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Miniatur Wunderland

The largest model railway in the world inside an old warehouse: trains, cars, fire brigade call-outs and an airport where mini jets take off. Every quarter hour night falls and thousands of lights come on.

🕘 Best time

Weekdays early in the morning or late in the evening are quietest.

📍 Where

Speicherstadt, Kehrwieder; U3 Baumwall or U4 Überseequartier

💡 Tip

Book a time slot online, walk-ins often wait a long time. Stay at Knuffingen airport for one full day-night cycle.

three hoursage four and up€€book aheadSource

Hagenbeck Zoo

The zoo that replaced bars with moats: in the Africa panorama flamingos, zebras and lions seem to stand side by side. Plus walruses, elephants and a big tropical aquarium.

🕘 Best time

At opening in the morning, when the animals are most active. On rainy days head for the tropical aquarium.

📍 Where

Stellingen, U2 Hagenbecks Tierpark right at the gate

💡 Tip

Ask for feeding times at the entrance and plan your loop around them. The combo ticket with the tropical aquarium pays off on grey days.

full dayall ages€€€pushchair okSource

Planten un Blomen

A big park in the city centre with a water playground, a Japanese garden and a rose garden. On summer evenings colourful fountains dance on the lake during the water light concert.

🕘 Best time

In summer around 10 pm for the water light concert; daytime fountains usually in the afternoon. Ice rink in winter.

📍 Where

Between Dammtor and the trade fair; S-Bahn Dammtor or U1 Stephansplatz

💡 Tip

Arrive half an hour early for the light concert and spread a blanket on the steps by the lake. With little ones the afternoon water shows are enough.

two hoursall agesfreeSource

Övelgönne beach

A sandy beach on the Elbe where container ships pass so close that kids can count the boxes. The Strandperle kiosk and the Old Swede boulder are part of it.

🕘 Best time

Late afternoon, when the big ships sail out and the sun hangs over the Elbe.

📍 Where

Othmarschen; harbour ferry line 62 to Museumshafen Övelgönne or bus to Neumühlen

💡 Tip

Do not swim: currents and the pull of ships are dangerous. Pack a spade and bucket and arrive by ferry, that is half a harbour tour already.

half dayall agesfreeSource

Elbphilharmonie Plaza

Ride the curved escalator up into the concert hall and walk all the way around the Plaza at thirty-seven metres, looking out over harbour and city.

🕘 Best time

First thing in the morning or at sunset; weekend middays are busiest.

📍 Where

HafenCity, Platz der Deutschen Einheit; U3 Baumwall or harbour ferry to Elbphilharmonie

💡 Tip

Plaza tickets are usually free on site; you can book a time slot online for a small fee. Stop at the panoramic window halfway up the escalator.

one hourall agesfree on siteSource

Harbour ferry line 62

With a normal HVV ticket the ferry runs from the Landungsbrücken past the fish market, cruise terminal and museum harbour to Finkenwerder. The cheapest harbour tour in town.

🕘 Best time

Weekday mornings; ferries usually run every fifteen minutes.

📍 Where

Start Landungsbrücken, pier 3; terminus Finkenwerder

💡 Tip

Head straight to the top deck and sit on the right going downstream for the beach side. Get off at Övelgönne and walk to the beach.

one hourall ages€HVV ticketSource

Old Elbe Tunnel

Big lifts take you about twenty-four metres down, then you walk under the Elbe to the other side. Spot the restored tunnel animals on the walls.

🕘 Best time

Any time; since May 2026 both tubes are open again. Mornings are almost empty.

📍 Where

Domed building at the Landungsbrücken, U3 and S-Bahn Landungsbrücken

💡 Tip

On the Steinwerder side climb up to the viewing platform: it has the best view of the Landungsbrücken and the Michel.

one hourall agesfree on footSource

St. Michael's Church

Hamburg's landmark: take the lift up to the Michel's viewing platform and visit the crypt below. Every day the tower keeper plays the trumpet to all four directions.

🕘 Best time

Be there at 10 am to hear the trumpeter, then go up. On Sundays he only plays at 12 noon.

