Hamburg- "Venice of the North"

I have often heard from people who have been to more than few cities in Europe that after a while almost all cities look alike. To an extent it's true, pick any small or big town and you will see a typical town centre with cathedral, church, towers and cobblestone streets. But, I feel there is more uniqueness than similarities. Every place I have been too had a very distinct vibe, atmosphere, culture, food, drinks and the list can go on and on. Though I am more fond of leaving my luggage back in the city and exploring places far away, lately my interest grew into walking through cobblestone narrow lanes of the town.  

After a busy, chaotic and fun filled vacation in India, we were back to our ever silent neighbourhood in Amsterdam and it felt as if the life has suddenly stopped. My heart was still in India and I was already craving for another vacation. Two days before the weekend I thought why not to make it a long one and head for a short road trip. I managed to convince my husband to take a day off, this time it was Hamburg. Two of my friends also joined the trip and we were 4 of us set for a 4 day trip.

On our way to Hamburg, we decided to spend a day in the small city of Bremen. Bremen, though smaller than Hamburg, had plenty to see for a day and I specially liked strolling beside the river Weser and beautiful city center.

  

Bremen city Center

Next day we were in Hamburg which was barely 2 hours from Bremen. Right from the moment you step in hamburg you can feel the vibes of a grand huge city with far more than a small town centre. With a huge port and magnificent architecture, it very well justifies why it's called the gateway to Germany. One good perk of travelling during off peak season or right after Christmas is that though you miss the Christmas markets, the lighting are still on and the streets are less crowded. Bridges, canals, towers, cathedrals, museums and all of these not just few but several, My top 5 places to see in Hamburg. 

1) Rathaus Hamburg/Town Hall

Town hall building of Hamburg is as beautiful as town halls of other European city and in fact i found this building most beautiful town hall. Its truly an ornament to the town and trip to Hamburg is incomplete without admiring the beauty of this magnificent building of those times. It’s best to see it in daylight to see all the fascinating detail on the building outside. But i would also recommend night look of the building with those lights on which gives complete different look to the building.

2) Alster Lake

Water is a great feature of Hamburg. Alster lake is quite popular among locals and visitors. It is bit away from the chaos of the city and can give you few moment moments of relaxation with the beautiful water view. Walking is a great way to explore any place, since i moved to Europe. My love for walking has grown exponentially. Walking around lake Alster was no exception however chilled wind made it more adventurous. You can also explore lake by cruise and boats. If you are a bit of a adventerous lover then cannoeing and sailing can also be an option.

3) Miniature wonderland

This is a must see and you can spend couple of hours in here. It's a fascinating place both for young and old. The vast range of miniature models and the minute details with which they have crafted the place is amazing. There are working models dedicated to several locations from Europe and US. Model railways and airport were the ones that attracted the most crowd. I myself couldn't move an inch without having seen few planes taking off and landing. The attention to details is quite astonishing and my favourities were model of Venice and Switzerland. Tickets are reasonable priced and one can buy online. There are various slots that you can check online and book.

4) spiecherstadt/Warehouse district.

This is an area criss-crossed with bridges and canals and the brick red buildings on boths the sides makes this area a picture perfect spot. No doubt hamburg has more bridges that London, Amsterdam and Venice combined.

5) St. Nicolas Church

This is a unique church since it's kept in its originals after being destroyed during the second world war. Also a memorial for WW2, it's lightly renovated and one can see the damage to the tower and the ceiling is apparently missing. You can take an elevator to the top of the tower and also visit the museum. Unfortunately, it was closed when we were there but this is in my itinerary when I visit Hamburg next.

These places barely covers what Hamburg has to offer and there are several other spots worth a visit such as the the Harbour and several museums in the museum district. Oh, and yes, if you want to try some good variety of food at a reasonable cost you can also visit the food court in the Europa Passage Mall near the Alster lake.