Hamburg

LGBT Travel Guide

Why you should go to Hamburg!

Hamburg - the Venice of the North - is the richest and second largest city in Germany and a major port since the glory days of the Hanseatic League. On the Elbe River about 100 kilometers (60 mi) from the North Sea, it boasts more canals than Venice and Amsterdam combined and more bridges than those two cities and London put together. On the same latitude as Ireland, it has a mild maritime climate - not too hot in summer, not too cold in winter.

The port is the second busiest in Europe with two cruise-line terminals and docks crowded with container ships. In the late 19th and early 20th century, it was where hundreds of thousands of Europeans sailed for the New World. The emigration museum at the old Ballinstad village where emigrants awaited departure has a research center if you want to track down ancestors.

Being a port city, Hamburg is also incredibly diverse. Its nightlife offers a little of everything, including a large red light district (prostitution is legal in Germany) that holds an annual Christmas market. Its music scene - where Bach was music director, the Beatles began their career and heavy metal was big - includes the Reeperbahn Festival, Germany's largest club festival.

Hamburg offers great shopping - whole streets and charming boutiques rather than giant malls - and Christmas markets that pop up all over the city. The pre-dawn Sunday flea market at the Fischmarkt is not to be missed. The tourist's dance card also includes outstanding museums, striking architecture, outdoor activities, good restaurants (particularly for fish) and local beer.

Hamburg has long been a particularly accepting environment for the LGBTQ community. It has not one but two gayborhoods - one in St. Georg, the other in Reeperbahn. It has summer and winter Pride celebrations, a legendary leather party in August and a major Queer movie festival in October. In addition to a wealth of bars and clubs, there's also an active party scene.

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