Hamburg: Art, Music and a Little Magic

Hamburg has a way of surprising people who arrive expecting a port city and nothing more. It sits in the north of Germany, beside a river and a lake, and it has been collecting culture for centuries: the Beatles played their early sets on the Reeperbahn, and the city now hosts major musicals and theatre on a scale that rivals any European capital.

I spent a summer here in 2021 and kept finding small pieces of magic in unlikely alleys. The city has that effect on the generation of Hogwarts children too — Albus Potter, Rose Granger-Weasley and Scorpius Malfoy have all been in town, as the actors in Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, which was playing in German. Here is how I would put a culture-heavy visit together.

Begin with the art

The Hamburger Kunsthalle is one of Germany's largest art museums, and the building alone is worth the walk. It is made up of three connected structures from 1869, 1921 and 1997, in the Altstadt between the Hauptbahnhof and the two Alster lakes. If you like to prepare, their online collection gives a good sense of what is inside.

From there, follow the Art Mile, the run of galleries between the Alster and the Elbe. It is an easy place to spend an afternoon wandering, and admission is free for anyone under 18. You can buy a 12-month or a 3-day pass that covers all five galleries, and the Hamburg Card brings the price down further.

Part of the same trail is the Deichtorhallen, three historic buildings devoted to contemporary art and photography and one of the largest venues of its kind in Europe. The Haus der Photographie within the complex is being renovated, so the temporary PHOXXI house is showing its photography in the meantime. The 3-day Art Mile pass is valid here as well.

The waterfront and the Elbphilharmonie

The Elbphilharmonie is the concert hall that has become Hamburg's signature building. It opened in HafenCity in 2016 and looks less like a hall than a ship made of glass. Even without a ticket to an orchestra performance, you can ride up to the Plaza, the public viewing platform, for a panoramic view of the harbour from 37 metres, with refreshments available while you take it in.

Entry to the Plaza costs €2 and is booked for a fixed time slot, which is easily done online. From up there you can also pick out the Grossmarkthalle, which is where the next stop on this list lives.

An evening on the Reeperbahn

The Mojo Club sits on the Reeperbahn and has been part of the city's music life since 1989. It is known as a pioneer of modern breakbeat-oriented sounds — acid jazz among them — and had a real influence on dancefloor jazz. A night here is a good way to hear what Hamburg does with a sound once it gets hold of it.

The street itself carries the older story. The Beatles performed on the Reeperbahn in the early 1960s, and it was there that they had their first taste of what stardom might feel like. The Beatles Platz Square nearby marks the connection, and it is worth a look even if you are only passing through on the way to a bar.

Theatre at the Mehr!

The Mehr! Theatre is the largest in Hamburg, and its setting is unusual: it sits inside the Grossmarkthalle, the old wholesale market halls, which are historically listed. Architecture lovers get two things at once — the building and the stage — and the theatre runs plays, concerts, musicals and shows throughout the year.

This is also where Harry Potter and the Cursed Child was staged, across two parts, through 2022 and into early 2023. Standard tickets were €49 for one part or €99 for both. Holders of the Hamburg Card could get 10% off at the box office, though only for that day's performances, so it pays to ask when you arrive.

Photograph of the Mehr! Theater courtesy of Hamburg Tourism.

Ballet at the State Opera

Hamburg Ballet performs at the Hamburg State Opera, and anyone with an interest in dance should check the programme before booking flights. Each summer the company holds Hamburg Ballet Days, a short season of special performances. There are occasional bargains too: in 2022, under-30s could see the Ghost Light ballet on 2 July for €5, with details on the ballet's website.

Practical notes

• Hamburg Card: covers transport and discounts at many museums; 10% off same-day Cursed Child tickets at the box office.
• Art Mile: 3-day or 12-month pass for all five galleries; free under 18.
• Elbphilharmonie Plaza: €2, timed entry, book ahead.
• Cursed Child: two parts, €49 each or €99 for both.

There is far more to Hamburg than this list, and the best approach is to leave room for the unexpected. Which of these would you put first? Tell me in the comments — and if you are planning more of Germany, there is plenty more to read about travel in Germany.

This post was written in collaboration with Visit Hamburg. All opinions are my own.