Hamburg, located in northern Germany, has the distinction of being Europe's second largest port. With approximately 1.7 million residents, Hamburg is a large German city that is known for its print and media distribution. It boasts scenic parks and lakes as well as a busy shopping and dining district called Binnelaster. The people of Hamburg are generally warm and accommodating toward non-German speaking tourists. In 2007, more than seven million people enjoyed vacationing in the city.
History
Hamburg was founded in the ninth century A.D. by Emperor Charlemagne. It is officially known as "Freie und Hansestadt" due to the fact that it has always been a free-trade (Free and Hanseatic) city. Hamburg has a rich musical history: in addition to being the birthplace of Johannes Brahms and Felix Mendelssohn, it was also a favorite town of the Beatles. Hamburg is also noted for being the center of a World War II firestorm which claimed the lives of 42,000 people in 1943.
Art & Museums
Art, culture, and history enthusiasts will have much to admire in the Hamburg museums. The Panoptikum Waxworks, a very well-known attraction, houses wax figures of celebrities which are life-sized. The Erotic Art Museum tastefully displays historical art and photographs with a provocative theme. Cultural exhibits which emphasize the growth of many ethnological groups can be found in the Museum fur Volkerkunde. For some insight into the fishing and shipping industry, and how it promoted economic success in North Germany, visit the Altonaer Museum. The most famous museum in Hamburg is the Hamburger Kunsthalle, home to renowned paintings, sculptures, and medals.
The Arts are also popular in Hamburg. Some of the cultural highlights are the North German Radio Symphony Orchestra, The English Theatre, and the Rote Flora, a graffiti-covered theatre which attracts many fans of punk and alternative music.
Nightlife
Art, culture, and history enthusiasts will have much to admire in the Hamburg museums. The Panoptikum Waxworks, a very well-known attraction, houses wax figures of celebrities which are life-sized. The Erotic Art Museum tastefully displays historical art and photographs with a provocative theme. Cultural exhibits which emphasize the growth of many ethnological groups can be found in the Museum fur Volkerkunde. For some insight into the fishing and shipping industry, and how it promoted economic success in North Germany, visit the Altonaer Museum. The most famous museum in Hamburg is the Hamburger Kunsthalle, home to renowned paintings, sculptures, and medals.
The Arts are also popular in Hamburg. Some of the cultural highlights are the North German Radio Symphony Orchestra, The English Theatre, and the Rote Flora, a graffiti-covered theatre which attracts many fans of punk and alternative music.
How to get there
Plane travel to Hamburg Airport is possible through various European airlines, including British Airways. Land travel via Europe is available by train, bus, or car.