📍 Where

Neustadt, Englische Planke; S-Bahn Stadthausbrücke or U3 Baumwall

💡 Tip

Platform first, then the crypt with its film on Hamburg history. Come in the evening for the Night Michel and the city lights.

one hourall ages€liftSource

Hamburg Fish Market

Every Sunday morning by the Elbe for over three hundred years: market criers, fish rolls, flowers and fruit by the crate. Live music plays in the Fish Auction Hall.

🕘 Best time

Sundays from 5 am in summer and 7 am in winter, usually ending at 9:30 am.

📍 Where

St. Pauli Fischmarkt, Große Elbstraße; S-Bahn Reeperbahn or harbour ferry to Fischmarkt

💡 Tip

Come around eight, when the party crowd has gone and the criers are in top form. Bring cash and a big bag for the fruit baskets.

two hoursall ages€Sundays onlySource

Brücke 10

A small fish bar right on the Landungsbrücken pontoon: herring, shrimp, fried fish or Bismarck herring in a roll, with a view of the ships and the Elbe.

🕘 Best time

Lunchtime or early evening; queues form at weekend lunchtimes.

📍 Where

St. Pauli Landungsbrücken, pier 10; U3 and S-Bahn Landungsbrücken

💡 Tip

A shrimp roll for the grown-ups, fried fish for the kids. Eat inside or out of the wind, the gulls love to grab.

half an hourall ages€€Source

Isemarkt

A weekly market under the elevated railway viaduct, almost a kilometre long with around two hundred stalls: cheese, fish, fruit, flowers and plenty of snacks.

🕘 Best time

Tuesday and Friday mornings; the earlier, the more choice.

📍 Where

Isestraße between Hoheluftbrücke and Eppendorfer Baum; U3 Hoheluftbrücke

💡 Tip

Start at Hoheluftbrücke and stroll towards Eppendorfer Baum, then take the U3 back. When it rains you stay dry under the viaduct.

one hourall ages€Tue and FriSource

Speicherstadt Kaffeerösterei

A roastery and café in an old warehouse: green coffee beans turn brown before your eyes in the big drum. Cake and cocoa for the kids.

🕘 Best time

Weekday mornings, when roasting is on and tables are free.

📍 Where

Speicherstadt, Kehrwieder 5; U3 Baumwall

💡 Tip

Combine it with Miniatur Wunderland, just a few steps away. Ask when the next roast is running.

one hourall ages€€Source

International Maritime Museum

Ten floors of seafaring in a historic brick warehouse: ship models, sea charts, the deep sea and a huge Queen Mary made of Lego bricks.

🕘 Best time

Mornings or early afternoon; half a day flies by.

📍 Where

HafenCity, Kaispeicher B; U4 Überseequartier

💡 Tip

Start at the top and work your way down. There is a kids' trail with Captain Kuddel, ask at the till.

three hoursage five and up€€Source

Hamburg Planetarium

A star theatre in an old water tower in the city park: shows under the dome plus a viewing platform looking all the way to the Elbphilharmonie.

🕘 Best time

Family shows mostly on weekend daytimes; buy tickets ahead, shows often sell out.

📍 Where

Stadtpark Winterhude, Linnering 1; U3 Borgweg

💡 Tip

Pick a children's show and take the lift to the platform afterwards; with a show ticket it usually costs nothing extra.

two hoursage five and up€€tickets aheadSource

U-434 Submarine Museum

A real Russian spy submarine from the inside: climb through narrow hatches, see the bunks and torpedo room and look through the periscope.

🕘 Best time

All year, usually daily; mornings are less crowded.

📍 Where

St. Pauli Fischmarkt 10; S-Bahn Reeperbahn or harbour ferry to Fischmarkt

💡 Tip

Not for the claustrophobic and no pushchairs. Combine it with the Sunday fish market.

one hourage six and up€€Source

Dialoghaus Hamburg

In Dialogue in the Dark, blind guides lead you through pitch-black rooms with a park, a street and a café. Dialogue in Silence shows you a world without words.

🕘 Best time

Book slots ahead; weekend family times go fast.

📍 Where

Speicherstadt, Alter Wandrahm 4; U1 Meßberg

💡 Tip

A real adventure for school kids; put phones and glowing watches in the locker first. Afterwards everyone tells what they discovered in the dark.

ninety minutesschool kids€€book aheadSource