Hamburg is the second-largest city in Germany (after Berlin), and is the most populous non-capital city in the European Union. The city is home to approximately 1.8 million people, while the Hamburg metropolitan area (including parts of the neighboring Federal States of Lower Saxony and Schleswig-Holstein) has more than 4.7 million inhabitants. The port of Hamburg is the second-largest port in Europe (after that of Rotterdam), and the ninth-largest in the world. Hamburg's official name is the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg (German: Freie und Hansestadt Hamburg). It makes reference to Hamburg's history as a member of the medieval Hanseatic League and as a free imperial city of the Holy Roman Empire, also to the fact that Hamburg is a city-state and one of the sixteen Federal States of Germany.

Hamburg is a major transportation hub in northern Germany and became a media and industrial center with factories such as Blohm + Voss and Norddeutsche Affinerie. The radio and television broadcaster Norddeutscher Rundfunk and publishers such as Gruner + Jahr and Spiegel-Verlag represent the important media industry in Hamburg. In total there are more than 120,000 enterprises. The city is a major tourist destination both for domestic and overseas visitors, receiving about 7.4 million overnight stays in 2007.

Situated on the banks of the River Elbe, not far inland from the North Sea coast, Hamburg is Germany’s largest and most important northern city. Almost entirely flattened by WWII bombs, Hamburg luckily retains lots of traditional charm lying side-by-side with modernity and boasts many impressive buildings in the form of churches and interesting museums.

The city topography is all about water with a bustling harbour and many city rivers and lakes, while numerous parks and gardens lie strewn about. Most people tend to stick to the city centre, which is split in two by the Alsterfleet Canal and features the Altstadt (Old City) to the south of it and the Neustadt (New City) to the north.

The neo-Renaissance Rathaus lies in the old town and is one of the highlights while the new town is better known for its baroque forms, the most impressive of which is the massive Michaeliskirche church, the largest in northern Germany. Other popular highlights include the Kunstmeile (Art Mile), with its many galleries and museums, the 14^th century St Jacobi Kirche church, and the interesting Rickmer Rickmers ship.

There are also many pleasant areas to wander around the city, such as the Alsterarkaden with its delightful Venetian architecture and interesting shopping, the alley quarter (Backerbreitergang) in the new town, which was spared WWII bombing and ambitious development, and the notorious Reeperbahn, best known for its wild nightlife.

There’s also lots to do for families with kids in Hamburg owing to the fascinating collection of parks, leisure centres, weird and wonderful museums and, of course, the huge port area itself. The town also has shopping prowess with a large collection of glitzy malls in the Neustadt and a plethora of trendy boutiques and natty markets to boot.

Hotel options in Hamburg are perhaps not as great as some other cities in Germany, as it can be expensive to stay within the confines of the city centre with only mid-range and up hotels in evidence. Those seeking budget options can find them in the suburbs of Altona, Hohenfelde, Sankt Georg and St Pauli. As Hamburg has a very good transport system, getting around is quite easy..

It is essential that you book any hotels well ahead of time though, as the city is generally full even at non-peak times of the year. The best way to do this is to book hotels online where you can guarantee a room with ease and save significantly at the same time.

Hamburg International Airport provides the main gateway for getting to Hamburg and receives flights from all over Europe and farther afield. The airport is only just outside the city with good transport options as well as car hire. You can also get here by train since services come in from neighbouring countries and other German cities, while ferries also serve from the UK.