HAMBURG, GERMANY

Hamburg—Germany's second-largest city—is the major landmark for the river.

Hamburg, was founded at the mouth of the Alster river in the 9th century and used it as a port. The water was used to flood the moats of the fortifications. The Alster was dammed since 1190, originally to power a watermill. In 1235 a further dam was built for a second mill, which changed the shape of the river to be like a lake. 

This graceful city, is one of Europe's busiest ports. Enjoy its stunning architecture, museums, and theaters. Discover the shopping arcades and outdoor cafes of the Inner Alster. Or stroll through the lavish parks and gardens of the Outer Alster. Visit the Rathaus; the 14th-century houses of Deichstrasse; and St Petri, Hamburg's oldest church. Information courtesy of Europe America River Cruises.

CLIMATE                                                                                          

Hamburg has an oceanic climate. Hamburg's proximity to coastal areas influences the area's climate by sending marine air masses from the Atlantic Ocean. Nearby wetlands also ensure a maritime temperate climate. Snowfall is rare, generally occurring once or twice a year.

The warmest months in Hamburg are June, July, and August, with high temperatures of 19.9 to 22.2 °C (68 to 72 °F). The coldest are December, January, and February, with low temperatures of -1.4 to 0 °C (29 to 32 °F).

LANGUAGES                                                                                     

LANGUAGE  is as typical for Northern Germany, the original language of Hamburg is Low German, usually referred to as Hamborger Platt (German Hamburger Platt) or Hamborgsch. It is still in use, albeit by a minority and rarely in public.

                                                                                          CUISINE

 

Original Hamburg dishes are Birnen, Bohnen und Speck (Low Saxon Birn, Bohn un Speck, green beans cooked with pears and bacon), Aalsuppe (Low Saxon Oolsupp) is often mistaken to be German for “eel soup“ (Aal/Ool translated ‘eel’).Today eel is often included to meet the expectations of unsuspecting diners. There is Bratkartoffeln (Low Saxon Brootkartüffeln, pan-fried potato slices), Finkenwerder Scholle (Low Saxon Finkwarder Scholl, pan-fried plaice), Pannfisch (pan-fried fish), Rote Grütze (Low Saxon Rode Grütt, related to Danish rødgrød, a type of summer pudding made mostly from berries and usually served with cream.

TOURISM                                                                                          

Tourists play a significant role in the city's economy. In 2007, Hamburg attracted more than 3,985,105 visitors with 7,402,423 overnight stays. The tourism sector employs more than 175,000 people full-time and brings in revenue of €9.3 billion, making the tourism industry a major economic force in the Hamburg Metropolitan Region. Hamburg has one of the fastest-growing tourism industries in Germany.

• A Tour of the City Hall, 
• The Grand church St. Michaelis (called the Michel),
• The Old warehouse district (Speicherstadt),
• The Harbour promenade (Landungsbrücken),
• The Alster Lake.    

 

Giant Mermaid Sculpture in Alster Lake, Germany                        

Hamburg’s Alster Lake is a huge 160 hectare expanse in the middle of the city and a favourite place for visitors and locals alike when it comes to relaxing and having fun – especially on warm days. The lake has plenty of opportunities for rowing and canoeing, as well as trips on steamer ships.

NOW, A four-meter-high dubbed "Riesen-Nixe" (grand mermaid) or "Badenixe" (bathing beauty), made by Oliver Voss will be in place on  'Alster' lake in Hamburg, Germany, until August 12. When put together, the sculpture should resemble a woman bathing in the picturesque lake. But the crew installing the oversized art piece ran into some technical trouble. It's unclear if the technical woes will actually sink the art project, which hasn't enjoyed smooth sailing from the start.
amburg’s Alster Lake is a huge 160 hectare expanse in the middle of the city and a favourite place for visitors and locals alike when it comes to relaxing and having fun – especially on warm days. The lake has plenty of opportunities for rowing and canoeing, as well as trips on steamer ships.

TRANSPORT                                                                        

Hamburg is a major transportation hub in Germany. Hamburg is connected to four Autobahnen (motorways) and is the most important railway junction on the route to Scandinavia.

