I've been working on Deichstraße for the past month or so, but today was the first time that I…read moreactually stopped for a moment to look at the place. I'd known for a while that the buildings here are the oldest in Hamburg, but even so, I still just walked past. Today I had a quick lunch and then found myself 10 minutes to look around. At least two of the buildings lean like the tower of pisa! How had I not noticed before?!

Absolutely adore this darling street/area. Lots of cafes and pubs. Cobblestone, beautiful buildings…read moreand full of charm. Can't get any more gorgeous!

We loved our time here roaming around the Speicherstadt. It was a fun exploration even on a rainy…read moreweekday morning. It was given UNESCO World Heritage status in 2015. That's most likely because it's the largest historic warehouse complex of its kind (low-lying) in the world. The site has been historically protected since 1991 and subsequently restored. What's interesting is that these old red brick warehouses were uniquely built on top of a foundation of oak timbers. They were driven deep down (about 36 feet) into what was technically once considered marshy sandbars along the Elbe River. The wood with the surrounding sand petrified over time to create a solid foundation to build upon. This whole complex was needed to store global market items such as spices, tea, and coffee. The warehouses have entrances from the canal and at the street level for easy access. I was actually more impressed with the Gothic Revival look of the buildings as well as the steel bridges connecting them all together. We walked up and down the blocks and across the various different bridges to get a feel for the area. I don't think the pictures really convey the scenery here. It comes across as gloomy on rainy days, but it really wasn't that way in person. I really like that this area has become so popular. There are many attractions, shops, museums, cafés, and restaurants in and around it. The beautiful Water Castle can be seen from the furthest bridge known as Poggenmühlen. There's an International Maritimes Museum housed in one of the oldest buildings (1878) in the Speicherstadt. You'll see it right away when you see the massive propeller at the south entrance. The Sandtorkai-Hof and Speicherstadt Rathaus are other beautiful buildings that deserve a mention. There's way more to Hamburg than Speicherstadt and HafenCity. This was just a cool visit to the historical port of Germany. It's definitely a place that I would revisit if given the opportunity.

The Speicherstadt is fantastic. A lot to see and a lot to do. Great coffee that I took back to…read moreCalifornia and great entertainment. A have to see spot in Hamburg.

This part of Hamburg really surprised us in so many ways. It's just a very cool-looking urban…read moredevelopment that has revitalized an area that was once an old industrial port. I don't really know how else to describe it. The cool part is that it hasn't lost its historical charm. The old shipping cranes and red brick warehouses along with the amazing waterfront promenade and contemporary architecture are all keeping Hamburg's Hanseatic port district alive & well. It was a very memorable experience as a tourist visiting this part of Germany for the first time. It's an attractive and walkable district. The infrastructure seems to have been designed with urbanites and tourists in mind. The cruise center is located within a Westfield Shopping center so there's lots of retail shopping as well as a grocery store within steps from the ship. It's all part of a grand shopping development known as Überseequartier. There are public transportation options to other parts of Hamburg including a U-Bahn station and a ferry terminal. I'm sure it's a great place to live for those who work in downtown Hamburg. I can only imagine how high the rent must be in this area because of the waterfront views. However, it appears to be very popular despite that. It was a great overnight port of call with many attractions and restaurants within walking distance of the terminal. The view of it from the Elbe River made it even more special.

Really interesting industrial part of the city. Not much to do, but it was interesting to walk…read morearound this area that is so different from everywhere else in Hamburg.