Hamburg cannot compete with the vastness of the Lüneburg Heath or the Baltic and North Seas, but our beautiful Elbe beach comes very close. From Övelgönne to Wittenbergen, the Elbe beach shows its best side as a photo motif for over 10 kilometers. And not only the Elbe beach itself is an excellent photo motif: Opposite on the other side of the Elbe, the "harbor giraffes" (the container cranes) offer themselves for a photo. A little further in the direction of Blankenese, the famous Treppenviertel (staircase district) awaits you with many small alleys, imposing houses and an indescribable view of the Elbe.

The view from the Lombardsbrücke over the Binnenalster to the city panorama is undoubtedly one of the most popular Hamburg photo motifs. And that at really any time of the year: In spring, the well-known pictures of the cherry blossom in Hamburg are taken here and in summer the Alster fountain towers over the panorama. When the trees change color in autumn, the view is bathed in a glowing gold. In winter, you'll have an incomparable view of the Christmas illumination from here, with the Alster fir tree in the center. Whether it's spring, summer, fall or winter, this is a photo spot you definitely shouldn't miss. If that's not enough, we recommend a walk around the Außenalster.

There is no way around the colossal Speicherstadt, even on a photo tour of Hamburg. Not only many sights such as the Miniatur Wunderland, the Hamburg Dungeon and the International Maritime Museum appreciate the incomparable appearance of the former warehouses. Photographers from all over the world love the Speicherstadt for its equally playful and clear forms. The moated castle, the Fleetschlösschen and the Speicherstadtrathaus have turned out to be particularly popular photo motifs in the Speicherstadt. But a few steps in the direction of the city center you can also find a cool photo spot: the Chilehaus. Especially in the night lighting, the brick ship is worth a photo. If you still haven't had enough of historical buildings, you can also walk to the historic streets of the city (e.g. Deichstraße and Nikolaifleet or Cremon).

In a list of Hamburg's top photo motifs, our landmark must of course not be missing. Whether from the outside or the inside, the architecture of the Elbphilharmonie impresses immensely. From the plaza, you also have a unique view down the Elbe. No matter from which side, the Elbphilharmonie has only chocolate sides. But there is one photo spot that particularly appeals to us: head to the Marco Polo Terraces at sunset for a photo of the Elbphilharmonie in the sun's glow.

The port of Hamburg has much more to offer than just a photo motif. From the large ships that pass by to be loaded and unloaded, to the gigantic cranes to the countless containers - here you can capture some of Hamburg's flair in a photo. And then there are the Landungsbrücken, which in summer not only invite you to enjoy the sunset on the Elbe, but also to photograph the museum ships Cap San Diego and Rickmer Rickmers. Both in themselves top photo motifs in Hamburg.

If you are already at the Landungsbrücken anyway, you can also visit the Old Elbe Tunnel at the same time. It is currently undergoing extensive renovation. One of the two tunnel tubes already shines in completely new splendor. The masterpiece of engineering leads you dry feet on the other side of the Elbe, from which you have a fantastic view of the Elbphilharmonie and the Landungsbrücken. Now that's a coincidence.

For all architecture lovers and friends of curved shapes, we recommend a detour with the U4 to the Elbbrücken subway station in the east of HafenCity. There, a light-flooded station made of glass and steel awaits you. Depending on the perspective, your photos will show a wide variety of patterns. Let your creativity run free and create an optical illusion! And on the way to or from the Elbe bridges, you should make a stop at the HafenCity University subway station: This station is especially known for its artfully staged lighting.

Here comes another one for the lovers:inside special architectural art: The Dockland. The unusual construction in the form of a parallelogram lends itself to being photographed from all perspectives. Especially from the land side, there are wonderful reflections on the water in calm conditions. If, on the other hand, you take a ferry past Dockland, you can't help but take out your camera and snap a photo. The viewing platform on the roof of the building also offers a spectacular view of the Port of Hamburg.

Sights all well and good, but Hamburg also offers some top photo spots away from the classics. Eppendorf, Harvestehude and Rotherbaum, for example. Here you can expect magnificent old building facades with countless ornaments. The scenery is not only suitable as a main motif, but also as a background for portraits. For a walk west of the Alster, we recommend starting at the Dammtor train station and then strolling north through the small side streets. On the way back, you can then stroll directly along the Alster through the Alstervorland and also explore a few beautiful photo spots here.

Finally, things get really colorful and creative! The walls and facades of some districts in Hamburg sometimes resemble a painting: In Ottenser Barnerstraße, for example, the "Great Wave of Kanagawa" stretches out. In the backyard of Lippmannstrasse 57-69 (Sternschanze), "The Last Sea Bear" rests on the wall of the house. The Gängeviertel in the city center has become an open-air exhibition of street art, and under the Argentina Bridge in the Steinwerder district is our favorite piece of urban art. You can find street art virtually on every corner in Hamburg.

Let yourself drift on your photo tours and if you find even more cool photo spots, feel free to send us your photos via our Instagram channel @hamburgahoi.