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Germany : Hamburg - April 2009

Country Code: Dial for Germany

Hamburg’s parks burst into bloom at this time of year. The spring version of northern Germany’s largest public festival – the Dom – concludes on 13 April. And there’s a brace of big name concerts happening, as Pink (2 April), Razorlight (18 April) and Lionel Richie (21 April) take to the stage this month. Stuart Forster gets excited

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. , hamburgtourism. de).

ST PAULI

This area is always popular with partyseekers and theatre-goers. During early April, Dom visitors down one for the road and join the crowds thronging the Reeperbahn.

Sleep soundly – The elegant Empire Riverside Hotel (97 Bernhard-Nocht- Straße, tel. , empireriverside. de, rooms from €159) is situated just above the landing stages. Have a nightcap in the 20 Up bar, which has some spectacular views of the port.

Culture vultures – Three Dom fairs, each a month long, are held on the Heiligengeistfeld each year. Ride traditional carousels or the roller coasters, browse the stalls and nibble on roast nuts, chocolate-coated fruit and Bratwurst.

Must eat – The historic Sunday Fish Market (Fischmarkt) dates back to 1703. It begins at 5am and officially ends at 9.30am, though in practise it continues until late morning. It’s a popular meeting place for breakfast or brunch. Hanseatic delicacies, such as eel, can be purchased at stalls.

Must drink – Zum Silbersack (9 Silbersackstraße) is renowned for having the oldest jukebox in town.

Dance the night away – After visiting the Dom, it’s just a short walk to Uebel und Gefährlich (66 Feldstraße), a club housed within a former bunker.

SCHANZENVIERTEL

Over the past few years, this district has re-invented itself as a bohemian enclave and the home of some of Germany’s leading fashion designers. There are plenty of laid-back meeting places and a host of boutique stores.

Sleep soundly – Set in a former water tower that dates back to the 19th century, the Mövenpick Hotel Hamburg (6 Sternschanze, tel. , moevenpick.com, rooms from €180) is a modern hotel that makes impressive use of the space and light.

Must eat – Housed in a former slaughterhouse, Delta Bistro (11 Lagerstraße, tel. ) serves good seafood – go for the lobster. There’s also live music here from Thursday to Saturday.

Must drink – See live acts or DJ sets at Haus 73 (73 Schanzenstraße).

Shop til you drop – For designer T-shirts and fashion-forward accessories, visit Human Empire (132 Schulterblatt).

ROTHERBAUM

Situated in the city’s north-west, between the parkland of the Planten un Blomen and the shore of the Outer Alster lake, this district is famous for the grand buildings of the historic Milchstraße and the annual German Open tennis tournament.

Sleep soundly – Independent travellers seeking an alternative to hotel accommodation can rent an apartment in the listed building that was once the DRK Hospital (7c Bornstraße, tel. , heine-hamburg.de, apartments from €50).

Culture vultures – For a relaxed café atmosphere, good wine and bistro food, head to Hadleys (84a Beim Schlump, tel. , hadleys.de). Look out for its programme of jazz concerts.

Must eat – For sushi and sashimi in smart surroundings, try the Sushi Factory (67 Grindelhof, tel. ). This chain has restaurants in several districts of the city.

SPEICHERSTADT

The multi-storey red-brick buildings of the former warehouse quarter were built in the late 19th century to store duty-free goods from around the world. The area is undergoing a major redevelopment and houses a number of tourist attractions, including the Hamburg Dungeons and Miniatur Wunderland model railway.

Must eat – The stylish Wandrahm (13 Am Kaiserkai, tel. ) does a modern take on traditional dishes.

Must drink – A coffee at the Speicherstadt Kaffeerösterei (5 Kehrwieder) is a must. Watch as coffee is roasted on the premises.

Compiled by Stuart Forster