Hamburg Stag Guide

Hamburg at a glance:

• Germany’s second largest city, built on the banks of the enormous River Elbe – complete with its own beach
• Famous for its alternative music and punk scene, but also boasts more than 40 theatres, 60 museums, 100 music venues
• Infamous for the Reeperbahn area, once one of Europe’s most notorious red light districts, and now a bustling hotspot of nightlife and alternative culture
• It’s a vibrant metropolis that combines urban grit with parks and water – two thirds of Hamburg is made up of green space and waterways
• Home to two major football clubs, Hamburger SV, one of Germany’s oldest, and FC St Pauli, perhaps the world’s most hipster team

Birthplace of the Beatles

Many a proud Hamburger will let you know that their city was where a little-known rock band called The Beatles held their first-ever concerts, setting them off on world domination. From 1960 to 1962, the group performed in clubs across the city, testing their mettle with music-loving locals. Lennon once said “I might have been born in Liverpool - but I grew up in Hamburg,” and in 2008 a memorial square (Beatles-Platz) was erected in their honour

With winding waterways, picturesque parks and amazing museums, Hamburg can come across as a bit of a restrained city. But behind this facade, the city has one of the liveliest alternative nightlife scenes anywhere in Europe - full of beer, clubs and wicked secret spots. Reeperbahn, the famous red light district, might be a little sleezy but it has some of the coolest bars in the city and is great for big stag groups looking to let their hair down. With alternative warehouse complexes, new urban developments and the stunning port of Hamburg, it’s one of the trendiest cities in Germany.

With flights taking around 1½ hours from all of the UK’s major airports, Hamburg is easy to get to. It’s also got a similar climate to the UK, though you can definitely expect a little more sun during the summer months than in Britain. This means it’s a great all year round party destination and great for big groups who don’t want to spend forever travelling.

Hamburg is an up-and-coming cultural powerhouse with swanky clubs, phenomenal restaurants and some of most fashionable bars to be found anywhere in Europe - it really shouldn’t be missed.

Our Hamburg stag gurus have all the local knowledge of where to drink, stay and eat and which amazing activities to make your German stag weekend the most memorable. We take all the pain out of sorting out your stag group, getting your mates where they need to go, taking payments so you don't have to worry about who has paid what and when. By providing a dedicated account manager who is here 9am-9pm on week days and 9am-12pm on weekends, we can help If you need to add members to your group or change any of your stag choices. All you and your mates have to worry about is having an awesome time! Visit our Hamburg stag page and inquire now to find out more! More stag FAQS here

Autumn (September to November):

Sees peoples’ attention turn towards Hamburg’s reddening oak trees, painting its parks and pathways in cosy seasonal shades. This is prime time to check out Miniatur Wunderland: the world’s largest model train exhibit, taking you on an adorable, fun-sized tour of the world.

Winter (November to March)
No country does Christmas markets better than Germany, making winter (December to January) an excellent time to visit. Gorge on sauerkraut-laden bratwurst and mulled wine before ice-skating on the frozen surface of Lake Alster.

As the party capital of Germany, Hamburg’s nightlife is electric. Expect a little less pretension than uber-cool Berlin, meaning no one is going to judge you for not being ‘with it’. Generally, Hamburgers welcome self-expression, so there’s no pressure to adhere to any strict dress codes: put on some decent shoes and comb your hair, and you should be good to go.

Areas like Moloch are known to operate 24-hour club nights, meaning you can keep the vibe going well into the weekend. Keep in mind that most rowdy behaviour is only tolerated near St Pauli - so if you want locals to warm to you in less touristy spots, you best chill out.

For years, Berlin has been renowned as the best place to head for Brits wanting to party in Germany. However in recent years, Hamburg has become an increasingly popular stag destinations for big groups looking to have a good time. With the amount of clubs, bars, bar crawls and traditional German brewhouses on offer, it’s certainly no surprise to us. Who wants to travel all the way to Berlin just to get turned away at the doors of Berghain anyway!?

Hamburg still has the most important port in the whole of Germany. This has massively influenced the restaurants and Germany’s gateway to the world has brought in cuisine from all over. With fish markets, as well as hugely popular street food stalls near the town hall and St Michaelis Church, it has something for everyone. Though, there are definitely a few things that are definitely worth checking out while you’re here.

