, you can have a chill night in, you can go to a strip club…And there are a ton of unique sex shops you can visit! The largest one, Boutique Bizarre in Reeperbahn, is really worth checking out.

ALL DA WATERWAYS


You can rent boats and paddle your heart out on the Außenalster – I actually went sailing last time! Which sounds like it would cost a lot, but was actually pretty cheap to do (although you do have to know someone who has a license).

EASY PEASY TRAIN SYSTEM

THE ‘BEACHES’/BLANKENESE

FISH MARKET IS A MUST DO

I was there for the last parts of the shouting, but I’d love to get there at the beginning although that’s at like 5AM which is waaaaay before I’d ever choose to wake up. So, another option is not going to bed and heading there after a night out 😉
And if you eat fish, a Fischbrötchen (basically a fish roll sandwich thing) is apparently a must have.
ITS PROXIMITY TO OTHER LOCATIONS


And as a lover of Copenhagen (I’d seriously consider moving there if it wasn’t so expensive) I love that it’s so close for an easy city getaway.




I’ve seen other posts about what a nice surprise Hamburg is. I guess I need to put it on my list!
Yes Hamburg is so underrated! 🙂
This is so great! We’re headed to Germany next year and this is so helpful. Fantastic tips!
Thanks Nicole! I hope you have a great time – Germany is the best! 🙂
Sounds like you had a great time in Hamburg! We are doing a big Europe trip next year and didn’t have it on our list but perhaps we should- I love venturing out of the better known cities like Berlin. Thanks for the wealth of information in this post. It’s great to know how cheap it is too!! Love the sound of the waterways, bike riding culture – too many crazy drivers in the UK/AUS/NZ! Also that house with the shutters is a dream!!
Oooh I’d be excited to hear where you’re going on your Europe trip! Yes, I personally preferred Hamburg to Berlin, but maybe that’s just me? Haha trust me, there are crazy drivers there, too, but since so many people bike I think all the drivers are used to looking out? And yes, I know – all the houses in the Blankanese/Othmarschen areas are gorgeous!
Honestly, you convinced me with the cottage cheese.
And I’ve always wanted to visit this city because of the name – Hamburgers are my favorite food group haha. Great to see there’s a lot to see here!
Hahah it’s all about the cheese! LOL I definitely eat a lot more dairy products in Europe than I do back home in the US.
And LOL yes, you have to have a Hamburger in Hamburg!! 🙂
We’ve visited quite a few cities in Germany, but have never have been up north, so Hamburg is on the top of our list for our next visit to the country! We love all that we’ve read about the city’s great vibe, and the beautiful and diverse architecture. You name other really great reasons to visit and we really can’t wait to go =)
Yes it’s such a unique city! I really have to explore more of southern Germany next, too! Dying to see more castles haha
You sold me with the parks, the architecture, and the waterways. Three of the things I love (the ice cream picture may have also helped!). Thanks for giving me a new place for my list!
Haha yes those are all my favorites! And of course ice cream is ALWAYS a good idea! 🙂
Looks lovely. We have similar bike rentals in Toronto but I have never used them. I will put Hamburg on my list to visit!
Yess, the bike rental system is the best! 🙂 I’ve never been to Toronto – have to put that on mine!