stadt / land / fluss / tours in hamburg & to its hinterland

waterways / Hamburg was built on islands in an estuary that were formed by the tidal stream of the river 70 miles from its mouth at the North Sea. Both the town and the harbor are crisscrossed by countless waterways.  
the alster / For centuries this small river and the man-made lake were used as a means to transport materials from the surroundings to the city and its harbor. In the 19th century the tributaries were canalized, forming a network of industrial canals used nowadays as waterways for tourist excursions. These provide wonderful views of the old industrial districts as well as the elegant residential buildings and their adjoining gardens.
Lake and river boat trip: 2 hours
the harbors / Harbor activities on the northern shore are limited to regular ferry services and two cruise terminals with 170 days of call and more than 500,000 total passengers yearly. On the southern shore of the harbor lie the industrial ports and the modern container terminals, which cover 72 sq km and are equipped with modern cranes and shipping technologies. A harbor trip should not be missed during one´s stay in Hamburg.
Harbor boat trip: 2 hours
waterfront / A river cruise or walking or cycling along the northern river shores provides a rich and enjoyable tapestry of varied harbor and town scenery. The idyllic village of Blankenese in the western hillside district and the well-known road along the top of the tree-covered slopes along the river valley are the preferred residential addresses of Hamburg´s well-off families. This is where the wealthy merchants and tradesman had their country houses built even 200 years ago. Infinite water surfaces generate especially at the entrances of the seaports the illusion of not being along a river but at the seashore, which in fact is some 60 nautical miles away. Between the landing stages for the ferryboats at Teufelsbrück and the bridges to the east of the city, modern harbors and old, now outdated harbor areas as well as both young and old commerce buildings and living spaces alternate with each other. Large city-development projects to convert the harbor areas into new parts of the city provide a fantastic new view of the docklands with their endless row of red-brick warehouses.
Harbor boat trip: 2 hours
Walking and cycling tours: 2 – 5 hours