Holiday Hamburg: musicals, comedy and beach holidays with harbour tours

Holidays in Hamburg: musicals, comedy and beach holidays with harbour tours – a city that has a lot to offer. From sold-out musical halls to walks on the Elbe beach or round trips in small boats next to the giant container ships. With 1.822 million inhabitants, Hamburg is one of the most important cities in Northern Germany. But what makes Hamburg right? Is it the love of Franzbrötchen, the most sinful mile in the world or the constant rain on Germany’s high society city. Well, maybe it’s a mixture of everything, but what you can’t blame Hamburg for is that its city center and harbor are not convinced by incredible architecture and impressive sights.

Must-Sea: Top 12 Sights Hamburg

Sights where the eye can see. Hamburg has many beautiful places. The fish market has been held every Sunday morning for more than 300 years. Unlike the name might lead you to think, besides live music and many snacks you can not only buy fish, but also fruit, flowers, clothes or souvenirs. With 70.000 visitors daily, this fish market will definitely not be forgotten. Equally important is the port of Hamburg.

Second largest port in Europe

With 13,000 seagoing vessels from all over the world, it is one of the second largest ports in Europe. For those interested in ships, you can find every possible model there, from container ships to cruise liners. The Elbphilharmonie Concert Hall is a cultural landmark, more than 1000 concerts have taken place in it. The 2.6 million guests enjoy not only the music, but also the unique architecture and central location.

• 13,000 ocean-going vessels from all over the world
• Landmark at the harbour: Elbphilharmonie Concert Hall
• Elbphilharmonie has 1,000 concerts a year

Reeperbahn: Party mile in Hamburg

Hamburg has become world famous for its Reeperbahn, no other place has made so many headlines in recent years. The lively, never-sleeping mile stretches for one kilometre and with its shrill peculiarities and contrasts it will not only knock a tourist off his feet. With its diversity, Hamburg offers something for everyone.

We have selected the best sights for you:

1. Elbe Philharmonic Orchestra
2. Reeperbahn
3. Speicherstadt
4. Landing bridges
5. Michel
6. Planetarium
7. Alster
8. Plants un Blomen
9. Hamburg city hall
10. Fish market
11. Memorial St. Nikolai
12. Old Elbe Tunnel

Hamburg’s beaches/places on the water:

With its northern location on the Elbe, which flows into the North Sea, Hamburg is practically surrounded by water. That is why you will find many different attractions along the water. Whether sunbathing on the Elbe beach, swimming in the natural pool or barefoot hiking in the Boberger dunes, Hamburg has everything and much more! Hamburg convinces with high quality sand, a typical red-white lighthouse and a heath landscape. That. Falkensteinufer with its white sandy beach has an incredible panorama. The engine house on the beach itself is a listed building and points towards the North Sea, which is 100km away. The beach Pauli offers relaxation in the middle of the city, it is a place for young people. With its beautiful view of the Elbe, a cool drink gives you the feeling of a holiday in Spain.

Here again the top 5 places on the waterfront in Hamburg:

• Elbe beach Wittenbergen at the NSG Wittenbergen Elbe meadows
• Beach Pauli
• Natural bath Stadtparksee
• Boberger dunes
• Lake Neuländer Lake Harburg

Weather: Hamburg

today/in 3 days

Hamburg is very rainy. You have to expect precipitation all year round. In summer, in the months from July to August it can be nice and sunny. But that seems to be an exception, just as you can expect less in winter, but also snow.

Camping in Hamburg – Prices ElbeCamp

Camping ElbeCamp – The camping ElbeCamp is the most famous camping site and offers a perfect experience for young and old. It is located directly between the Elbe beach Wittenbergen and the Falkensteiner Ufer. With its location in the forested area of Geesthang, the campsite offers a stay close to nature like nowhere else. In addition, the ideal location ensures that you can enjoy a handful of activities. Water sports, swimming, jogging or cycling, the family campsite offers all kinds of activities for the little ones. It is usually open from the end of March to the end of October.

