Hamburg is the second largest city in Germany and located in the North of the country on the river Elbe. Although not directly on the sea the harbour is considered a sea port and is the largest in all of Germany and only the second largest in Europe.
Much of the old city was destroyed firstly by the great fire of 1842 and then by heavy bombing during the Second World War so the city of Hamburg is not one noted for its historical architecture. There are though a number of historical points of reference in Hamburg namely the cathedral St Jacobi and the Baroque church of St Michael that spatter the Hamburg skyline with their pale green coloured copper spires.
The City of Hamburg plays host to some 2300 bridges crossing its various canals and the ‘modern Venice’ style warehouse district is must for visitors to experience the waterways of the harbour. Hamburg is also famous world wide for the Reeperbahn, the second largest red light district in Europe.
Hamburg is a fantastic city to visit either for a city break or as a base from which to explore the North of Germany. Either way the city will captivate you with its individuality and almost City state like presence.
Why not take a look at the interactive map of Hamburg via the menu on the left to get a better view of the parts of the city that interest you.