Hamburg (Germany) > Reviews > More to Hamburg than the Reeperbahn

Author's product rating:   

Value for Money
Sightseeing
Shopping
Nightlife
Ease of getting around

Advantages:	Great transport, young, livley city .
Disadvantages:	Loads to do, but no landmarks, nothing which Hamburg is known for

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

This was my first (of many) budget trip to the continent, and I was going with some friends to stay at my mates grandma. We flew cheap with Ryanair from Stanstead to Lubeck, which is about an hour from Hamburg City Center. Like most Ryanair flights, do not take the ryanair bus from the airport to the city, take the train. You can save yourself about 50€ by doing this. There is a regular bus from the airport to Lubeck Station, where there are frequent trains to Hamburg Hauptbahnhof.
Getting round Hamburg is incredibly easy on th U-bahn and S-Bahn. The trains are comfortable, quick and conveniant running very frequently and serving the central part of the city thouroghly.
A great way to see much of the largley flat city is by bike. By doing this you can get the basic plan of the city and where everything is.
The first and most reccomended thing to do here is the Minitaur Wunderland model railway. Don't scroll down! This railway is the largest in Europe, and you don't have to be an anorak to like it. Its spread accross several rooms and models the alps, Hamburg and the German countryside, and a newly opened section which looked like the Rocky Mountains (as it was being constructed at my time of visit). The railway is so huge that they an putn eveything from a muder scene to two people having it off behind a bush. The only con of this place is the crowds, but you get free refreshments in the q.
During two weeks of November, Hamburg hosts the 'Winter Dom' WHich is a massive (and i mean massive) portable theme park with rollercoasters and rides which are so hairy, they are probably illegal in the UK! If you are going at this time this is a must (specially reccomended the largest protable big wheel in the world)

On the second day we woke late (our flight was at 6 in the morning the day before, so we had to get up at 2AM) and went to plantambloom in the park. This is a big plant house, and its humidity is a great way to get out of the cold. Its not a very busy place, so you have your on space to look round. You can also look round the park, and in the summer (im told) the playground has giant water cannons, which look v cool!
After this we headed for the cathedral which is spectacular, and even more so at the top of the tower. The view of the city is breathtaking. You can see right up the river Elbe, and the whole city. Definatley a must.
A nice way to finish off our day in central Hamburg was to take a boat up the Elbe, past the seaport and along the riverbanks with cafes and houses with the setting sun. When back in the suburbs we wnt swimming to finish off the weekend.