Hamburg
Hamburg is a port city in northern Germany known for its brick warehouses, its harbor and more than 60 theaters.
We may earn a commission. It never decides our picks.
Hamburg is a port city in northern Germany on the Elbe River, close to the North Sea. It is Germany's second-largest city after Berlin and one of the country's three city-states, along with Berlin and Bremen. Its official name, Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg, points to its past as a free imperial city and a member of the Hanseatic League. The city has about 2,500 bridges, more than London, Amsterdam and Venice combined. Its Speicherstadt warehouse district and the neighboring Kontorhausviertel have been UNESCO World Heritage Sites since 2015.
Visitors come for the harbor, the brick warehouses and the Elbphilharmonie, a sail-shaped concert hall that opened in January 2017 on an old warehouse. The city has more than 60 theaters, over 100 music venues and about 125 museums. The Beatles played in Hamburg from August 1960 to December 1962, including at the Star-Club in St. Pauli. The warmest months are June to August, with temperatures of about 18 to 22 °C, and rain is common year-round.
Hamburg in five
- Take the S-Bahn from the airportThe S1 reaches the main station in about 25 minutes, on a normal HVV ticket.
- Ride harbor ferry 62Ferries are part of the HVV network, so a normal ticket covers a harbor trip from Landungsbrücken to Finkenwerder.
- Get a Plaza ticket for the ElbphilharmonieThe viewing Plaza is free on the day; timed tickets booked online carry a small fee. Concert tickets sell out months ahead.
- Book Miniatur WunderlandThe model railway in the Speicherstadt is very popular. Timed tickets online avoid long waits.
- Go to the fish market early on SundayThe Altona Fischmarkt runs early on Sunday mornings and is done by mid morning.
Things to do in Hamburg
See all attractions in Hamburg
Need to know
- Airport
- Hamburg (HAM), about 25 min to the main station by S1
- Getting there
- ICE from Berlin about 1 hour 45 min; train from Copenhagen about 4.5–5 hours
- Getting around
- U-Bahn, S-Bahn, buses and harbor ferries on HVV tickets
- Best base
- St Georg near the station, or the Neustadt near the harbor
- Time needed
- 2–3 days
Weather by month
- Rainy days
- Snowy days
- Festival
- Best
- Good
- Mixed
- Poor
- JanuaryRain14 rainy days1 snowy dayHigh5°Low1°Cold, grayJanuaryRain
Poor
- High
- 5°
- Low
- 1°
- Precipitation
- 81 mm
- Rainy days
- 14
- Snowy days
- 1
- Days with storms
- 0
Cold, gray
- FebruaryRain13 rainy days1 snowy dayHigh6°Low1°Cold, wetFebruaryRain
Poor
- High
- 6°
- Low
- 1°
- Precipitation
- 72 mm
- Rainy days
- 13
- Snowy days
- 1
- Days with storms
- 0
Cold, wet
- MarchPartly cloudy11 rainy daysHigh9°Low2°Cool, windyMarchPartly cloudy
Mixed
- High
- 9°
- Low
- 2°
- Precipitation
- 55 mm
- Rainy days
- 11
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Cool, windy
- AprilRain12 rainy daysHigh13°Low4°Mild, showersAprilRain
Good
- High
- 13°
- Low
- 4°
- Precipitation
- 55 mm
- Rainy days
- 12
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Mild, showers
- MayPartly cloudy12 rainy daysHigh18°Low8°Mild, greenMayPartly cloudy
Best
- High
- 18°
- Low
- 8°
- Precipitation
- 62 mm
- Rainy days
- 12
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Mild, green
- JuneRain12 rainy daysHigh22°Low12°Long daysJuneRain
Best
- High
- 22°
- Low
- 12°
- Precipitation
- 76 mm
- Rainy days
- 12
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Long days
- JulyRain15 rainy daysHigh22°Low13°Warm, busyJulyRain
Best
- High
- 22°
- Low
- 13°
- Precipitation
- 91 mm
- Rainy days
- 15
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Warm, busy
- AugustPartly cloudy12 rainy daysHigh23°Low14°Warm, busyAugustPartly cloudy
Best
- High
- 23°
- Low
- 14°
- Precipitation
- 65 mm
- Rainy days
- 12
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Warm, busy
- SeptemberPartly cloudy10 rainy daysHigh20°Low12°Mild, calmerSeptemberPartly cloudy
Best
- High
- 20°
- Low
- 12°
- Precipitation
- 63 mm
- Rainy days
- 10
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Mild, calmer
- OctoberRain15 rainy daysHigh14°Low8°Cool, rainOctoberRain
Mixed
- High
- 14°
- Low
- 8°
- Precipitation
- 83 mm
- Rainy days
- 15
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Cool, rain
- NovemberRain14 rainy days1 snowy dayHigh8°Low4°Gray, darkNovemberRain
Poor
- High
- 8°
- Low
- 4°
- Precipitation
- 63 mm
- Rainy days
- 14
- Snowy days
- 1
- Days with storms
- 0
Gray, dark
- DecemberRain13 rainy days1 snowy dayHigh6°Low2°Christmas marketsDecemberRain
Poor
- High
- 6°
- Low
- 2°
- Precipitation
- 70 mm
- Rainy days
- 13
- Snowy days
- 1
- Days with storms
- 0
Christmas markets
Average daily high and low in Hamburg, 2016–2025. Rainy day: 1 mm of rain or more.
