The 13 Coolest Neighbourhoods in Hamburg

This alternative neighbourhood, usually referred to simply as the “Schanze”, is busy at all times of day. The district’s main street, the Schulterblatt, is dominated by the Rote Flora cultural centre that has been squatted in since 1989, representing Schanze’s leftist and alternative vibe. Start your day with breakfast at a Portuguese bakery, enjoy a lunchtime currywurst, drink an after-work cocktail in one of the bars, and go dancing during the weekend. Just around the corner lies the trendy Karoviertel, known for quirky stores stocking garments by up-and-coming fashion designers.

St Georg, slap-bang in the centre of Hamburg between the main train station and Lake Alster, is the city’s LGBTQ hub – Generation Bar is a popular gay bar on the strip. At the heart of the district, you’ll also find restaurants and cafes representing global cuisine – Bar Humburg is a favourite of A-list celebrities, while Frau Möller draws peckish tourists with its steak and beer, served into the small hours of the morning.

Ottensen is a vibrant multicultural district. It’s a residential area with many shopping opportunities, as well as art and culture venues. Explore the shops and boutiques around the Ottenser Hauptstrasse and Bahrenfelder Strasse, and find a bite to eat at the Alma-Wartenberg-Platz. Nearby you’ll also find the Zeisehallen, a refurbished old factory that now houses a cinema, a gallery and a restaurant; and Die Fabrik, an ammunition depot-turned- popular-alternative-concert hall.

This district, near Lake Alster and Hamburg’s largest park, is an upscale residential neighbourhood. The bi-weekly Isemarkt, held under the steel arcs of a railway line, is Europe’s longest farmers’ market, with more than 200 stalls. The neighbourhood’s main street, Eppendorfer Landstrasse, is lined with historic buildings housing trendy little retail shops and boutiques, as well as cafes and restaurants. As elsewhere in Hamburg, the streets of Eppendorf come alive when the weather is sunny, with locals flocking to the restaurant terraces no matter the season.

Once a humble fishing village, Blankenese is now where to stay in Hamburg if you’re seeking some of its most picturesque areas. Slip into your comfortable trainers and spend your day strolling leisurely past villas and historic mansions in the so-called “District of Stairs” with its 5,000 steps. Once you’ve reached the sandy beach on the River Elbe, stop for a coffee in one of the waterside cafes and enjoy the quarter’s Riviera-like atmosphere.

South west of Schanzenpark, this bohemian area is where to stay in Hamburg for a surfeit of street art, organic cafes, independent record stores and dive bars. It’s a great place to eat, sleep and drink for a decent price too. Beer lovers should make a beeline for Braugasthaus Altes Mädchen, a huge craft brewery and restaurant serving 30 handcrafted beers on tap and more than 70 bottled craft beers from around the world. Cocktail fans are better off at Zoë II, a gloriously shabby-chic bar where all the seats are elegant vintage sofas.

The Elbe island of Wilhelmsburg is Hamburg’s largest quarter with around 50,000 residents. A 12-minute ferry ride to the heart of St Pauli quarter, Wilhelmsburg is popular for its riverside living, cosy pubs, old apartments and lively coffee shops. When you’re craving green space, head to Inselpark, once the home of an international garden exhibition but now resplendent with playgrounds, a skate park, forests and even its very own nature reserve.

Shoppers can spend hours strolling the narrow lanes of Karoviertel lined with vintage fashion shops, one-off boutiques and more record stores than one person could ever need. Separated from Schanzenviertel only by the former abattoir, the area has plenty of places to stop when you’re shop-weary too. Try the tiny Café Klatsch for organic dishes and homemade cakes, or Feldstern for great beers and a killer club sandwich.
Siobhan Grogan contributed additional reporting to this article.