Christmas Charms along the Elbe: Exploring Hamburg's Festive Spirit.
Hamburg, located in northern Germany, is a city that truly comes alive during the Christmas season. Nestled along the banks of the Elbe River, Hamburg transforms into a Winter wonderland with its enchanting Christmas markets and festive decorations adorning the streets. The city's main Christmas market, held in the heart of the city centre, offers a magical atmosphere with its array of beautifully decorated stalls selling handcrafted gifts, ornaments, and delicious treats. Visitors can delight in the aroma of roasted almonds, mulled wine, and gingerbread, while enjoying live music and performances. The twinkling lights that adorn the historic buildings and the grand Christmas tree in the centre of the market create a captivating ambiance that is sure to fill visitors with holiday cheer. In addition to the main market, Hamburg offers a variety of smaller markets throughout the city, each with its unique charm and offerings. From the medieval market at the historic Speicherstadt district to the maritime-themed market at the harbour, there is something for everyone to enjoy. Whether taking a ride on the giant Ferris wheel for panoramic views of the city or ice skating on one of the many outdoor rinks, Hamburg at Christmas time is a festive experience that captures the spirit of the season.
- Our top 5 Christmas Markets 🎄-
Germans do Christmas to another level, it is sensational! Although all the markets are similar to a point, they each offer a unique atmosphere, as they are dotted throughout various areas of the city, so not only do you get to explore the markets themselves, you also get to experience the city and what it has to offer.
With no more further delay, our top 5 favourites are:
Hamburger.weihnachtsmarkt - The main market, located in front of the City Town Hall, serving our favorite Gluhwein and Santa flies over the market at 4pm, 6pm & 8pm. This atmosphere is electric.
Santapauli.hamburg - A Christmas market like no other, set in a unique part of the city, offering a very interesting array of stalls and food options.
Tortue_hamburg - The most beautiful courtyard market and on the doorstep of where we stayed… More on this in a bit!
Winterwald - ‘Winter forest’ market set in the city centre, give you a unique feeling as though you’re in a forest situated in the centre of a little forest. Small and very intermit, a great spot for a Glühwein.
Weihnachtsmarkt at Jungfernstieg - Located on the promenade which runs alongs the Binnenalster, offers beautiful views of the city with a vast array of stores selling handmade decorations and the sale of fresh treats.
WHERE TO STAY
Where you choose to stay is a very personal choice, depending on your budget and what sort of accommodation you like to stay in. We found a hotel that captivated us the moment we found it online. Welcome to Tortue Hamburg…
HOTEL TORTUE HAMBURG
This hotel we’d say boasts one of the best locations for one looking to be near the city centre, yet you feel so relaxed in the most elegant of spaces. Honestly, this was the best hotel experiences we have had yet on our travels. Yes, this was on the upper end budget, but so worth it on every level. This hotel has 128 sensational rooms with a multitude of options to choose from, incredible breakfasts at their Brassiere, sensational cocktails at their bar noir & delicious sushi from their own restaurant Jin Gui.
In order to truly experience all this place has to offer, take our word for it and check in. You will not be let down. Their staff are incredibly professional and accommodating and they go out of their way to look after you and make you feel truly at home. It is perfectly located in the city centre, and is easily accessible on a direct train from the airport to Stadthausbrücke station on the S1 train, and tickets are affordable at €3.60 per person.
Regardless of what hotel you are looking for, you can sure rest assured that there is a multitude of options to choose from in the city to meet your budget. We would suggest looking to stay as central as possible for ease of access to sites and if you are there during Christmas period, ease of access to Christmas markets.
Our favourite Restaurants
When visiting Hamburg and most German cities, you are likely to be exposed to an incredible array of dining options, representing various nationalities, flavours & styles. It truly is a phenomenal city for foodies, no matter where you are from in the world.
Cardamom: HANDS DOWN THE BEST Indian food we have ever eaten, anywhere in the world. It was truly sensational. A family run business, newly opened, serving authentic Indian food, with levels of flavour that we have never experienced before. We would highly recommend the Cardamom spritz, the prawn & mango curry and the trufflw malai curry with lamb.
See the menuJin Gui: This is a pan Asian restaurant (which is also part of the Hotel) was absolutely delightful. Serving the freshest, most flavoursome sushi and cocktails all in an elegant cosy environment. We would highly recommend the mango chilli martini.
See the menuEdmondo: One of the greatest Italian meals we’ve had! 1 of 3 sister restaurants in Germany with the other two in Berlin & Munich. They serve “100% HOMEMADE FOOD, 70% OF OUR MENU ARE VEGETARIAN DISHES FRESH & PRODUCTS DIRECTLY FROM ITALY FROM SMALL PRODUCERS”. Do yourself and make a reservation. This was a delightful experience from beginning to end.
See the menu60 Seconds to Napoli: Another Italian, yes, but a very different experience from Edmondo. Located in the city center, this Italian serves freshly made pizzas with passion along with classic German beer. A perfect spot for lunch, when you are hungry and in need for respite from the freezing December air.
See the menuMarshall street coffee: A perfect spot for a delightful breakfast & of course coffee. If they have their Colombian coffee, request this as a pour over and drink it black. It’ll be a coffee you’ll never forget. We regret not buying a bag to take home.
Ba Nomu: Cocktails to another level. Situated in the city center, this cocktail bar is sensational offering an amzing array of cocktails.
Planten Coffee: Sure to be one of if not the best coffee you’ll drink in Hamburg. Coffee served by the most delightful staff, and just a stones throw from the Planten un Blomen gardens, we would highly suggest popping in for an espresso or ‘black batch brew of the Colombian’. They’ll know exactly what you mean.
Sights to See
As mentioned above, this city is vast with so much to see and we barely scratched the surface, but here are a few things we really enjoyed while exploring and would suggest you check them out…
St. Michael's Church - Visit the church tower (€5 for a tower pass per person)
Planten un Blomen
Walk along harbour front
Elbphilharmonie building
Speicherstadt District (view point)
Neuer Wall St.
To end off, we hope this guide has given you a sufficient feel for Hamburg. We absolutely loved this city and felt it was not completely overrun by tourism. Like always, if you are inspired and end up booking a trip based on one of our guides, we would love to hear from you. Happy exploring :)
