Hamburg is one of the most expensive cities in Germany. It is also known for its many attractions for tourists and locals alike. Many people think that you have to allocate a substantial amount of money for a trip to Hamburg to have a good time, but as many insiders will tell you, Hamburg also has a lot to offer for those traveling on a shoe-string budget. Here are our top free activities to enjoy while here in the beautiful city of Hamburg!
Free Tours with Robin and the Tourguides
If you are looking for a great opportunity to get an overview of the city go on the free tours from Robin and the Tourguides. We offer two free tours of the city, one through the historic city centre and another through the harbour & St.Pauli district. The two tours are completely different from each other and offer different views of the city. Discover the beginning of Hamburg’s rich history and how it became what it is today and in the afternoon learn of the economic power-house of the city, the ports. Also, delve into the night life and hear of how St.Pauli, the red-light and party district, is constantly changing.
With free tours you get to decide yourself what the tour is worth or what your budget allows. So everyone is welcome to come along no matter how much or little you have in your pocket. Please note, that groups of 8 or more persons should book a private tour with us for fairness reasons. You can book directly with Robin and the Tourguides at: www.robinandthetourguides.de .
Elbphilharmonie Plaza
One of the most impressive contemporary buildings architecturally in the city is the Elpphilharmonie, the new symphonic concert hall here in Hamburg. It is located in the modern Hafencity area and is a bekon of Hamburg’s intent to be known internationally in the music world over. It is an amazing building not only from the outside but also on the inside and offers a wonderful 360 degree view of the harbour and city 37 meters above ground. You can go spontaneously to the front desk to get a ticket to visit the Plaza for free. Opening hours are from 12 p.m. till 12 a.m. and there are also nice cafes, a restaurant and Craft beer bar to have a nice bite to eat or drink while visiting the plaza.
A Nice Stroll along the Elbpromenade
After a nice visit to the Elbphilharmonie, one can take a nice stroll along the waterfront on the Elbpromenade. Not only will you see the historic harbour and the many historical ships along the way but will also get to see the historic Landungsbrücken, where millions of immigrants left on their journeys to the New-World.
Some of the beautiful museum ships that you will see along the way are for example, the fire–ship, a wonderful little lighthouse boat that served off the coast of England for decades. Today it has been turned into a restaurant, hotel and event location for jazz combos. Which is also a great way to get some free music while enjoying a nice house beer or drink.
The Cap San Diego is also a wonderful freight ship from 1962 that is housed along the promenade. The Swan of the sees sailed for several decades between Germany and South America before being forced into retirement due to the age of the containers.
If looking for a beautiful tall sailing ship, the Rickmer Rickmers is the ship to staun. This museum ship from 1896 is a testament to the Rickmer’s family, with their Grandson, as the figurehead at the front of the ship. You can also for a small fee go on board the Rickmer Rickmers and get a feeling of how the sailors lived and worked at that time.
The Old Elbe Tunnel
Once completing a nice walk along the Elbpromenade, be sure to go through the Old Elbtunnel located at the Landungsbrücken Nr. 6. This tunnel from 1911 still has its beautiful original glazed tiling which has recently been restored. From the other side of the Elbe river you will enjoy a wonderful view of the harbour, Landungsbrücken, city centre and Elbphilharmonie in the distance. You can also see all of Hamburg’s 5 main churches on the horizon!
Be sure to take the historic lifts which once took horse buggies and cars in and out of the tunnel. And if you need a snack along the way be sure to visit Captain Schwarz right next to the entrance of the tunnel for some wonderful Fischbrötchen-fish rolls!
The Harbour from the Water with the Ferry 62
Although it is technically not free, many people while here buy a day ticket for the excellent public transportation system while visiting Hamburg. If you have a day ticket for the metro, be sure to take a ride on the Ferry 62, which is included in the HVV day ticket.
The ferry starts from the Landungsbrücken Nr. 3 and takes about an hour to go around the harbour and back. Along the way, you can also get off at different stops, for example, Övelgönne/Neumühlen where there is a nice museum harbour for historical boats, nice cafes and restaurants. Iif the weather is sunny and warm be sure to visit the Elbstrand, Hamburg’s most famous beach with a beach bar.
The ferry goes all the way to Finkenwerder and if that isn’t enough for you, quickly change Ferries on to the 63 for a quick trip to Teufelsbrücke (devil’s bridge). There you can enjoy some nice chips or a sausage on the docks at the Engel (Angel) kiosk or maybe even enjoy a nice walk through the idyllic Jenisch park.
Enjoy the Water Fountain Show in the Planten un Blomen Parks
The newly renovated water fountain show located in the Planten un Blomen is a must see for everyone looking for something very special! It is a mix between water jets shooting water 36 meters into the air and a light show of 566 LED light projectors choreographed to the music of Copeland, Tchaikovsky, Dvorak and other famous composers. The shows start every day at 2 p.m., 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. at the Parksee located in the north of Planten un Blomen. Not much to say other than to visit it if you do have the chance!
