After meeting your private guide at St Michael's Church (Michaeliskirche), set off on a 2-hour walking tour of Hamburg Altstadt, the city’s handsome Old Town and historical epicenter. A former medieval settlement, Altstadt is bounded by the harbor and by a string of roads following the line of the old fortifications.
Strolling through the quarter, imagine what the city looked like before the fires, demolitions and devastating bombings of World War II. Today Hamburg Old Town has a new face, marked by grandiose buildings, busy streets, towering churches and inviting canals and parks.
Hear what life was like in Hamburg in the 17th century as you gaze out over the canals, waterways and old houses that line Deichstrasse, the oldest street in Hamburg. See the old grocers’ apartments and pose for photos by Alt Hamburger Aalspeicher, a 400-year-old house on a canal.
The focal point of Altstadt is the Hamburg Rathaus (city hall), overlooking Binnenalster lake. Learn about Hamburg’s politicians and traditional practices here, and then find shopping galleries, museums, restaurants and a host of remarkable Renaissance buildings in the old market square.
Finally, head to at a caf□ near some enchanting 12th-century ruins. Sit down to enjoy a traditional franzbrtchen (sweet pastry) with a cup of coffee or tea (included in the price, if option selected). Then bid your guide goodbye.