Hamburg Shopping

Hamburg is one of Germany's richest cities, and it also attracts wealthy visitors from other countries who come to the city for business or pleasure--for example, to buy yachts. (M/Y Eclipse, the world's most expensive yacht, is one of many private vessels that have been built in Hamburg shipyards. If you have a billion dollars to spare, you can order your own boat with armor plating, a mini-submarine, and a missile defense system.)

When you aren't outfitting your fleet, we suggest that you visit Hamburg shopping areas that cater to middle-class shoppers and ordinary millionaires:

Mönckebergstrasse

The "Mö" and its neighboring streets are home to the city's major department stores. The attractive tree-lined Mönckebergstrasse is pedestrian-friendly, with wide sidewalks and very little car traffic. (The traffic lanes are used by buses, taxis, and delivery trucks, but other motorized vehicles are prohibited.)

The Mö runs between the Haupbtahnhof (main railroad station) and the Rathaus (City Hall). Retailers include big German and international stores like Kaufhof, Karstadt, C&A, Peek & Cloppenburg, and H&M, but you'll also find small retailers such as a florist along the street side of the St. Jakobi-Kirche (inset photo).

Our own favorite shop is the Thalia-Buchhandlung Spitalerstrasse, a multistory book and media store just off the Mö, which has a good selection of Hamburg travel guides and maps.

Jungfernstieg

The Jungfernstieg is a waterfront promenade along the southern end of the Binnesalster, or Inner Alster lake. It caters to shoppers with deep wallets or high credit limits. Nearby, the Alsterarkaden (Alster Arcades) provide further upscale shopping opportunities with rain protection and pleasant views of the Rathaus as a bonus.

Schanzenviertel

Hamburg Tourismus tells me that "the Schanze district, between the St. Pauli and Eimsbüttel boroughs, is a magnet for fans of trendy shopping during the day." Not being jung und hip, I haven't tested the tourist office's claim, but this page (which has translated into English by Google) will help you make up your own mind.

Hauptbahnhof

If you're killing time between trains, or if you're looking for places to spend money outside of Germany's limited retailing hours, head for the shopping passages in Hamburg's main railway station. The Deutsche Bahn's Hamburg Central Station business directory lists shops and their hours of operation.

For more information on where to browse and buy, see the extensive "Shopping in Hamburg" section of the tourist office's Web site.