8 hours
Pick up from your Hotel
The city’s creativity is perhaps best seen in its architecture, which is an astonishing mix of traditions that are both preserved and rebuilt, into new masterpieces of today. On this Hamburg tour, you’ll time-travel from the Middle Ages into the present, as you discover the city’s many architectural gems.
Your Hamburg architecture tour starts with a visit inside St. Jacobi Church, one of the five Lutheran churches located within Hamburg’s historic center. Dating back to 1255, the church has a long history peppered with destruction. In 1944, it was completely destroyed by Allied bombings; however, the famous Arp Schnitger Organ and its valuable medieval and baroque equipment were safely stored. Today, the organ is the largest still-operating baroque organ built in the northern German style.
Next, you’ll pass by the second main church (St. Peter’s Church), to reach Hamburg’s City Hall, located in the city’s commercial heart, the Alstadt Quarter. Built between 1886 and 1897, it’s an impressive building — and unusually ostentatious for Hanseatic tastes! Head inside for a short tour that will really show off how impressive the interior is.
Next, see the beautiful Hygieia fountain on your way to another magnificent building: the neoclassical Chamber of Commerce. Then, you’ll head along the Außenalster and the famous Jungfernstieg, an urban promenade that weaves past the Binnenalster artificial lake. We’ll make our way to the State Opera and to Laeizhalle, a concert hall and home to the Hamburg Symphoniker and the Philharmoniker, as well as the Brahms Museum (dedicated to classical composer Johannes Brahms), where you will get a private guided tour.
Finally, visit the three other main churches of Hamburg. First up is the famous St. Michael´s (or “Michel” as Hamburg locals call it) with its six organs and crypt. Then, on to St. Katharinen which is the second oldest building preserved in the city and traditionally served as the church of the seamen. Last, but not least, is the memorial St. Nikolai with its museum and observation tower, now dedicated to the causes and consequences of the air war during the Second World War.
Your tour will end at the Deichtorhallen, one of the largest exhibition houses for contemporary art in Europe. We highly recommend you stick around (or come back at your leisure) to browse the current exhibits on your own.
Our Hamburg tour guides are more than just guides — they are true city characters who live and breathe local life. With their rich knowledge of Hamburg art, architecture, culture, and history, they won’t just show you the sites, but will also tell you the stories hidden beneath them, taking you into the very heart of Hamburg.
Our guides are experts in their subjects, but this is your private tour, and the city has no shortage of fascinating places to see. It’s our pleasure to tailor this tour to suit your interests. Simply tell us where your interests lie, and we’ll be happy to accommodate your wishes.