Things to Do in Hamburg
• Journey through 33 European countries with access to breathtaking train routes, regional carriers, and high-speed trains.
• Choose a 4/5/7-day pass with a 30-day validity or a 10/15-day pass with a 60-day validity, enjoying first-class luxury perks or lively 2nd-class comfort.
• Skip printing and go digital with the Rail Planner app – once you activate the pass, scan the QR code at the platform, and waltz into the train.
Welcome to Hamburg, a city shaped by water, trade, and an unbreakable spirit of resilience! This is where history and modernity coexist, making it a magnet for merchants, travelers, and dreamers alike. With its bustling port, historic canals, and stunning architecture, Hamburg is truly unique. From the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Speicherstadt, which echoes with the whispers of ancient merchants, to the stunning Elbphilharmonie, a modern marvel redefining the skyline, this city seamlessly blends past and present.
Join us on the Hamburg Old Town Tour for an unforgettable journey through 1,200 years of history, from the time of Charlemagne to the vibrant port city of today. Here are some of the highlights you'll experience:
- The Rise and Fall of Hamburg : Relive the city's glory days as the heart of the Hanseatic League and discover how it recovered from the Great Fire and World War II.
- Little Venice : Stroll along the picturesque canals of the Alster and be captivated by its beauty.
- The impressive City Hall : An architectural masterpiece that will leave you breathless.
- The most important churches : Explore the majestic churches that have witnessed the city's history.
- The Kontor Houses : Symbols of Germany's economic boom and its role in world trade.
- St. Nikolai World War II Memorial : A poignant reminder of difficult times.
- Deichstrasse : A street full of charm and nostalgia that will make you feel like you've stepped into a fairy tale.
- The Elbphilharmonie : The city's new icon, a must-see, with stunning views and modern architecture.
- St. Michael's Church : Hamburg's former symbol and the best vantage point for spectacular views of the city.
Join us for an unforgettable experience in the historic heart of Hamburg! Please note that groups of 8 or more are not permitted on the free tour. For larger groups, please consider booking a private tour by visiting our website at www.robinandthetourguides.de.
Explore Hamburg’s rich history and iconic sights on this free walking tour. We'll see the Speicherstadt district, the Elbphilharmonie, and St. Michael’s Church!
• Relive true, chilling stories as you watch live shows with special effects.
• Enjoy close encounters with pirates, ghosts, and dark historical figures from the past.
Shaped by water, trade, and resilience, Hamburg is a city like no other. With its bustling harbor, historic canals, and striking architecture, it has long been a meeting point for merchants, travelers, and dreamers. From the UNESCO-listed Speicherstadt to the futuristic Elbphilharmonie, Hamburg blends past and present seamlessly. But beyond its landmarks, the city has fascinating stories to tell—join our Hamburg walking tour and hear them all!
This 2-hour 15-minute tour starts at the Lessing-Denkmal (Lessing Monument) on Gänsemarkt before taking you along the scenic Alster Lake, a spot that has inspired poets and painters for centuries. We’ll walk down Deichstraße, Hamburg’s oldest street, and explore the Speicherstadt, the world’s largest warehouse district. You’ll visit the haunting ruins of St. Nikolai Church, a reminder of wartime destruction, and see how Hamburg has transformed with a visit to HafenCity, a sleek modern waterfront district. The tour ends at the spectacular Elbphilharmonie, an architectural masterpiece offering breathtaking views over the city.
Hamburg is a city of contrasts—where history and modernity collide. This tour offers the perfect mix of culture, architecture, and fascinating stories, making it ideal for first-time visitors and returning travelers alike.
Tour Highlights:
✔️ Rathaus (Town Hall)
✔️ Alster Lake
✔️ St. Nikolai Church
✔️ Deichstraße
✔️ Speicherstadt (UNESCO World Heritage Site)
✔️ St. Michael’s Church
✔️ HafenCity
✔️ Elbphilharmonie
✔️ …and much more!
