Christmas route

It's best to start the Christmas route where the heart of Hamburg beats - at the Landungsbrücken by the harbor. Direct your gaze toward the glittering facade of the Elbphilharmonie as winter darkness descends over the harbor. The ferries, tugboats, barges, as well as the famous Cap San Diego and the no less famous Rickmer Rickmers, illuminate in Christmas colors and create a special atmosphere and unique winter magic in the harbor with their decorated Christmas trees on board. On two weekends in November, the Christmas markets of the Nordic seamen's churches across the street on Dietmar-Koel-Straße become a popular meeting point for Scandinavia fans and Northern Lights enthusiasts.

Now stroll northwards on the other side of the harbour road to St. Pauli and visit the ‘ÜberWintern’ market in the popular Überquell brewery. Here you not only have a fantastic view of Hamburg's harbour but can also admire what are probably the brightest Christmas trees in northern Germany and perhaps try the home-brewed Julebryg Christmas beer. The route then continues through the famous neighbourhood, past Davidstraße, to Spielbudenplatz on the Reeperbahn.

There, you'll find Santa Pauli - Hamburg's most sensual Christmas market. Here, conventional Christmas traditions blend with lively neighborhood life – Christmas à la Reeperbahn, so to speak. In addition to traditional stalls, you'll discover cheeky and frivolous Christmas products, and a hot strip show is not to be missed. Now, walk eastward along the Reeperbahn. At its end, you'll find the entrance to Hamburg's beautiful 47-hectare city park called 'Planten un Blomen". Stroll through the park to the north to reach the after about 500 meters. Here, you can ice skate or try curling in a winter atmosphere on Germany's largest open-air ice rink and feel like you're in Central Park in New York. On Fridays and Saturdays, a live DJ ensures the right mood.

After this exertion, you're surely looking for some refreshment. Exit the park at Sievekingplatz and head eastward through Valentinskamp toward Binnenalster. Along the way, you'll first come across the Christmas Gänsemarkt, a bit further you'll reach the White Magic at Jungfernstieg, from where it's not far to the Historic Christmas Market at Rathausmarkt. At Gänsemarkt, you'll find an idyllic village of gingerbread houses with meticulous attention to detail. The enchantingly decorated Jungfernstieg dazzles with its lights, numerous artisan stalls, and a splendid view of the Christmas-adorned Alstertanne. At Rathausmarkt, it becomes truly magical when the flying Santa Claus floats over the heads of visitors three times a day in his sleigh, narrating the Christmas story.

Hamburg's fairytale ships and the Christmas parade are also among the highlights of the Advent season in the Hanseatic city. The fairytale ships are moored on the Binnenalster at Jungfernstieg and offer a variety of activities, especially for families and children. Children can bake delicious biscuits on the baking ship and make creative Christmas crafts on the craft ship. Of course, the magical fairytale performances on the theatre ship are also a must, taking young visitors into the world of Christmas fairytales.

Together with the festive Christmas parade, which winds its way through the brightly lit Mönckebergstraße at 2.00 pm and 5.00 pm on Advent Saturdays, these events offer a wonderful opportunity to immerse yourself in Hamburg's festive atmosphere.

Option 1: Take the green S-Bahn lines S1 to the Klein Flottbek station. Right next to the station, you'll find the Loki-Schmidt-Garten – a botanical garden with a variety of plants, tropical greenhouses, and family attractions. From November 14, 2024, to January 12, 2025, the Christmas Garden will be on display. It takes you on an almost two-kilometer-long path with glittering illuminations and atmospheric light installations, creating a magical Christmas world nestled within the diverse nature of the botanical garden. Tickets can be purchased online in advance.

Option 2: Take the red S-Bahn lines S2 to Bergedorf. The Bergedorfer Weihnachtsmarkt with its Scandinavian Christmas village offers a truly unique atmosphere – a bit like Bullerbü! With Swedish-red wooden huts, plenty of birch wood, straw bales, cozy seating with fluffy fur blankets by crackling campfires, the real "Santa's Home," and Villa Kunterbunt amidst a fir forest. Hamburg's only castle blends into this enchanted Christmas world.

Option 3: Take the purple S-Bahn lines S3 to the Harburg Rathaus station. The Harburger Weihnachtsmarkt, with its small market stalls surrounding the large Christmas tree in front of the picturesque town hall, is simply magical. It becomes particularly impressive when the tower trumpeters play every evening from the historic town hall or when Frau Holle opens her windows, shakes her beds, and thick snowflakes and gold coins fall out."

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