1 DAY in HAMBURG: Must-See Attractions and Hidden Gems

Hamburg is a vibrant and modern city with unique architecture, plenty of history and a surprising amount of water for a city dozens of miles away from the sea. And in this video, I'm going to show you how to spend the perfect one day in the second largest city in Germany. The easiest way to get to central Hamburg is via its main train station, which is around an hour and three quarters away from Berlin. From there, it's just a short walk to reach Binnel Auster. This is one of two artificial lakes within the Hamburg city limits and boasts beautiful views onto the TV tower. When you're visiting Hamburg, one of the first things that will strike you is the sheer amount of water in the city, as you'll see later on in this itinerary. From here, you can walk along to reach the town hall, known as Rathaus in German. The town hall of Hamburg is an impressive late 19th century building that is a must see while in the city. The city hall is actually open from Monday through to Sunday from 8am to 6pm and there are several guided tours throughout the day. At Christmas time, the plaza in front of the Rathaus is home to a mesmerizing Christmas market where you can buy everything from handmade jewellery to delicious treats. Just down the road, one of the oldest churches in Hamburg is St. Peter's Church, free to visit. The church was constructed at the end of the 12th century at the behest of Pope Leo X. Historians widely believe that there was actually a previous church or cathedral on site thanks to the church's position close to the Hammerberg, i.e. the birthplace of Hamburg, but we'll talk about that later. The church you see today was largely reconstructed in the Gothic style between the 14th and 15th centuries. We then grabbed lunch before heading to one of the most hidden gems of the city that a lot of visitors don't know about. If you have 10 minutes to spare, then you can head to the Bishop's Tower. This area is completely free to visit and is actually located under an ice cream and coffee shop. There was a time when many people believed that this structure, the oldest remaining stone walls in Hamburg, was actually the birthplace of the city, i.e. Hammerberg. However, new evidence actually suggests that these walls were purely used as a defensive structure. There's also an exhibition down here showcasing the history of the city. The Chile House is a 10-storey building which towers above the surrounding area and dates all the way back to the 1920s. It's a particularly special example of brick expressionism architecture and is the oldest office building in the Kontor house district of the city. Unfortunately though, the interior of the Chile House is closed to visitors as it remains in use as an office space today. However, you can wander into the inner courtyard and the most unusual angle of the building can be found at the front, where it has kind of like flat iron New York vibes. Now, I promised a lot of water and this is exactly what you're going to see next. The largest warehouse district in the world is of such historical importance that it's actually a UNESCO World Heritage Site, known as Speicherstadt. This is a group of small islands which house nothing but brick warehouse after brick warehouse. Wander around to take gorgeous photos of the many bridges and buildings which predominantly date from between 1883 and 1927. If you have some extra time to spare, then you can even opt for a boat ride around the area with an audio guide that will allow you to learn more about the history of this fascinating district. For a bird's eye view of the city, you'll want to head to the St. Nikolai Memorial. The history of the child remains of this church date all the way back to the late 12th century when a small chapel was erected on site. This was later replaced by a larger and sturdier brick church in the 14th century, though this ended up burning down in the 19th century. Eventually, a Gothic Revival Cathedral was built on the site in 1874. At its completion, the ecclesiastical building was the tallest building in the world. That was until it was replaced by Strasbourg Cathedral in 1876. Unfortunately, the building was heavily bombed during the bombing of Hamburg in World War II and all that remained was the tower. Since September of 2005, an elevator installed within the remaining bell tower has allowed visitors to ascend to a height of 70 metres in order to see Hamburg from above. You can buy a ticket on site at a cost of 6 euros. Once you get to the top with the elevator, there is also a small exhibition to show what Hamburg looked like after the bombings of World War II. Although a lot of people say that the best time to visit Hamburg is during the summer, I personally enjoyed visiting during the autumn as all of the full foliage was honestly so beautiful. Just a short walk away from the cathedral, you will come across Nordrost. And while they're best known for their specialty coffee, it was a crisp autumn day and so we particularly enjoyed dipping on the warming lemon and ginger tea there. Sit at the back of the cafe and you can enjoy uninterrupted views of the warehouse district. One of the most picturesque and historic streets in Hamburg is Dijkstrasse, which is just a few minutes walk away from Nordrost. This street dates all the way back to the early 14th century and it was actually first mentioned in 1304. It's the oldest surviving street of the Altstadt, i.e. the old city of Hamburg. Now we haven't gone inside anywhere yet, but if there's one museum you should make the effort to visit while in Hamburg, it's Miniature Wonderland. This pint-sized museum is set over several levels and is where expert model makers have painstakingly recreated scale model replicas of cities and towns from all over the world. There is a particular focus on Switzerland and central Germany and you can even buy a model replica of Hamburg itself. Other notable mentions include replicas of Las Vegas, complete with an Eiffel Tower, Provence, complete with a replica of the Cenac Abbey and even a functioning airport. This is truly fun for all the family and I would recommend spending at least two hours here if possible, if not three, because there are honestly so many things to see and each time you look at the models you'll find a new attention to detail. After feeling like a kid again, head to Viewpoint Elphi, where you can enjoy picture-perfect views of the Hamburg Philharmonic. This unique concert hall is nicknamed the Elphi and was only open to the public in 2017. You can actually take a tour inside, but as this is just a one-day itinerary, you won't really have enough time if you also visit Miniature Wonderland beforehand. It's also in this area where you can enjoy even more of the beautiful water views that Hamburg is so famous for. Despite being one of the largest cities in Germany, I have to say that I was pretty impressed at the offerings of the green parks around the city. I imagine that during the summer months they're pretty full of picnickers and just have a great ambiance. Now I'd like to draw your attention to yet another church which is also free to visit. A gorgeous example of Baroque architecture, St Michael's Church is one of the most important churches in Hamburg today. The church was originally built between 1647 to 1669, though was greatly expanded during the 18th century and then again during the 19th century. If you're a fan of historical architecture, then you're in for a real treat when you visit the Grosses Apartments, which are known as Krammerer Stuben in German. These timber-framed buildings were formerly called home by widows of members of the Grosses Institut and date back to the 17th century. And if you've made it all the way to the end of the video, then thank you so much for watching and don't forget to like and subscribe for more travel movies. See you next time! Bye!