View Northern Europe & Fjords on the mapAn open port city with many canals and bridges, also called "the Venice of the North." Historic red-brick warehouses stand next to modern architecture, and the St. Pauli district comes alive at night.

Hamburg

Hamburg · Germany · 53.54, 9.97

Germany's largest port city, stretching along the Elbe River and serving as a major departure and arrival port for Northern European cruises. The waterfront, lined with warehouses and a concert hall, has become the city's defining face.

Port highlights

The second-largest city, with about 1.9 million in the city proper and about 3.4 million in the metropolitan area

Population

A west-coast oceanic climate with chilly, often cloudy winters and comfortable summers. Rain falls sporadically throughout the year.

Climate

German (English is used in tourist areas)

Language

Euro (EUR)

Currency

May to September (cruise departures and arrivals are concentrated, and it is comfortable outdoors)

Best time to visit

Local food

Fischbrötchen (fish sandwich), Labskaus, eel soup, a cake that is a specialty of the Alster

Sights

Speicherstadt (warehouse district, World Heritage site)ElbphilharmonieMiniatur WunderlandFish market (early Sunday morning)Strolling along Lake Alster and boating

Monthly average high / low temperatures

4°

0°Jan

5°

0°Feb

9°

2°Mar

14°

5°Apr

19°

8°May

21°

12°Jun

24°

14°Jul

23°

14°Aug

19°

11°Sep

14°

7°Oct

8°

3°Nov

5°

1°Dec

Unit: °C · Calculated from NOAA GHCN-Daily station observations · Period: 1991–2020 · Station: HAMBURG-NEUWIEDENTHAL · about 8.3 km from port · Last checked: Oct 3, 2026 · A guide for choosing your travel month.

Local prices for travelers

Much more expensive than Tokyo

Compared with Tokyo, Japan (median of items)211 (Tokyo = 100)

Compared with Tokyo, everything is somewhat more expensive.

€2.90

Water 500 ml

€4.15

Coffee

€10.20

Inexpensive meal

€5.35

Local beer

€6.99

Big Mac

Prices in Hamburg. · Amounts in the recorded local currency. No currency conversion applied. · Last checked: Oct 2026 (partly estimated) · Sources: Shop and menu prices · The Economist, Big Mac Index (CC BY 4.0)

Getting there from Japan

HAM

Nearest airport

30 min

Airport to port (approx.)

B — One connection

Ease of access

Access from Japan: A = direct flight / B = one connection / C = two or more connections (indicative)

Itineraries calling here

Northern Europe & FjordsOct 2026 – Sep 2027

Checked Jul 22, 2026

Hamburg

Port highlights

Getting there from Japan

Itineraries calling here

7-Night Northern Europe & Fjords Cruise from Hamburg

10-Night Northern Europe & Fjords Cruise from Hamburg to Savona

11-Night Northern Europe & Fjords Cruise from Hamburg

12-Night Northern Europe & Fjords Cruise from Hamburg

9-Night Northern Europe & Fjords Cruise from Hamburg

10-Night Northern Europe & Fjords Cruise from Southampton

Sources