Hamburg is Germany’s second largest city and the largest port with a reputation for its vibrant nightlife and excellent shopping. In the center of the city there are two immensely attractive lakes, the Inner Alster and the Outer Alster. A walk through them on German vacation will pass picturesque town squares and historic avenues, as well as cafes and jetties used by tourist boats.
Once at the top, enjoy stunning 360-degree views and dine at one of three restaurants at different stops. With an abundance of ski resorts nearby, Zugspitze is also a great choice if you’re in the mood Oktoberfest for a winter break and some-action. Among them is Kirchengemeinde St. Jakob (St. Jacob’s Church), which is located on the Marktplatz and is considered one of the best churches of its kind in Germany.
Sports enthusiasts can take advantage of the wide range of water and land activities on offer; Whether you fancy sailing, windsurfing, canoeing or swimming on one of the many sandy and pebble beaches. You can also hop on a boat and head to one of the lake’s picturesque islands. There’s plenty to discover in the area too, including Baroque castles and churches, monasteries, and amazing reconstructed stone and Bronze Age homes in Pfahlbauten. But if that’s not enough, the view of the Alps from the shore of Lake Constance alone is reason enough to go there. Bordering Germany, Austria and Switzerland, Lake Constance remains one of Germany’s most popular holiday destinations, and for good reason.
The impressive town hall is the seat of hamburg’s government and is where the parliament and senate meet. The Elbphilharmonie Hamburg is a futuristic complex consisting of two concert halls and a hotel. St. Michael’s Church is one of five Lutheran churches in Hamburg and the most famous in the city. It is considered one of the most beautiful Hanseatic Protestant Baroque churches. The Hamburg Kunsthalle is one of the country’s largest art galleries and houses one of the few art collections in Germany that spans seven centuries of European art, from the Middle Ages to the present day. The Reeperbahn is a street and entertainment district in Hamburg’s St. Pauli district.
Every city in Germany has a new town hall and an old town hall, and it’s worth seeing! The new town hall is located in the center of the city and is often very ornate. An old town hall usually houses museums with exhibits of the history of the city and its people. Here you will find the “new” and “old” town halls, the Neues Rathaus and the Altes Rathaus, where much of the city’s history was written. Other attractions include the tall monument to the Virgin Mary, the Mariensäule built in 1638, as well as the elegant Fischbrunnen, a 19th-century fountain with its bronze figures.