Boulevard route

Your route starts in Eimsbüttel at the southern tip of Eppendorfer Weg on the corner of Fruchtallee. To get there, you can take the red U2 line and get off at Emilienstrasse or Christuskirche. Eppendorfer Weg is the main connecting link between the quarters of Eimsbüttel and Eppendorf and is as diverse as the two quarters themselves. Lined with restaurants, cafés, bars and small retail shops, it offers something for everyone – from handmade products and expensive brands to cool, original streetwear and second-hand clothing. As you stroll up Eppendorfer Weg, you can enjoy the detailed facades of the residential buildings there.

Eimsbüttel and Eppendorf are shaped by beautiful art nouveau architecture with countless preserved buildings in Wilhelminian style, and many of these are listed. When, in the late 19th and early 20th century, the demand for urban housing went up dramatically, a multitude of magnificent residential buildings was created here, many of these with oriels, turrets and brilliant white stucco.

After almost 1.5 kilometres on this lovely shopping street, you will walk past Eppendorfer Grill-Station on the right-hand side. Since 2004, this no-frills takeaway place has been the filming location for “Dittsche”, a celebrated television show by Hamburg-based multi-talent Olli Dittrich.

As you enter Eppendorf, you may notice a change: while people in Eimsbüttel are quite casual and down to earth, the adjacent quarter of Eppendorf has more of an exclusive, upmarket feel to it. Eppendorfer Weg merges seamlessly into Eppendorfer Landstrasse, a boulevard and shopping promenade with exquisite boutiques that offer luxury goods of all kinds. After about 700 metres, turn right into Goernestrasse, on the corner of which you can find the restaurant of celebrity chef Cornelia Poletto. Only a few steps further you will see the historic Holthusenbad, a characteristic redbrick complex that dates back to 1914. Designed by acclaimed architect Fritz Schumacher as a public bathhouse, the Holthusenbad is a coveted place for swimming and wellness in a unique historic setting.

In Eppendorf, peacefulness and relaxation can also be enjoyed on one of the many canals. A 10 minutes’ walk to the south, where the Isebekkanal flows into the Alster Lake, you can find a boat rental including eatery. Here you can choose between SUPs, canoes and pedal boats. Exploring this elegant urban quarter from the water will open up entirely new perspectives. As you venture out on the Alster canals and its branches, you can admire the imposing gardens of large townhouses directly on the water – many of which you can’t see from land.

Once you’ve returned your boat, you will turn right on the other side of the canal onto one of Hamburg’s most famous streets: Isestrasse. Here you can admire the well-kept front gardens of magnificent houses in Wilhelminian style. Many public figures have lived here, among them former German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who, in 1954, spent the first weeks of her life at number 95. This as well as 79 other buildings in this street happened to remain largely undamaged by WW2 bombings and are listed as cultural monuments. As soon as you reach Eppendorfer Baum, the scenery changes once again: while a moment ago you almost had a village feeling, you now find yourself in the heart of bustling Eppendorf. This is also where the 800-metre-long steel viaduct begins and where Hamburg's most scenic U-Bahn route (U3) offers insights into the period apartments on Isestrasse. On Tuesdays and Fridays, Hamburg’s most renowned farmer’s market takes place underneath the viaduct. The immense variety of products and its unique location make this market so special. As Isestrasse comes to an end, you now reach the green lung of Eimsbüttel: Kaiser-Friedrich-Ufer. Here, along the beautiful Isebekkanal, you can walk another 1.5 kilometres, which brings you to the end of this route.

You are now very close to your starting point.

As a route planner, we strive to put together particularly diverse routes through Hamburg's most beautiful areas. Did you like our Boulevard route? We look forward to receiving your feedback. To discover even more unique corners of Hamburg, take a look at our city map.