Warehouses on oak piles, a €5 Plaza, a market at dawn
Hamburg's sights run along the water from the Speicherstadt to the fish market, about an hour's walk. Leave the car at Veddel and use your day ticket on the ferry too.
1. Pay €5 for the Plaza
The Elbphilharmonie Plaza is no longer the free view people remember: the hall's FAQ says €5, €3 reduced. Concert ticket holders go up two hours before the start.
2. Walk the Speicherstadt at dusk
The red-brick Speicherstadt stands on oak piles and became a UNESCO site in 2015. I'd walk it when the lights come on.
3. Book Miniatur Wunderland
Miniatur Wunderland had 16,491 m of model track in May 2025. Its airport flies on a real timetable. Book a slot; it's in the Speicherstadt, so it's walkable.
4. Hear the Michel's trumpeter
At St. Michaelis a trumpeter plays from the tower at 10:00 and 21:00, and only at 12:00 on Sundays. There are 453 steps or a lift.
5. Get up for the Fischmarkt
The Fischmarkt runs Sundays 05:00–09:30 from April to October, 07:00 in winter. It's been there since 1703.
6. Walk under the Elbe
The Old Elbe Tunnel opened in 1911, 24 m down, and has been closed to cars since October 2023. On foot it's free.
7. Take ferry 62 as a harbour cruise
HADAG's line 62 runs from Landungsbrücken to Finkenwerder past the container cranes. Your HVV ticket covers it, which makes it the cheapest harbour tour in town.
Fischbrötchen, Labskaus and plaice from Finkenwerder
1. Eat a Fischbrötchen by the water
A bread roll with herring, mackerel or prawns is Hamburg's lunch. Hamburg Marketing points to Große Elbstraße by the fish market for the real thing.
2. Order Labskaus once
Labskaus is the sailors' mash, served with herring. It looks worse than it tastes.
3. Eat Backfisch at Daniel Wischer
Daniel Wischer, near the Rathaus, has fried fish for about 90 years, says Hamburg Marketing. I'd order the Backfisch; Pannfisch, fried fish with potatoes, is the other Hamburg classic.
4. Have plaice Finkenwerder style
Scholle Finkenwerder Art is named after the fishing village across the river. Fischereihafen Restaurant has a terrace over the port and a reputation going back to the 1980s.
Fairground in November, a port birthday in May
1. Go to the Winterdom on a Friday
The Winterdom fills the Heiligengeistfeld from 6 November to 6 December 2026, with fireworks every Friday at 22:30. It's next to St. Pauli, so I'd come by U-Bahn.
2. Wait for the 2027 Dom dates
Spring and summer Dom dates for 2027 aren't out yet. In 2026 they ran 20 March–19 April and 24 July–30 August.
3. Book early for Hafengeburtstag
The 838th Hafengeburtstag runs 6–9 May 2027 along the harbour. I'd leave the car at a P+R that weekend.
What's on
| When | What |
|---|---|
| 6 November – 6 December 2026 | Winterdom, the winter edition of the Hamburger DOM fair on the Heiligengeistfeld; fireworks every Friday at 22:30 |
| Spring and summer 2027, dates not yet published | Frühlingsdom and Sommerdom 2027 (in 2026 they ran 20 March–19 April and 24 July–30 August) |
| 6–9 May 2027 | The 838th Hafengeburtstag, the port's birthday festival along the harbour |