by Anthony Shaw

Created on: August 11, 2010

Hamburg is the second largest city in Germany with a population close to 2,000,000 people. It is one of Europe's richest cities, and a magnet for tourists from all over the world. It is a port city, but while shipping made Hamburg the wealthy city that it has become, there is far more to it than docks, cranes and the waterfront.

There are a whole host of options as to how you would get there. The airport at Fühlsbüttel is well-maintained, and relatively easy to get through. International passengers will usually fly to either of Germany's main transport hubs in either Frankfurt or Munich, and catch a connecting flight to Hamburg. There are, though, direct flights from neighbouring countries such as the UK, the Netherlands, Sweden, Norway and Finland.

Alternatively you might choose to arrive on a train, using Germany's excellent railway service. Hamburg's Main Railway Station (Hauptbahnhof) is in the heart of the city. Many trains do run through to the Western side of the city, and this can be quite useful if you have booked a hotel (such as the Radisson SAS) close to the Dammtor station, or one of any number of hotels in the vibrant Altona district. 

The third way to arrive is on the Stena Line ferry that sails overnight from Harwich in the UK. This offers an excellent quality service at an affordable price, and allows for an excellent view of the whole sea front area of Hamburg upon arrival.

Any traveller is always advised to book accommodation in advance before arrival, particularly when there are major trade fairs taking place in the city and at weekends during the summer, when tourists come to enjoy the vast range of entertainment that the city has to offer. Online bookings can be made via the site www.hamburg-tourism.de/en/ (the en indicating that it is the English language version of the site, which is particularly of use to those who lack confidence in their knowledge of the German language).

As might be expected, Hamburg has a whole range of hotels available, aimed at the entire range of potential travellers. So whether you prefer a five-star hotel with all the attendant luxuries, or a cheap and cheesy hotel in the heart of the Reeperbahn, a modern family hotel or a traditional old-fashioned establishment close to the water - all are available to you, with a price range to match.

As in all major German cities, the quality of public transport is excellent, with a wide choice of local railway and bus services

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