Hamburg: Where Industrial Meets Charming
A Fantastic Week in Hamburg, Germany
When someone describes an area as industrial, I feel like it usually has a negative connotation to it, especially in the States.
Large cranes, shipping yards, and storage facilities usually don’t come to mind when thinking of what makes a charming aesthetic.
However, I don’t think I have ever seen a city balance charm and industry better than Hamburg, Germany!
Is it an elegant city like Vienna? Definitely not. But does it have personality and character? Yes, loads of it!
Hamburg knows who it is, and doesn’t shy away from it.
Despite being a ways inland, Hamburg is a port city, and handles a significant amount of trade in Germany.
The city sits on the Elbe River, which leads directly out to the North Sea.
It is one of the most active ports in all of Europe. In fact, over 100 million tonnes of cargo containers came through the Port of Hamburg in 2021!
Imports from all over the world are routed through Hamburg. Also, many of Germany’s biggest exports such as vehicles, aircraft parts, and mineral oils are shipped out through the city’s gigantic port harbor.
The massive cargo cranes and carrier boats create such an interesting backdrop to the city’s historic skyline.
Hamburg was quite literally shaped and moulded by trade! It is a huge reason why the city has been able to persevere through disease outbreaks, a devastating fire, and the heavy toll inflicted by both World Wars.
The noticeable embrace of this long and rugged history is what sets Hamburg apart from other major European cities.
My good friend, also named Max, has lived in Hamburg for over 3 years now, and did a fantastic job showing us around!
One of the more unique aspects of Hamburg is the canals. Because of where it is situated and how it developed, there are canals that flow all throughout the city.
The area where this is most noticeable is in the Speicherstadt, which translates to “warehouse city”. This area has been designated as a World Heritage site, and was a major cog in the wheel of Hamburg’s trade operations.
The warehouses were built close to the port, so it was easy to store cargo if needed. Nowadays, this area has become home to office buildings, luxury apartments, and a beautiful concert hall called the “Elbphilharmonie”.
However, the canals that once provided passage from the harbor to the warehouses are still flowing throughout this historic area, and the effect is quite pleasing to the eye!
The red bricks that make up a majority of the buildings in this area are also a Hamburg staple, and provide a very striking aesthetic. The Speicherstadt is a beautifully unique part of this city, and an absolute must-see in Hamburg.
The city center also boasts a number of historic cathedrals and buildings. My personal favorite was the Hamburg “Rathaus”, which is German for City Hall.
This impressive structure is stunning both inside and out!
There are also canals that flow through this area as well. They are connected to the harbor to the south, and Hamburg’s lake called “The Alster” to the north.
Because of the notable amount of water in and around the city, water sports and activities are very popular in Hamburg. On a sunny day, The Alster is full of kayaks, canoes, sailboats, and swimmers.
Max told us that many of the large companies in Hamburg actually have their own rowing teams!
The houses along the lake are also quite lovely, situated on the other side of a beautiful park on the shore.
Hamburg is so many things all at once. Historic, lively, edgy, and noticeably welcoming!
Max joked with us that we have to visit him more often, because everyone treated him so much nicer after they found out he was showing a few foreigners around.
Whenever we come back to Germany next, I know Hamburg will be high on our priority list!
Next up, we are traveling to an area in the west of the country known as “Rhineland”. The state of North Rhine-Westphalia is one of the most populous regions in all of Germany.
There are many cities that sit on the Rhine River, and they are all shockingly close to each other! We are staying between Düsseldorf and Cologne, and we will spend time in both! There is also a charming city called Bonn that is just south of Cologne.
Believe it or not, all three of these cities can be seen in just about an hour of driving!
The cities of Duisburg, Essen, and Dortmund are fairly close as well. Despite being right next to each other, all of these places are pretty different from one another. We’re looking forward to experiencing them all, and comparing them on our YouTube channel!
Thank you for reading, and I hope to see you again in a future newsletter or video!
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Thanks everyone, and have a wonderful weekend!
