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[title]Northeast of the Altstadt, the St Georg district spans from seedy sex-shops around Hamburg’s central station to luxury hotels and penthouse apartments overlooking the Outer Alster lake. Hamburg Pride parade kicks off here each year and the neighbourhood remains the most vibrant LGBTQ quarter in town, centered around the hundreds of buzzing bars and cafés along the Lange Reihe. St Georg is also a thriving multi-ethnic community with a number of Turkish, Indian, Irani and Afghan eateries and minimarkets along the Steindamm and around Hansaplatz square. The district is home to both the Centrum Mosque and the Mariendom, seat of the Archbishop of Hamburg, as well as the Deutsches SchauSpielHaus theatre and the Savoy, one of the best-loved cinemas in town.
Where to stay in St Georg
Avoid the area directly around the station and head towards the Lange Reihe and/or the lake. The Aussen Alster hotel is neatly located between the two with a 90s style décor that’s slightly tired in the bedrooms but still fresh and elegant downstairs. It’s got a lovely sunny terrace, bicycles and even its own sailing boat available for guest use.
Where to eat in St Georg
Try Cox for upper-end French cuisine and candlelight, Gao Kitchen for good value Vietnamese.
Where to drink in St Georg
With a waterfront location, live piano music and many the resident celebrity, the bar at the Hotel Atlantic Kempinksi is a popular point of cocktail pilgrimage, particularly for fans of German rock legend Udo Lindenberg who has lived in the hotel for decades. For a low key alternative, the barca (sic) jetty bar is a gorgeous spot for a sundown beer watching the sailing boats come in.
Things to do in St Georg
Begin your day in hearty Hamburg style with a walk or run around the beautiful Outer Alster lake. A full lap or popular “Alsterrunde” is 7.4km. Check out the Museum für Kunst und Gewerbe, one of Europe’s leading museums of cultural history and applied arts, with excellent holdings in graphic design, fashion, photography and textiles, as well as a particularly rich Art Nouveau collection.