© Frau Elbville

Panoramic route

  • Trendy Ottensen district
  • Elbe panorama
  • Fishing port atmosphere

Shopping and dining in a unique atmosphere

Embarking on this route, you will browse through creative retail shops, welcoming cafés, bars and restaurants, gain historic insights, and take in the port atmosphere as you enjoy an amazing panoramic view of the River Elbe.

© Hamburg Tourismus GmbH

Take public transport to Altona and Ottensen

Using the S-Bahn S1, S2, S11, S3, S21 or S31, you begin your journey by heading to the long-distance train station of Altona – the perfect starting point for exploring the charming neighbourhood of Ottensen. Should you decide at the end of the route to descend to the Fischereihafen, you can return to the city centre using the port ferry 62 either from Dockland (Fischereihafen) or Altona (Fischmarkt).

Download map here
Download map here

The route in a nutshell

The route has a length of about 5 km and is best enjoyed on foot.

A stroll through Ottensen: shopping and refreshment to your heart’s content

© Geheimtipp Media
City district Ottensen
© Mediaserver Hamburg
Shopping in Ottensen
© Mediaserver Hamburg / Timo Sommer / Lee Maas
The Ottensen Candy Shop
© Mediaserver Hamburg / Jörg Modrow
Trendy Ottensen district

Taking off from Altona station, you simply follow the signposts to Ottenser Hauptstrasse. Once you've reached this street, you're ready to explore Ottensen – with owner-operated shops offering original products, from clothing, interior design and stationery to children’s products and concept stores. That said, in Ottensen you can also find popular high-street brands, so there’s definitely something for everyone. In the market hall of the Mercado shopping centre, more than 30 vendors offer their goods. Fish and poultry, fruit and vegetables, sweets and flowers: here you can find local produce alongside Asian, Italian and Turkish specialities, with many gourmet stalls as well as an exquisite wine bar.

While there, make sure to also meander through the beautiful side streets of Ottensen. You will be able to explore a popular residential area with fabulous ornate buildings. In Ottensen, it is not uncommon to bump into familiar faces from film and television, and yet this quarter directly on the Elbe is also popular with families. As you navigate the streets you will find a wide range of places to stop for refreshment. Whether it's a sweet nostalgic café, a vegan burger restaurant or a quaint corner pub you end up in, there’s one thing for sure: Ottensen is anything but boring.

Following a historic path towards the River Elbe

© Mediaserver Hamburg
Altona City Hall
© Mediaserver Hamburg / ThisIsJulia Photography
Altona Museum
© Mediaserver Hamburg / ThisIsJulia Photography
Altona Theatre
© Mediaserver Hamburg / ThisIsJulia Photography
Stuhlmann Fountain

From the area around the Altona railway station you now want to head south in the direction of the River Elbe. Soon you will reach Platz der Republik – a well-kept park at the interface of Altona and Ottensen. When, at the end of the 19th century, the old Altona railway building was moved further north, an open space was created between the new and the original premises. Today, the old premises are home to the Altona town hall. The beautiful columned building in white neoclassical style is a popular destination for registry office weddings. In summer, the inner courtyard serves as a venue for open-air film screenings as well as occasional outdoor exhibitions. Since 1898, the north side of the building has been adorned with an equestrian statue of German Emperor William I. At the time, the unveiling was attended by Emperor William II and his wife.

To the west of the park, you will see the Altona Museum and the adjacent Altonaer Theatre. With a focus on art and cultural history, the museum allows insights into the cultural and historical evolution of the Elbe region around Altona as well as the coastal regions of the North and Baltic Seas. The Altonaer Theatre is a popular theatre stage featuring both classic drama and contemporary pieces. In the park itself, it is worthwhile seeing Stuhlmann fountain, an imposing multi-figure fountain with a water feature, as well as the Black Form sculpture dedicated to Altona’s destroyed Jewish community.

Once you’ve taken in the history, the Elbe awaits you with a panoramic view

© Mediaserver Hamburg/Ingo Boelter
View of the harbour from the Altona balcony
© Mediaserver Hamburg / Jörg Modrow
Altona Pier at the Hamburg Fish Market
© Mediaserver Hamburg / ThisIsJulia Photography
Fish Auction Hall
© Mediaserver Hamburg/Ingo Boelter
The Kontorhaus "Dockland" in Altona Harbour

Moving away from the Altona town hall and heading south, you will cross the elegant Palmaille street. From here you can already get a glimpse of Hamburg's port panorama on the horizon, screeching seagulls included. From a distance you will hear the muffled sound of port cranes stacking shipping containers on top of each other and the horns of departing ships sending a farewell signal to Hamburg. So this is what Hamburg’s port is all about, and from the Altonaer Balkon viewing platform you’ll have a wonderful view of it. While you are here, do as the locals do and enjoy the view with a cool drink on one of the benches that invite you to linger. After your little rest you can now descend one of the winding paths towards Grosse Elbstrasse. There you will find the Fischereihafen – the historic Altona fishing port established in 1921. Even today, around 36,000 tonnes of fresh fish are handled here every year, and more than 50 fish-related businesses and restaurants are located here. Perhaps the most famous landmark here is the historic fish auction hall. Built in the style of a Roman basilica, it features red-brick walls supporting a roof vault of iron and glass. The St Pauli Fischmarkt square outside the building is also the place where Hamburg’s legendary fish market is held every Sunday.

