Hamburg with children

Hamburg, my pearl... City trips to Hamburg are so much fun for us that we have been there more than once - and we will certainly come back. I would like to introduce our favorite places in Hamburg here. Maybe you also feel like taking a trip to the far north?

Port

The best place to get in the mood for Hamburg. It feels like dreams of distant lands begin right here. The tingling in the stomach when you read the street sign: At the St. Pauli landing bridges. The smell of the big wide world smells like cool water and fish sandwiches. A cacophony of voices from all possible nations, tourists taking photos. The screeching of seagulls and the sailors trying to lure a few landlubbers on board for a harbor tour. Depending on the weather, just buy an ice cream or a hot drink, sit on the steps and take in the scenes. Watch the street performers. Watch ships. Watch people. Haaaach, Hamburg.

Harbor tour, this time 'on the cheap'

A harbor tour is a must for a visit to Hamburg. Must do. But you don't have to book an extra harbor tour, you can simply use the harbor ferries that are included in the HVV public transport ticket. We took line 62 and actually wanted to go all the way to Finkenwerder. However, our son got seasick before that. You wouldn't believe how wobbly it can get there - after all, it's not open sea. So, emergency exit at the Dockland, which turned out to be a stroke of luck afterwards. Because you can climb up the office building from there and have one of the best views over the city and, with a bit of luck, one of the cruise ships anchored there. We went back to the city on bus line 111, passing many sights of the city. You can even download explanations as a virtual tour guide to your mobile phone - the QR codes are available at the bus stop and on the bus. Sightseeing at virtually no cost.

Hagenbeck Zoo

I wouldn't go to another city just to visit a zoo. But Hagenbeck is worth it, even if it's not exactly a cheap pleasure. You can easily spend the whole day here. If you don't have that much time, you should decide at the entrance whether you want to visit the zoo or the tropical house/aquarium. The aquarium and tropical house are good options for bad weather. Cold-sensitive people will feel at home in the tropical house: the name says it all, even we visitors were properly sweating in the hot and humid air. The kids were fascinated by the monkeys roaming around freely. We could only continue walking when a little monkey sat down on the lap of the feeding keeper and happily did its business there. After that, the topic of 'I want a monkey in my arms' was off the table. We continued past snakes and crocodiles. My absolute highlight: the huge aquarium - face to face with sharks and colorful fish. Wow.

The zoo outside is beautifully laid out, both the animal and human areas. You can take a nice walk here, feed elephants, observe monkeys. I'm not an expert, but as a visitor you get the feeling that the animals are doing well here. The well-being of young and old is also taken care of: there is a great playground where the little ones can run around and play while the adults can sit lazily on a bench and have a coffee in the attached cafe. Our favorite in the outdoor zoo: the Arctic Sea World - and not just because it's a great place to cool off on hot summer days.

Panoptikum

At noon on the Reeperbahn.... there's something going on at the Panoptikum. You can meet stars and celebrities in the wax figure museum. Taking photos with the stars is allowed - they also stay still. ;-) Don't expect Madame Tussauds here - the Panoptikum is rather small, but still worth seeing.

We only saw the Reeperbahn in daylight with two elementary school children in tow: past the Davidwache (known from the TV series Großstadtrevier), past clearly suggestive shops and garbage cans that amused me and that I had to capture in a picture - commented on by a local joker: 'What are you taking pictures of? Don't you have anything like that where you come from?'

Just extend your visit to Hamburg for a few more days, even if you don't have time? Off to Miniatur Wunderland: here, day and night change every few minutes. Landscapes from around the globe are lovingly and intricately built on a miniature scale. If you look closely, you will discover small jokes in every scene. Look for the small button at the chocolate factory. If you press it several times in a row, a small piece of chocolate will eventually come out.

By the way, Miniatur Wunderland is often very crowded - there are even specially designated waiting areas. If you want to avoid waiting times at the entrance, book your ticket online beforehand.

Planten un Blomen

A really beautiful park with many flowers, playgrounds and different events. Jumping over stones through the water in the Japanese garden, fighting for a goal with the family in water football, climbing up and sliding down the Bullerberge, getting some refreshments in the cafe, letting the sun shine on your belly on the deck chairs, admiring the flowers... there is a lot to experience in Planten un Blomen - and all of this without an admission fee. A special highlight in the summer months are the free water light concerts at the lake. Water fountains are lit up in a atmospheric way to different pieces of music every evening after dusk.

Train Station

Yes, train station. That's my tip for everything you want to buy if you don't feel like searching for a shop in the city or if you are out and about outside the opening hours. There is a supermarket, shops, a pharmacy and the train station is easy to reach from everywhere as a central point. Usually, when you're on a city trip, you stay in hotels and have to somehow take care of yourself - the train station is also a good starting point for that. Everyone will find a restaurant or a snack bar to their liking. And because everything is so close together, everyone can sit at the same table while one person eats fries and the other eats Chinese food.

Pater Noster

This is actually not a tip, but rather a cry for help. Riding a Pater Noster is often mentioned as an insider tip in many travel guides. Apparently, it's such an insider that we haven't managed to do it yet. We were always standing in front of locked doors everywhere. Unfortunately, we are mostly in Hamburg on weekends when the offices where the elevators are supposed to run are closed. If anyone knows a Pater Noster that can be visited from Friday evening to Sunday afternoon, please, please leave a message in the comments. :-)

Cathedral

No, not a big church, but the fairground on the Heiligengeistfeld. So far, it hasn't been within our Hamburg visiting times and is definitely still on the to-do list.

Tips for imitators ;-)

Arrival: Hamburg can be easily reached by train. The long-distance trains of Deutsche Bahn and the Hamburg-Köln-Express (HKX) stop at the train stations in Hamburg. The view when entering Hamburg Central Station is magnificent - enjoy the view. You can easily do without a car in Hamburg - the subway network is convenient and the trains run every few minutes. A day ticket is worthwhile for families. The Hamburg feeling sets in when you no longer run after a subway but just let the train leave with a shrug of your shoulders and say: oh well, let's take the next one. And you rarely have to wait longer than 5 minutes.

Accommodation: We recommend the Superbude and the Superbude. There are actually two of them: one in St. Pauli and one in St. Georg. Wonderfully relaxed, alternative, funny atmosphere. First, hang your jacket on the toilet plunger coat rack, pick up some information from the mousetrap memo board and sit on the beer crate stools. You should take a closer look and you will find a lot of amusing, clever, original things inside and outside the rooms.

Children under 13 sleep for free in the parents' double room and don't pay for breakfast. The breakfast buffet is great, you can even make yourself fresh waffles. In addition, the Superbude offers free Wi-Fi, in St. Georg there is an in-house cinema, a so-called gymnasium with table tennis table, foosball, skateboard memory, various board games available for free use in the kitchen club and much more. It's best to see it for yourself. And you can make yourself a Nutella sandwich for free around the clock. Yes, what more could you possibly want?

Did you like the report? Did something go missing? Do you have any ideas for what we absolutely have to do in Hamburg? We would be happy to receive likes and feedback. :-)