Shopping in Hamburg

Luxury shops on grand boulevards, a relaxed stroll through elegant shopping arcades, original, young fashion directly from designers, quirky antiques from Hamburg's rich past. Or maybe you would prefer eco-friendly garments straight from manufacturers and small specialist shops? In any event, when you go shopping in Hamburg, you are spoiled for choice.

Large Kontorhaus buildings and broad promenades – Hamburg’s inner city boulevards have a long tradition. The Jungfernstieg along the Inner Alster Lake is Hamburg’s most renowned and most traditional shopping boulevard. It owes its name (which can be translated as Maiden’s Walk) to the single daughters of well-to-do Hamburg families, who would take their Sunday walk on this promenade in the old days. Today, the Jungfernstieg is all about shopping in distinguished retail shops and large department stores such as the famous Alsterhaus. 

Mönckebergstrasse is Hamburg’s major shopping mile. The Mö, as the locals fondly call this street, has been the central link between the town hall and the central train station since 1909. The buildings on Mönckebergstrasse pay witness to the city’s merchants’ pride and economic stability. And even today, this boulevard displays an impressive variety of large department stores, fashion boutiques, retail shops, cafés and food stalls. The Levantehaus is among the city’s smallest and finest shopping arcades.

The streets adjacent to the Mö also provide ample opportunities for discovery, among them Gertrudenstrasse, Rosenstrasse, Hermannstrasse and Paulstrasse with their antiques shops, galleries, and book and record shops. Rich in art galleries and elegant retail shops, the Kontorhaus quarter at Burchardplatz is another area of town that is well worth visiting.

Noble and Beautiful

Just beside the town hall you will find Neuer Wall, one of Europe’s leading designer fashion promenades. Labels such as Louis Vuitton and Jil Sander, jewelers Bulgari and Cartier, as well as Hermès accessories all have a branch at Neuer Wall. But the street is also home to a number of traditional retailers, among them Modehaus Unger, Sönnichsen jewelers, and the branch of Hamburg-based Montblanc.

The ABC quarter is characterised by beautiful Art Nouveau facades and petite villas. This part of town is also known as the “Satin Quarter”. Here you can find around 40 specialist shops that are renowned for their personal approach, knowledgeable advice and excellent service. The name of the ABC quarter originates in the fact that in the old days, these houses were provided with letters rather than numbers.

Hamburg’s Inner City Arcades

Hamburg’s city centre has as many as 26 shopping arcades, providing you with a sheltered shopping experience in any weather. Established between 1844 and 1846, just shortly after the Great Fire of Hamburg, the Alsterarkaden impresses with their Venetian flair. To date, the Alsterarkaden have been admired for their elegant lightness. The Mellin Passage is the smallest of Hamburg’s arcades and connects the Alsterarkaden and Neuer Wall. Its Venetian style ceiling paintings are a touristic sight in itself. At the heart of the city centre you will find the newly renovated Kaufmannshaus, a typical Hamburg Kontorhaus building. Built in 1905, it is a fine example of magnificent Hanseatic Gründerzeit architecture. It is accessed via Neuer Wall through Bleichensteg, a small pedestrian bridge. Today, the Kaufmannshaus trades in fashion, furniture, home accessories, as well as arts and lifestyle products from labels such as ACNE, Crabtree & Evelyn, Anamundi and Muji.

The Galleria shopping arcade with its Art Deco-themed marble, chrome and glass design hosts 25 exclusive retail shops, among them an arts bookshop and a tobacco bar. The Hanse-Viertel let you experience shopping the Hanseatic way: more than 50 boutiques and specialist shops offer a rich diversity of products, ranging from interior furnishings to the finest of lingerie – expert advice and a friendly smile included. Numerous restaurants and cafés, as well as attractive events and exhibitions will further sweeten your shopping experience. With a floor space of 30,000 square meters, the Europapassage is Hamburg’s biggest inner city shopping center and is located at the far end of the Jungfernstieg.

Young shopping

In the city centre, young trendsetters largely head for the pedestrian zone of Spitalerstrasse with its broad choice of highstreet retailers such as Zara and H&M. Also highly frequented are the Monki and Weekday branches close to the Rathausmarkt. This is also the area where you can find streetwear and sneaker shops, as well as young brands such as Miss Sixty and Closed. The Gänsemarkt also offers a number of streetwear retailers. All those who are into Scandinavian, French, Berlin and Hamburg labels will find what they are looking for in the districts of Schanzenviertel and Karolinenviertel. Amidst street cafés, autonomous groups and advertising agencies, you can find all kinds of fashion gems. The area around Schulterblatt – most notably Susannenstrasse, Schanzenstrasse and Bartelsstrasse – hosts an abundance of small, original retail shops. The “young and wild” fashion designers in Hamburg are largely found in the Karolinenviertel around Marktstrasse. An increasing number of young creative designers have also opened home accessories and fashion design shops in St Pauli, most of them can be found between Clemens-Schulz-Strasse and Wohlwillstrasse. 

A customised shopping experience across Hamburg’s districts

Beyond these areas, there are many other districts in Hamburg that invite you on an extensive shopping tour, and each of these districts exudes its own special individual charm. Take for instance the noble Pöseldorf quarter with its interior design shops, galleries and fancy restaurants, or well-to-do Eppendorf, hosting lovingly managed boutiques in the ground floor of magnificent Art Nouveau houses. Also well-worth visiting is the upper part of Eimsbüttel with its busy and yet relaxed retail scene around Osterstrasse. For all those who are looking for quality while wanting to avoid the hustle and bustle of the city, should venture out to the districts of Winterhude and Uhlenhorst. The formerly alternative district of Ottensen is now home to the LOHAS: many of the shops and restaurants around Ottenser Hauptstrasse place a strong focus on sustainability and good healthy living. With its choice of arts and crafts and design shops, St Georg offers a lovely shopping experience.

Outlets

McArthurGlen Designer Outlet Neumünster is the largest designer outlet in Northern Germany and offers a unique shopping experience. It is located only 40 minutes away from Hamburg in the heart of Schleswig-Holstein. Over 120 national and international luxury, designer and lifestyle brands like Armani, Coach and Karl Lagerfeld as well as Polo Ralph Lauren, Escada and Adidas provide unforgettable shopping enjoyment all year round at prices reduced by 30-70% off the RRP. The architecturally beautiful atmosphere and the selection of diverse gastronomy invite guests to linger. There is a convenient shuttle bus service from Hamburg Dammtor Railway Station on Fridays, Saturdays and trading Sundays.

The Soltau Designer-Outlet Center opened in August 2012 in Soltau, approximately 70 kilometres away from Hamburg. On a surface of 13,500 square meters, also more than 80 outlet shops, from Daniel Hechter to WMF, offer discounts of 30 to 70 percent on their products. The shops are located in a 50 metre tall reinforced concrete tower, as well as in five quaint half-timbered houses that pay tribute to the traditional building style of the Heath region.