Hotel Kreuzer

Hamburg

The metropolis of Hamburg has great shopping, museums and gastronomy. A great way to experience Hamburg is from the sea, by jumping on a canal cruise - but of course we also recommend Hamburg from the land side when on holiday by car! An experience in Hamburg beyond the classic city pleasures is a trip to the city's fish market, which sells fish of course, but also cheap clothes, houseplants and DVDs. The first stalls open at 5.30am in summer and 7am in winter.

Hamburg is Germany's second largest city and both economically and culturally the centre of the whole of northern Germany. It is seven times larger than Paris and more than twice the size of London. In short, this means that the city offers particularly good conditions for tourists. Hamburg is a beautiful city full of charming areas and, not least, an excellent nightlife that is unmissable on a city break or a self-drive holiday in northern Germany.

Elbphilharmonie

Elbphilharmonie is an architectural building in Hamburg inspired by the port's warehouses combined with modern glass architecture. The building hosts various concerts and events throughout the year as well as several restaurants and bars. The Elbphilharmonie Plaza is the building's public viewing platform at 37 metres high and from here you have a fantastic 360 degree view of Hamburg city and harbour.

Alster Tour

Find a cheap holiday at Risskov Bilferie and take the whole family on a self-drive summer holiday to Hamburg. Try going sightseeing on the Alster River and see the city and its many exciting facets from a unique angle. If you fancy a more romantic trip, a special "Twilight Tour" is offered where you will be able to enjoy the sunset between Jungfernstieg and Harvestehude, as the lights are slowly switched on around the city. Find child-friendly hotels for the trip at Risskov Bilferie.

St. Pauli Fischmarkt

Fish, fruit, flowers, clothes and souvenirs – you will find it all at St. Pauli Fischmarkt, which has been taking place since 1703. The market opens every Sunday morning at 7.30 am, and for the next two hours the smell of coffee and a wonderful buzz of life will fill the air.

St. Michaelis Church Hamburg

Take a walk up to Hamburg's landmark Baroque Church of St Michaelis and see the city from a completely different angle. The church was built between 1648 and 1661, and if your legs are up to it, there are 452 steps leading up to the church tower, from where you can get an incredible view of Hamburg. If you wish, take the lift up and go down, as the stairs run past the beautiful church bells and the inner workings of the tower clock, which are quite fascinating to look at.

Hamburg City Hall

The impressive town hall building was built in neo-renaissance style in 1897 and is open to the public. Here you can see exhibitions and join a guided city tour. Rathausmarkt, the large town hall square, is frequently used for markets and concerts and if you're on a self-drive holiday in the area, it's worth checking out if there's anything going on here.

Hagenbeck Zoo

The fantastic zoo has animals for everyone with over 1,800 animals. The park is divided into two; a zoo and a tropical aquarium. In the zoo you can get up close to lions, giraffes, Europe's largest elephant herd and much more! Meanwhile you can experience sharks, snakes and more in the Trope Aquarium.

Important info! The two parks each require a separate entrance ticket. However, you can buy a combi-ticket, which gives access to both sections.

Christmas market in Hamburg

 24th November to 23rd December 2025

Mon-Sun: 11.00-21.00 - Please note that dates and opening hours may vary. You can visit the Christmas market's own website with current information.

Experience the real German Christmas joy and atmosphere in historic Hamburg! Located just two hours south of the Danish border, the city is an ideal destination for a Christmas holiday or a weekend break with city experiences during the Christmas season.

You will soon discover that when the Germans hold a Christmas market, everything is set. Not in that American, slightly exaggerated way, but in a charming way so that the opulence mysteriously always manages to appear understated. At the same time, you are in no doubt what time of year it is. The word "hygge" may be a Danish word - but the meaning is certainly understood south of the border.

Hamburg is a stunningly beautiful, historic city situated on the River Elbe, and you can imagine the magical scenes as darkness falls and Christmas lights are switched on throughout the inner city. The city's largest Christmas market is located in the huge square, right in front of the historic town hall building, in the charming Altstadt quarter. A huge model railway winds its way between the stalls, where you'll find everything from hatters, glassblowers, sugar bakers and toy makers, to more traditional treats like glühwein, cheese, sausages and roasted almonds. The market was first built in 2003 and since then it has only grown bigger and bigger. A short distance away, along Mönckebergstrasse, is another cosy Christmas market with more than 150 stalls, where the Christmas spirit fills the cityscape almost all the way up to the main railway station.

In the southern half of the inner city, Speicherstadt and HafenCity are home to countless outlets of the Elbe, which flow through and divide the streets, with lots of charming little bridges. Here you'll find a Christmas market in a very special maritime atmosphere, with beautiful dancing reflections in the water from the thousands of festive light bulbs and candlelight from torches and candles. In this district you will also find the cosy Nordic Christmas bazaar "God Jul - Nordische Weihnachten am Hafen", which is open for two weekends in November every year. Here you'll find lots of traditional delicacies and specialities, as well as decorations and art from all the Nordic countries.

If you're not squeamish, you can also visit the very special, erotic Santa Pauli Christmas Market, located on the 930-metre-long Reeperbahn street, which is known for its nightlife and more frivolous 'entertainment' offerings. The Santa Pauli Christmas Market has a reputation for being among some of the world's most unusual Christmas markets, and for that reason alone may be worth a look. Please note that children are of course not admitted to this Christmas market.