Hamburg

Located on Northern Germany’s Elbe River, the city of Hamburg flourishes as one of the most significant ports not only in Europe, but also the world. In fact, Hamburg’s harbour ranks 2^nd in Europe and 6^th in the world. For this extraordinary achievement the city proudly calls itself “The Gate to the World”. Not only that, Hamburg also boasts of being one of the wealthiest urban centres in the European Union, alongside London and Brussels.   Although the harbour is the lifeblood of the city, Hamburg is proud of its other achievements. It is one of the foremost media hubs in the country and where several of Germany’s publications, magazines, and newspapers started. It is also home to one of the world’s manufacturers of the Airbus airplanes.   But Hamburg is not all business and no play. The truth is, the city is one of the most entertaining and enjoyable places to visit in Germany. Here, there are plenty of things to see and do. Hamburg’s attractions go beyond just the usual museums either. There’s the famous, or rather infamous, Reeperbahn – the city’s red light district and one of the most popular tourist destinations in the city.   The historic St. Michaelis Church, which was built in the 1600s, is a very important landmark and attraction in Hamburg. It was struck by lightning in 1750 and was damaged during World War II. The church was restored to its original glory many times and has been undergoing renovations since 1983. Today, it stands as the symbol of Hamburg much like the Eiffel Tower is to Paris.   Touring the city is best done on foot although, some of Hamburg’s hotels offer deals and provide bicycle rentals, which is a perfect mode of transport in and around the city. Bicycling is probably one of the best activities in Hamburg tourists can do. They’d be able to explore the stunning city centre with its shopping areas - Spitaler Straße and Mönckebergstraße – as well as its impressive neo-Renaissance government buildings as the Rathus (City Hall) and Börse (House of Commerce).