HafenCity marks a 388-acre urban redevelopment plan, an old port being reenvisioned as a hub for arts, culture, and amenities. Planning was approved in 2000, and the project is still incomplete—estimates put the ribbon-cutting between 2025 and 2030.
But that doesn’t mean you should wait till 2030 to explore this new district. Within HafenCity lies the Speicherstadt, the largest warehouse district in the world (and a UNESCO site); the striking Elbphilarmonie Concert Hall; the Hamburg Dungeon; and numerous parks, restaurants, and more.
Most travelers will get to Hafencity via public transportation, either on Hamburg’s U-Bahn (subway) or S-Bahn (light rail) systems. The closest U-Bahn/S-Bahn station to Hafencity is Überseequartier. Buses or taxis are also valid options to reach Hafencity, as is driving your own vehicle—there are multiple parking garages in the area.
There’s no real “bad time” to visit HafenCity. That being said, many travelers come here to taste Hamburg’s culture on the River Elbe, and summer's warm, sunny days make that easiest. Of course, in winter, you’ll find a different kind of magic: holiday markets, ice-skating rinks, and streets lit up in twinkling lights.
As you tour HafenCity, you’ll see both old and New Hamburg. For the “old,” Speicherstadt is the obvious stop, as is the International Maritime Museum and its 3000 years of maritime history. As for the new, look to the Spiegel building, designed to look like a ship's bow; the 54-story Marco Polo Tower, the city’s tallest residential building; and the aforementioned Elbphilharmonie, built on top of an old warehouse.
