Why Hamburg

For many, Hamburg is Germany’s finest city – a cosmopolitan host open to change, refreshing by day and exciting by night. The pulsating hub of a region which primarily stands for vastness and nature, yet also has a lot more to offer. Hanseatic Brick Gothic, grand merchants’ mansions, royal country estates and manicured parks all make up the charm of northern Germany. They attest to the civic pride in maritime traditions, economic successes, entrepreneurial spirit and typically northern German style – but certainly not to stagnation.

New hotels, futuristic architecture, cafés, restaurants and shops are emerging alongside historic locations. The HafenCity sees the development of a completely new quarter strikingly symbolised by the Elbe Philharmonic Hall, and spanning 157 hectares, right on the water in the former port district. This too is an example of the fusion of tradition and modernity. The bricks of an old coffee storehouse are making way for the new and the bold.

Yet for all its growth, the city also offers a unique quality of life. Where else can you go jogging around the Alster in the morning, sailing in the city in the afternoon, and enjoy the sunset on the Elbe in the evening? Short distances, creative spaces, breaths of fresh air and an exciting range of cultural facilities are also among Hamburg’s trademarks. The city lives and breathes change, gears itself towards new influences, yet still remains true to itself.

Business & science

Hamburg is a stronghold for brands, a media city, the third largest civil aviation location in the world, and one of the most important reloading points and ports in global trade. The centuries-old relationships with the Far East, namely China and Japan, as well as the Baltic, gave rise to the city’s reputation as being the gateway to the world. The city on the Elbe has for decades also been home to the group, German or European headquarters of many internationally renowned businesses.

The metropolitan region pools together many clever minds and world famous science centres. These are backed by reputable sponsors, such as the Helmholtz Association, the Max Planck Institute, the Frauenhofer Institute, the University of Hamburg, federal authorities and UNESCO. Around 10,000 researchers in the region work in the fields of molecular and neurobiology, cancer research, coast protection, marine and climate research, tropical medicine, matter research and radiology, hydraulic engineering, global economics, contemporary history, media research and maritime logistics – just to name a few. Establishments such as the German Electron Synchotron (DESY) particle accelerator centre and the CFK-Valley competence network for high-performance fibre composite technologies in Stade are among the region’s leading innovators, and are major partners of the industry.

Interdisciplinary research and technology transfer are creating new co-operations and fields of science. Universities are also getting involved, the largest being the University of Hamburg, founded in 1919, with its university hospital in Eppendorf. The HafenCity University, offering courses in architecture, construction and geomatics, is the newest of the 20 national/nationally accredited universities in the Hanseatic city. Lüneburg is another popular university city in the region. The metropolitan region has a total of 36 universities with around 100,000 students.

Green waterside metropolis

Water is the element which has moulded and shaped Hamburg for centuries. The city’s location on the shores of the Elbe, which, as Germany’s second largest river, connects the economic hubs in the south with the open seas, has allowed the metropolis to become one of the world’s most important centres for trade and transhipment. The shores of the Elbe and the unique locations right on the water provide a spectacular view of the harbour, passing cruise liners and giant container ships.

Those preferring to steer their own course have their own sailing area in the middle of the city in the form of the Außenalster (Outer Alster Lake). Rowboats, paddleboats and Alster ships are popular alternatives. The river, which was dammed up in the Middle Ages, splits into the Binnenalster (Inner Alster Lake) and Außenalster (Outer Alster Lake), whose shores are lined with upscale hotels, restaurants, jetties, Japanese cherry trees and large parks. A vast network of canals and rivers winds around the city, which, for this reason, has more bridges than Venice.

Forests, meadows and recreational areas make up around 15 percent of the municipal district. These include extensive complexes with old trees, such as the Jenischpark or Hirschpark on the Elbe, the Botanical Garden, Planten un Blomen, and the 150-hectare Stadtpark with 65-m-high planetarium. Hamburg combines 29 nature reserves over a relatively small area, plus the Hamburg Wadden Sea UNESCO World Heritage Site in the North Sea.

Culture & lifestyle

The colourful mix of different styles, trends and influences is what makes up the city’s charm. Hamburg is never boring. It has enough stimuli and new life. The inner city, with its picturesque canals, hidden laneways and grand façades, as well as its surrounding quarters, is conducive to exploring and enjoying.

The city’s more than 40 stages play host to world famous musicals and classical concerts, as well as avant-garde ballet performances, poetry slam competitions and cabarets. Many stars started off their careers in Hamburg, namely the Beatles. The city continues to be known for its music clubs, of which there are around 100. The most famous strip for night owls is the Reeperbahn, which has now been significantly infiltrated with culture.

You don’t have to look hard to find flagship stores and famous labels in Hamburg. The shops around the Neuer Wall, in the Europapassage, on Mönckebergstraße or around the Gänsemarkt are a true paradise for shoppers. Young designers, galleries, trendy cafés and restaurants are hallmarks of popular hotspots such as the elegant Eppendorf, the eclectic Schanzenviertel, the Lange Reihe in St. Georg, the Elbmeile at the fish market and the Gängeviertel. These are being joined by new districts with their own character, such as the HafenCity or the Emporio quarter next to the Laiszhalle.