History, art, fun and food, Hamburg doesn’t disappoint

Welcome to our NH Collection Hamburg City hotel, located in the Karolinenviertel district known for its petite designer shops and snug, inviting cafes. Close to the hotel on Heiligengeistfeld, is the Millerntor-Stadion, home to one of Germany’s well-loved ‘little clubs’, St Pauli, in a country obsessed by soccer. Games aside, the area is used three times a year for four weeks at a time to host an exhilarating fun fair for all the family known as Hamburger DOM. Interestingly the stadium was also the location of a bunker during the Second World War although these days a music school, a music shop and two discos take most of the attention.

Just five minutes on foot from the hotel doors you’ll find the Old Butchery building. Every Saturday the Flohschanze flea market is held just in front of it and you’ll see locals, tourists, and collectors alike haggling their way to the best deals or simply admiring what’s on offer. And Hamburg really does have so much to offer…

Art and culture from a Hamburg perspective

Feeling like a little German culture? Hamburg doesn’t disappoint with its very own flavor of artwork and historical stories and museums. Let us start with the Hamburger Kunsthalle: one of Germany’s finest art museums giving you the chance to take a journey from the medieval altars of Master Bertram through to the stars of the contemporary art scene including Gerhard Richter and Neo Rauch. Next up, we’d certainly recommend a trip to the Internationales Maritimes Museum. Here you will discover a private collection of sea-faring treasures – some say it could be the world’s largest – which includes intricate model ships and U-boats while detailing the history behind the German navy.

And for a complete insight into Hamburg and its history, head along to the Museum für Hamburgische Geschichte, where you’ll find out how the city came to be, the evolution of the harbor, and glimpses of everyday life throughout the ages. Even the building itself has a story to tell.
Combine cultural and visual perspectives of the city by visiting the baroque church, St. Michaelis Kirche, seen as the symbol of Hamburg. Travel up 106 meters to its sky platform where you can take in a fabulous view of the city, the port area and the surrounding countryside. Breathtaking

Hamburg offers every type of shopping, from luxury to mainstream

Hamburg may not be world famous for its shopping experience but don’t be fooled. As you exit our NH Collection Hamburg hotel to the left you’ll soon pass the Gänsemarkt, where the downtown shopping fun begins. A little further on is the upmarket boulevard of Neuer Wall, home to luxury brands and exquisite boutiques. Always popular for shopping enthusiasts are the areas of Mönkebergstraße and Spitalerstraße, as is the Europa-Passage shopping mall. There, as you may expect, you’ll have an abundance of clothes and shoes to pick from, or just peruse.
If time permits, there is the McArthurGlen Designer Outlet Center Neumünster around 45 minutes away by car or taxi, or you can jump on the shuttle bus that goes from Hamburg Dammtor directly to Neumünster at the cost of ten euros.

Hamburg restaurants cater for all tastes

As you wander around the city, stringently planned or languidly off-the-cuff, you’ll need to be aware of the best places to refuel, so let us help. Due to its location on the Elbe river and proximity to the sea, the local cuisine features many fish dishes. Try the fried herrings at Bruecke 10 or pan-fried plaice and schnitzel at Restaurant Krameramtsstuben. If Spanish and Portuguese dishes are high on your list of gastronomical tastes, you’ll not want to miss the beautiful thoroughfare of Portugiesenviertel, just 15 minutes’ walk from the hotel. It’s a single street but is stocked with more than 20 restaurants with kitchens of Iberian origin. Think succulent paella, spicy chorizo, full-bodied Rioja with each chef bringing their own regional touch.
Another trendy, young neighborhood is Schanzelviertel, which is a couple of minutes from the hotel, and has a huge array of restaurants, everything from Asian to Greek, German to Mediterranean – all tastes are covered.
If you’re looking for something that little bit special, we suggest you jump in a taxi and ask to be taken to Größe Elbstrasse. Here you can pick from top-end restaurants, some boasting one or two Michelin stars, but make sure you speak to us first and we’ll reserve you a table so as not to be disappointed.

Finish the day with Hamburg’s nightlife

After dinner, a long working day can be finished off by enjoying the exciting nightlife that Hamburg has to offer, and there are a couple of perfect districts for this not far from the hotel. 
If a good movie is your preferred end-of-day entertainment then take a 10-minute stroll down through the park Planten un Blomen (more about that later). The CinemaxX Hamburg Dammtor has eight large screens and comfy seats – just make sure to check if the chosen performance will be shown in original language.

Family fun in Germany’s second city

Visiting families with young children are well looked after by Hamburg. Take the Miniatur Wunderland, for example: located in the Hamburg Speicherstadt you will discover the largest model railway system in the world! Botanical delights await you at the Tierpark Hagenbeck, with its impressive species variety, wonderful panoramas, outdoor enclosures and several cultural buildings. It’s a 19-hectare park that has been charming visitors of all ages for over a century.
Crossing the street from the botanical experience you will find the entrance to Planten un Blomen. This park has so much to give and offers various playgrounds and a small puppet theater for its younger guests. There is also a mini-golf course to get some family competition going and the more creative can try out pottery. If you are visiting during the summer months enjoy Europe’s largest Japanese garden, and make sure to see the light show, every evening over the park’s serene lake. In the winter, Germany’s largest ice-rink is constructed for even more family fun.

Island experience for a city escape

For those that have been to Hamburg before, maybe something outside the city limits appeals to you. We can suggest several great options but my favorite, for its sheer uniqueness, would have to be the island of Helgoland. You can reach Germany’s only deep-sea island relatively cheaply and easily by either catamaran or bi-plane – it’s around 150km from Hamburg but the exhilarating journey itself is part of the experience. Once there, admire the steep cliffs, feel revitalized by the fresh North Sea breeze and discover the diverse characteristics of the island.
There is just so much to see and do in and around Hamburg that a brief guide will never do it justice. But next time you’re in town, why not try out our suggestions and, even better, speak to us directly in the hotel for even more great ideas of how to spend your hours or days here.

About Ricardo Carvalho

In Hamburg we say “Moin”! My name is Ricardo Carvalho and I'm a “Hamburg Jung” (Hamburg boy) with Portuguese roots. I was born here, and I live in and love Hamburg.
In order to share my enthusiasm for the city, I started training as a hotel specialist at the NH Hamburg Altona in 2007, and moved to the NH Collection Hamburg City in 2015.
With the philosophy of the NH Collection brand as well as the special service Guest Relations offers I have found my perfect job! I am always happy to show my guests the most beautiful city in the world and enjoy making their visit to Hamburg as memorable as possible.