Address and directions – example camping ElbeCamp

• Camping ground ElbeCamp
• Falkensteiner bank 101
• 22587 Hamburg

Prices for tents

• Tent small (1-3 person tent): 7,90 Euro
• Tent medium (4-6 persons tent): 11,20 Euro
• Tent large (6-8 person tent): 13,90 Euro

Prices for overnight stay

• 1 adult over 18 years: 7,50 Euro
• Children from 0-3 years: free of charge
• Children from 4-13 years: 2,50 Euro
• Young people from 14-17 years: 3,90 Euro

Prices for sanitary, electricity & Co.

• Basic price electricity/day (plus consumption) = 1,65 Euro
• Electricity in kW/h (calculated according to consumption) = 0.65 Euro
• Water tank filling = 4,90 Euro

10 tips for your visit

Map: Hamburg

Hamburg is not located directly at the sea, but 110 kilometers away from the North Sea. It lies in the North German lowlands, where the Alster and Bille rivers flow into the Elbe. To the northwest near Cuxhaven, this in turn flows 110 kilometres further into the North Sea. The two banks of the Elbe are connected by the Elbe bridges and the Old and New Elbe tunnels.

Guided tours & round trips

Harbour Tour Hamburg – A Hamburg classic, if you want to see as many sights as possible and the impressive view of the Elbe, the city tour is a very good choice. There are 1 hour trips and XXL harbour tours, where you can of course see small hidden corners of Hamburg. There is also the possibility to book a hop-on/ hop-off tour, where you will be dropped off at different sights and can continue your trip at a later time.

Here are three well known providers with price proposal and departure times and places:

Captain Prüsse

• Price for adults: 18 Euro
• Children (up to 14 years): 9 Euro
• Departure times: daily, if necessary from 9 to 18 o’clock
• Departure point: Landungsbrücken, bridge 3

Hamburg Citytours

• Price for adults: 14 Euro
• Children (4 to 18 years): 9 Euro
• Departure times from November to Easter:
• Mon-Fri between 10 and 18 every 30-45 minutes;
• Sat-Sun between 10 and 18 o’clock every 30 minutes
• Departure times from Easter to the end of October:
• Mon-Thu between 10 and 18 every 30 minutes;
• Fri-Sun between 10 and 18 hrs every 15-30 minutes
• Departure point: Launches: Landing bridges, bridge 1; Passenger ships: Landing bridges, bridge 4

Käpt’n Schwarz

• Price for adults: 15 Euro
• Children (up to 12 years): 7 Euro
• Departure times: daily between 10 and 18 hrs (every 30 minutes)
• Departure point: Landungsbrücken, bridge 5

Events: Musicals, concerts and stand-up comedy clubs

“Mamma Mia!”, “I’ve never been to New York”, “Disney’s Lion King” or “Behind the Horizon”, the classics of the German scene.  Every year 2 million viewers fill the halls and make sure that the shows are sold out. More than 30 years have passed since the performance of the first musical and the enthusiasm still continues.

But what is the secret of success? Why do musicals still manage to attract millions of fans in this day and age, when everything is animated at the highest level and presented in such a lively way as never before? The answer is simple: the indescribable atmosphere. In addition to a gripping story, catchy music and an impressive backdrop, it is the cast that brings the realistic feeling across. It looks exactly the same in the Quatsch Comedy Club. Of course there are many comedies on the numerous streaming portals, but nothing is more authentic than live acts by comedians with the possibility of improvisation by the audience and a hall full of laughter.

Musicals, shows, concerts and more

Hamburg – The city of musicals, whether The Lion King, Tarzan or Tina Turner, its reputation as the German Broadway can’t get rid of it. Probably the most famous musical by far is “Disney’s Lion King”. Since its premiere in 2001, the musical, which is based on the Disney film of the same name, has been running. With success figures of more than 14 million viewers since its premiere, it is one of the success stories in the musicals sector throughout Germany. The producers also enjoy international success with more than 80 million viewers.

The musical life in Hamburg had anything but an easy start. The first performed musical “Cats” by Andrew Lloyd Webber made it onto the Hamburg stage in 1986 through Friedrich Kurz and Rolf Deyhle in the converted operetta house at the Spielbudenplatz. At first the residents were not very enthusiastic. They felt that musicals were an insult to serious art and culture.

