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Germany : Hamburg - December 2008 Country Code: Dial ++49 for Germany
Hamburg is a town attuned to an
alternative view of life. Where
other German cities are milling
with Christmas markets at this
time of year, Hamburg’s nightlife
comes into its own. For kids,
December in Hamburg offers the
magical ‘fairytale ships’ on the
Jungfernstieg. Ben Knight sets
sail in the port city
Getting around
Hamburg Airport is 9km north-west of the city.
Bus: Coaches to the
centre depart every
15 minutes from
6am to 7pm, then at
20-minute intervals
until 11pm. Single
tickets cost €5 Train: The airport
doesn’t have a direct
rail connection to
the city centre. The
nearest station is at
Ohlsdorf, served by
the S1 and S11 trains
and U1 underground
line. A single ticket is
€2,60 and the journey
takes 20 minutes. Taxi: The journey to
the city centre takes
20 minutes and
costs about €16. Tourist information: The main office
is at Sankt Pauli
Landungsbrücken,
between bridges
4 and 5 (tel. (0)40
3005 1300, hamburgtourism.
de).
ALTSTADT
Even though few people actually live
here, the concentration of tourist
attractions and designer shops makes
the old town perennially diverting.
Sleep soundly – The five-star Park
Hyatt is decorated in a
dignified maritime style. .
Culture vultures – For definitive
exhibitions of classical and modern art,
nowhere comes close to the Bucerius
Kunst Forum (2 Rathausmarkt).
Must eat – With meals that range from
the old-fashioned to the innovative, the
Park Hyatt’s Apples Restaurant (8
Bugenhagenstraße, tel. (0)40 33 321771)
has become one of the most popular
hotel restaurants in town. Alternatively,
Le Plat du Jour (4 Dornbusch, tel. (0)40
321414) is a perfect capsule of French
style and cuisine.
Must drink – Ciu’ – Die Bar (14-15
Ballindamm) is everything a great
cocktail bar should be: smart, pricey and
full of beautiful people.
SANKT PAULI
The grotesque charms of Sankt Pauli’s
Reeperbahn have come to represent
Hamburg to the rest of the world, but
there are plenty of undiscovered facets
to this delightful district.
Sleep soundly – Another hotel with a
maritime theme is the Hotel Pacific
City lowdown, which offers simple pleasures at
excellent prices.
Must eat – A restaurant that regularly
makes the critics’ top-10 lists is Artisan
(27 Kampstraße, tel. (0)40 42 102915),
with fantastic food, excellent service and
an unpretentious atmosphere.
Shop til you drop – Kakao Kontor (42
Langenfelder Damm) takes the idea of
chocolate as the food of the gods to its
logical conclusion – simply divine.
NEUSTADT
Neustadt is as central as Altstadt,
but it is dominated by the
harbour on the
Binnenalster
lake, which
lends the area
a festive frisson.
Sleep soundly – The floating hotel Das
Feuerschiff promises to be one of the more
eccentric overnight experiences. There
are cosy authentic cabins and weekly
entertainments, and a new year’s party
and firework display are planned.
Culture vultures – Hamburg has been
celebrating the advent season with its
Märchenschiffe (Jungfernstieg) for 20
years now. Five fairy-tale ships offer
theatre, baking and creative workshops.
Must eat – Die Bank (17 Hohe
Bleichen, tel. (0)40 238 0030) not only
submerges its guests in an ultra-cool
ambience, but serves off-the-wall dishes
influenced by every corner of the globe.
Must drink – Oriental-chic Bar
Indochine (9-14 Neuer Jungfernstieg) is
one of the most fashionable bars in town.
Shop til you drop – Located in one of
Hamburg’s oldest shopping passagen
(arcades), Felix Jud (13 Neuer Wall) is
probably the most historically interesting
and culturally active bookshop in the city
ALTONA
Altona’s relatively high immigrant
population and liberal tradition gives it
a distinct edge over the rest of the city.
Sleep soundly – The Boston is a temple of classic style. Even the gym
and the sauna look elegant.
Culture vultures – Zeisehallen (7-9
Friedensallee) is Altona’s most important
cultural centre, combining cinemas,
contemporary galleries and cool cafés.
Must eat – A popular and very busy
restaurant installed in an old factory
building, some claim that
Restaurant Eisenstein
(9 Friedensallee, tel.
(0)40 390 4606)
serves the best
pizza in the city.
Compiled by Ben Knight
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