Festivals: Mar Hamburger Dom · Apr Hamburger Dom · Jul Hamburger Dom · Aug Hamburger Dom · Nov Hamburger Dom · Dec Hamburger Dom
Right now in Hamburg
Local time, today's weather and the exchange rate, refreshed through the day.
9
- Feels like
- 8°
- Humidity
- 94%
- Wind
- 4 km/h
- Chance of rain
- 78%
Hamburg
11:37 PM
Monday, November 2
- Today10°8°78%Monday: Rain. High 10°, Low 8°. Chance of rain 78%.
- Tue10°5°23%Tuesday: Rain. High 10°, Low 5°. Chance of rain 23%.
- Wed10°4°0%Wednesday: Partly cloudy. High 10°, Low 4°. Chance of rain 0%.
- Thu9°4°0%Thursday: Partly cloudy. High 9°, Low 4°. Chance of rain 0%.
- Fri9°2°0%Friday: Cloudy. High 9°, Low 2°. Chance of rain 0%.
- Sat5°3°0%Saturday: Fog. High 5°, Low 3°. Chance of rain 0%.
- Sun5°2°0%Sunday: Cloudy. High 5°, Low 2°. Chance of rain 0%.
Updated 10:09 PM local time · Weather data by Open-Meteo.com
Coming up
Every year
- Mar–DecHamburger DomHamburg
- JunKiel WeekKiel, a day trip
- OctFreimarktBremen City, a day trip
Day trips by train
- Lübeckabout 45 minutes by trainThe Hanseatic old town on an island, with the Holstentor gate.Read the guide
- Lüneburgabout 30 minutes by trainA salt town of gabled brick houses.
- Bremenabout 1 hour by trainThe market square, the town hall and the Schnoor quarter.Read the guide
Before you go to Hamburg
We may earn a commission. It never decides our picks.
Rules for Hamburg, checked
- Most non-EU visitors can stay up to 90 days in any 180-day period across the Schengen area. Check entry rules on the Federal Foreign Office site before you book.Source
- Dial 110 for police and 112 for fire or an ambulance anywhere in Germany.
- Outside private property, dogs need a leash unless you are in a designated dog run. All dogs must be chipped, registered and insured.
- One HVV ticket is valid on all HVV services, including S-Bahn, U-Bahn, buses and HADAG ferries.
Plan around Hamburg
Cities, rail, entry rules and money
Read the guideLübeckThe Hanseatic old town, about 45 minutes away
Read the guideBremenMarket square and the Schnoor quarter
Read the guideCopenhagenThe next big city north by train
Read the guideTrains, buses and carsGetting around Germany beyond the ICE
Read the guideHamburg FAQ
Is the Elbphilharmonie Plaza free?
Yes. Plaza tickets on the day are free; booking online in advance adds a small fee. Concert tickets are separate.
How do I get from Hamburg Airport to the city?
Take the S1 to the main station, about 25 minutes. It runs every 10 minutes for most of the day.
Can I use the Deutschlandticket in Hamburg?
Yes. It covers local and regional transport across Germany, including HVV trains, buses and harbor ferries.
How many days do you need in Hamburg?
Two full days cover the harbor, the Speicherstadt, the Elbphilharmonie and one neighborhood. Add a third for Lübeck or the Sunday fish market.
Is Hamburg worth visiting?
Yes, if you like harbors and architecture: brick warehouses, canals, ferries on a transit ticket and a strong music scene around St Pauli. It offers atmosphere more than one headline sight.