Weekend in Hamburg, 48 hours under full sail

We imagine him gray and sad.

Boring.

Hamburg is anything but that.

Little known, the second largest city in Germany stretches along the Elbe in an architecture testifying to a rich trading past.

Some sets are Unesco classified while others are emerging in the HafenCity district.

A city of water with broad ideas, it has the chic of the discreet bourgeoisie with an alternative and rebellious spirit.

On one side the Elbe, its port and its container ships, on the other the Alster, its lake and its canals filled with Stand Up Paddles, oars, canoes and sailboats.

Between the two, a rich cultural scene boils.

The Elbphilharmonie sets the tone.

New symbol of the city, its unique building plays on impressions of liquid, reflections and waves.

The North Sea is very present.

Some days you can feel it in the air, the wind and the tides, almost making you forget that it is a hundred kilometers away.

So, there is a strong desire to take to the seas on one of the city's beaches.

Read also: Industrial heritage and maze of canals: Hamburg, rust and water

The arrival

Hamburg Airport is very close to the city center which is always surprising.

It takes 20 to 30 minutes by car from the center.

The airport is accessible by metro on line S1.

TRANSPORTATION

By metro

 : valid from and to the airport, the “Hamburg Card” allows unlimited travel by bus, train and ferry as needed, from one to five days.

It also offers discounts on tourist activities.

Each adult ticket gives the right to travel with three children (aged 6 to 14).

1 day from € 10.50;

2 days from € 19.40.

hamburg-travel.com

On two wheels

: StadtRAD Hamburg bikes are parked in one of the city's 250 stations.

The first 30 minutes of each trip are free.

Daily rental from € 15.

stadtrad.hamburg.de

By collective taxi

: Moia is a collective taxi system, in a luxury electric van, operating like a bus with predefined stops.

Cheaper than a taxi.

moia.io

By car

: Share Now allows you to rent a car from 0.19 cents per minute without having to bring it back to a specific location.

share-now.com

MORE INFORMATIONS

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THE HOTEL ON THE WATER

HafenKran Hamburg

Sleep in a harbor crane?

A unique experience in Hamburg.

Press photo

Have you ever slept in a boat?

Perhaps.

But you've probably never slept in a harbor crane before.

HafenKran is moored in the waters of the new HafenCity district opposite the Elbphilharmonie.

Which changes colors under the rays and whims of the sun.

The crane?

A few square meters but well thought out.

In the "entrance", a sink, a table area, a bench, a fireplace and, behind a partition, a shower and toilet.

At the end of a steep staircase, upstairs, there is a metal cocoon, a bed and two armchairs.

Breakfast is served in a basket the next morning.

To reserve for special occasions.

Night from 390 €.

HafenKran Hamburg, 60-62 Am Sandtorkai, 20457 Hamburg.

Phone.

: +49 30 818 645 91.

THE BOAT TO SEE

Peking

More than a century old, this 115-meter-long four-masted sailboat has a history linked to the port of Hamburg.

After decades in distant waters, it has just returned to its initial home port last September.

An event for the Hanseatic City.

Opened in 1911, the Peking was one of the fastest and most robust sailing ships in the world's oceans and one of the most technically advanced.

He transported, in his early days, nitrates and cereals between Europe and Chile before having several lives linked to the upheavals of history.

He stayed in New York for a long time before returning to Germany in 2017 where he was brilliantly restored.

It is now visible from the outside.

Hafenmuseum Hamburg / Peking, Kopfbau Schuppen 50A, Australiastrasse, 20457 Hamburg.

Phone.

: +49 40 730 911 84.

THE BAR IN VIEW (AND WITH A VIEW)

Puzzle Bar

From the Puzzle Bar, the view over Hamburg is spectacular.

Press photo

A lot of ink spilled over the Puzzle Bar when it opened last June.

It's not every day that a three-star chef, Kevin Fehling, opens a cocktail bar with his right-hand man, Dennis Ilies and a mixologist, Daniel Hammer.

In HafenCity, a few meters from the famous chef's table at "The Table", the bar is perched on the roof of a building.

The view is simply magnificent.

The Elbe is at our feet, the port on the other side.

This industrial landscape (flower market halls and railway) flirts with the city center and its historic church spiers.

As for the menu, it is very inspired, exploring the culinary flavors of the neighboring Michelin map.

