The best of Hamburg

Germany’s second largest city is definitely not only one of Europe’s most diverse ports with a thriving industry and trade center, it’s also home to hundreds of parks and gardens, and romantic canals that reminds one of Amsterdam or Venice. Hamburg has even more bridges than those two destinations put together, and a cultural scene to rival either one. You’ll definitely need more than one day to explore this “green city”.

Bohumil Průša
chief of representation for Czech Republic and Slovakia
Hafen Hamburg Marketing


Favorite hotel:
Radisson-SAS Hotel, Marseiller Strasse 2, www.radissonsas.com, tel.: +4940 350 20
– hotel with a fantastic view of the city and its own “Yes, I can!” philosophy
Favorite restaurant:
Fischerhaus, Fischmarkt 14, St. Pauli, tel.: +4940 314 053, www.restaurant-fischerhaus.de/
The multicultural characteristic of the city is reflected in a wide range of ethnic restaurants. I like coming back to this one.
Favorite night spot:
Not the famous Reeperbahn, whose zenith is already past, but the highest situated Cocktailbar “Top of Town” in the Radisson hotel.
Favorite shop:
I don’t like shopping, even though Mönckeberg Strasse is the biggest “European shopping street”.
Favorite attraction:
Hafengeburtstag – birthday celebrations of the Hamburg port take place on the first May weekend, and this is a breathtaking show, highly recommended. Of course, you can’t forget the traditional Fischmarkt – every Sunday from 7 to 10 am.
Best-kept secret:
Hamburg is the biggest “Czech” port, as well as a very interesting fair and congress city.
Advice:
As is true for golf, there is no bad weather in Hamburg – only badly dressed tourists.
Zuzana Synková
chief of the CzechTrade office in Hamburg
Favorite hotel:
Maritim Hotel Reichshof; Kirchenallee 34-36, tel.: +4940 248 330 www.maritim.de – downtown
Kempinski Hotel Atlantic; An der Alster 72-79, tel.: +4940 288 80 www.kempinski.com – for rich clients
Favorite restaurant:
Schifferbörse; Kirchenallee 46, tel.: +4940 245 240 – rybí restaurace, fish restaurant, ship interior, www.schifferboerse-hh.de
Krameramtsstuben; Krayenkamp 10, tel.: +4940 365 800 – traditional hamburger cuisine www.krameramtsstuben.de
Saliba; Leverkusenstraße 54, tel.: +4940 858071 – excellent Syrian restaurant, www.saliba.de
Favorite night spot:
Plenty of bars and clubs can be found on the famed Reeperbahn street.
www.hamburg.citysam.de/reeperbahn.htm
Favorite shops:
Laventenhaus, Bleichenhof, Hanseviertel – arcades Jil Sander, Milchstraße 8, tel.: +49 40 55302173 – boutique of the fashion designer originally from Hamburg
Mönckebergstraße a Poststraße – Downtown shopping avenues.
Luxury shops in Neuer Wall street
Oblíbené atrakce:
The port Hamburger Hafen – unambiguously.
Alster – A lake in the middle of the city. Pleasure cruises along the lake and neighboring canals.
” Miniatur Wunderland” – one of the largest model-railways in the world
Best-kept secret:
Fabrik – www.fabrik.de – It is definitely worthwile to visit “Fabrik” (real former factory, 150 years old, which serves as a cultural center since the 1970s) in Altona district, where many concerts, theater performances and exhibitions take place. Sometimes Czech bands also appear here.

 

Imrich Lelkes
sales manager, Maersk AgencyFavorite hotel:
Hotel Madison – www.madisonhotel.de
– huge and exclusively equipped fitness center that is free for hotel guests
Favorite restaurant:
Fischereihafen Restaurant, Grosse Elbstrasse, tel.: +4940 381 816,
www.fischereihafen-restaurant-hamburg.de
– Fresh fish are guaranteed and they prepare them very well! The view from the windows and the terrace on the old harbour is self-evident.
Favorite night spot:
Bars on Reeperbahn – there may be too many of them.
Favorite shop: Aladin Center, Reeperbahn 89, tel. +4940 311 893,
www.aladin-center.de/Impressum.html
– they are open until 10 pm
Favorite attractions:
Boat trip on Elbe.
Best-kept secret:
It is still possible nowadays to experience the early morning vibe of the traditional fish markets. It is necessary to wake up at 6 am, but it’s worth the effort.
Advice:
– If possible, plan your trip (at least extended weekend) from May to October, otherwise bad and annoying weather might susprise you. Stay out of doubtful individuals on Reeprbahn in the late night hours. On the other hand, Hamburg is very secure city and no one gets in troubles as long as he does not provoke them.

 

Basic facts

Area: 755 sq. km
Population: 1.7 million
Telephone Area Code: +4940
Time zone: GMT + 1
Electricity: 220 V, 50 Hz, standard European two-pin plugs
Currency: EUR 1 = CZK 30 = USD 1.22

Where on the web?
For further information, we suggest the following websites dedicated to Hamburg:
www.lonelyplanet.com/destinations/europe/hamburg/ – traditional and quality guide offering exhausting information.
www.wordtravels.com/Cities/Germany/Hamburg – Besides basic tourist information package also car hire or accommodation booking system.
http://international.hamburg.de – official web pages for travellers coming to Hamburg in many language variations including Czech.
www.hafen-hamburg.de/ – all important data about Hamburg port, including Czech version.
www.hamburg-tourism.de – Complete and well aranged service for tourists.

Prices

· Daily public transport ticket: EUR 5,50
· Lunch or dinner in traditional restaurant: EUR 15,00
· Theater or musical ticket: EUR 20 – 80
· Taxi: EUR 2,00 + 1 km/EUR 1,50
· Sight-seeing tour around the port: EUR 8,00
· Groceries:
– Fresh bread: EUR 2,00
– 0,5 l milk: EUR 0,50
– 1.5-l mineral water: EUR 0,25 – 1,00
– 0.3-l glass of beer in restaurant: EUR 2,00
– Cup of coffee: EUR 2,50

HIGHLIGHTS

· You’ll find the famous Altona fish market between Hexenberg and Grosse Elbstrasse, where you can buy just about anything. The greatest variety is always available on Sunday mornings. On the other hand, at night Reeperbahn, a street in the St. Paul zone, is very lively. Hawsers (reeper) for ships used to be made there, but today it’s the domain of night clubs, as well as prostitutes and blue entertainment. The private Erotic Art Museum is worth seeing.

· The oldest complex of department stores in the world, Speicherstadt, is over a hundred years old and today is mainly a tourist attraction. The complex of red brick buildings is now home to interesting museums and open air theaters, as well as stores.

· Hamburg’s Kunsthalle, on Glockengiesserwall, should definitely be visited by all art lovers. In its extensive gallery you can see works of modern art alongside medieval creations. Kunsthalle often features non-permanent exhibitions whose goal is to present new art forms.

Overview

· Hamburg was founded in 810 by Charlemagne, and it gradually became northern Germany’s most important port, controlling trade in the Baltic and North Seas from the 13th to the 15th centuries. The historical center was destroyed in 1842 by a huge fire, and later by bombardments in WWII.

· For centuries Hamburg has been the major port for the Czech lands, and in 1919 a Czech port was even set up in it. In the 19th century Hamburg’s port served as a gateway to the world for millions of emigrants.

· Hamburg is Germany’s most diversified cultural metropolis, boasting six music stages, 31 theaters, 10 cabarets, and 50 state and private museums. In addition to a wide array of sports and music programs, there are 4,000 restaurants.


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