Mercure Hotel am Volkspark

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.

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.

Reeperbahn

In the entertainment district of St. Pauli you will find the world-famous Reeperbahn street. The 930-metre-long street takes its name from the rope makers who needed a long lane to make ship's ropes, and it was here that sailors used to party when they went ashore in Hamburg. The street used to have a bad reputation, but today it's one of Hamburg's hippest streets, filled with cafés, discos and an English pub scene. A walk down the famous street is a must during a visit to Hamburg.

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.

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.

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.

HafenCity Hamburg

Go on a city break or weekend break and experience the fantastic atmosphere of the Hamburg-HafenCity district. HafenCity combines tradition and modernity in a unique symbiosis. A true architectural and cultural delight! Exciting sights like Miniatur Wunderland, the Elbe Philharmonic and places like the UNESCO-listed warehouse district "Speicherstadt", attract thousands of tourists from all over the world every year.

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.

Norderstedt

Norderstedt is only a 30-minute drive from the centre of Hamburg, and can therefore be considered a satellite town to the bustling city of Hamburg. But Norderstedt certainly has something to offer. In the city centre you will find good restaurants, cafés and small charming bistros.

Try the "Alter Reporter" which has a traditional "Biergarten" and a cosy terrace. There is also a cocktail bar, restaurant and bowling alley, perfect for a fun evening with the family. Before going to the "Alte Reporter", it might be a good idea to stop by the museum of firefighting, fire engines, and everything else related to firefighting. There are over 2,000 square metres of museum space, a playground for the kids and a small "museum pub" for the adults, where there is an excellent opportunity to turn off the internal heat.

A refreshing dip is also not out of the question, and Arriba Am Hallenbad provides that. A true mecca when it comes to wellness, spa and swimming. There's also a slide for the kids to play on, plus tuition and childcare for the youngest members of the family. That's just what you need if a long swim followed by a massage and sauna sounds tempting. Arriba is an unbeatable place to spend a morning or afternoon with the family, so be sure to pack your swimwear.

Bring good shoes too, because right next to Arriba is the beautiful Stadt Park, the pride of the city. A favourite destination for everyone, young and old, living in the city, this lovely park offers plenty of space for a bike ride or a nice stroll in the greenery. The park is located down to the park lake, where you can also go water skiing. In the summer there are plenty of events in the park and there is almost always a concert or play in preparation. "Haus am See", or the House by the Lake, is a lovely eatery with an exquisite menu that will satisfy even the most picky palate. The beautiful surroundings make lunch a pure pleasure.

Outdoor pool Quickborn

Visit Freibad Quickborn, a large outdoor swimming pool with different areas for adults and children. There is also a large playground with a surrounding lawn, a football pitch, a volleyball court and basketball hoops. There is also a small bistro if hunger sets in. The pool is a great place to spend a morning or perhaps afternoon if the weather is good and the sun is shining.

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.