Hamburg map: top 10, museums, instagrammable, walking tour, where to eat, viewpoints, nature, markets, free things to do, rainy day

3 places on the map

Markets

1
Sunday-morning fish market on the Elbe with live bands in the auction hall.
- Tip: Go early
2 tips
- Combine with a post-club breakfast
- Bring cash
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2
Long open-air weekly market under the elevated railway in Eppendorf-Harvestehude.
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3
Former cattle market hall in St. Pauli with food stalls and grocers.
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Use one HVV ticket for everything: U-Bahn, S-Bahn, buses and harbour ferries share one fare system; buy tickets in the HVV app, and a Deutschlandticket is valid too.
Take ferry line 62 for a harbour tour: The regular HVV ferry from Landungsbrücken to Finkenwerder passes docks, cranes and beaches for the price of a normal transit ticket.
Cycle with StadtRAD: Hamburg's red bike-share stations are all over the centre; routes around the Alster lake and along the Elbe are flat and pleasant on a dry day.

Mind your bags at the Hauptbahnhof: The main station and Steindamm area are busy and attract pickpockets, especially late at night; keep phones and wallets in front pockets.
Party safely on the Reeperbahn: St. Pauli's nightlife is fun but crowded; watch drinks and belongings, ignore pushy club promoters and check prices before ordering.
Watch for storm surge warnings: In autumn and winter, the Fischmarkt and riverside streets can flood during Elbe storm surges; heed sirens and keep cars out of harbour zones.

Reserve the Elbphilharmonie Plaza: The public viewing deck of the concert hall is free for walk-ups or with a small fee to reserve a slot, and gives 360-degree views of the port.
Return bottles for Pfand: Most drink bottles and cans carry a deposit; return them at supermarket machines to get money back, a small saving that adds up on longer stays.
Enjoy free shows in Planten un Blomen: On summer evenings this central park hosts free water and light concerts at its lake, a lovely way to end a day without spending.

Pack a waterproof jacket year-round: Hamburg's weather is famously grey, windy and drizzly; a hooded rain jacket is more useful than an umbrella, which wind flips inside out.
Layer for mild summers: Summer days are pleasant for lakeside cafés on the Alster, but evening breezes off the Elbe are cool, so bring a sweater even in July.
Prepare for dark, damp winters: Winter days are short, cold and wet; a warm coat, scarf and waterproof shoes make the Christmas markets at the Rathaus much more enjoyable.

Say moin: Hamburgers greet each other with moin at any time of day; it is friendly, short and perfectly fine with shopkeepers, bus drivers and waiters alike.
Eat like a Hamburger: Try a Fischbrötchen with herring or Bismarck fish at the harbour, Labskaus for a sailor's meal, and a cinnamon Franzbrötchen from any bakery.
Plan around Sunday closures: Most shops close on Sundays, so do groceries on Saturday; bakeries and shops in main stations like the Hauptbahnhof are the main exceptions.

Hit the Fischmarkt at dawn: The Sunday Altona Fischmarkt starts very early and winds down by mid-morning; the auction hall serves breakfast with live music.
Walk under the Elbe: The Old Elbe Tunnel at Landungsbrücken lets you cross under the river on foot or by bike, ending at a viewpoint over the skyline and harbour.
Book Miniatur Wunderland ahead: The famous model railway in the Speicherstadt often sells out; reserve a time slot online and go early morning or late evening for fewer crowds.