Getting Oriented

Getting Oriented

The second-largest city in Germany after Berlin, Hamburg is one of northern Europe's largest ports. Lying along the river Elbe on Northern Germany's fertile lowlands, the city is just 380 feet above sea level. Despite heavy destruction in WW II, Hamburg is surprisingly green and architecturally beautiful. With 1.7 million inhabitants on 755 square km, it is the least densely populated million-person metropolis in the world. Hamburg is spread out around an upscale, historic downtown area of St. Georg, Neustadt, and Rotherbaum, but also contains industrial and younger neighborhoods. New neighborhoods like St. Pauli and Altona, and the shining HafenCity, one of Europe's boldest city development projects, will change the city's face along the Elbe in the years to come.

Downtown Hamburg. Hamburg's downtown area is centered on two long boulevards, the Jungfernstieg and Mönckebergstrasse, which also are the most elegant shopping boulevards in town, pulsating with life.

The Harbor & Historic Hamburg. Hamburg's older sections are a fascinating patchwork of historic periods, where meticulously restored older buildings hold their ground next to sleek high-rises. Along the waterfront, late-medieval and 19th-century warehouses contrast with the modern HafenCity development.

St. Pauli & the Reeperbahn. The Reeperbahn is Hamburg's infamous red-light district, but there is more here than just sex shows; great restaurants and nightlife abound. St. Pauli is defined by its proximity to the Elbe and offers top seafood choices.