• Ride major lines, speed through nations, or take the scenic route across 33 countries and 40,000 destinations.
• Travel in style with 1st class seats or relax in 2nd class standard comfort while you enjoy 4, 5, 7, 10, or 15 days of unlimited train rides.
• Download the Rail Planner app turns your phone into a magic wand. Scan, board, and zoom past lines.
Hamburg is a city of contrasts—where grand architecture meets gritty backstreets, where a rich maritime history blends with a rebellious counterculture, and where a small band from Liverpool played before taking over the world. If you want to go beyond the typical sights, this tour will take you into the heart of Hamburg’s most vibrant district: St. Pauli.
For centuries, Hamburg’s harbor has been a gateway to the world, bringing sailors, merchants, and immigrants who shaped the city’s unique character. St. Pauli, once home to dockworkers, became famous for its wild nightlife, underground music scene, and the legendary Reeperbahn—Hamburg’s “Sinful Mile.” It was here that The Beatles performed some of their earliest gigs, honing their sound before achieving worldwide fame. But St. Pauli is more than just entertainment—its history is one of activism, resistance, and a strong community spirit that continues today.
Starting near the Elbphilharmonie, Hamburg’s modern architectural gem, we’ll take in stunning views before heading to the lively waterfront - Landungsbrücken. After a short ferry ride (ticket required), we explore the Old Elbtunnel, a 100-year-old engineering marvel, and the historic Fischmarkt. Entering St. Pauli, we step into the Reeperbahn, home to cabarets, music clubs, and Hamburg’s red-light district. The we see the famous Davidwache Police Station and clubs where The Beatles performed. The tour ends at Beatles-Platz.
• One handy ticket unlocks 33 European countries, lets you board major carriers, zip through high-speed routes, and witness scenic routes at your leisure.
• Travel Europe your way with a pass for 15-22 days or up to 3 months. Choose spacious 1st class seats with premium service or the vibrant 2nd class coaches.
• Ditch the paper tickets by going digital! Download the Rail Planner app, activate your pass, and head straight to the platform with no waiting in lines.
Welcome to Hamburg! If you're ready to leave the typical tourist trail behind and dive headfirst into the city's most electrifying district, put on your comfy shoes! It's time to explore Hamburg's alternative side!
Come discover the secrets of St. Pauli with our guided tours in English or German. Our guides will take you on a journey through the harbor and the famous red-light and party district. Get ready to discover a world of artists, anarchists, political activists, dreamers, misfits, prostitutes, refugees, and former sailors. They're all part of the colorful cast of this unique neighborhood!
Imagine this: Hamburg's port, a bustling gateway to the world for centuries, has seen it all: sailors with sea legs, merchants with dreams, and immigrants with stories that have shaped the soul of this city. And just a stone's throw away is St. Pauli, the neighborhood that never sleeps, where dock workers once ruled the streets and the legendary Reeperbahn became Hamburg's very own "Sinful Mile."
Our tour highlights include:
- Landungsbrücken : Where millions of emigrants left to start a new life in the New World!
- The Fish Market : Discover how the sale and auction of fish turns into an incredible party!
- Hafenstrasse : Relive the history of the occupations of the 1980s!
- Alternative urban development : Park Fiction, a place for debate, protest, and community!
- The famous Reeperbahn : Learn about Hamburg's "most sinful mile" before heading back to the party later!
- Grosse Freiheit : Where the liveliest clubs are!
- Beatles-Platz : How and where the Beatles became famous in the 60s!
- Davidwache : Hamburg's most famous police station!
But wait, there's more! St. Pauli isn't just wild nights and neon lights. Oh no, it's a place where history takes a rebellious turn. Imagine young men from Liverpool, known as The Beatles, playing their songs in smoky clubs, unaware that they would soon conquer the world. St. Pauli influenced their style, and they gave it a place in rock history.
