Few people give a thought to the dark drink that opens their eyes every morning. The Speicherstadt Kaffeerösterei is devoted entirely to the enjoyment of coffee and allows visitors to try its aromatically roasted products. With any luck, those who drink a small cup of coffee here in the guest room can also observe how the beans are roasted. For the roasting plant is situated right next to the guest area and is put into operation on request.
A real institution in Hamburg, this traditional fish market has taken place every Sunday morning since 1703. Nowadays, market-goers can purchase much more than just fish: livestock, exotic plants and a whole range of bric-a-brac are sold by the cheery stallholders. The market is also a great place for a fishy breakfast: pale-faced, all-night party goers and rosy-cheeked early risers meet here early in the morning to line their stomachs and catch a beautiful, maybe even sunny, view of the River Elbe.
This traditional department store facing lake Alster is an institution in itself- selling just about everything there is to sell. It has all kinds of products on offer, ranging from stationery to fashion apparel from the store's brands and famous designers to carpets. The upper floor of this traditional stylish department store is known as 'the paradise for bon viveurs'. A delicatessen with the finest goods from all over the world is located here and there is hardly anything missing from the impressive range of products. The highly-praised wine department has wines from leading wine exporting countries like Italy and France and also exotic South American and Australian wines.
One of the main shopping streets in the city, the Mönckebergstraße or “Mö” as it is referred to as is a place to see and be seen. Named after the mayor who oversaw the building work in 1908, it links the Rathausmarkt with the main railway station. Lined with imposing office buildings made of brick or sandstone, the road is also home to two of Hamburg's most important churches (St. Petri Kirche and St. Jacobi Kirche), the Mönckebrunnen fountain and the Levantehaus, a traditional Kontorhaus-turned-shopping center, which also houses the exclusive Park Hyatt hotel.
The style of this little arcade was inspired by Venetian architecture and is one of Hamburg's most familiar sights. After the 1842 fire destroyed the greater part of the city, the architect Alexis de Chateauneuf redesigned the centre. The arcades, which were incorporated into his plans, stand elegantly. They are lit by wrought iron lamps at night and the railings at the waterfront are intricately designed. Another fire during New Year's Eve 1989/90 destroyed parts of the arcade but they were quickly rebuilt faithful to their original design.
Opened in 2006, the Europa Passage is a huge mall located at the center of Hamburg. The mall is five stories high, accommodates over 100 stores and is as vast as 30,000 square meters (322,917 square feet). The magnificent architecture of the mall gives it the appearance of a luxury cruise ship. Prestigious brands such as H&M, Tom Taylor, Levis, Milano and many more occupy the spaces at the Europa Passage. The mall is also a perfect destination to shop for groceries, technical equipment, and much more. Additionally, Europa Passage houses the Walentowski-Galerie where one can applaud the original works of Udo Lindenberg.
This really neat shop presents you with creative pieces of fashion. The clothes here can be very stylish and a bit funny at the same time, and are available at fair prices. There are designers like Steinadel, Ingrid Wüst and Blutkarpfen, which the depertment store regular has probably never heard of. Those who have, however, know that both men and women can expect anything apart from an ordinary choice of clothing here. For those who wish to purchase additional accessories, there is a range of bags and purses on display, the original design of which might raise a smile.
This St.Georg wine merchant's belongs to the great insider tips among Hamburg's wine lovers. Apart from Spanish, Italian and French wines, the shop also offers eco-wines and international brands like Californian Zinfandel, South African Chardonnays or Australian Sémillons. All of them are recommended. The special containers which you can see in the shop window are called glasdemijohns, by the way. They can hold 10 to 15 litres of wine and you can rent them for festive occasions.
Video? That was yesterday-the future belongs to DVD. Watching films like at the cinema, with super sound and pictures which are absolutely in focus, and all that on a little round disc-that's what DVD stands for. DVD-players are not yet every day items, as they are still too expensive, but it's highly likely that in a few years there will be one in every household, and the good old VCR will get chucked out. Venal Virulent specialise in DVD equipment. You can get all the latest DVD productions here, as well as classic movies which have been digitalised and reasonable offers on players.
No, the famous London auctioneers don't have a Hamburg branch, which is a pity, really. But if you simply must have one of Madonna's clipped off toenails, a genuine Picasso from his purple phase, a broken Jimi Hendrix string or a half-eaten piece of toast with Mick Jagger's original bite marks on it, you can join an auction at Sotheby's in London via telephone. And in case you own something special which might be interesting for the auctioneers, the office at Tesdorpfstraße is the place to turn to for estimations and delivery.
The worldwide popularity of Harry Potter has shown that children's books are far from extinct. A few years ago, children's literature seemed threatened by Gameboys, Tamagotchis and other computer games, but a good story will never lose its charm. Kibula in Uhlenhorst has a good selection of picture books for toddlers as well as more advanced works for teenagers. The advice is excellent, which is a good thing bearing in mind that thousands of different children's books are published every year.
For some people, comics and cartoons are art. The kind of art which they would like to display on their walls. Galerie Cels specializes in posters, postcards, prints and oil-paintings from cartoon productions. Among them are not only scenes and characters from the classic Walt Disney, Flintstones, Batman and Pink Panther strips, but also more modern figures like the beautifully drawn Japanese Mangas. Carl Barks' pictures are especially worth mentioning, as they are appreciated by many comic fans all over. At the Galerie Cels you can also purchase oil-paintings by Barks.