Hamburg - Tours and Excursions

The Hanseatic City of Hamburg is one of the most popular cities in Germany for a city trip. Located directly on the Elbe River with a beautiful port, the most famous nightlife mile in Germany, and many other sights, Hamburg is a great destination for travel within Germany.

Interesting and Exciting Tours in Hamburg

Of course, you can explore Hamburg on your own and thus see many sights. However, if you would like to learn more about specific sights in Hamburg, organized tours are often worthwhile. They are also a suitable alternative when you have less time.

In this article, we present 5 tours in Hamburg that allow you to explore the Hanseatic city by water and land. This way, you can get even more out of your short trip. We can highly recommend the following tours in Hamburg.

How to Get to Hamburg

You can reach Hamburg in many different ways. One of them would be to fly by plane to Helmut-Schmidt-Airport. The route network is extensive, and you can fly to Hamburg from many cities around the world (including within Germany). You can find tickets and times at Skyscanner.

From there, there’s a direct connection with the S-Bahn to the main train station, which brings us to the second option – the train. Hamburg is excellently connected to the ICE and Intercity network and offers four stations for long-distance trains. Besides the main station, these are Dammtor, Harburg, and Altona.

The third option would be the long-distance bus, such as Flixbus, which you can take directly to Hamburg’s bus station from many German and European cities. It’s located just a few meters from the main train station, making it easy to get to your accommodation afterward. You can find tickets for trains and buses at Omio.

The last option, of course, is your own car. The A1 highway leads to Hamburg from the west, the A24 from the east from Berlin, and the A7 from the south. This way, you can travel to Hamburg individually and remain mobile within the Hanseatic city.

Accommodation in Hamburg – Our Hotel Tip

Located in the Speicherstadt, the AMERON Hamburg Hotel offers a perfect starting point to explore Hamburg’s attractions. You can easily walk to the Alster, HafenCity, the Landungsbrücken, or the city center. The rooms are equipped with air conditioning, TV, safe, free Wi-Fi, and more. A good breakfast in the morning will energize you for the day.

Find more hotels here (also in other districts of Hamburg, such as St. Pauli).

1. Hamburg: Harbor Tour

A harbor tour in Hamburg is always an experience! The harbor is one of the largest and most important ports in the world and can be explored wonderfully from the boat. You get a completely different perspective of the Hanseatic city.

A “Barkassenfahrt,” essentially a slightly larger motorboat, brings you closer to the harbor. Here you can see the city’s panorama, the Elbphilharmonie, the Köhlbrandbrücke, and also the container port. A guide provides you with insider knowledge from today as well as from the imperial era, when the Hamburg harbor looked entirely different.

Would you like to explore Hamburg on the water? Then you can book tickets for the harbor tour in advance here. Or check out the Hamburg: Evening Lights Tour in the Harbor if you want to experience a completely different atmosphere.

2. St. Pauli: Tour to the Highlights

It starts at the Tour to the Highlights of St. Pauli at the U-Bahn station of the same name. From there, you’ll explore the famous and infamous part of Hamburg.

The two-hour tour takes you to well-known places like the Davidwache, the Große Freiheit, the Herbertstraße, and even to the boxing club “Zur Ritze”. A guide will provide you with numerous insights into St. Pauli and the Reeperbahn, have a beer or even a shot with you while you get to know the nightlife in Hamburg’s red-light district.

Hamburg and St. Pauli simply belong together. So, don’t miss the St. Pauli: Tour to the Highlights if you want to experience the nightlife in Hamburg.

3. Hamburg: Speicherstadt, HafenCity and Elbphilharmonie Tour

On this tour of Hamburg, you’ll explore the neighborhoods of Speicherstadt and the HafenCity. You’ll discover Hamburg as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, as well as its modern side. Immerse yourself in the history of the old warehouses of the Speicherstadt and gain insight into what it was like here in the past.

The end of the tour takes you to the Elbphilharmonie, where you’ll take a stroll around the exterior of the impressive building. Take a look at the unique glass architecture and gain insider information before you can enter the interior on your own after the tour ends. You shouldn’t miss the rooftop terrace with views over Hamburg.

You can book the tour Hamburg: Speicherstadt, HafenCity, and Elbphilharmonie Tour here.

4. Hamburg: Boat Trip on the Alster

The Alster is a 56-kilometer-long river within Hamburg, essentially a tributary of the Elbe. Very popular for boat trips. It is divided into the Binnenalster, which you can visit directly in the city center at the Jungfernstieg, and the Außenalster, which is popular for those seeking tranquility by the water or engaging in various sports activities.

Most boat trips on the Alster start at the Binnenalster, for example, directly at the aforementioned Jungfernstieg. Along the way, you pass by the Alster Fountain, through the Lombardsbrücke to the Außenalster. While cruising, you can see many of Hamburg’s landmarks (such as the Blue Mosque, the Vier Jahreszeiten Hotel, or the US Consulate) from the water and get to know the city from a different perspective.

Book the boat trip on the Alster in Hamburg here.

5. Hamburg Compact: Bike Tour Through the Hanseatic City

A bike tour through Hamburg is the perfect alternative to get to know the Hanseatic city. Especially in the summer, this is one of the top activities! The tour starts at the meeting point in St. Pauli.

During the 3.5-hour bike tour, you will first pass through the Heiligengeistfeld, where the Hamburger Dom takes place, then to the Outer Alster and then to the Inner Alster. Other highlights include Hamburg City Hall, the Speicherstadt with the impressive Elbphilharmonie, and the HafenCity. So, you’ll get a lot of Hamburg on this tour!

Finally, you will pass by the Michel to the Landungsbrücken before returning to the Reeperbahn of St. Pauli. Don’t worry, on the bike tour, you won’t just cycle from one stop to the next. Rather, you will also pause at the highlights to learn more fascinating details, and a coffee break is also provided.

Here you can book the Compact Hamburg: Bike Tour through the Hanseatic City.

Hamburg: Tours and Tickets

At GetYourGuide you will find many more exciting tours for Hamburg and its surroundings. You can get to know Hamburg in a completely different way and get lots of insider tips from locals.

Have you taken a tour in Hamburg? How did you like such a trip in Hamburg, and do you have any tips for further tours in Hamburg? We look forward to your comment.

Photos: Photo 1 (Hotel recommendation): AMERON Hamburg Hotel