Hamburg

Last weekend, a friend and I took a three-hour bus ride to Hamburg, the second largest city in Germany (after Berlin). Hamburg is situated on the Elbe River, and is close enough to the coast that it has traditionally served as an important port for Germany. This gives Hamburg, from my perspective, a significantly different flavor than Berlin. While the Sternschanze area is quite similar in many ways, walking into the old Rathaus (town hall) and near the St. Pauli loading docks felt very unique. There were plenty of opportunities for sightseeing, including ferry rides (part of the transportation pass), offering great views of the city from the water. I was also able to visit various attractions in the city, including the infamous Reeperbahn, a nightlife hub, to the Miniature Wonderland, which houses extensive replications of many cities in Europe. There was even a section devoted to the USA.