Maritime Hamburg | The wide world in the harbour
The whole world in a harbour
Do you fancy water, harbour flair and big boats? Then you are in the right place near the Elbe. No matter whether you want to go on your own - or want to experience the highlights of the harbour birthday or cruise days: We tell you when and where you can enjoy maritime flair in its purest form in Hamburg. Explore the harbour from the water, or by foot on a guided tour that shows you Hamburg's maritime highlights. Get a taste of cruise air and marvel at the large barges that enter the harbour every day.
Discover in Hamburg Maritime sights
The list of maritime sights seems almost endless - about time for a valuable overview.
Where to watch ships
In Hamburg, the best and most well-known ocean liners in the world regularly enter and leave the harbour, which makes Hamburg a popular place for ship-spotters - 12 months out of the year.
Explore the port of Hamburg Harbour Round Trips
When you visit Hamburg, don't miss a boat cruise through the harbour. Whether you take a hop-on, hop-off launch ride, an atmospheric round trip in the evening or a high-speed tour - there's something for every taste.
Picturesque small harbour at the Elbe river Museum Harbour Oevelgönne
On 22 November 2024, the new visitor and information centre of the Oevelgönne Museum Harbour will be officially opened. Built on a historic floating pontoon, it not only offers exciting insights into Hamburg's maritime history, but also a panoramic…
Shipping & Cruises
Experience the metropolis on the Elbe before or after your cruise or just watch the ships. Be there live and up close when the most amazing cruise ships arrive at Hamburg's cruise terminals.
Hamburg's maritime places
For explorers, there are plenty of maritime places to discover in Hamburg! Start at the Landungsbrücken for a leisurely tour of the harbour, past giant container ships and historic sailing vessels. Explore the Speicherstadt with its red brick facades, dreamy canals and unique museums. Or be impressed by the modern HafenCity, home to the Elbphilharmonie Concert Hall, which offers breathtaking view of the city and harbour. Check out these and many more maritime spots in Hamburg:
Sundays 5 to 9 am Fish Market
Every Sunday morning since 1703 Hamburg's most traditional market has been trading in just about anything and everything that isn't nailed down.
Hamburg's water station. Landungsbrücken
The floating dock - called the "Landungsbrücken" (landing stages) – is 700 metres long. Harbour tours and the HADAG steamers to Finkenwerder,…
UNESCO World Heritage Site in Hamburg Speicherstadt
The Speicherstadt is probably the best-known symbol of the maritime history of the Hanseatic city of Hamburg. The UNESCO World Heritage Site is the…
HafenCity
HafenCity combines tradition and modernity in a unique symbiosis. A true architectural and cultural delight! Attractions such as Miniatur Wunderland,…
Port of Hamburg
About 8,000 ships from all over the world call at Europe's second largest port. From Hamburgs cruise ship terminal to the historic Speicherstadt and…
Outstanding German civil engineering Alter Elbtunnel
When the old Elbe Tunnel, also called St. Pauli Elbe Tunnel, opened in 1911, it was a technical sensation. Today, it is a nostalgic and lovingly…
A ship that has seen the world Museum Ship RICKMER RICKMERS
The museum ship RICKMER RICKMERS in the Hamburg harbour is a floating monument reminding of the times of the great windjammers in Hamburg, open daily…
A piece of the hamburg harbour panorama Cap San Diego
The White Swan of the South Atlantic - The "Cap San Diego" was built in 1961 as a cargo ship and has been a museum ship with a fixed berth at the…
Stroll, relax and watch the ships on the Elbe beach Elbe beach
The Elbe beach near Övelgönne is a pretty hot tip in summer. When the temperatures rise and the sun burns, nothing is more refreshing than a jump into…
Goods from all over the world Container terminals
Approx. 85 million tons of goods are shipped daily at the four terminals of Europe's second largest container harbour.
