OMAS APOTHEK
Schanzenstr. 87
FUSION
040 43 66 20
Omas serves up large meals at low prices in a retro-themed bar, outfitted with floral wallpaper and the apothecary drawers that give the restaurant its name. The food is as eclectic as the decor; a mix of German, Italian and American cuisine, and some of the friendliest bar staff on Schanzenstraße, draws in a relaxed crowd of all ages. A popular pick is the breakfast platters, served M-F 9am-noon, and Sa-Su 9-3pm (€7.30, students €6.30).
U3, S11, S21, or S31: Sternschanze. Schnitzelplatter €7.50. Hamburger and fries €6.60. Open daily 9am-1am, F-Sa until 2am or later.
HOFFSKI MÜSLI BAR
Bartelsstr. 8
CEREAL
040 79 69 68 78
A wholesome change from the German diet, this cereal bar let’s you design your own perfect bowl of nuts, grains, cornflakes, chocolate chips, and even the fierce German gummy bears. Also enjoy the bircher müesli, a Swiss morning specialty of cereals soaked over-night in yogurt. Antique white chairs and dark wood floors with gilded accents give this cafe an elegant touch, while keeping the vibe relaxed and low-key.
U3, S11, S21, or S31: Sternschanze. €1.80 for 100 grams, about €3 for a large bowl. Open M-F 8:30am-7pm, Sa 10am-5pm, Su 11am-4pm.
NIGHTLIFE
Reeperbahn and St. Pauli
ROSI’S BAR
Hamburger Berg 7
BAR
On a strip of almost-identical bars running along the Hamburger Berg, Rosi’s stands out with a playlist of mostly soul music, and a 60-year history of serving up drinks to thirsty Hamburgers and Hamburgerins. Rosi, the one-time wife of Tony Sheridan who began managing the bar at 18, still runs it with her son. Wood paneled walls are dressed up with a single disco ball. DJs almost every night starting at 11pm.
S1, S2, or S3 to “Reeperbahn.” Beer €2.50, cocktails €5. Open Su-Th 9pm-4am, F-Sa 9pm-6pm.
BARBARABAR
Hamburger Berg 11
BAR
016 090 36 15 19 www.barbarabar.de
Hamburger Berg is full of laid-back retro bars. Think every-night DJs, cheap(ish) drinks, and sagging sofas. Barbarabar stays true to this form. Its foosball table is a big hit with a crowd of young students, where matches can get almost as heated as the deep red wallpaper. Music is mostly pop, with a tad of electro on the side.
S1, S2, or S3: Reeperbahn. Beer €2.40, mixed drinks about €5. Open daily 8pm-late.
St. Georg
CAFE GNOSA
Lange Reihe 93
CAFE, GAY BAR
040 24 30 34 www.gnosa.de
A Hamburg institution, if an unconventional nightlife pick. More cafe than bar, Cafe Gnosa has been serving up drinks and city-famous cakes in a well-lit, quiet restaurant since WWII. Hamburg’s first gay bar has a laid-back, yet sophisticated atmosphere, with damask walls and revolving art exhibitions in the back room. Free gay publications like hinnerk and Hamburg’s Gay Map available.
Follow Ernst-Mecke-Str. from the north entrance of the Hauptbahnhof as it turns into Lange Reihe. Beer €2.50, mixed drinks €5.5-7.50. Cakes €3-5. Open daily 10am-1am.
KYTI VOO
Lange Reihe 82
GAY BAR
040 28 05 55 65 www.kytivoo.de
This large and relaxed gay bar keeps things upbeat with quiet electro beats and strategic red lights and disco balls. A huge outdoor seating area under a large awning is a popular place to drink for a young, mellow crowd.
Follow Ernst-Mecke-Str. from the north entrance of the Hauptbahnhof as it turns into Lange Reihe. Espresso €1.60. Beer €2.90. Cocktails €5.50-8. Open M-F 9am-open end, Sa-Su 10am-late.
