In the late 1800s, Hamburg built a vast warehouse complex to create vital storage for goods shipped in and out of the city. Today, the beautiful UNESCO World Heritage–listed Speicherstadt and its sights are an essential stop for Hamburg visitors. Spicy’s Spice Museum tells the story of the spice trade, and Hamburg’s Dungeon showcases the city’s grislier history with interactive features, performers, and rides. Miniatur Wunderland, another family-friendly option, features the world’s largest model railway along with mini versions of cities.
Many district and city walking tours explore the area. Alternatively, join a historic barge tour around the canals—most tours start from Landungsbrücken, the docks in the St. Pauli district—or hop-on hop-off harbor cruise, dropping down to water level to really savor the architectural details up-close.
The Warehouse District is a must-see for all first-time visitors to Hamburg.
The district is free to wander around, although the museums and attractions require entry tickets.
A tourist information center is situated in the Warehouse District, as are plenty of restaurants and cafés.
To enter the dungeon, it is recommended that children be at least 10 years old; kids under 14 must be accompanied by an adult.
Speicherstadt and most of its attractions are accessible to wheelchairs and strollers.
Hamburg’s Warehouse District is located on the north side of the Elbe River, east of the St. Pauli-Landungsbrücken (St. Pauli jetties). The closest U-Bahn station is Baumwall, and buses 6 and 608 stop here.
The Warehouse District is open to visitors all day, every day, but it’s really worth exploring at night, when the red-brick facades and steel bridges are illuminated by 800 carefully placed spotlights, creating a movie-set atmosphere. The museums and attractions all have their own specific opening hours.
Combine a visit to the Speicherstadt with a walk along the Old Elbe Tunnel. More than 100 years old, this early 20th-century feat of engineering transports visitors in large elevator cages 79 feet (24 meters) down to wander its surprisingly inviting, art deco–inspired pedestrian tunnel beneath the Elbe.