Travel planner
Plan your days in Hamburg.
Three finished plans, built from the same sights, hotels and restaurants we cover on the rest of this site. Hour by hour, with walking distances that actually work.
Hamburg rewards a plan more than most German cities, because the three things people come for sit in three different places: the working port on the Elbe in the south, the two lakes in the middle of downtown, and the nightlife of St. Pauli in between. Get the order wrong and you spend the trip crossing the city. These planners get the order right.
Every stop links through to its own page here, with the operator's own price and hours where we have them. Nothing on these pages is a sponsored placement.
The planners
Pick the one that matches how long you have.
3 Days in Hamburg
The classic first visit: harbor piers, the UNESCO warehouse district, the Elbphilharmonie, the Alster lakes, St. Pauli and the Sunday morning fish market.
When
May through September, when the harbor stays light late and the free water-light concerts run in Planten un Blomen
Hamburg in 48 Hours
A tight two-day plan for short breaks, stopovers and cruise passengers: the harbor on day one, downtown and the Kiez on day two.
When
Year-round, though the outdoor stops are far better from April through October
Where to Stay in Hamburg
A decision guide, not a hotel list: six Hamburg neighborhoods compared on price, noise, transit and what you actually walk to when you step outside.
When
Demand peaks around the harbor birthday in May, the Reeperbahn Festival in September and the Christmas markets in December
Before you go
The practical pieces that make the itineraries work on the ground.
eSIM for Germany
Who needs a travel eSIM (US, UK, Canada, Australia) and who does not (EU phones roam free), with Saily, Airalo, Holafly, Breeze and Jetpac compared at September 2026 prices.
TransitGetting around Hamburg
How the HVV works: one ticket for subway, buses and the harbor ferries, and the app discount.
CruiseHamburg cruise port
The three terminals, getting into town on your own, and what fits into a shore day.
What the plans are built from
Five places that show up in nearly every Hamburg trip, whether you have two days or five.