Schanzenviertel
SHAMROCK IRISH BAR
Feldstr. 40
BAR
040 43 27 72 75
This is about at Irish as it gets outside of Dublin. Three smoky, dark wood rooms are filled to capacity with a young, often English-speaking crowd. Irish football banners hang from the ceiling, and some of the funniest bartenders this side of the Channel fill up huge steins while Celtic tunes, big band music, and classic rock keep the atmosphere upbeat.
U3: Feldstr. Beer €3.50. Guiness €3.80. Open M-Th 6pm-late, F 5pm-late, Sa-Su noon-late.
YOKO MONO
Marktstr. 41
BAR
040 43 18 29 91 www.yokomono.de
Plywood tops the counter of this smoke-filled, no-frills bar. Busy with a young, alternative crowd, Yoko Mono boasts a popular pool table and DJs most nights. Let vinyl booths and rock music throw you back to a different decade.
U3: Feldstr. Beer €2.80, wine €2.50. Open daily noon-2am or later.
Altona
FABRIK
Barnerstr. 36
CLUB
040 39 10 70 www.fabrik.de
This former weapons factory now only kills on the dance floor. For years, crowds have packed the two level club, complete with a rusted crane on the roof, to hear big-name rock acts and an eclectic mix of other bands, with styles ranging from Latin to punk. Check the website ahead of time for a schedule of events; the club also hosts a “Gay Factory” night each month.
S1, S3, or S31: Altona. Cover €7-8. Music nearly every night, starting at 9pm. Live DJ most Sa nights at 10pm.
AUREL
Bahrenfelder Str. 157
BAR
040 390 27 27
This laid-back bar draws the ultimate “mixed crowd.” Students rub shoulders with architects who sit side-by-side with artists and travelers. But the real appeal is the international vibe; bartenders are from France, US, and England, and their guests are from all around the world. Aurel gets its fair share of locals as well, who come for the mojito happy hour (daily from 9pm) and the relaxed feel.
S1, S3, or S31: Altona. Beer €2.90. Mixed drinks €6-8. Open daily from 10am-3am.
ARTS AND CULTURE
STATSOPER
Große Theaterstr. 36
OPERA
040 35 68 68 www.hamburgische-staatsoper.de
The Statsoper was opened in 1678 as the first theater in Hamburg for aristocrats and nobles. Today, it houses one of the best opera companies in Germany as well as the national dance powerhouse, the John Neumeier Ballet company. And with low prices, we lowly peasants can still get a seat.
U2: Gänsemarkt Tickets starting from €8. Box office open M-Sa 10am-6:30pm and 90min. before performacnces.
DEUTSCHES SCHAUSPIELHAUS
Kirchenallee 39.
THEATER
040 24 87 13 www.schauspielhaus.de
This theater produces contemporary international works mixed with Shakespeare and Sophocles. Its quirky off-beat plays, and the tried-and-true classics, are usually performed in German.
Located diagonally across from the Hauptbahnhof. Student prices from €7.50. Box office open M-Sa 10am-7pm, or during showtimes.
HAMBURG SYMPHONIKER
Rothenbaumchaussee 77.
ORCHESTRA
040 44 02 98 www.hamburgersymphonkier.de
The Hamburg Symphoniker performs at the Hamburg Musikhalle (Johannes-Brahms-Pl. 20, 040 34 69 30 www.musikhalle-hamburg.de), which is is home to many of Hamburg’s great orchestras, including the Philharmonie (www.elbphilharmonie.de ) and the Norddeutscher Rundfunk Symphony (www4.ndr.de).
U2: Gänsemarkt. Tickets from €8. Box office open M-F 10am-6pm.
ESSENTIALS
Practicalities
• TOURIST OFFICES: Hamburg’s main tourist offices supply free English-language maps and pamplets. All sell the Hamburg Card. The Hauptbahnhof office books rooms for a €4 fee. (In the Wandelhalle, the station’s main shopping plaza, near the Kirchenallee exit. 040 30 05 12 01. www.hamburg-tourism.de Open M-Sa 9am-7pm, Su 10am-6pm.) The Sankt Pauli Landungsbrücken office is often less crowded than the Hauptbahn office. (Between piers 4 and 5. 040 30 05 12 03. Open Oct-May daily 10am-5:30pm; Apr-Sept M, W, Su 8am-6pm, Tu and Th-Sa 8am-7pm.)