And let's not forget the St. Pauli spirit: this place has heart, determination, and a whole lot of attitude. It's where activism meets community, where resistance is as much a part of the culture as music and fun. So, if you're ready for a tour that's as informative as it is entertaining, join us. Let's explore the stories, sounds, and soul of Hamburg's most iconic district.
This guided tour is available in English and German. Groups of eight or more people must book a private tour with us and cannot participate in the public tour. To book a private tour, please visit our website at www.robinandthetourguides.de. It's going to be an unforgettable experience!
• Enjoy admission to landmarks such as Elbphilharmonie and Speicherstadt with free access to public transportation like trains, buses, subways, and harbor ferries.
• Choose from a 1/2/3/4/5-day Hamburg CARD to visit as many attractions as you like while taking your time.
• With the Hamburg CARD, spare yourselves the trouble of printing out tickets **by downloading the free Hamburg app** and instead avail of the benefits directly from your phone.
New from May 2025
We start our walk through the history of Hamburg’s Speicherstadt at the birthplace and nursery of Hamburg’s port,
Take a critical look at the founding charter of our port and discover one or two contradictions.
Afterwards we continue our tour towards the Elbphilharmonie, admiring the great history of the place where this building stands today.
We look at how the port changed during industrialization in the 19th century.
And how the movement of goods was revolutionized in the 20th century.
We delve into the Speicherstadt, into the red brick canyons and the history of its workers and employers, clarify what Westphalia has to do with Hamburg and why workers lived in a castle there.
We find out what barge pushers, barge captains, winch keepers and coffee readers actually did and why there are coffee barons and Persians in Hamburg.
At the end you can enjoy the most beautiful view of the Speicherstadt with a coffee.
• Enjoy live, captivating commentary in German led by the expert skipper, or take advantage of the readily available downloadable audio guide.
• Glide past the Elbe Philharmonic Hall and the historical Speicherstadt and admire the colossal vessels docked at the Blohm and Voss shipyard.
• Whether you prefer to start in the heart of the harbor, venture south to the container terminals, or head straight to the Speicherstadt, there's a perfect cruise for you.
• Did you know? Hamburg was once a pirate haven. Check out the statue of the city’s most famous pirate, Klaus Störtebeker, at the maritime museum.
We start our walk through Hamburg's history at Hammaburg Square, the birthplace and nursery of Hamburg, and learn how Hamburg got its name.
Afterwards we continue our tour through Hamburg's Kontorhausviertel, the former center of Hamburg's merchants, and its brick Kontor houses.
We take a look under the Kontorhäuser prima ballerina's pretty ballerina skirt.
Take a critical look at the founding charter of our port and discover one or two contradictions.
We continue walking to the Speicherstadt, delve into the red brick canyons and their stories, find out what Westphalia has to do with Hamburg and why workers lived in a castle there.
We find out what barge pushers and barge captains actually did and why there are coffee barons and Persians in Hamburg.
At the end you have the opportunity to end the tour in a coffee roastery in an old granary.
• With buses arriving every 60 mins, access a single route with 15 stops along the city's must-see attractions.
• Choose to add a dash of excitement to your tour with an optional 60-min harbor boat cruise along the picturesque River Elbe.
• The double-decker buses have GPS-controlled audio guides available in multiple languages.
• Few popular spots along your route include Elbphilharmonie, a renowned hall, Speicherstadt, a historic warehouse, and the tranquil Alster Lake.
New from May 2025
You start our walk through St.Georg at the forecourt of the Trinity Church, where St.Georg was founded,
find out how St. George got its name.
Take a journey between the light and shadow of humanity.
Why there were and are marginal tax revenues, real estate speculation ruins social peace.
Find out why tolerance and helpfulness have a long tradition at St. Georg.
Hearing about dreams, castles in the air and nightmares for Hamburg's city planners.
Get an insight into the history and present of Hamburg's LGBTQ movement, take a journey between Orient and Occident.
Learn about the most modern hospital of its time and how AIDS changed society.
a journey through over 800 years of district history.
