Hamburg - Gateway to the World
Hamburg - Das Tor zur Welt (deutsche Version)
Hamburg is one of three city states in the Federal Republic of Germany. It is the country's second biggest city with 1,8 million residents. Only Berlin, the capital, has a bigger population.
Hamburg's landscape is defined by water: Its seaport, located on the river Elbe, is the largest in Germany. Giant container and cruise ships enter the harbour on a daily basis. The city center, including Town Hall and the main shopping areas, is located around the Alster Lake.
The many faces of Hamburg
Hamburg has many different parts of town: from lively, multicultural Altona and its famous Fish Market (in German: Fischmarkt) to the narrow streets and steep stairways of Blankenese's "Treppenviertel", which offers a bit of Mediterranean flair. Public transport is widely available and will help you discover the city.
A colorful city
Hamburg is said to be a very liberal, cosmopolitan city. Almost every third citizen has foreign roots or family that migrated to Germany at some point in time.
The two most famous soccer teams competing for fans are the HSV (Hamburger Sportverein) and FC St. Pauli. A culinary specialty of Hamburg is called "Franzbrötchen" - a sweet pastry made with butter and cinnamon that almost everyone likes.