Here at the quays, tradition meets modernity: historic red-brick warehouses are complemented by modern, state-of-the-art architecture with futuristic office and service buildings. As you walk further, you will also see the striking building of the Altona cruise terminal, which is home to a special highlight for culture fans: In the Opernloft, each opera lasts just a refreshing 90 minutes. And you can enjoy a magnificent view of the Elbe. For your journey back into town, you can hop onto the port ferry 62 from Dockland (Fischereihafen) or Altona (Fischmarkt) towards the city centre.

Did you enjoy the Panoramic route? We’d love to hear your feedback via mail. Discover even more unique Hamburg corners on our city map.

Gastronomy & shopping on this route

The colourful, lively quarter of Ottensen has a lot to offer, and this is especially true when it comes to independent boutiques and retail shops. The same can be said about Ottensen’s exciting culinary scene, which caters for almost every taste.

© Pietro de Grandi on Unsplash

Fischbeisl

  • Restaurant
  • Fish
  • Good & Low-cost
  • Hamburg originals

In the best location in Hamburg's Fischmarkthalle, the Fischbeisl serves maritime classics and your own creations at fair prices.

Fischbeisl

Fischbeisl

Große Elbstraße 131
22767 Hamburg

More
© ThisIsJulia Photography

Fischereihafen Restaurant

  • Restaurant
  • Fish
  • Gourmet
  • Hamburg originals

The Fischereihafen Restaurant is Hamburg's first address for fish lovers.

Fischereihafen Restaurant

Fischereihafen Restaurant

Große Elbstraße 143
22767 Hamburg

More
© ThisIsJulia Photography

Goedekens Kombüse

  • Café/Bistro
  • Fish
  • Good & Low-cost
  • Hamburg originals
  • €€

At Goedeken's Kombüse in Hamburg the hearts of fish lovers beat faster: delicious fish rolls, daily changing lunch dishes or gourmet salads leave nothing to be desired.

Goedekens Kombüse

Goedekens Kombüse

Große Elbstraße 141b
22767 Hamburg

More
© ThisIsJulia Photography

Grün & Schön

Certified and sustainable organic herbal teas and natural cosmetics in Ottensen's pedestrian precinct.

Grün & Schön

Grün & Schön

Ottenser Hauptstraße 46
22765 Hamburg

More
© ThisIsJulia Photography

Henssler & Henssler

  • Restaurant
  • Fish
  • Gourmet
  • Asian
  • €€€

The family-run Henssler & Henssler serves elegant sushi specialities with an international feel.

Henssler & Henssler

Henssler & Henssler

Große Elbstraße 160
22767 Hamburg

More
© 2018 Hamburg Tourismus GmbH Johanna Nickel

Köz Urfa

  • Restaurant
  • Good & Low-cost
  • Asian
  • €€

Köz Urfa offers hearty meals from Anatolia. The best way to prepare for a walk through Altona.

Köz Urfa

Köz Urfa

Paul-Nevermann-Platz 2-4
22765 Hamburg

More

Versatile on the road in Hamburg

Discover Hamburg's places by bike, bus, train or ferry.

© powell83

Public transport in and around Hamburg Hamburg public transport association (hvv)

Getting easily across the town with the Hamburg Public Transport Association (Hamburger Verkehrsverbund - hvv) and the Hamburg CARD

Hamburg public transport association (hvv)
© Kai Hegeler

Explore the city by bike StadtRAD Hamburg

Hamburg rides a bike! Explore the most beautiful city in the world on your own: with the racy red wheels of Hamburg's StadtRAD bicycle rental system!

StadtRAD Hamburg
© Christian Hinkelmann

Explore Hamburg by water Harbour ferries in Hamburg

In addition to the usual harbour cruises, there is an alternative that even saves you money: with the HADAG harbour ferries you can explore Hamburg…

Harbour ferries in Hamburg
© www.mediaserver.hamburg.de / Christian Spahrbier

Unrestricted mobility in Hamburg: Mobility in the city without limits

The Hamburger Verkehrsverbund (HVV) transport association makes it possible! We have compiled a separate list of information about mobility in and…

Mobility in the city without limits

This might interest you as well

© Alamy Stock Foto / Boelter

Insider tips and suggested routes Discovering new corners in Hamburg

Explore Hamburg's neighbourhoods and enjoy the most beautiful city in the world away from the centre. Be inspired by our twelve routes with different focuses such as scene, nature, street art or shopping.

Discovering new corners in Hamburg
© ThisIsJulia Photography

CITY AREA PORTRAIT Altona & Ottensen

For strolling, having a coffee, taking a walk or having some delicious food – situated directly at the Elbe and traversed by parks, Altona & Ottensen are considered to be charming and diverse districts with character. Brick walls create a rather rough atmosphere in Altona, while it is lively and colourful in Ottensen.

Altona & Ottensen
© Thorsten Baering

Discover. Sustainability. Green Hamburg

Hamburg is not only among the world's Top 10 greenest cities. Its residents are also tops in sustainable use and management of their city.

Green Hamburg

FOLLOW US @hamburgahoi

We need your consent to load the social media service!

We use a third-party service to embed social media content. This service may collect data about your activities. Please read the details and agree to use the service to view the content.

More information

Languages

Google translator for other languages

Please note that this is an automatic translation.
For better information, you can always switch to the German or English version