Visit the 5 Main Churches of Hamburg
Of course, Europe and Hamburg are really known for the abundance of medieval churches that seem to be every few hundreds of meters apart from each other… Sometimes, one can definitely get a little bit church-out from all the historically important churches. Here, though, are the main churches in order of beauty to visit while here in the city:
The St. Michealis Church: the largest and main church here in the city. One of the best examples of baroque architecture in Germany. It is wonderfully decorated with gold, marble, and ornamentations. Also, every day at 12 o’clock they have their sermons with live concerts of their many different types of organs free of charge. Of course, they do ask for donations for the upkeep and maintenance of the church, so if you do decide to give a Euro or two, they are very grateful for that.
The St. Petri Church: The oldest still standing church here in the city. Originally built in 1195 it is a testament to the gothic styles and still has many reliques, paintings, and artifacts inside. During the Nepolianic wars, Napoleon Bonapart use this church as a horse stable for his infantry. Can you discover the mineral sediments on the walls of the church where the horses peed? Also, for a small fee you can climb the 544 steps to enjoy the highest look-out point in Hamburg 123 meters above the ground. Opening hours for the steeple is from 10 a.m. till 4:30 p.m.
St. Katherinen Church: this small but impressive church was recently renovated so it is also definitely worth a visit. It also has the oldest still standing structured wall in the city. There are many concerts here of the organ which dates back to 1543 and many famous musicians have performed on it including Georg Philip Telemann and Johann Sebastian Bach. So it is a great way to hear how music sounded back then at that time. Also, the golden spire is, according to legend, the gold of Germany’s most famous pirate, Klaus Störtebeker!
St. Jakobi Church: This church is mostly known for its organ… the largest baroque organ in the world. But there are also many paintings and sculptures inside which are of significance. It is a famous pilgrimage church that many pilgrims visited on their way to Santiago de Compostela located along the oldest paved street in Germany. Johann Sebastian Bach actually auditioned for the position of organist and music director here, but turned it down when he realized that the congregation wanted him to pay for the honor of playing their organ!
St. Nikolai Church/Memorial site: The ruins of this church today are what is left over from the church after the Operation Gomorrah bombings during the Second World War. Today this somber site is a memorial against the horrors of war and persecution. It is a reminder of what might come if we let brutal dictators rule over us and the consequences of tyranny. In the crypt there is an excellent exhibition that only cost a few Euros about the bombings of Hamburg and also the Nazi bombings, for example, the bombings of Coventry, London, Rotterdamm, Warsaw and many other cities. Every Thursday at 12 p.m. there is also a live concert of the corellian (the bells) that takes about 45 minutes and is free of charge.
Public Parks in the City
There are many beautiful parks in Hamburg to enjoy a nice stroll through. One of them is the Planten un Blomen (Plants and Flowers) located where once the city walls defending the inner city used to be. There are many different types of flowers, trees, lawns, streams, playgrounds and activities to enjoy at this park. Be sure to walk through the largest Japanese Gardens in Europe here with their Minka houses and ponds filled with koi fish large and small. Here they also have sushi courses or tea ceremonies. Also, there are live concerts and workshops taking place at the Planten un Blomen almost on a daily basis. In winter you can also enjoy Europe’s largest outdoor ice skating rink, or in summer they turn it into a skating rink. Or how about a round of minigolf?
The Stadtpark (City Park) located north of the alster lakes is also a nice place to take a jog or enjoy a nice picnic. Many people flock to the Stadtpark on the weekends if the weather is permitting to bbq on the large lawn. But be sure to visit the rose gardens and the planetarium which was once a large water tower for the city. You can also go up the planetarium to enjoy a nice view of the park with the city in the background 70 meters above ground. Many open air concerts take place there and for a small price you can also go for a nice swim or stand up paddle on the lake there.
The Volkspark is the largest park here in the city and although most Hamburgers don’t know it too well, it also has a lot to offer. There are many forests to hike through with little hills and unexpected path crossings but also amazing cultivated gardens. Be sure to visit the Dahlia gardens, the largest Dahlia collection in the world. Or the wonderfully pruned rose garden. Also worth a visit is the geometrical Tutenberg arena in the parks. A wonderful place to study, relax or practice some acting for the next school play!
Although the Ohlsdorfer Cemetery isn’t technically a park, it is still a great place to visit if looking for peace and quiet in an idyllic surrounding. In fact, it is the world’s largest cemetery garden. It is a great place to have a nice bike ride or walk around and also discover many famous former people from the city. It is still in use as a cemetary so one is asked to be respectful of the graves there.
