Discover Hamburg after your German course
Alster
The Inner and Outer Alster is a huge lake divided in two in the middle of Hamburg's city centre. While dozens of swan families float through the Alster in spring and summer, we are also drawn to the water after our German course.
There is a wide range of maritime activities on offer: in addition to a relaxing boat trip, you can go sailing, paddling or pedal boating. If that's too wet for you, the nearby Jungfernstieg is also a great place to shop, for example for a new German dictionary.
Old Elbe Tunnel
Hamburg has a lot to offer, both above and below ground. That's why, after we've finished our German lessons, we're going to really get to the bottom of Hamburg. The old Elbe tunnel connects the St. Pauli district with the Steinwerder dockyard island and is one of the city's most important architectural monuments.
So if you want to cross the Elbe quickly, you can make your way through the 426 metre long, dimly lit tunnel tubes. Speak up if that's too scary for you - but only in German, please.
Fish market
The German language really comes to life at Hamburg's St. Pauli fish market. Because this is where the market criers really talk the talk.
However, if you want to be lovingly pelted with delicious fish or fruit, you have to get up early or not go to bed at all on Saturdays. This is because Hamburg's traditional market, which has been around since the 17th century, closes its doors again on Sunday morning at 9.30 am.
Highflyer tethered balloon
Sometimes it takes a change of perspective to see things clearly again. This also applies to learning German. That's why we leave the language school and head for the "Highflyer tethered balloon". The 23 metre diameter helium balloon has room for 30 people and offers a unique panoramic view from a height of 150 metres.
The highlight: in summer, the illuminated balloon even takes off into the Hamburg night sky until midnight.
Planetarium
If Hamburg's grubby weather blocks our view of the sky, we can sit back and relax in the planetarium. After our German course, it's just the right way to relax. Here we listen to a distant voice explaining the universe with 3D animations.
In addition, the former 60 metre high water tower offers 360° shows, where we pass the time to the sounds of spheres in infinite expanses. Poetry for the senses that leaves you speechless!
„Planten un Blomen“
We leave our language institute and take the S-Bahn to Hamburg-Dammtor. "Planten un Blomen" is a huge park and oasis of peace in the centre of Hamburg. Here, botanical and Japanese gardens invite us to linger. And if we didn't have to learn German, we could certainly study the language of plants and flowers here.
But there will certainly be enough time after the lessons to go roller skating here in spring or summer or ice skating in winter.
Reeperbahn
Hamburg's Reeperbahn, the world-famous entertainment mile in the heart of St Pauli, is well-known and infamous. Those who have successfully completed the German course at our language institute can party for an hour as a reward.
In Hamburg's Kiez neighbourhood, night owls cavort between bars, pubs, clubs and discos. But be careful: if you get too colourful here, you might just end up making the acquaintance of the world's most famous police station on Davidstrasse.
Schanzenviertel
How and where better to start a conversation after the language course than by plunging straight into the hustle and bustle and mingling with the people of Hamburg? The Schanzenviertel is one of Hamburg's trendy neighbourhoods. The popular district near Hamburg University is home to many students who enjoy an alternative, hip atmosphere between cosy cafés, bars and record shops.
If you can't get a word out here, you won't get into conversation with the guys and girls from Hamburg: So, start speaking German right away.
Speicherstadt
While learning German, there was once again a lot to store and memorise in our heads. It's worth taking a look behind the scenes of Hamburg's Speicherstadt warehouse district. Almost 500,000 square metres of tea, cocoa, coffee and spices have been stored here for 100 years.
This city within a city, which is accessible from the water as well as from the street, is now also home to condominiums, restaurants and hip advertising agencies. Let's be inspired by this gigantic warehouse complex - preferably right after the language course!
St. Michaelis Church
Of course, if you want to learn German, you need to sit down. But we still keep moving: Together we climb Hamburg's landmark, St Michael's Church. The 132-metre-high church has a viewing platform that offers a magnificent view of Hamburg city centre and the harbour.
Maybe we'll find our language institute from up there? In any case, it gives us the right overview and we can let our thoughts run free - which creates space for the next German lesson.