• TOURS: Top-Tour Hamburg
offers double-decker bus tours. If a sight requires a little further exploration, you can hop off anytime for a look and jump back on the next bus. (Tours depart from the Kirchenallee exit of the Hauptbahnhof for landlubbers (Top-Tour) and the St. Pauli Landungsbrücken for the nautically inclined (Maritim-Tour); combine the two in an all-encompassing Gala Tour. (040 641 37 31. www.top-tour-hamburg.de English-language tours available upon request. €15, students €13, children free. Buses leave every 30min. daily Apr-Oct 9:30am-5pm; fall and winter tours every 1hr. 10am-3pm.) Strattreisen Hamburg offers offbeat 1-2hr. themed walks, with titles like “Reeperbahn by Night,” “Merchants and Catastrophes Downtown,” and “Neon-Lights, Seedy Bars, and Catholics in St. Pauli.” (Kuhberg 2. 040 430 3481. www.stattreisen-hamburg.de Most tours are offered in German; however, English language tours are also given on a less frequent basis. €7-46. Call ahead for times.) See Hamburg with a water-bird’s eye view on a 50min. boat rides around the lakes with Alster-Touristik (On Jungfernstieg by the Außenalster. 040 357 4240. www.alstertouristik.de €10, under 16 €5. Group discounts available. U1, U2, S1, or S3: Jungfernstieg; follow the swan signs. Tours leave daily late Mar-Oct every 30min. 10am-6pm.)
• CONSULATES: Canada (Ballindamm 35, between Alestertor and Bergstr. 040 460 02 70. U1, S1, S2, or S3: Jungfernstieg. Open M-F 9:30am-12:30pm.) Ireland (Feldbrunnerstr. 43. 040 44 18 61 13. Open M-F 9am-1pm.) New Zealand (Domstr. 19, on the 2nd fl. of block C of Zürich-Haus. 040 442 55 50. U1: Messberg. Open M-Th 9am-1pm and 2-4:30pm.) UK (Harvesthuder Weg 8a. 040 448 03 20. U1: Hallerstr. Open M-Th 9am-4pm, F 9am-3pm.) US (Alsterufer 27/28. 040 41 17 11 00. S11, S21 or S31: Dammtor. Open M-F 9am-noon.)
• CURRENCY EXCHANGE: ReiseBank arranges money transfers for Western Union, cashes traveler’s checks. (2nd fl. of the Hauptbahnhof near the Kirchenallee exit. 040 32 34 83. ReiseBank also has branches in the Altona and Dammtor train stations as well as in the Flughafen. 1.5% commission, charges €6.50 to cash 1-9 checks, €10 for 10 checks, and €25 for 25 checks, and exchanges currency for a fixed charge of €3-5. Open daily 7:30am-10pm.) Citibank cashes traveler’s checks, including AmEx. (Rathausstr. 2 040 30 29 62 02. U3: Rathaus. Open M-F 9am-1pm and 2-6pm.)
• BOOKSTORES: Thalia-Buchhandlungen is one of the city’s largest bookstores. (Spitalerstr. 8. 040 48 50 11 22. www.thalia.de U2: Mönckebergstr.) Europa Passage offers the city’s biggest English language selection.(Ballindamm 40. 309 549 80. U1, U2, S1 or S3: Jungferstieg.) Heinrich-Heine Buchhandlung has an excellent travel section and a decent selection of English-language novels. (Grindelallee 26-28. 040 441 13 30. www.heinebuch.de Open M-F 9:30am-7pm, Sa 10am-4pm.)
Emergency!
