Hamburg's urban shore: A maritime world of experience

Wind, water, and wide spaces: A beach holiday in the city of Hamburg?

Hamburg exudes the beachy air of the sea – that’s what you will find when standing on the Elbe shore, looking at the gigantic container ships as they make their way down the river to the sound of seagulls. As you feel the soft sand under your feet, you get that special holiday feeling – a beach holiday feeling in the very heart of the city.

Digging your bare feet into the sand, you watch the ships pass by, with the sun on your skin, palm trees swaying in the summer breeze, a cool caipirinha in your hand, and relaxing music in the background. All this can be experienced in the three beach clubs at the St Pauli Landungsbrücken: directly on the Elbe in the middle of the port, the beach clubs “Strand Pauli”, “Hamburg del Mar” and “Dock 3” create an unparalleled holiday and club experience.

All those who prefer a more contemplative experience can simply walk over to one of the beachy stretches on the Elbe. Oevelgönne with its many beachy stretches used to be the home of seafaring captains and belongs to the district of Altona. Especially during the summer months, this is where locals enjoy the sun and the view of the 24-hour container port opposite. The Strandperle, which is also located here, is a real institution and is considered to be the “mother of all Hamburg beach clubs”. The nearby eateries and the Oevelgönne beaches are popular places for enjoying a mild summer evening. During the day, you can view the historic vessels of the Oevelgönne museum harbour or take a long walk along the shore to the Ice Age granite boulder “Alter Schwede”.

Further to the west, the Blankenese beach with its small hotels, pontoon restaurants and bathing spots is a surprisingly quiet place for a large city. The former fishing village exudes an almost Mediterranean atmosphere and is ideal for a mix of relaxing beach holiday and inspiring city break. Using the S-Bahn, Blankenese can be reached in only 15 minutes from Hamburg’s city centre. The promenade above the beach is shaped by its petite wooden buildings that are typical of Northern Germany. Some of these host small beach hotels, restaurants with Hamburg specialities or beer gardens where you can enjoy barbecued fish, draught beer, and much more.

Extending your journey even further to the west, towards the district of Rissen, you will reach Falkenstein shore, a wonderful place to go for a recreational walk at any time of the year. The Geesthang, a steep slope overlooking the shore, offers a beautiful panoramic view over the Elbe. The path along the sandy banks of the Elbe gives you a foretaste of the North Sea and is somewhat reminiscent of the Frisian Islands. Only a few metres further on, Wittenbergen beach with its shallow water is a popular destination for local families. The Wittenbergen landing stage juts several metres out into the water and offers ideal conditions for sunbathing or for watching the giant container ships passing by.

A cycle tour along Hamburg’s urban shore

Germans love their rules, so here are two basic rules for you when planning your cycle tour along Hamburg’s urban shore. First, you want to make sure you travel from west to east – i.e. from Wedel / Blankenese to HafenCity or Entenwerder. That’s because you want to harness the tailwind coming from the North Sea. Second, you want to allow plenty of time – even though the route might seem quite short for an experienced cyclist (about 17 km from Blankenese to the HafenCity). That’s because you want to accommodate at least three or four stops for refreshment or picnic breaks. If you follow these two basic rules, you will be sure to experience a highly diverse and utterly inspiring maritime excursion that is unparalleled among European metropolitan regions.

Your journey begins in the city centre, where you take your bike on the S 1 or S 11 to Blankenese. Pushing your bike downhill through the picturesque stairs quarter, you will reach the beach of Blankenese, a former fishing village and now a well-to-do Elbe suburb. Fancy a tasty lunch? “FISCHclub Blankenese” offers a great choice of maritime dishes – or perhaps try a fish roll at the “Op'n Bulln” on a pontoon. Your route continues in the direction of Hamburg’s city centre. Cycling along the Elbwiesen nature reserve, you will follow the path of the river, passing yacht clubs (to the right) and stately villas (to the left). If you are in a competitive mood, you can take up a race with one of the giant ships arriving with the tide at the container terminals on the other side of the Elbe.

The south side of the Elbe is also home to the world's third largest aircraft workshops – the Airbus plant in Finkenwerder, the birthplace of the A320 holiday planes and the legendary A380 double-decker. Passing various beer gardens, you will now reach the romantic highlight of your tour: the Lime Tree Terrace of the Hotel Louis C. Jacob, also known as the “Liebermann Terrace”, named after the famous impressionist painter, who captured the beauty of this place in 1902. Here you can enjoy your afternoon tea in a truly unique setting. A little later, as you reach the Teufelsbrück jetty, you will take a short detour to the Jenischpark, an English-style landscaped park that is also home to the Jenisch Haus and the Ernst Barlach Haus – the cultural highlight of your cycle tour. A few minutes later, you will pass the “Alter Schwede”, a glacial erratic with a weight of more than 200 tonnes. You will then reach Oevelgönne, a lovely village with a great choice of eateries and some old captain's cottages (you are better off pushing your bike now). Here you can also find the Strandperle, the mother of all Hamburg beach clubs – ideal for a cool bottle of beer and a well-deserved rest on the beach.

Leaving the Oevelgönne museum harbour behind you, the scenery becomes more urban: at Alter Fischereihafen, you can grab a fresh fish roll from the fish wholesalers, and on Saturday mornings you can treat yourself to oysters and champagne in one of the small fish restaurants opposite. By the way, Hamburg’s famous fish market is held every Sunday from 5 to 9:30 a.m. outside the historic fish auction hall. A must for all guests, it can be enjoyed first thing in the morning or at the end of a St Pauli party night. The route along the St Pauli Landungsbrücken (excellent fish rolls also at “Brücke 10”) will be a bit busier, until you reach your final destination – the Elbphilharmonie in the HafenCity. Make sure to check out the Plaza viewing platform for a gorgeous panoramic view. And if you’re still bursting with energy, you can continue along the cycle path to the Entenwerder peninsula for coffee at Public Coffee Roasters and a slice of cake at Entenwerder1 – a pontoon café on the Northern Elbe that is popular among locals.

Hamburg means life on the water

In Northern Germany, this year’s sunny spring is expected to be followed by a wonderful summer – quite contrary to popular belief, according to which rain is thought to be your constant companion in the north. While the truth lies in the middle, Hamburg’s locals love to venture out to the city's urban shore in all weather.

The River Elbe awaits you with its refreshing breeze, inviting you to discover the region without the heat of the summer catching up on you. Life in Hamburg is shaped by the element of water, and this can be felt most when exploring locations along the waterfront. The view of the Elbe is omnipresent, and with a cool breeze on your back and the sound of seagulls in the air you can envision the ocean on the horizon. As you step out the door, a warm ray of sunshine and the smell of sea salt evoke this special Hamburg feeling. The choice is yours: whether you fancy a healthy run, coffee with friends on the water, a boat excursion, a stand-up paddling tour or simply a peaceful walk with your dog – Hamburg’s waterside locations provide the perfect environment for enjoying the summer to the full.