We do not tell you more to keep the surprise.

Puzzle Bar, Hersmannstrasse 2, 20457 Hamburg.

Phone.

+49 40 320 828 38.

DAY 1: THE RED CITY, OF BRICKS AND WATER

The Sprinkenhof building in the Kontorhaus district.

Eric Martin / Le Figaro Magazine

Let's leave the postcard aside: Jungfernstieg, the Alster lake and its plush buildings.

Let us also leave the arcades and the luxury boutiques (including that of Montblanc which has its headquarters here).

Finally, let's leave the impressive Rathaus (Town Hall).

Hamburg is best discovered by its historic port.

From the city center, head for the

Kontorhausviertel

, the district of trading houses built in the 20th century.

Sprinkenhof

suddenly appears.

Imposing, the dark brick ensemble is dizzying, even dramatic.

Next to it, the

Chilehaus

seems to be smiling with its facade evoking the bow of a ship.

It houses offices and the Manufactum Warenhaus general store dedicated to the home and fashion with neo-retro design.

Speicherstadt

, finally.

Behind this unpronounceable name is the fascinating “City of Warehouses” classified by Unesco and lined with canals.

Built in bricks at the end of the 19th century, foodstuffs (coffee, tea, spices, tobacco, etc.) were stored there in a thousand and one scents after their long journey on the oceans.

Offices have replaced warehouses.

It's a step back in time that you stretch over tea at

Wasserschloss Speicherstadt

- too bad if it's touristy.

Small (and large) children will prefer another scale, that of the

Miniatur Wunderland,

offering incredible landscapes where miniature electric trains run.

Fun when there are no crowds, which is rare.

Lunch break

The Elbphilharmonie which has become the symbol of Hamburg.

Eric Martin / Le Figaro Magazine

The Elbphilharmonie

looms.

Designed by the architects Herzog & de Meuron in the emerging district of HafenCity, its shape evokes a brick and glass sailboat topped with a roof of waves.

You can access its Plaza by reservation (€ 2) or visit the building (from € 15).

Better to opt for a concert to fully enjoy its architecture and acoustics.

We will have lunch at the foot of the building at the

CARLS Brasserie

(dish from € 28.50), along the Elbe and facing the current port.

The address remains a haunt of regulars, lawyers and businessmen alike, because of the many neighboring offices.

Afternoon

Aboard a Volkswagen combi from the 1980s, WaterKant offers an unusual guided tour of the banks of the Elbe.

On the program, several stops like here the unmissable OberhafenKantine, a restaurant as leaning as the Tower of Pisa.

Eric Martin / Le Figaro Magazine

A colossal project, the

HafenCity

district

aims to expand the city center by 40%.

We discover it by taking the road to the east: new buildings, canals, old port cranes to Lohsepark.

Just after, surprise: the

OberhafenKantine

leans as much as the Leaning Tower of Pisa.

We have a coffee there, not forgetting to climb the crooked staircase.

The street,

Stockmeyerstrasse

, is then discovered in a Berlin atmosphere.

In former railway warehouses, workshops, studios and showrooms have been set up.

There, in her flea market, the chineuse and decorator Johanna Schultz brilliantly mixes eras between furniture and objects.

Further on, another Alibaba cave.

Hanseatische Materialverwaltung

rents and sells sets and props for film or theater, offering on certain summer evenings a bohemian café on the platforms of the old station - ask to take a peek outside the events.

U-turn.

After the bridge, here is the

Deichtorhallen

with an excellent program of photo and painting exhibitions.

The more leggy will continue, if possible by bicycle, around the outer lake of the Alster.

Or better, they will take the water aboard a canoe, a pedal boat or a Stand Up Paddle at the

Supperclub

for example in fine

weather

.

Since the health crisis, the waves have become the new El Dorado.

All Hamburgers now have a board or a boat.

It is the best way to enjoy and discover the city.

The Alster

is bordered by the most beautiful houses in the city, offering a very different image of the port.

Calmer, softer.

Having dinner

The Die Bank restaurant.

Eric Martin / Le Figaro Magazine

Back to the center.

In this liberal city, the

Die Bank

bar and restaurant

seems ideal for a glass of German wine or a cocktail (from € 11.50).

The address, with false airs of the 1980s, is not new but it remains a favorite of trendy chic Hamburgers.