• POLICE: ( From the Kirchenallee exit of the Hauptbahnhof, turn left and follow signs for “BGS/Bahnpolizei/Bundespolizei.” 110. Another branch is located on the Reeperbahn at the corner of Davidstr. and Spielbudenpl. and in the courtyard of the Rathaus.)
• FIRE AND AMBULANCE: 112.
• PHARMACY: Senator-Apotheke. (Hachmannpl. 14. 040 32 75 27 English-speaking staff. Open M-F 8am-6:30pm, Sa 9am-1pm.) Hauptbahnhof-Apotheke Wandelhalle. (In the station’s upper shopping gallery. 040 32 52 73 83. Open M-F 7am-8pm, Th-F 7am-10pm, and Sa-Su 8am-9pm.)
• INTERNET ACCESS: Internet Cafe offers one of the best deals in town. (Adenauerallee 10, directly across from the ZOB. 040 28 00 38 98. €0. 75 per 30min. Open daily 10am-11:55pm.) Teletime doubles as a hookah bar at night. (Schulterblatt 39. 040 41 30 47 30. €0.50 per 15min. Open M-F 10am-10pm, Sa-Su 10am-7pm.) Free Wi-Fi is available in Wildwechsel (Beim Grünen Jäger 25. Open daily from 4pm.)and at Altan Hotel (Beim Grünen Jäger 23. Open 24hr.) Staats- und Universitätsbibliothek Computers on the 2nd fl., but internet access is limited to library cardholders; some temporary internet access for non-cardholders may be arranged. (Von Melle-Park 3. 040 428 38 22 33. www.sub.uni-hamburg.de Library card €5 per month or €15 for 6 months. Open to the public M-F; hours vary by department, but generally 10am-6pm.)
• POST OFFICE: At the Kirchenallee exit of the Hauptbahnhof. ( Open M-F 8am-6pm, Sa 8:30am-12:30pm.)
• POSTAL CODE: 20099.
• HOME SHARE: Mitwohnzentrale Homecompany. (Schulterblatt 112. 040 194 45. www.hamburg.homecompany.de Apartments available for 1 month or more. Passport and deposit of 1-2 months’ rent required. U3, S21 or S31: Sternschanze. Then follow the Schulterblatt under the bridge. Open M-F 9am-1pm and 2-6pm, Sa 9am-1pm.)
• LAUNDROMAT: Schnell und Sauber (Neuer Pferdemarkt 27. Wash €3.50 for 6kg or €7 for 12kg. Dry €0.50 per 10min. U3: Feldstr. Open daily 7am-10:30pm.) Or enjoy a beer while laundering at Loundromatte.
• GLBT RESOURCES: St. Georg is the center of the gay community. Cafe Gnosa offers delicious refreshments and several free publications concerning Germany’s gay community.(Lange Reihe 93.) Hein unt Fiete, a self-described switchboard, gives advice on doctors, disease prevention, and tips on the gay scene. (Pulverteich 21. 040 24 03 33. Walk down Steindamm away from the Hauptbahnhof, turn right on Pulverteich and look for a rainbow-striped flag on the left. Open M-F 4-9pm, Sa 4-7pm.) Magnus-Hirschfeld-Centrum offers daily film screenings, counseling sessions, and a gay-friendly evening cafe. (Borgweg 8 . 040 27 87 78 00. U3: Borgweg.) Dementy operates hotlines for gays and lesbians (040 27 87 78 01. Gay hotline (040 279 0069 Open M and Th-F 2-6pm, Tu-W 2-6pm and 7-10pm.) Lesbian hotline (040 279 0049, W 7-9pm. Open M-Th 5pm-11pm, F 5pm-late, Su 3-10pm.)
Getting There
By Plane
Air France (01805 83 08 30) and Lufthansa (01803 80 38 03),among other airlines, service Hamburg’s Fuhlsbüttel Airport (040 507 50). Jasper Airport Express buses (040 22 71 06 10 www.jasper.de) run from the Kirchenallee exit of the Hauptbahnhof directly to the airport ( €5, under 12 €2. 25min., every 10-15min. 4:45am-7pm, every 20min. 7-9:20pm.) Alternatively, you can take U1,S1, or S11 to Ohlsdorf, and then an express bus to the airport ( €2.60, children 6-14 €0.90. Every 10min. 4:30am-11pm, every 30min. from 11pm-1am.). The same modes of transporation are available from the airport to the center of the city.
