Things to Do in Northern Germany

The zoo's lovely gardens are also exotic, recreating the ambiance of countries such as Japan and Nepal. Take a ride around the gardens by horse and carriage to explore the private zoo, run by the Hagenbeck family since 1907.

The Hafenmuseum Hamburg is located in the remaining historical part of the free port built over a hundred years ago and showcases the history and operation of this important harbor. Due to container shipping, the look of the port has changed profoundly over the last several decades, but the museum has rented one of the last remaining wooden quai sheds, number 50A, and has worked hard to keep the history of the Hamburg harbor alive. On 2500 square meters, topics ranging from cargo handling, shipping and ship building to marine engineering are explained to the visitors. Outside the shed, the more heavy machinery is showcased. Highlights are a floating crane, a steam-powered suction machine, a barge and a mooring car.   

 

The collection is located in the heart of the hustle and bustle of today's hectic harbor and just as authentic as the location are the experts doing the explaining on what equipment is used and how the vessels are constructed in the shipyard. Every weekend between 10am and 6pm, former harbor workers and ship experts who have spent their whole lives around the port are available to teach visitors about the inner workings of a busy harbor and answer questions. 

If you think Hamburg only has flat landscapes, think again! The Treppenviertel in Blankenese, Altona, is a small neighborhood located on a slope directly above the Elbe River. About 5,000 stairs lead through a cozy group of small mansions and historic houses, up to a beautiful view of the Port of Hamburg. The former fishing village is now a popular tourist destination, and a residential area for wealthy citizens of Hamburg. One of Germany’s prettiest hiking trails runs along the banks of the Elbe River to Blankenese.

With meandering alleys and white-painted houses, the Treppenviertel has a relaxed Mediterranean vibe — it almost feels like a resort on the Riviera. The Blankeneser Bahnhofstrasse (the area’s main street) is home to a weekly market, a picturesque church, and numerous cafes, restaurants, and ice-cream parlors. Wonderful views of the container ships entering and leaving the Port of Hamburg tempt the visitor to stay and watch, and there’s also a lighthouse that’s open to tourists. A great way to see Blankenese is by boat, on a harbor tour.

Permanently moored along Hamburg's waterfront, the Rickmer Rickmers is the oldest of the city's numerous museum ships, standing in prize place next to the famous Cap San Diego. The historic trade ship was first launched in 1896 and was used to import rice and bamboo from Hong Kong, before serving in WWI and later, being used as a training ship for the Portuguese navy.

Today, the beautifully restored ship remains a majestic sight, with its three masts and eye-catching green and red painted hull looming over the riverside. Visitors can explore on-board the ship, stroll the wooden decks and peek into the crew quarters, then duck into the engine room, where an original steam engine and a Krupp diesel engine are on display.

Speicherstadt is one of the largest warehouse districts in the world, and the Speicherstadtmuseum sits inside a warehouse built in 1888. Here, visitors can learn how goods have been shipped throughout the world by way of Hamburg for years. Featured are typical tools and imported goods that demonstrate the work of warehouse workers, as well as displays highlighting the weighing and sampling of goods, the refinement process and all of the considerations that must be made in the storage of valuable, imported goods such as coffee, cocoa, tobacco and rubber.

The museum hosts some exhibits on the tea and coffee trade, while another features photos and blueprints that show the history of Speicherstadt's sconstruction. Visitors can also learn about the men who used to transport goods to the warehouses on barges.

The Speicherstadtmuseum holds regular guided tours, tea tastings and crime-thriller readings. There is also a cafe where you can get hot and cold drinks and cake, plus a museum shop filled with gifts and merchandise.

Inside the church you will find many works of art. A mural from 1460 depicts the first bishop Ansgar of Bremen with the words "Apostle of the North." Two oil paintings from the 17th century by Gottfried Libalt were returned to the cathedral in 2001 after being restored. A painting entitled Christmas 1813 in St. Peter's shows Hamburg citizens locked in the church when they refused to provide food to Napoleon's troops.

What are the origins of Hamburg, what happened to the Hanseatic League and how did the HafenCity district evolve? All these questions and more are answered in the Hamburg Museum. The museum opened in 1922 as the Museum of Hamburg History and has since been able to amass the largest permanent city exhibition in Germany. 

The historical tour of the Hamburg Museum leads from the Middle Ages to the present day, covering how the small fort Hammaburg turned into one of the biggest and most important ports in Europe. Numerous exhibits on shipping, port and emigration, bourgeois home decor, fashion and culture help make the rich history more comprehensive. But apart from the major exhibits covering the past 1,200 years, there are also annual exhibitions, museum festivals, events and Hamburg's largest model railway to see and attend. The railway is especially interesting for train enthusiasts, as there are regular showings of how train traffic between the Hamburg Main Station and Hamburg Harburg operates. Additionally, a big courtyard under a massive glass dome makes the building one of the finest and most coveted event venues in Hamburg.