Free things to do in Hamburg

Free things to do in Hamburg

1. SeeSouth

   Aussichtspunkt Steinwerder

   A viewing platform at the southern end of the Alter Elbtunnel, with great views on Landungsbrücken, the Elbphilharmonie, and Hamburg's harbourfront.

   24h·free

2. SeeNeustadt-Altstadt

   Elbphilharmonie

   New 'architectural lighthouse' of Hamburg. On the top of a huge old warehouse a 110 metres tall modern philharmonic hall with glass façade and wave-shaped roof. It also includes a fancy hotel, restaurant, as well as private apartments. Access to the observation deck (called "Plaza") is free (although you need to get a ticket to prevent overcrowding), and offers a great view of Hamburg. On days of long queues in front of the ticket booth for the Plaza get your ticket at the instead. Normally there are very few people.

   Daily 09:00-24:00 (Plaza)·Free

3. SeeNeustadt-Altstadt

   HafenCity View Point

   Look at the erecting process from an orange observation tower, which allows nice views on the HafenCity, the harbour, and the river.

   Free admission

4. SeeAltona-St. Pauli

   Hafenstraße

   The street was a place for squatters in the 1980s and was well known by the media when there were "battles" between the Autonomous movement and the police. Some squats still exist there, though the "80s-Myth" is dead. You can go to the Punksbar "onkel otto" or eat at the "VoKü" ("Volxküche" - a group cooking event, at which the meal is served free of charge or at cost).

5. SeeNeustadt-Altstadt

   Kunsthalle

   art museum

   Glockengießerwall north of Hauptbahnhof. The museum houses an important collection of paintings from the 19th century with works from Max Liebermann, Lovis Corinth, Philipp Otto Runge, Caspar David Friedrich, Adolf Menzel, and modern arts. It rises on both sides of a paved court. The Baroque building on one side has the older works. The areas under the courtyard and the other, modern looking building house an extensive collection of very modern art. There are some extremely fine pieces, but the quality is uneven and the curacy curious at times. For instance, in a far back corner with minimal climate control and no observation are four or five gorgeous French Impressionist paintings which are among the finest in the museum.

   Tue-Sun 10:00-18:00, Thu 10:00-21:00·Adults €14, concessions €8, family day ticket €18, under 18 free admission

6. SeeAltona-St. Pauli

   Loki Schmidt Garten

   Botanischer Garten der Universität Hamburg

   For a century and a half, the botanical garden was situated in the current Planten un Blomen park, where the tropical greenhouses still remain. In 1979, the botanical garden was relocated to its current place in the Klein Flottbek district. In the southern part of the park there are several themed gardens with medical plants, farm plants, plants featured in the Bible, conifers, fragnant plants, poisonous plants, threatened plants, crops, roses and a desert garden. The central part is dedicated to the science categorizing plants. There you can see plants from temperate parts of the world; Eurasia, North America and far southern South America. In the Alpinium there are plants from the high mountain areas of Europe. The park is named Loki Schmidt garden after the biologist Loki Schmidt, wife of the former German federal chancellor Helmut Schmidt.

   Daily open from 09:00 to about 1 hour before sunset·Free

7. DrinkAltona-St. Pauli

   Headcrash

   Concert location and club.

   free entry

8. DrinkAltona-St. Pauli

   Lehmitz

   Reeperbahn 17

   free entry

9. SeeAltona-St. Pauli

   Museumshafen Oevelgönne

   Historical boats.

   Admission free

10. SeeNeustadt-Altstadt

    Tropengewächshaus

    tropical greenhouse

    Mar–Oct: Mon-Fri 09:00–16:45; Sat Sun and bank holidays 10:00–17:45; Nov–Feb: Mon-Fri 09:00–15:45; Sat Sun 10:00–17:45·Free

Listings from the Wikivoyage guide to Hamburg (CC BY-SA 4.0).