Like all major European cities, Hamburg has loads of accommodation options for your stag weekend. There’s swanky hotels, posh apartments and affordable hostels. If you’re in a big stag group, we recommend getting a cheap hostel - that way, you can all stay together, have fun back at the hostel and save money at the same time! Our Hamburg experts can book your stag weekend accommodation for you, build your stag package now and a account manager will help you every step of the way.

Jungfernsteig – where the city shows off

This smart district takes its name from the tradition of wealthy Hamburg merchants parading their unmarried daughters on Sunday afternoon walks by the lakes. Today it’s where you’ll find some of the city’s best shopping, chic cafés and restaurants. Inner Alster lake is a great place to hire bikes and explore a bit.

Altona – bohemian Hamburg’s playground

Gently gentrified in true Hamburg style, Altona is a little bit hipster, kind of bohemian, sort of arty and pretty much just itself. Home to the city’s creative types and their cutely dressed offspring, Altona’s where you want to be for cool clothes shops, new design, smart bars and interesting cafés and restaurants.

Neidklub, Reeperbahn 19

Underground vibe, international DJs, mix of sounds, fantastic interior, Neidklub pulls a young, smart Hamburg crowd for big ticket music events all year round. First floor terrace has amazing aerial views of the dance floor and that’s what it’s all about at Neidklub – dance, dance, dance.

Uebel & Gefährlich, Feldstraße 66

On the fourth floor of an immense and daunting looking overground bunker, Uebel & Gefärlech are credited with turning this weird venue into one of the most exciting clubs in Europe. Huge international events and DJs are the thing here and it pulls vast crowds.

Baalsaal, Reeperbahn 19

The dancefloor at Baalsaal isn’t as big as some but the monster sound system is huge and DJs love it. House and techno dominate here and nothing much happens until after 1am, but when it kicks off Baalsaal is epic.

Moondoo, Reeperbahn 136

Obscure music, chart hits, local legend DJs and one of the coolest places to club in the city. Crowded to capacity always and with a wild party vibe to boot. www.moondoo.de

The Shamrock, Feldstraße 40

Hamburg’s oldest Irish pub has seen quite a few others fall by the wayside but sports on the telly, excellent prices, good beer selection and the friendly vibe seem to have guaranteed long life and happiness for this much loved classic. www.shamrockirishbar.com

Paulaner’s Miraculum, Kirchenallee 47

Sounds like an ancient apothecary, but it’s really one of Hamburg’s great traditional German bars with the draught beer and hearty home-cooking for next to no money as standard. Friendly and unpretentious.

20 UP, Bernhard-Nocht-Straße 97

On the top floor of the Empire Riverside Hotel (hence the name) this bar has an astonishing view of the River Elbe and Hamburg, very reasonably priced drinks and a range of offers every night after 6pm.

Bernstein Bar, Bernstorffstraße 103

Inviting and intimate bar with a good mix of locals and visitors, regular DJs and a wide range of Germany’s finest brewing traditions to choose from. bernsteinbar.de

Biergarten der Factory, Hasselbrookstraße 172

One of the prettiest and most popular beer gardens in Hamburg, Biergarten der Factory is in the former Hasselbrooker Station building, surrounded by trees and great on summer evenings. The food is as good as the beer and the kitchen stays open until midnight. www.factory-hasselbrook.com

Le Fonque, Juliusstraße 33

More than 20 years of funking it up in the Schanze District have made this bar a bit on an expert in the art of a great night out. The secret is fantastic resident DJs, funk and soul staples, big, big drinks at good prices and lots of giant, squashy sofas for lounging about. www.fonque.de

Tower Bar, Seewartenstraße 9

Certainly not the cheapest bar in Hamburg but the great view over the city’s port is worth extra, plus it’s a nice, relaxed place to just hang out and recharge for a bit. www.hotel-hafen-hamburg.de

Check out our article for more bars and pubs in Hamburg for you stag bar crawl.

Buses

Buses are another way to get around Hamburg, and you’ll find that the main bus station Zentraler OmnibusBahnhof (short: ZOB Berlin) is located right next to the main train station.

Ferries

If you have time to take the scenic route, remember that Hamburg is a city built for the water, with a river, a lake and numerous canals all within its bounds. HVV Ferries are available from the city centre and run more frequently during the summer high season than they do the rest of the year. If you want to pack in your sightseeing in one go, opt for a harbour round-trip starting from Landungsbrücken.

Unlimited travel on all of these modes of transport is available with the Hamburg CARD, which you can buy at most stations or online, starting from €10.50 for a day ticket.

Here's a helpful guide to the routes and timetables for all of Hamburg’s public transport options.