Since joining the Hanseatic League in the Middle Ages, Hamburg has consistently been a major European destination. In the modern era, the seaport has evolved into a buzzing, cosmopolitan city and is now one of the wealthiest in Germany.
From the airport’s modernist architecture and excellent transport links to visiting the Kunsthalle art museum, which is home to works by the likes of master artists such as Picasso, Kandinsky and Klee, there is tremendous diversity here. You can explore it all, and the wider attractions beyond, when you rent a car at Hamburg Airport.
The iconic harbor
Hamburg has a vibrant architectural landscape, with a dynamic range of modernist and industrial buildings. The harbor area, with its massive container ships and reddish-colored warehouses, is perhaps the city’s biggest attraction.
Here you’ll also find the Hamburg Dungeon, the Miniature Wonderland (the world’s largest model railway), and the Hamburg Cruise Center. Hamburg’s harbor is Germany’s ‘gateway to the world.’ Board the city’s ferry from the Landungsbrücken Dock 3 to Finkenwerder if you want to experience the city by water. The local ferry ride takes about 30 minutes and is very reasonably priced.
Behind the warehouse district, the HafenCity is a newly-developed area which has transformed the post-industrial environment. The Elbphilharmonie concert hall is Hamburg’s outstanding architectural site, with a modernist design to rival the Sydney Opera House.
Go to the fish market
If you want to embrace the culinary spirit of Hamburg, then head to the Fischmarkt on Sunday morning.
Around 70,000 people visit the market every week, and it's the place to be if you want locally sourced cuisine. Try fresh herrings or fish rolls as the locals throng to buy the fresh catch.
More generally, farmers' markets are held around the city on a daily basis, providing excellent bread, cheese, meats and fresh fruit and vegetables for your shopping basket.
Day trips from Hamburg
Renting a car in Hamburg means you have the unmissable opportunity to explore nearby Bremen. The historic market town is less than 80 miles away and has some beautiful historic architecture, especially in the central Marktplatz, and its medieval timber houses in the city’s oldest quarter, the Schnoor.
The UNESCO protected town hall is a highlight of any trip to the Marktplatz with a Renaissance façade that has been dazzling visitors for centuries.
The Hanseatic port of Lübeck is another UNESCO World Heritage site. Its best known in Germany for its brick Gothic architecture. Lübeck is only 42 miles away and you can drive there from Hamburg in just over an hour.
With its north-central location, Hamburg Airport is ideal for exploring northern Germany and perhaps even Denmark. So, if you’re in the mood for a German driving adventure, car rental at Hamburg Airport means you can explore this vibrant and exciting seaport for yourself.
