Berlin and Hamburg are the two largest cities in Germany and also two of the largest in the EU. Both cities are excellent destinations for anyone thinking about visiting. Here is the ultimate guide when deciding between Berlin or Hamburg.
Berlin or Hamburg
Berlin
Berlin is one of the most famous cities in all of Europe. Although its history is seen everywhere, the city has evolved into one of the most progressive cities in Europe. It is a massive city with 3.75 million living in the city and 6.15 million living in the metro area. Roughly 1/3 of the city’s area is forests, parks, gardens, or waterways.
Because much of Berlin was devastated during WW2, the architecture here is very diverse ranging from pre-war to extremely modernist designs. Museums, galleries, and musical venues are found in abundance here.
Hamburg
Hamburg is the 2nd largest city in Germany, behind Berlin. The city has 1.82 million people and 5.1 million living in the metro area. It is most famous for having Germany’s largest port, The Port of Hamburg, even though the city is over 100km from the sea. Hamburg has so many waterways that there are over 2,500 bridges, more than Amsterdam, London, and Venice combined. It has more bridges within its city limits than any other city in the world.
Geographic Setting
Berlin
Berlin is in the northeastern corner of Germany. Most of Berlin was built on low-lying woodlands. The outskirts of Berlin are covered in numerous lakes, particularly in Eastern Berlin.
Hamburg
Hamburg sits on the banks of the River Elbe. The River Elbe is a large river that leads to the North Sea and is the reason why Hamburg has become Germany’s largest port city. In the center of the city, there are two large lakes, both formed from the damming of the Alter River.
Landmarks
Berlin
- Brandenburg Gate is the large gate to the city, once seen as a symbol of a divided country, but is now the symbol of unity for the country. It is the equivalent of the Arc de Triomphe in Paris or in many other European cities.
- Reichstag is a Neo-Renaissance palace that was turned into the German Parliament building in 1999.
- East Side Gallery is a section of the Berlin Wall that is covered in incredible murals and paintings. It attracts 3 million visitors every year.
- Jewish Memorial is also known as the Holocaust Memorial. It features 2,711 concrete slabs in remembrance of the Jewish people who lost their lives in WW2.
- Museum Island is an island in between the River Spree and the Kupfergraben Canal. It is home to some of Berlin’s most important museums, including the Old Museum, New Museum, Old National Gallery, and Bode Museum.
- Berlin Cathedral was built in a New Baroque style and features a 75-meter-high dome. It is one of the most popular sights to see in Berlin.
- Berliner Fernsehturm is a television tower that is the 3rd largest free-standing structure in Europe. You can go to the top to see the fantastic vistas of the city.
- Gendarmenmarkt is one of the largest city squares in Berlin. The French Cathedral, the German Cathedral, and the Konzerthaus are all situated on the sides of the square.
Hamburg
- Speicherstadt is a series of residential quarters lined along a canal. It was originally built as the warehouse district but eventually, many of the warehouses were turned into apartments, making the aesthetic and atmosphere truly fantastic.
- Elbphilharmonie is the city’s tallest residential building with an extremely modern design and 1,000 curved windows. It is built on top of an old warehouse.
- City Hall is a large Neo-Renaissance building in the middle of the city.
- St. Michael’s Church is one of Hamburg’s five main Lutheran churches. It features a white interior with golden trim making it a magnificent sight to see.
- Alster Lakes offer some of the best views of the city. There are parks and cafes lining the shoreline of the lakes making it the perfect place for a stroll.
- Reeperbahn is the “Red Light District” of Hamburg. It has a lively bar scene as well as strip clubs.
Food
Berlin
Berlin is now known for being a very innovative city which means its food has also been evolving. They are heralded for having excellent vegetarian and vegan restaurants throughout the city. Currywurst continues to be one of the most popular traditional dishes in the city. Berlin is also home to one of the largest chocolate stores in the world, Fassbender & Rausch.
Hamburg
An authentic dish in Hamburg is Birnen, Bohnen, and Speck which is green beans cooked with pears and bacon. Pan-fried potato slices and fish are also popular dishes within the city. When it comes to desserts, the Franzbrötchen is the king in Hamburg. It is a pastry that looks a lot like a croissant but has the taste of cinnamon and butter. The Frikadeller is a pan-fried patty that originated in Hamburg and may have been the inspiration for the American Hamburger.
Getting Around
Berlin
Berlinhttps://exploreglobally.com/berlin-or-munich-which-city-to-visit/ has a series of underground trains called the U-Bahn. It also has the S-Bahn which is a network of trains above ground. Bus and tram are also great ways to get around the city. The city is very flat which is great for walking and many of the main attractions in Berlin are within walking distance of each other. You might want to consider getting a 48-hour public transportation pass if you want to see the East Side Gallery or the Victory Column.
Hamburg
Hamburg also has an excellent U-Bahn and S-Bahn network. Once you get to the center of the city you can walk to many different landmarks. You can also rent a bike and use one of the biking itineraries offered by the Hamburg tourism website.
Nightlife
Berlin
Berlin is known for having world-renowned nightclubs. If you are into techno, you might want to consider being around Friedrichshain, or East Berlin. If you are into the bar scene you will want to stay in the Schlesisches Tor area. Being such a large city, Berlin has something for everyone in regard to nightlife.
Hamburg
People argue that Hamburg has some of the best nightlife in the world. The Beatles famously performed here which helped make them the world-famous group that they eventually became. Hamburg has a world-famous redlight district that is full of bars, cafes, and strip clubs. Another part of town that is known for partying is the district of St. Pauli. If you are into electronic and dance music some of the best places to go are Halo, Moondoo, Villa Nova, Baalsaal, and Prinzenbar. There are also many rock and alternative rock bars within the city.
Day Trips
Berlin
- Potsdam is a city on the outskirts of Berlin, making it a perfect day trip. There are beautiful palaces and churches to visit.
- Dresden is just under two hours away from Berlin by train. Dresden has many sights to see and would be worth a day or two if you have time to spare.
- Pfaueninsel is an island near Potsdam and just south of Berlin. You can easily walk the whole island and see all of the landmarks on the island for a nice day trip.
- Devil’s Bridge is a picturesque stone bridge north of Berlin. Many Instagrammers take this day trip to capture the beauty of the bridge.
Hamburg
- Lubeck is a port city to the northeast of Hamburg. It is known for its medieval architecture and its red-brick city gate.
- Bremen is a fairly large city just to the west of Hamburg. It is definitely worth spending a day or two here if you have ample time in Hamburg.
- Scherwin is most well-known for Schwerin Castle. The castle sits on an island in one of the city’s seven lakes.
- Bremerhaven is a seaport city on the North Sea. It is an important German port city and has a beautiful oceanfront area to explore.
Overview
The two biggest cities in Germany are both incredible destinations. If you are debating between visiting Berlin or Hamburg, you should consider allotting enough time to visit both cities. Berlin, being the capital of Germany, is obviously hard to pass up but Hamburg is a spectacular city attracting more and more tourists every year.