Nevertheless, this novelty was a great success and enchanted millions of spectators during its 15 year long season. After this success, it didn’t take long until the musical scene expanded and more and more world-famous musicals were presented, as well as their own. Successful productions like “Mamma Mia!”, “I’ve never been to New York”, “Rocky – the Musical” and “Behind the Horizon” were on the agenda of Hamburg’s musical scene. To this day, they still bring in large sums of money every year through their successful hits and make small and large eyes shine.

In order not to lose the overview with so many musicals, we have listed the 5 best known ones here:

1. Disney’s The Lion King…
2. Disney’s Aladdin
3. Mary Poppins
4. Kinky Boots
5. Behind the Horizon

The Quatsch Comedy Club

The Quatsch Comedy Club has a cult status like probably no other in Germany. For 25 years it has been offering newcomers, as well as national and international comedy legends the opportunity to prove themselves in front of a large audience. Thomas Hermann came up with the idea 25 years ago to invite five comedians and in his two-hour live show with 20-minute stand-up parts he found exactly the right thing for every spectator.

With a varied program and weekly new stand-up comedians a visit to the Quatsch Comedy Club is never boring. Germany’s best comedians make for an unforgettable evening that will make you go home laughing with blue stomach cramps. Meanwhile the Comedy Quatsch Comedy Club is represented by its so large popularity in further parts of Germany like Duesseldorf, Stuttgart and Berlin.

Did you know that legends like Mirja Boes, Olaf Schubert or Cindy from Marzahn, as well as the new generation with stars like Faisal Kawusi or Luke Mockridge, are part of the Quatsch Comedy Club.

Prices and opening hours of the Quatsch Comedy Club

• Prices: Tickets from 21 Euro
• Opening hours: Every Friday and Saturday at 20:00
• Admission: 19:00 hours
• Address: Stresemannstrasse 163, 22769 Hamburg
• QCC is located in the Stage Club at the Neue Flora
• Public transport: Near Holstenstraße S-Bahn station

Q&A: Hamburg

Before a planned journey to the desired holiday destination, there are a lot of questions that need to be answered. “Where is the city?” or “How many districts are there?” are important elements in planning. Here are the answers to the most frequently asked questions:

Where is the Hamburg?

The federal state of Hamburg (official name: Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg) is a city-state in northern Germany and has an area of 755.26 km².

How many inhabitants does Hamburg have?

With around 1,751,700 inhabitants, Hamburg is the second largest city in the Federal Republic of Germany after Berlin

How long has the fish market in Hamburg been on?

During the summer months, the traders open their stands from 5.00 to 9.30 in the morning. The Altonaer Fischmarkt in Hamburg enjoys about 70,000 visitors every Sunday. Whether fruit, fish, flowers, clothes or souvenirs, there is something for everyone at the over 300-year-old fish market in Hamburg.

Who is the mayor of Hamburg ?

Peter Tschentscher is the mayor of the city state of Hamburg.

Hamburg CARD (valid in the HVV area Hamburg AB)	day pass	5-Day Card
Single card	10.50 Euro	41.90 Euro
Group card	18.50 Euro	74.50 Euro

How did the name Hamburg come about?

Hamburg takes its name from the Hammaburg, which was first mentioned in documents in the 9th century AD. The name of the castle probably comes from the Old Saxon word “hamme”, which means something “curved”. This could mean a forest (curved trees) or a river, like the curved course of the Alster.

Why is it called Hanseatic City?

Hanseatic cities are towns that had joined the medieval merchant and city association of the Hanseatic League. Among them were mainly port cities in the coastal regions, but also towns in the inland, especially along important rivers. Through free trade and a bourgeoisie that was able to do business, many Hanseatic towns achieved a high level of prosperity, where valuable cultural and architectural monuments still stand.

How many districts and boroughs does Hamburg have ?

Hamburg is divided into 7 districts and has 181 districts.

1. Altona
2. Eimsbüttel
3. Centre of Hamburg
4. Hamburg-North
5. Harburg
6. Mountain village
7. Wandsbek