Discover Germany's coolest city, Hamburg, and all it has to offer on your next school trip to Germany.
Been to Berlin? Fed up of Frankfurt? Down on Düsseldorf? You need to check out Hamburg – Germany’s coolest city.
A vibrant port city, Hamburg offers an exciting mix of maritime history, rich architectural heritage and dynamic culture. It’s played an important role in German and international pop culture (this is where the teenage Beatles launched their career), and is famous for its foodie scene. It’s an attractive city too, with plenty of lush green parks and a bit of a Scandi vibe.
Despite its long history, Hamburg’s a really modern, vibrant city that students will love exploring. There are endless visits and activities for school groups to enjoy in Hamburg, making it a fantastic choice for German language trips, Christmas market trips and cross-curricular trips.
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Paul Hudson
Tour Consultant
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Emma Gray da Silva
Tour Consultant
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Why visit Hamburg?
Germany’s historic port city
Hamburg sits on the Jutland peninsula, on the Elbe estuary, where it starts to spill towards the North Sea.
The largest port in Germany and historically one of the most important in Europe, Hamburg was once a key member of the medieval Hanseatic League and later became a free imperial city of the Holy Roman Empire.
There are loads of opportunities to explore the city’s maritime history, including harbour cruises and ship museums.
Get your students talking
Hamburg is the perfect alternative to Berlin.
It’s as cool as the capital, with loads going on (but fewer tourists). Its buzzy atmosphere will resonate with your students, making them excited to explore the culture using their language skills.
You’ll love watching your students grow in confidence as they use their language skills to get to know this awesome city. This is the perfect setting to watch your students fall in love with the German language and culture (and it’s even more magical at Christmas).
Ideal for cross-curricular trips
If you want to make your trip cross-curricular, Hamburg’s the perfect choice.
The second-largest city in Germany, it’s no surprise that there’s so much going on here. You can immerse yourselves in the German language and culture, dive into the city’s history (including WW2) and there are loads of STEM-related visits here too, thanks to Hamburg’s status as a major science and research hub.
Activities in Hamburg that your school group will love
Elbphilharmonie Plaza
This incredible space offers the most amazing panoramic views of the city of Hamburg and its historic harbour.
Hamburg Food Markets
Get a real taste for the city by exploring Hamburg's amazing food markets.
Miniatur Wunderland
Check out one of Hamburg's biggest treats - the world's largest model railway, Miniatur Wunderland.
Alter Elbtunnel
Don't miss the opportunity to visit one of Hamburg's greatest engineering marvels - this tunnel that connects one side of the Elbe to the other.
Cap San Diego
Hop aboard this museum ship to learn about the history of Hamburg's port - the largest in Germany.
Hamburg Harbour Cruise
Enjoy a relaxing cruise around Hamburg's historic harbour.
Chocoversum
Find out how chocolate is made, before making your very own bar to take home.
FAQs
When's the best time to visit Hamburg?
Hamburg is a fantastic destination to visit at any time of year because there’s always something going on.
As with any major tourist destination, if you want to escape the crowds, your best bet is to go in spring or autumn, which also tends to be when the weather’s at its best.
And winter’s a magical time to visit, as the Christmas markets here are some of the best in Europe.
What's the best way to get around Hamburg?
Hamburg’s really easy to get around. The public transport is easy and efficient (as you’d expect from a major German city), with most groups finding the U- and S-Bahns cover most of their transport needs. Your itinerary will clearly explain how to get to your scheduled visits and activities.
How long should we stay in Hamburg?
Most groups find that 4 days (3 nights) in Hamburg is about right. That gives you plenty of time to get to know the city and enjoy some great educational activities, without too much downtime.
Can I run a cross-curricular trip to Hamburg?
Absolutely. In fact, we’d recommend this as a great way to boost numbers for your trip. Hamburg offers exciting opportunities for German, history and STEM. Just let your Tour Adviser know that you’re interested in making your trip cross-curricular and they’ll be pleased to help you work out an itinerary to suit everyone.
Which visits are a must on a school trip to Hamburg?
Obviously, Hamburg’s history is all about its importance as a port city, so you must spend some time down at the harbour.
We’d highly recommend visiting the Elbphilharmonie Plaza for panoramic views across the harbour and the city. You can also take a harbour cruise and explore a museum ship – all helping your group to appreciate how the port made Hamburg such an important (and wealthy) city.
If you’ve got a group of foodies (or just a bunch of hungry teenagers that need feeding constantly) then the city’s food markets are also definitely worth a visit.
And for some brilliant photo ops, make sure you visit the world’s largest model railway at Miniatur Wunderland.
Are there any free things to do in Hamburg?
Just walking around Hamburg’s various neighbourhoods is a great way to spend your time in the city. But probably the best free activity in Hamburg is walking through the iconic Alter Elbtunnel.
This 426.5m long tunnel was built to connect the northern side of the Elbe with the port areas on the southern side. It was used as an air raid shelter in WW2 but is now a major tourist attraction. There are loads of Instagrammable bits along the way, so your students will love it.
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