Hamburg for Culture Vultures and Harry Potter fans

For all you folks who love to explore culture, art or music when visiting a new destination, and my fellow Harry Potter fans, put Hamburg on your list now! Up north in Germany, along a river and a lake, lies this beautiful city which had witnessed the early days of the Beatles while they performed on the streets of the Reeperbahn and is today a musical capital hosting a variety of world-famous musicals, theatre performances and more. I personally found magic in different alleys of Hamburg on my summer trip in 2021. But such is the magic of Hamburg that the beautiful theatres, museums and more even managed to mesmerize the new generation of Hogwarts kids – Albus Potter, Rose Granger-Weasley and Scorpius Malfoy themselves! Don’t believe me? Check this out for proof:

 

Those were the actors from Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, which is currently playing in German in Hamburg. Here’s how you can plan your next trip to Hamburg to some of these impressive spots and experience beauty, culture and magic:

Places to visit in Hamburg for culture lovers

1. Mehr!Theatre –

The Mehr! Theatre is Hamburg’s largest theatre, interestingly located inside the historically listed Grossmarkthalle (wholesale market halls!). Architecture lovers may love visiting the Grossmarkthalle and the Mehr! Theatre AND this is also where Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is playing through 2022 and early 2023. In general, the theatre hosts numerous theatre performances, concerts, musicals, shows and more throughout the year, and you can also spot it from a distance while visiting the Elbphilharmonie viewing platform.

 

Psst – With the Hamburg Card, you can even get a 10% discount on the Harry Potter tickets at the box office only for the shows that day. Normal tickets are priced at 49 euros for 1 part or 99 euros for both parts of the play.

 

 

2. Hamburg Kunsthalle

The Hamburger Kunsthalle is one of the largest art museums in Germany. The museum consists of three connected buildings, dating from 1869, 1921 and 1997, located in the Altstadt district between the Hauptbahnhof and the two Alster lakes. You can also view their online collection to get a flavour before your visit.

 

Bonus- Whisk yourself away to the galleries along Hamburg’s Art Mile. Conveniently located between the Alster and the Elbe, the Art Mile is the perfect place to take a stroll and discover some new art. FREE ADMISSION FOR UNDER 18 . Choose between a 12-Month and 3-Day Pass and enjoy free entry to all 5 galleries. Also discounted with the Hamburg Card.

 

3. Haus der Photographie

The three beautiful historic buildings of the Deichtorhallen , including the Haus der Photographie, are dedicated to contemporary art and photography. Together, they make up one of the largest exhibition venues of its kind in Europe. The Haus der Photographie is currently undergoing renovation, so you can meanwhile visit PHOXXI- the Temporary House of Photography instead.

As this is also part of the Kunst (Art) Mile, the 3-day Art Mile pass is also valid here.

 

READ: Planning a weekend trip to Hamburg

 

4. Elbphilharmonie

The Elbphilharmonie is a spectacular concert hall in the Hafen City area of Hamburg that was inaugurated in 2016. Even if you don’t get to attend an orchestra performance at the Elphi, you can easily go up to the Plaza, the viewing platform, to admire the architecture, and get a panoramic view of the Hamburg harbour from a height of 37 metres, while enjoying some refreshments. All it needs is a 2 euros ticket booked for a specific time slot, easily doable online.

 

Book an Elbphileharmonie tour with a 1-hour harbour cruise here.

5. MOJO Club

The Mojo Club is a music club and live venue in Hamburg, located on the city’s famous Reeperbahn. Founded in 1989, it is considered to be a pioneer in the field of modern breakbeat-oriented sounds such as acid jazz and had a major impact on dancefloor jazz. Talking of Reeperbahn, it is also where the Beatles started performing and got a first taste of stardom back in the 1960s.

 

 

6. Hamburg Ballet

Ballet lovers will certainly enjoy watching a Hamburg Ballet performance at the Hamburg State Opera or catching a special ‘Hamburg Ballet Days’ performance that takes place for a few days every summer. Sometimes, they also have very special offers, such as offering a 5 euro ticket this year to folks under 30 for attending the ‘Ghost Light’ ballet on July 2, 2022.

 

Hamburg for culture vultures: Here’s a map for you!

 

There are many more places to explore in Hamburg, but which of these spots would you like to visit on your next trip? Comment below and let me know!

 

Want more? Join the fun Harry Potter tour in Hamburg or book your tickets to watch ‘Harry Potter and the Cursed Child’ running currently through March, 2023! Get more Hamburg planning tips<and explore travel in Germany.

 

Note- This post is in collaboration with Visit Hamburg though all opinions are entirely my own