Money is available in all its forms right up to the Queen of England's £ 5 note, placed on the women's toilet.

For dinner we will opt for

Mutterland Cölln's

(main course from € 19).

This address has established itself since 1760 for its fish and seafood. It has recently been nicely brought up to date.

DAY 2: THE WHITE CITY DROWNED IN NATURE

Morning

Landungsbrücken ferry terminals.

Eric Martin / Le Figaro Magazine

Want to take off?

Direction

Landungsbrücken

where we embark for a ride on the Elbe.

The Barkassen-Meyer company (check the timetables in advance) offers a boat trip as close as possible to the huge container ships moored on the other side, in the active port.

It is touristy, of course, but the experience is strong.

We feel very small in front of these sea monsters. The ferry is more economical.

Number 62 leads to

Övelgönne

beach

and these charming little houses with a village atmosphere.

Lunch break

The Strandperle bar.

Eric Martin / Le Figaro Magazine

On the sandy beach, there floats a soft seaside atmosphere.

There the

Strandperle

café-bar-restaurant

has long been an institution.

Better to continue a little further, at

Brücke 10 im Strandhaus

, for lunch in a pseudo fisherman's tavern-house where the decor is worth more than the dish (fish, sausage, salad from € 8).

The atmosphere of the terrace under the trees is very pleasant.

A good vantage point for the impressive ballet of freighters in a setting of harbor cranes.

Afternoon

The Jenischpark.

Eric Martin / Le Figaro Magazine

To prolong the bucolic getaway, we push the walk under the trees, along the Elbe.

A sign indicates the

Jenischpark

, a beautiful high park with an elegant 19th century neoclassical mansion.

It is white like many addresses that wanted to distinguish themselves from the neighborhoods, often in brick, dockers and the port.

Senator Martin Jenisch lived there for a while.

The man had taste.

Another curiosity of the park, it also houses the

Ernst-Barlach Haus

, a cube, white (again!), From the 1960s which houses works by the sculptor Ernst Barlach (1870-1938).

If there's still time and energy left, we'll wander the

St. Pauli

red light district

around the Reeperbahn.

This is where the sailors came to slaughter near the ropemakers and it is also where the Beatles started their career.

A few streets away, bars and restaurants flourish, including

XO Seafoodbar

, less stripped down and more trendy.

There are even rare stores like the one at

Braves & Co

which cuts jeans and shirts in quality fabrics with a slightly vintage look and ultimately out of fashion.

Evening

The Sternschanze district.

Eric Martin / Le Figaro Magazine

You will have to choose.

Retrace your

steps for a nightcap at the

Skyline Bar 20UP

with stunning harbor views or continue to

Sternschanze

, another neighborhood with an alternative spirit - 'street wars' are common at major G20 events.

Again, there is a plethora of restaurants including the famous

Büllerei

which has just reopened in a new setting.

Tim Mälzer, often compared to local Jamie Oliver, is in the kitchen.

Do not leave without making a detour to Feldstrasse underground station.

There, the huge

St Pauli bunker

is undergoing construction and will soon be covered with a lush garden.

To be continued.

Address Book

GOOD TABLES AND LITTLE HUNGER

Mutterland Cölln's store.

Eric Martin / Le Figaro Magazine

CARLS Brasserie, Am Kaiserkai 69, 20457 Hamburg.

Phone.

: +49 40 300 322 400.

Mutterland Cölln's, Brodschrangen 1-5.

Phone.

: +49 40 492 061 15.

Brücke 10 im Strandhaus, Övelgönner Hohlweg 12, 22605 Hamburg.

Phone.

: +49 40 85 35 23 51.

Bullerei, Lagerstrasse 34b, 20357 Hamburg.

Phone.

+49: 40 33 44 2 110.

HAVE A GLASS OR A TEA

Le Comptoir de Thé Wasserschloss store.

Eric Martin / Le Figaro Magazine

Wasserschloss Speicherstadt, Dienerreihe 4, 20457 Hamburg.

Phone.

: +49 40 558 98 26 40.

Oberhafen-Kantine, Stockmeyerstrasse 39, 20457 Hamburg.

Phone.

: +49 40 328 099 84.

Die Banke Brasserie & Bar, Hohe Bleichen 17. 20354 Hamburg.

Phone.

: +49 40 23 800 30.

