Been away for ages busy with work and the like! Finally written 100th review with more to follow......
Been away for ages busy with work and the like! Finally written 100th review with more to follow...I hope!! Nick
Member since:10.11.2003
Reviews:102
Members who trust:16
I APOLOGISE FOR THIS REVIEW AS I HAVE PLACED IT IN THE WRONG CATEGORY BUT HAVE ASKED CIAO TO MOVE IT TO HAMBURG CITY NOT WATER SPORTS. I HOPE YOU WILL FIND IT A USEFUL GUIDE TO THE CITY OF HAMBURG ONCE IT HAS BEEN MOVED FROM THE WATERPSPORTS SECTION
Hamburg is one of my absolute favourite cities to visit in the world and I have visited there just about every year for the last 20 odd years when family of mine moved over there.
It is the second largest city in Germany and located in the northern part of Germany.
How to get there?
Flights leave most UK cities several times a day and the most common airlines that fly are British Airways, British Midland and Lufthansa (the National German Airline). I fly regularly from Manchester to Hamburg using Lufthansa which is a great airline and the service operates on smallish places with only approx. 80 seats so attention to detail for passengers is high with exceptional cabin crew. Flights starts at about £130+ if you book well in advance (you don't even have to stay over a Saturday night to ensure that you receive the best deal).
Hamburg airport is located quite close to the city centre an you can get directly into city by bus or taxi. A taxi journey takes
approx. 20/30 minutes and typically costs 25 Euros for the heart of the city. Alternatively the S Bahn (Schell Bahn) which is the city's underground equivalent takes about 20 minutes into the city centre.
You can also travel by boat from the UK (I think it is from Hull) and this takes you directly to the port of Hamburg on the river Elbe.
Sightseeing?
There are tons of things to see and visit in Hamburg but my top four would be:
1) Visit at Christmas to see the Christmas markets all around the city, but most notably outside the Rathaus (Townhall). Millions of lights illuminate the whole city and market stalls are filled with unusual gifts as well as games for children. The atmosphere is electric and it is wonderful as you feel as though you are enjoying a real German tradition!
2) Go down to the port (approx. 15/20 minutes form the city centre using the S Bahn). The port is a lovely place for a walk and is filled with small shops and many boats using it: there are also two ships that are permanent exhibitions the most historic being Rickmer Rickmers which has been lovingly restored and is very well done (signs in English and German throughout). The port does get very windy on cold days but is a great to blow away the cobwebs!!
3) Wedel has agreat open air swimming pool that is mainly used only by local Hamburgers so a great way to feel as though you belong in Hamburg. It takes about 40 minutes form the city centre using the green S1 line direction Wedel.
4) The open top tour buses are a great way to see Hamburg and get a real feel for the place and depart frequently outside the Rathaus. You take in all the famous local sights such as the Rathaus, St. Pauli, Altona train, Reeperbahn (red light district...) etc. The 1 hour trip costs approx. 13 Euros.
Most hotels have a great range of leaflets about things to do in Hamburg and hotel staff are always helpful: the opera is very popular here as are musicals (currently showing is the Lion King and Mamma Mia!!)
Where to stay?
There are some great hotels in Hamburg but my favourites are the Renaissance and Marriott (both operated by Marriott) which are right in the heart of the city, just a few minutes from Jungfernstieg. If you book well in advance a double room costs less than 100 Euros per night and they are both 4/5 star hotels.
I have stayed in these hotels many times and have always found them to be excellent. The staff are friendly and courteous. They both offer good bars and restaurants to spend an evening relaxing. The Marriott has its own pool, but guests at the renaissance can also make use of this. Both hotels offer a gym room.
The Renaissance restaurant Esprit offers a wide range of Northern German cuisine and the speciality of the house is Goose (very popular in Germany!)
I also love the Renaissance as it is located as part of the famed 'Hanse Viertel' which is one of Europe's most exclusive shopping arcades. Filled with designer (and some much less expensive shops!) the Hanse Viertel is a great place to window shop in the evenings and on Sundays when all German shops close apart from those in railway stations, and airports). There is a lovely wine bar in here as well as a Spar supermarket (very handy!) and some fantastic sweet shops and cafes: the takeaway sandwich from the Movenpick deli are lovely and pretty good value at under 3 Euros.
Where to eat?
There are millions of cafes and restaurants Ian Hamburg and every meal I have ever eaten in Hamburg has been wonderful and great value. There is a real cafe culture in Hamburg and coffee and cakes is extremely popular: many hotels have great coffee and cake deals in the afternoons.
My favourite restaurant is blockhouse which is a German steak House which also offers a wide range of other dishes including fish and vegetarian options. The food is exceptional value (2 course filet steak meal and glass of wine would be under £10) and the quality of the food is wonderful. This is one restaurant that Hamburgers eat in all the time and the turnover of clients is so high that you know it must be good! There are 30 blockhouses dotted around the city (they also have English Menus if you ask). I would recommend either the filet steak of the fresh salmon (Frischer Lachs)
Shopping:
I do like the odd bit of shopping and Hamburg really is a shoppers paradise! Since the introduction of the Euro I do not think that you get as many bargains as you used to in Germany but, contrary to popular belief, I think that Germany has some great buys on items when compared to the UK.
The main shopping streets in Hamburg are Jungferstieg and Moncheberg Strabe. On Jungfernstieg lies Alsterhaus, on of the most famous department stores in Germany. This great store offers a good range of all household equipment and clothing as well as a spectacular music and video store on the lower ground floor (World of Music) where they have some great bargains and also stock many English video titles.
The other two main departments stores are Kardstadt and Kaufhof which both offer fantastic ranges of everything you could eve possibly need! If you like bargains and don't mind hunting theatre the Schnappen Markt (basement on Kardstadt) for some great bargain hunting!
If you are after speciality gifts and items for your home then Kardstadt and Kaufhof both carry great ranges, especially crockery and glassware and there are some great mid season buys to be had in both stores.
If you are after clothing then Peek and Cloppenberg at the top of Moncheberg, offers agreat range of designer clothing for women, men and children featuring all designer names such as Hugo Boss, Ralph Lauren, Burberry etc.
If you need a gift of perfume then try Douglas (various stores throughout the city centre). The prices are a little cheaper than at home but gifts are beautifully wrapped free of charge and you always get tons of free samples of the latest perfumes and aftershaves on the market which makes it seem as though you are getting great value (you even get the samples if you only spend a few Euros!)
As you can tell Hamburg has TONS of shops and it is a great city for a long weekend to explore with hundreds of things to keep you amused and interested!
Gute reise! (Good travelling!)
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I have never been to H amburg but my brother lived there for a while and said he thought I would love it, good review it sounds an interesting city thanks Maureen
elkiedee 28.01.2004 22:15
Whoops! I first rated this as very helpful but then noticed the other comments and the category you've posted under. See Help on the website for how to contact Ciao and ask for it to be moved, put a message in my GB and I'll rerate. Luci
feeble_albatross 28.01.2004 21:09
Great opinion, loved the german touch at the end! Olivia x x
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