A guide to Hamburg

Where to stay and getting around

As a major city, there are plenty of hotels, motels and B&Bs to choose from in Hamburg. Look for a hotel in or near the city centre - Dammtor or St. Georg are both good areas to stay in.

Travelling from place to place in Hamburg is easy. The underground is cheap, safe and clean and, as long as it's nice weather, walking in Hamburg is also very enjoyable.

There's so much to do in Hamburg, but this is why I love it:

St. Pauli

Don't be scared of visiting St. Pauli, it may be Germany's oldest red light district but locals and tourists alike will go to the "Reeperbahn" for a hectic night out.

Visiting St. Pauli during the day is also recommended - I love visiting the western shop on the Reeperbahn for random (and not altogether necessary) purchases.

St. Georg

Hamburg's gay district is brilliant, it's mostly residential but the main street "die Lange Reihe" is a long commercial strip. The following are four must-dos:

1. Have dinner at the Portuguese restaurant
2. Have a drink at the Frau Müller
3. Visit the quirky 2nd-hand booksho (the first three are all on die Lange Reihe)
4. Have a coffee at Peaberries Café on Gurlittstraße (the side street opposite Subway)

Culture

The Gröninger is the best way to experience the stereotypical German diet - meat and beer.

When you visit this underground brewery (and restaurant) book in advance because it's always full.

Hamburg perhaps wouldn't be your first choice holiday destination but as a cosmopolitan city with an underlying bohemian atmosphere, you shouldn't knock it until you've tried it.

Catharina Paul

Order the "Gröninger Brauerschmaus" - a meat platter - and the home-brewed Gröninger-Pils. (If you're in a group order a 10-litre barrel "Gröninger im Faß".)

Other activities highlighting Hamburg's culture would include spending a Sunday at the Stadtpark - the beer garden there is legendary.

Attending a St. Pauli football match is also a must; the experience is worth it even if football isn't your thing.

The street party held on the first Saturday of July every year is another great tradition of Hamburg's and visiting the Hamburger Kunsthalle is the perfect way to spend a rainy day.

Shopping

Hamburg's main shopping street is Mönecksbergerstraße, stretching from behind the Hauptbahnhof (main train station) to the Rathaus (town hall) you'll find every major retailer located here.

For something a little different, try Vintage & Rags, a double storey 2nd hand shop located on side street just off the Mönecksbergerstraße.