By Train
The Hauptbahnhof, Hamburg’s central station, has connections to: Berlin ( €56. 2hr.); Copenhagen, Denmark ( €80. 4.5hr.), Frankfurt ( €150. 5hr.); Hanover ( €55. 1.5hr.); Munlch ( €185. 7hr.).Be advised that prices may vary on day of travel, time of year, and proximity of purchase date to travel date. The efficient staff at the DB Reisezentrum sells tickets ( Open M-F 5:30am-10pm, Sa-Su 7am-10pm), which are also available at the ticket machines located throughout the Hauptbahnhof and online at www.db.de. Dammtor station is near the university, to the west of Außenalster; Harburgdorf is to the southeast. Most trains to and from Schleswig-Holstein stop only at Altona, while most trains toward Lübeck stop only in the Hauptbahnhof. Frequent locals trains and the S-Bahn connect the stations.
By Bus
The ZOB terminal is across the Steintorpl. from the Hauptbahnhof ( Open M-Th 5am-10pm, F-Sa 5am-midnight, Su 5am-10pm.).
Ride Share
Mitfahrzentrale Citynetz, Ernst-Merke-Str. 12-14. (040 194 44 www.citynetz-mitfahrzentrale.de Prices vary by driver. Open M-F 9:30am-6:30pm, Sa 10am-2pm.)
Getting Around
Public Transportation
HVV operates the efficient U-Bahn, S-Bahn, and bus network. Short rides within downtown cost €1.65, one-way in greater Hamburg €2.60; 1-day pass €5.60, 3-day pass €15.90. Passes are available for longer, though anything over a week requires a photo. Frequent riders can bring a photo or take one in the nearby ID booths for €5. The Hamburg Card provides unlimited access to public transportation, reduced admission to museums, and discounts on souvenirs, restaurants, theater, and bus and boat tours for groups of 1 adult and up to 3 children under 15. (Available at tourist offices and in some hostels and hotels. €8 per day, €18 for 3 days, €33 for 5 days.) The Group Card provides the same benefits for up to 5 people of any age ( 1-day €11.80, 3-day €29.80, 5-day 51).
By Ferry
HADAG Seetouristik und Fährdienst AG, St. Pauli Landungsbrü
cken (040 311 7070). Most locals suggest taking the HVV-affiliated ferries in lieu of the expensive tour boats for an equally impressive view of the river Elbe. Departing every 15min. from the docks at St. Pauli to 21 stops along the river. Full circuit lasts 75min. Price included in HVV train and bus passes; €2.60 for a new ticket.
By Taxi
All Hamburg taxies charge the same rates. Taxi Hamburg, (040 666 666). Das Taxi, (040 22 11 22). Autoruf, (040 44 10 11).Normally about €2.40 to start, then €1.75 or less per additional km.
Car Rental
Avis ( In the Hauptbahnhof near track #12 on the Spitalerstraße side.040 32 87 38 00, international 018 05 55 77 55 www.avis.de Lower prices online. Cars from €242 per week, with insurance and 24hr. emergency assistance. Open M-F 7:30am-9pm, Sa 8am-6pm, Su 10am-6pm.) Lower prices online at Hertz, (Kirchenallee 34-36 Across the Kirchenallee from Ernst-Merck-Str. 040 280 1202, international 01805 33 35 35 www.hertz.de Lower prices online. Cars from €243 per week, including insurance. Open M-F 7am-7:30pm, Sa 8am-4pm, Su 10am-4pm.) Europecar, (Holstenstr. 156 U3: Feldstr. 040 306 8260 www.europecar.de Lower prices online. Cars from €245 per week. Open daily 24hr.)
Let's Go Europe 2011: The Student Travel Guide Page 89