Skyline Bar 20UP, Bernhard-Nocht-Straße 97, 20359 Hamburg.

Phone.

: +49 40 311 19 70 470.

OR SLEEP ?

The Fontenay

At the edge of the waves, the hotel invites you to a delicious plunge into the sweetness of life in Hamburg.

Like an “urban resort”, this astonishing 5-star hotel offers nature in the heart of the city.

Press photo

Overlooking the calm waters of Lake Alster, this 5-star opened in 2018 is carved into an organic shape, all round and soft, evoking waves.

Behind its glass facade, a maddening 27-meter high atrium overlooks some of the 130 discreetly elegant rooms and suites.

The must-see is the 20-meter-long outdoor / indoor pool, placed on the roof and which seems to blend into the lake.

The hotel is part of the Leading Hotels of the World network.

From 350 €.

The Fontenay, Badestrasse 24, 20148 Hamburg.

Phone.

: + 49 40 605 660 50.

Read also: The Fontenay Hotel in Hamburg, the expert opinion of

Le Figaro

Henri Hotel

A hotel in the city center, close to shops and museums.

Henri Hotel has everything to be friendly: comfortable rooms with a neo-retro look and above all an open kitchen that makes you feel (almost) at home.

You can pick up a salad or a quality snack at any time.

Simple, easy and pleasant address.

From 118 € for two people excluding breakfast.

Henri Hotel, Bugenhagestrasse 21, 20095 Hamburg.

Phone.

: +49 40 554 35 70.

Fraser Suites Hamburg

The Fraser Suites Hamburg opened its doors in May 2019 in a former tax center (Department of Finance). Press photo

Erected at the turn of the 20th century, the old tax hotel was to impress and show the wealth and power of the city.

Today, its semi-circular facade still attracts attention.

The offices have been transformed into 154 rooms and suites, all different, some of which directly overlook the canal.

They have a kitchenette.

From € 169.

Fraser Suites Hamburg, Rödingsmarkt 2, 20459 Hamburg, Germany.

Phone.

: +49 40 380 86 368 88.

Read also: The Fraser Suites hotel in Hamburg, the expert opinion of

Le Figaro

25hours Hotel Altes Hafenamt

The 25hours Hotel group from Hamburg has anchored twice in HafenCity.

Its second address is in the former headquarters of the river and port engineering department in 1885. The amusing old office doors have been transformed into headboards throughout the comfortable rooms.

In the corridors, photographs worthy of an exhibition show the world of the sea - they are from the Mare collection.

Bicycles are available for hire and a Mini is available free of charge for 4 hours.

From 159 €.

25hours Hotel Hamburg Altes Hafenamt, Osakaallee 12, 20457 Hamburg.

Phone.

+49 40 55 55 750.

Read also: The 25hours Hotel Altes Hafenamt in Hamburg, the expert opinion of

Le Figaro

SHOPPING

Boutique of hat designer Johanna Schultz, Rotkäppchen Designs.

Eric Martin / Le Figaro Magazine

Johanna Schultz, Stockmeyerstrasse 43, 20457 Hamburg.

Phone.

: +49 176 242 44 297.

Thomas i-punkt / OMEN, Gänsemarkt 24, 20457 Hamburg.

Phone.

: +49 40 342 009.

Manufactum Warenhaus, Fischertwiete 2, 20095 Hamburg.

Phone.

: +49 40 300 877 743.

Braves & Company Atelier No. 12, Paul-Roosen Strasse 12

,

22767 Hamburg.

Phone.

: +49 40 180 10 146.

Torquado Hamburg, Grosse Bleichen 36, 20354 Hamburg.

Phone.

: +49 40 636 079 04.

TO DO

The Supperclub in the Eppendorf district.

Eric Martin / Le Figaro Magazine

Miniatur Wunderland, Kehrwieder 2, 20457 Hamburg.

Phone.

: +49 40 300 6 800.

Hanseatische Materialverwaltung, Stockmeyerstrasse 41, 20457 Hamburg.

Phone.

: +49 172 433 00 55.

Barkassen-Meyer, Landungsbrücken, Pont 2 and 6. Tel.

: +49 40 31 77 370.

Supperclub, Isekai 13, 20249 Hamburg.

Phone.

: +49 40 473 461.

Read also: Rooms with a view, terraces and concept stores, Hamburg in 30 addresses by the water