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Days out

Public transport

  • If you would like to get around Hamburg by public transport, use the HVV journey planner at hvv.de. It is worth installing the HVV app on your phone. You can use it to buy tickets and plan your journeys quickly. You cannot buy tickets from the bus driver. A day ticket or group day ticket often offers good value.
  • You can use the ‘Neuer Friedhof’ bus stop on Bremer Straße, uphill from the house, or the ‘Rabenstein’ stop on Marmstorfer Weg, downhill from the house. From there, buses run to Harburg town centre, where you can change to an S-Bahn train towards central Hamburg.
  • If you’d rather not take the bus or drive into the city centre, you can park at the Park & Ride in Harburg and change to the S-Bahn there. Parking costs EUR 2 for 24 hours and can be paid for at the machine. → Map

Nearby

Some of our favourite places nearby:

  • Harburger Stadtpark - Außenmühle lake has a lovely circular walking route. → Map

  • Das Bootshaus - A lovely little restaurant and ice-cream parlour overlooking the lake. → Map

  • Water playground in Harburger Stadtpark - ideal for splashing around. → Map

  • Freilichtmuseum am Kiekeberg - A fascinating open-air museum exploring the region’s history through the ages. Since there is also plenty to discover indoors, it is a good choice even in changeable weather. The grounds are beautiful, and admission is comparatively inexpensive. → Map

  • Wildpark Schwarze Berge - A wonderful woodland wildlife park with many animals native to the region, a walk-through red-deer enclosure, a petting zoo, a flying display and a large playground. You can feed some of the animals using food sold on site. If possible, plan your visit for a weekday, as it is often very crowded at weekends. → Map

  • Fischbeker Heide - A beautiful nature reserve with extensive heathland, ideal for walking and cycling along unpaved trails. → Map

  • Inselpark - A spacious park with plenty to do:

  • Freibad Hitfeld - Open-air swimming pool with a slide. → Map

  • Bio Hofladen und Café Overmeyer - Farm shop and café offering regional organic produce. → Map

A little farther afield

These destinations are a little farther afield but easy to reach by car:

  • Barfußpark Egestorf - An outdoor activity park with barefoot trails. It’s a lovely choice on a hot day, when you can combine it with a visit to the natural swimming pool. (The pool has a separate admission charge.) → Map
  • Heide Park Soltau - A large theme park with roller coasters and attractions for the whole family. → Map

Hamburg

Here are a few ideas for a day out in the city.

  • Miniatur Wunderland - The world’s largest model railway exhibition, created with meticulous attention to detail. It’s truly impressive and highly recommended. Be sure to book a time slot in advance! → Map
  • HafenCity - A modern district on the banks of the Elbe. This is also where the Elbphilharmonie is located, an impressive concert hall with unique architecture. → Map
  • Landungsbrücken - The departure point for many harbour tours. → Map
  • For a short, self-guided harbour trip, take HADAG ferry 62 from Landungsbrücken to the Neumühlen/Övelgönne landing stage. The Elbe beach at Övelgönne, home to the Strandperle, is a lovely place to visit. There you can relax in the sand, watch the ships and enjoy the special harbour atmosphere. Please do not swim in the Elbe: the undertow and currents can be life-threatening. The HVV day ticket is also valid on the ferry. You can take a direct S-Bahn train back to Harburg from Landungsbrücken.
  • Alter Elbtunnel - This protected historic tunnel is now open only to cyclists and pedestrians and is popular with visitors and locals alike. → Map
  • Planten un Blomen - A beautiful park in the heart of Hamburg with large playgrounds, water features and a variety of plants. → Map
  • Hagenbeck Zoo - A zoo with animals from around the world. Its tropical aquarium also makes it a good choice in bad weather. Driving is the easiest way to get there, but check the traffic conditions before setting off. It’s easiest to buy tickets online. → Map
  • Summer DOM - Northern Germany’s largest funfair, with plenty of rides and food stalls right in the city centre. → Map

Weekly markets

  • Harburg weekly market (Sand) - Our local market is held on Sand square in Harburg and sells fresh regional fruit and vegetables. The market is open Tuesday to Saturday from 8:00 am to 1:30 pm. It is convenient and centrally located, although the range of stalls is fairly limited. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, don’t miss the bread and excellent rolls from Bäckerei Oetzmann.

If you love weekly markets and don’t mind travelling a little farther, we also recommend:

  • Isemarkt, Eppendorf - It is considered one of Germany’s most beautiful weekly markets and takes place on Tuesdays and Fridays from 8:30 am to 2:00 pm.

  • Goldbekufer weekly market, Winterhude - Its waterside setting gives it a particularly lovely atmosphere. It is open on Tuesdays from 12:30 pm to 5:00 pm and on Thursdays and Saturdays from 8:30 am to 1:00 pm.