The history of shipping Deutsches Hafenmuseum (German Harbour Museum) - Location: Shed 50A
Hamburg's history as an important transhipment point for the shipping industry can be experienced with exciting guided tours and many exhibits in the…
This is how cheap a harbour tour is Harbour ferries in Hamburg
With the HADAG harbour ferries, you can explore Hamburg wonderfully from the water.
The Elbe
You can experience the "big pots" - big ships - up close at numerous places along the Elbe. Apart from the Landungsbrücke and the fish market, there…
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Up to 50% discount on over 150 tourist attractions
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Urban.Shore.Hamburg
Hamburg – City at the waterfront
Life on the water makes Hamburg really special. Discover the city on the water and enjoy its maritime diversity.
Maritime Events
The water of the Alster or Elbe is within reach in almost all corners of Hamburg. Experience unique events near the water and at the harbour!
DISCOVER NOW Maritime Highlights in Hamburg at a glance
Altona Museum
Visitors can find out more about the history of the popular Hanseatic city and the whole of Schleswig-Holstein at the Altona Museum in Hamburg. The museum brings you closer to the art and cultural history of northern Germany as well as fishing and sailing.
Cap San Diego
The White Swan of the South Atlantic - The "Cap San Diego" was built in 1961 as a cargo ship and has been a museum ship with a fixed berth at the Überseebrücke in Hamburg since 1986.
Deutsches Hafenmuseum (German Harbour Museum) - Location: Shed 50A
Hamburg's history as an important transhipment point for the shipping industry can be experienced with exciting guided tours and many exhibits in the authentic harbour museum.
Deutsches Hafenmuseum - Standort Schuppen 50A
Australiastraße (Kopfbau des Schuppens) 50A
22457 Hamburg
Emigrant Museum BallinStadt
The emigrant museum BallinStadt in Hamburg opens its doors and shows in its exhibition the emigration history from four epochs.
German Customs Museum
Located in the historic Speicherstadt warehouse district, the German Customs Museum invites its guests a vivid and lively insight into the world of those who have been collecting and the German Customs Museum invites visitors to learn about the world of those who collect customs duties from ancient times to the present day and those who prefer to smuggle.
International Maritime Museum
Kaispeicher B in Hamburg's Speicherstadt is home to the world's largest private collection of maritime treasures from 3000 years of shipping and naval history.
Further maritime travel and experience offers
Hamburg for explorers On water, on land and on foot
- overnight stay in a Hotel, with breakfast
- Guided tours by bus, boat and on foot
- Hamburg CARD (3 Days) – ticket worth 33.50€
To offer
from 194.10 €
Harbour tours tickets Maritime Experiences
- Port of Hamburg & Warehouse District
- Different tours
- Online, fast and secure booking
To the offer
from 24.00 €
Alster boat trips tickets Hamburg's Blue Centre
- Sightseeing from the water
- Different tours
- Online, fast and secure booking
To the offer
from 22.00 €
Buzzing City by the Water Discoverer Experience
- overnight stay in a hotel, with breakfast
- Sightseeing tour on a red double-decker
- 1-hour harbour tour on the Elbe
To offer
from 171.10 €
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You should see this Sights in Hamburg
A short holiday in Hamburg also means sightseeing in Hamburg. Whether the Elbe Philharmonic, Landungsbrücken or Hamburg City Hall - they and many other sights are simply part of a trip to Hamburg. The easiest way to explore Hamburg's sights is on a sightseeing tour with the striking double-decker buses.
On the trail of the past Historical Hamburg
Hamburg is marked by its historical heritage: the most famous buildings are the Chilehaus and the Kontorhäuser on Burchardplatz, but the Sprinkenhof, Mohlenhof and Meßberghof are also popular tourist destinations. But the Old Elbe Tunnel remains undisputed. Discover historical Hamburg now!
Parks and outdoor areas Green Hamburg
Far away from the Elbe and Alster, Hamburg also offers many other places for relaxation, play and sports in large, modern but also historic areas.