Hamburg

Hamburg is cosmopolitan, maritime and is considered one of the liveliest queer cities in Germany with good reason. The Hanseatic city confidently carries its tolerance to the outside world, and first-time visitors in particular quickly find their way around here. If you are looking for the scene, you will almost inevitably end up in the St. Georg district around the Lange Reihe.

Trendy district

St. Georg is the undisputed center of queer Hamburg, and the Lange Reihe forms its central axis. The street lined with rainbow flags is lined with cafés, small owner-managed boutiques and bars. During the day, the neighborhood remains pleasantly relaxed. In the evening, the restaurants and the sidewalks in front of them fill up, and the crowd is mixed, from young people to regulars who have been coming here for decades. It is only a few minutes' walk to the main train station and the Inner Alster, which makes St. Georg a convenient location for the whole city.

Nightlife

In St. Georg you will find Tom's Saloon, the oldest gay bar in the city, which has been open since 1974 and was named after Tom of Finland. In addition, there are cruise bars such as the Contact Mens Bar, described by many as the cozy living room of the scene, as well as the uncomplicated PickUp Bar near the main train station. For the larger appearance, many are drawn to St. Pauli, where queer party nights regularly take place between the Reeperbahn and the Klubhaus St. Pauli. The two poles complement each other well: here the neighbourhood feeling, there the loud going out until the morning. A classic evening often begins with a drink at the Lange Reihe and ends hours later in St. Pauli.

Best time to visit

Hamburg is at its best between May and September, when life on the Alster and the harbour shifts outside. A highlight of its own is the Hamburg Pride Week at the end of July with the big CSD demonstration at the beginning of August. Then even the Elbphilharmonie lights up in rainbow colours, and almost a hundred groups parade through the city centre. It gets quieter in late spring or September. Then the city is less crowded, and the weather often remains mild.

Arrival

For travelers from German-speaking countries, the journey is very easy. Directly on the outskirts of St. Georg is Hamburg's main train station, which can be reached via ICE connections from all over Germany. From Hamburg Airport, the S-Bahn S1 takes you to the city centre in about 25 minutes. Within the city, you can get around easily by subway, S-Bahn and HVV buses, and much of the Lange Reihe area can be explored on foot anyway.

Safety & LGBT Rights

Germany is one of the countries with far-reaching rights for queer people. Since 2017, same-sex marriages have been possible, and discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation is prohibited by law. Hamburg is considered a safe and open travel destination overall. In St. Georg and on the Reeperbahn, holding hands is not an issue. As in any big city, the usual attention to valuables is recommended at night around the main train station and in the entertainment district.