Discovering the Street Art in St.Pauli and the Schanzen Quarter
Always changing, always fresh is the paint on the walls in St.Pauli, Hamburg’s alternative district. Even as a local, there are always new provocative, rebellious and thought provoking pictures graffitied everywhere here. In fact, St.Pauli is visited by some of the most famous street artists from around the world. It is a wonderful place to discover the artwork of inner courtyards, small alleyways, abandoned buildings, and bustling boulevards. Every corner you turn there is a new piece of art revealing the next… truly an impossible feat to justly document, but maybe just to enjoy for the moment and reflect on while constantly discovering the public underground scenes.
Live Music Bars and Clubs
You can find a lot of live music in Hamburg. Sometimes you have to pay for it, sometimes you can get in for free. Some places where you can enjoy free entry are on the Hans-Albers-Platz at the Academy, Drafthouse and Molly Malon. The good thing about these places are, if you don’t like one place you can just go next door, or even two doors down. The prices are also average prices.
Go down the Reeperbahn a few meters to the Lehmitz bar. Here you can listen to some local St.Pauli rock. A lot of the times it is so packed here that the band members actually have to play on the bar counter. The drinks are very well priced here so it is a lively place to listen to some good local bands.
If looking for jazz clubs, Every Thursday at 8:30 p.m. you can enjoy the open mic improv sessions for free. It can get very crowded so it is recommended to be there when they open at 7 o’clock to get some places for the gig.
Also not to be forgotten is the Haus 73 located in the Schulterblatt. They regularly have concerts and events free of charge to go along with their excellent craft beers.
The Altona Fish Market
The fish market starts every Sunday at 5:00 am and goes till 9:30 am. If here on a Sunday, absolutely try to make it to the fish market. A lot of people in fact go out Saturday evening to the Reeperbahn and party the whole night through. When the sun starts to rise in the morning they go to the fish market and the partying keeps going. Here you can listen to live music, get a nice Fish-roll for breakfast as well as your morning beer… yes, that is a thing here in Germany!
Here you can find hundreds of stands of people trying to sell you stuff. A lot of times they will be throwing fish, bananas, or smoked eels through the air. You can find typical market things here, for example, fruits, vegetables, flowers, clothing, souvenirs but also very strange and odd things as well like live chickens, pet ferrets or rabbits but also sometimes things like used denters… Oh course, you can try them out before buying them to make sure they fit properly!
The main thing the Fish market is known for though are the Market yellers! People yelling into the market doing whatever possible so you will buy their stuff. With their salty and humorous sayings it is like a show every 10 meters!
Neuengamme Concentration Camp Memorial Site
In the south of the city, you can also visit for free the former concentration camp, Neuengamme. It was a forced labor camp used by the SS in Germany’s dark Nazi past with around 500,000 forced laborers working there and around 50,000 people who were murdered there.
Start off with seeing some of the original livestock train wagons that brought the prisoners to the camp. Sometimes in the middle of winter in the open and how groups of 50 persons were cramped into these small waggons for sometimes there days long journey without even room to sit. Also visit the work rooms and hear of the dangerous and strenuous work conditions forced on the people with little or no protection or the gas chambers where many were executed with zyklon B gas.
There is an excellent museum building where you can learn about some of the forced laborers and their horrible conditions they had to live in.
For any WWII historian, this is a must do place to visit explaining in incredible detail this morbid and dark history and the perversions of such a destructive, oppressive, murderous regime under Adolf Hitler and the Nazis. It is a massive memorial site so do plan a good day or so to visit it.
You can reach the Neuengamme Concentration Camp Memorial by first taking the S21 to “Bergedorf”. From Bergedorf take either the bus 127 or 227 to “Neuengamme Gedenkstätte” ( www.kz-gedenkstaette-neuengamme.de/en/ )
Free Concerts at the Hamburg Hochschule for Music and Theater
For all classical or jazz music lovers, a hidden secret here in the city are the free recitals and concerts performed by the music students at the Hamburg Hochschule for Music and Theater located directly on the beautiful outer alster lakes (Harvestehuder Weg 12). With recitals playing almost every day, one can listen to an array of solo instrumentalists and vocalists displaying their skills in recitals. But there are also symphony concerts, operas, jazz combos and bands showing off these students’ hard diligence and practice.
Also, enjoy the wonderful concert halls, sometimes historic as in their Budget Palais and sometimes new and modern as in their new jazz hall. It is a wonderful mix of old and new halls to showcase the best of these up and coming musicians!
You can find the schedule of concerts at:
This blog was written by Brent Foster, a tour guide and manager of Robin and the Tourguides. Visit our website for great tours of the city! www.robinandthetourguides.de .
Robin and the Tourguides is a member of Free Tour Community. If looking for great free tours for your next trip somewhere in the world, visit www.freetourcommunity.com for some of the best independent companies that have an emphasis on fair conditions for their workers and partners!
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