Bridges and tunnels connect the northern and southern parts of the city, such as the old Elbe Tunnel (Alter Elbtunnel) now a major tourist sight, and the Elbe Tunnel (Elbtunnel) the crossing of a motorway.

 ...by Air                                                                                
 
Hamburg Airport is the oldest airport in Germany still in operation. There is also the smaller Hamburg Finkenwerder Airport, used only as a company airport for Airbus. Some airlines market Lübeck Airport in Lübeck as serving Hamburg.

Public transport by rail, bus and ships is organized by a fare-collection joint venture between transportation companies. Tickets sold by one company in this Hamburger Verkehrsverbund ("Hamburg transit authority") (HVV) are valid on all other HVV companies' services. The HVV was the first organization of this kind worldwide.

                                                                             ...by Rail

Nine mass transit rail lines across the city are the backbone of Hamburg public transportation. The Hamburg S-Bahn (heavy railway system) system comprises six lines and the Hamburg U-Bahn three lines. U-Bahn is short for Untergrundbahn(underground railway). Approximately 41 km (25 mi) of 101 km (63 mi) of the subway is underground; most of the tracks are on embankments, viaducts or at ground level.

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BREMENHAVEN, GERMANY

Bremerhaven, Germany

History

The town was founded in 1827,
Bremerhaven has a population of 127,000 and is Germany's largest city on the North Sea coast. It lies at the mouth of the River Weser and is Europe's most up to date cruise terminal as well as being a global centre for polar, marine and climate research. The harbour dates back to 1827 and is one of the largest seaports in Europe and is an important centre for maritime tourism. The German Maritime Museum has its very own harbour with exhibits covering 1,000 years of ship building history. The "Sail Bremerhaven" festival brings together over 200 large and small windjammers from all over the world and is a spectacular event that takes place every five years.

The city has its own beach, an extensive network of cycle tracks and many other leisure pursuits. There is nothing that Bremerhaven does not offer for relaxation and if boats are not your "thing" you can indulge in freshly caught fish in one of the many fish restaurants. Just minutes away from the sea you will find ultra-modern facilities – shopping malls, street cafes, bars and restaurants as well as the theatre and art gallery.

Bremerhaven's newly updated airport has state-of-the-art fixtures and fittings and has charter flight connections to many European destinations.

Climate

Bremerhaven has a temperate maritime climate, severe frost and heat waves with temperatures above 30°C (86°F) are rare. On average the city receives about 742 mm (29.2 inches) of precipitation distributed throughout the year with a slight peak in the summer months between June and August.



Transportation

Bremenhaven Railway

...by Rail;

Using the Deutschen Bahn or the VBN Verkehrsverbund Bremen Niedersachsen (Public Transport Association Bremen and Lower Saxony) you can reach Bremerhaven via Bremen or coming from Cuxhaven. You have the possibility to get off the train at the Central Train Station or the train stations Lehe or Wulsdorf. From here you can reach the city center by using the public transportation system Bremerhaven Bus.

Bremerthaven Airline

  ...by Airplane;

The Regional Airport Bremerhaven is located in the south of the city, from here you can easily reach the city center by taxi. From the Bremen International Airport you can take the streetcar line 6 to the central train station and then easily travel to Bremerhaven with the train.

...by Ship;

Using the Weser Ferry you can quickly cross the River Weser. Sailing into the city you can find a space to dock in the motorboat harbors/marina. You can find further information using our mooring space information system.

The German Maritime Museum

Tourist attractions

• Havenwelten and include the German Emigration Center (since August 8, 2005) 
• The German Maritime Museum (Deutsche Schiffahrtsmuseum) from 1975, featuring the Hansekogge, a vintage ship dating from 1380, excarvated in Bremen in 1962, and the historical harbour with a number of museum ships, such as the Type XXI U-boat Wilhelm Bauer,
• The Seute Deern (a three-masted sailing vessel), and the seagoing tug Seefalke from 1924.
• The Lloyd-Werft shipyard is renowned for building and renovating large cruise liners, for example the Norway.

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Posted in: Germany