Stroll along the Elbe River and sample Hamburg's waterfront

By Andreas Heimann Jul 27, 2010, 14:38 GMT

Hamburg - Visitors to Hamburg often gain only fleeting glimpses of the mighty River Elbe which dominates this north German city along with the central Alster lake.

This is a shame since this is a city of water. To make the most of it tourists should just slow down their pace and enjoy.

A well-marked path follows the Elbe for 23 kilometres from the city centre upriver to the outlying district of Wedel. There is much to see and two days should be set aside to do so.

The maritime flair starts at the St Pauli landing stages or 'Landungsbruecken' where a gaggle of stage-carriage ferries for city folks offer an alternative to the usual waterborne sightseeing tours.

Once aboard, tourists will usually spot a bearded local seadog peering through his binoculars at the huge container ships moored just a stone's throw from the city centre. The trips are popular with children too and dads can be seen standing with their offspring at the railing.

One of the first sights are the 'renovated' apartments in the Hafenstrasse, a former hotbed of leftwing discontent in the 1980s where the squatters were seldom out of the headlines. Most of the houses have since been gentrified and tourists like to take photographs of their brightly-coloured facades.

The stop 'Neumuehlen,' which literally means new mills, offers a chance to step back into the past. Home to a small flotilla of preserved boats, including the icebreaker Stettin, this is the district of Oevelgoenne which was once home to river pilots and fishermen.

Some of the buildings date back to the 18th and 19th century. Local writer Peter Ruehmkorf once referred to the attractive architectural style here as 'petit-bourgeois classicism,' a cosy downsizing of what can be found elsewhere in Hamburg, with pretty gardens of blooming roses and the odd anchor surrounded by well-tended grass.

A broad sandy strip runs alongside the River Elbe at this point and it has become a major attraction for Hamburg residents looking for a waterside barbecue location. At weekends the air is filled with the mouth-watering aromas from countless grills while less energetic Hamburgers just relax amid the laid-back atmosphere.

A billowing pirate skull and crossbones flag marks the location of a much-loved bar, the 'Strandperle' (beach pearl) - the flag is also a nod to the city's celebrated St Pauli soccer side which was promoted to the German 1st Division soccer league last year.

Keen eyes will spot a man dressed in dark slacks and a white shirt on a pontoon which bobs up and down with the waves. He seems to be watching the ships go by but a closer look reveals that he is made of solid oak. The lifelike figure is one of a number dotted around in Hamburg and are the work of sculptor Stephan Balkenhol.

Just beyond Oevelgoenne is a huge glacial boulder which was carried far from its place of origin in Scandinavia during the Ice Age. It lay for a very long time under the surface of the river until it was hauled out and laid to rest here in 1999. The chunk of rock weighs 271 tonnes and is among the largest of its kind ever found in northern Germany.

The path carries on past the jetty at Teufelsbrueck until it reaches the genteel suburb of Blankenese which is characterised by elegant villas built at the turn of the century along with the thatched dwellings of retired captains and fishermen. The banks of the Elbe are steeper on the Blankenese side and many a handsome mansion is perched above the river with magnificent views of the river.

The path inevitably follows the beachside road, the residents of which need only cross the highway to enjoy that vacation feeling and, if they are so inclined, dip their toes in the water which has become much less polluted down the years.

The downside is that when the tide is high the Elbe waters spill over into their gardens. Some householders have fitted floodgates to stem the surge from the Elbe which flows here majestically past banks some 2.5 kilometres apart.

After so many kilometres, many will feel it is time for a break at the waterside or 'waterkant' as Hamburg folk call it. A good choice is the Op'n Bullen jetty used by the shuttle ferry which runs across to the southern bank at Cranz.

The pontoon-based cafe of the same name invites guests to a piece of cheesecake washed down with a Latte Macchiato or else more traditionally, a fish roll and a refreshing pils beer.