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Destinations · Europe · germany · Hamburg · Routes ·

One Day in Hamburg

Have breakfast at Erste Liebe Bar, Michaelisbrucke 3, Neustast. It's right next to one of the finest shops for rare books in the city, Joachim Luhrs. The owners of the bar are film producers. The prices are fair, the atmosphere is creative, and the place is nearly always crowded -- it's a wonderful spot for watching the city wake up.

Not far from there you'll find the luxury shopping street Neuer Wall, where status symbols come in a necklace of high-end stores -- Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Salvatore Ferragamo, and the usual chains are all present. The most renowned symbol of German luxury, Jil Sander, can also be found here -- its roots are in Hamburg, in fact. The founder of the fashion house, Jil Sander, a classical minimalist, still lives here. She's more devoted to collecting art than she is to fashion these days, and she and the house that bears her name long ago parted ways. Raf Simon, a Belgian designer, currently continues the traditions of the brand after many a change.

You might have a second coffee at one of the cafes in Alsterarkaden. Locals refer to it as a piece of Venice. Built between 1799 and 1853, its architecture was indeed inspired by Venice. Blindingly white, it's at the edge of the Kleine Alster. Swans frequent the place, too. On the opposite bank of the canal is the Rathaus Square.

Brick Expressionism, a northern German style, has a fantastic examplar in the Chile House (Chilehaus, Fischertwiete 2, ALtstadt). Built for the shipping magnate Henry B. Sloman in the early 20th century, the building is definitely worth gawking at. With ten storeys and 2,800 identical windows, the facade brings to mind a massive ship. Nearly five million bricks were reportedly required for the structure.

A fine example of early 20th-century industrial architecture is the Daihtorhalle (Deichtorstrasse 1-2; www.deichtorhallen.de) - market pavilions built long ago, they now house one of Europe's largest centres for contemporary art and photography. There are always good exhibits here, as well as a fine cafe and a remarkable bookshop for fans of photography.

Cross the bridge to reach the epicentre of cutting edge architecture, HafenCity. One of the most grandiose urban projects on earth, it is centred around what has become Hamburg's newest symbol even before it's finished, the Philharmonic. It will open next year. There is a promenade with innumerable cafes. The most fashionable design boutique is also here -- Stoffsüchtig (Überseeboulevard 2; www.stoffsuechtig.de)

Dine at the harbour. Try Rive (Van-der-Smissen-Strasse 1, www.rive.de) -- it's a classic, with excellent fish dishes and a panoramic view of the port. Try to reserve a table on the terrace.

Sunday in Hamburg

All of the city's museums are open on Sundays. If you only have time to visit one, make it the Hamburger Kunsthalle (Glockengiesserwall; www.hamburger-kunsthalle.de). Until August 28th you can see Painted over. Smudged. Erased: The Portrait in the 20th Century, kan exhibit gathering numerous 20th-century luminaries: Francis Bacon, Georg Baselitz, Christian Boltanski, Bruce Nauman, Cy Twombly, Gerhard Richter and others.

With 1,400 parks, Hamburg is one of the greenest cities in Europe. Two have aristocratic origins -- Hirschpark (Elbchausse 409, Nienstedten) and, in the English style, Jenischpark (Elbchausse 50, Othmarschen). They date to the 18th century, and the latter also holds the oldest oak in the city, planted in the 15th century. The New Botanical Gardens give you a chance to get lost in wonderment for a whole day -- covering 23 hectares, it has 20,000 different types of plants. There are different sections -- MEN tells of the relations between people and plants, for example. There are biblical gardens, pharmaceutical gardens, a bamboo grove and GEO, where the plant life spans the globe.

There are 2,300 bridges in Hamburg -- more than in either Venice or Amsterdam. Seen from the water, Hamburg has a different face, so it is well worth taking one of the many boat tours on offer. A trip along the canals is one of the most interesting rides, and many things you can see on the way (villas, old warehouses, gardens...) aren't so easily accessible on foot (www.hamburg-tourism.de).

 

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