This is one of my favourite places in Hamburg. Till last week I thought you could only reach it by car, but that’s actually not true. Before I start to explain how to get there, I’ll give you an idea of the place.

Actually it’s just a normal bridge called “photographers bridge” close to the airport Hamburg Fuhlsbüttel. The first time, I was there, it was in the middle of the night and I saw many landing strip lights and some air-crafts landing late at night.

During the day with good weather, it’s a great choice for watching air-crafts taking off and landing. There is a small Café where you can get affordable Latte Macchiato for 2,40 Euro or a Beck’s beer for 2,30 Euro. Snacks like Sausages, hotdogs and donuts.

Coffee-to-Fly is open 365 days a year – spring, summer, autumn, winter – always. Have a small holiday while watching other people going by on the hundred of planes that pass here daily.

Give it a try, you won’t regret! And the best of ALL: it’s for free!! If you’re on a short budget, don’t drink anything in the Café, but bring your thermos flask or cold coke with you.

How to get there: Take bus #24 from Langenhorn Markt [U1] or Niendorf Markt [U2] or bus #193 from Poppenbüttel [S1] or Langenhorn Markt [U1] to Station “Wrangelkoppel”, follow the sign “Aussichtsplattform” for around 15 minutes, there you are!

PS: thanks 4 all the wonderful mails I got – it’s wonderful you liked it there.

The “Alsterwanderweg” is a hiking trail that runs along the Alster River for about 56km. The southern section of the trail (22km) leads through the ‘Alstertal’ (Alster valley) with wonderful parks and villas, along the outer and the inner Alster, and terminates directly in the heart of Hamburg: at the harbor where the Alster runs into the Elbe River. The trail is very popular with locals year-round as every season brings its own charm to this scenic route.

Take the public transport up north to Poppenbüttel to begin your 5-hour adventure either on foot or by bicycle. As you head south you’ll sometimes follow the meandering river on its right then on its left again.

There are some sections where you’ll need to cross or walk along a street. Some of the many rowing clubs and locks on your way down to Winterhude have restaurants with a gorgeous view of the river.

After passing through Eppendorf, you’ll reach the spacious Alsterpark on the outer Alster, a very wide section of the river with a beautiful view of the inner city’s skyline. Finally, you’ll know you’re on the last stretch of the path when you pass under Kennedy- and Lombardsbrücke to arrive at the inner Alster and the city center.

Leave the Alsterarkaden behind you and terminate this exciting hike at the “Baumwall” or “Landungsbrücken” metro stop. Although the direction of trail is marked by signs, be sure to bring a map with you!

Twice a week, Hamburg’s Isestraße becomes Europe’s largest outdoor market: the Isemarkt. Set in a charming residential neighborhood with beautiful art nouveau buildings, this extraordinary gourmet farmers’ market spreads almost 1 km below the metro rails allowing for a magnificent experience regardless of the weather. Let’s stroll down the center lane and discover what close to 200 vendors have on offer!

Immerse yourself into the various sensory pleasures – when I first encountered this market, I felt like a sponge trying to absorb all the different scents from the abundance of flowers and plants, herbs, spices and soaps, cured meats and fish, pralines and chocolates, and international delicacies that are freshly prepared upon order.

Sample some delicious local (organic) produce, or have a long thin smoked sausage called “Wattwurm”. I’d also recommend tasting the vegetarian soups and quiches, and obtaining some of the homemade jams. In addition, you’ll find this plethora of culinary delights interspersed with stands offering leather goods, arts and crafts, jewelry, high end fashion, and home appliances.

If you feel like taking a break, have some coffee or tea, and watch how people engage in friendly conversations with the merchants exchanging ideas and recipes, listen to the street musicians, and enjoy the relaxed atmosphere – you’ll notice that nobody here seems to be in a rush. Haggling is definitely allowed, but as the experts among you’ll already know: your success rate will be highest towards closing time.

Schokovida is one of the best chocolate specialty shops in Hamburg, a family-run confectionery offering delectable treasures such as pralines, truffles, and personalized chocolates.

The interior is designed to accentuate the clear lines of the chocolate bars and to highlight other precious chocolate products. As you enter, you’ll notice a long counter and shelves displaying assorted temptations in specially designed packaging reflecting the spirit of their creator. The elegant combination of a chocolate-brown floor, teak wood, and illuminated pink acrylic panes conveys a ‘loungy’ atmosphere. Comfy chairs invite customers to sit down and relax while enjoying one of the cocoa creations and other sweet treats, such as dark chocolate cake or home-made ice cream with white chocolate, ginger, and orange.

Almost all products are created on site in a small chocolate manufacture and are made with pure cocoa paste (at least 70%) and cocoa butter, natural vanilla and untreated soy-lecithin, and do not contain any kind of additives or preservatives. The owners of Schokovida believe in fair trade, organic ingredients, and extraordinary products. Sounds expensive, doesn’t it? But it’s not: their exquisite selection of truffles, cocoa, chocolate tools and pasta is available for under 5 Euros.

If you are interested in a gourmet tour to the world of chocolate, you may want to attend one of Schokovida’s popular gourmet events, such as wine & chocolate tastings or learn how to make pralines.

Are you looking for something unique and just tired of browsing the same old major brands? Don’t hesitate to visit one of Hamburg’s premier shopping streets! Eppendorfer Weg originates in Eimsbüttel and runs northwards through Hoheluft- West and -East until it terminates at Lehmweg right in the heart of Eppendorf, one of Hamburg’s ritzy neighborhoods.

The section between Lehmweg and Kottwitzstrasse is known as the ‘art nouveau quarter’ because of its wonderful architecture. This upper stretch of Eppendorfer Weg is famous for its magnificent blend of quaint little cafés, exclusive boutiques, bakeries and delicatessen, upscale stores, classy bars and restaurants. Sounds too expensive? Don’t be fooled! Every store has its distinctive character and price, and there is something affordable to discover for everyone.

My favorite spot on Eppendorfer Weg is “Burg’s Kaffeerösterei” (coffee roastery). The aroma of freshly roasted coffee beans will draw you right into the shop where you can spend hours browsing a multitude of unique little gifts. Shiny decorative items and tasty chocolates (to accompany your coffee), interesting spreads and jams, tins, coffee grinders, mugs and pots, and much more will be hard to resist – you definitely don’t need to like coffee to make a find here!