Hamburg Dungeon

The Hamburg Dungeon takes the grim side of the city’s past and turns it into theatre. Inside a warehouse at Kehrwieder in the Speicherstadt, groups are led through a series of dark, atmospheric sets where costumed actors play out scenes from Hamburg history: outbreaks of plague and cholera, the Great Fire that destroyed much of the old town in 1842, the story of the pirate Klaus Störtebeker and the punishments that awaited criminals in centuries past. The actors draw visitors into the action, the effects are loud and the lighting is low, so expect laughs and jump scares in equal measure. The guided experience lasts about an hour and runs in English as well as German, which makes it one of the more accessible ways for international visitors to pick up the city’s history. Special seasonal shows are added from time to time.

How it works: tickets are for a guided experience in English or German, so choose your language when you book and arrive a little before your slot. The Dungeon is open daily from 10:00 to 17:00, and Tiqets offers a number of combination tickets with harbour cruises, the amphibious bus and other attractions if you want to bundle your days. The entrance is at Kehrwieder 2, right next to Miniatur Wunderland, so the two are easy to combine.

Who it suits: the Dungeon is designed to scare, with darkness, sudden noises and actors who single people out. Teenagers and adults with a sense of humour have the best time; younger or sensitive children may find it too intense, so check the age guidance before booking. You stand and walk for most of the hour, and bags are best kept small.

Making the most of it: go in the late afternoon after a day of sightseeing, then walk out into the Speicherstadt as the warehouses light up. The darker stories pair well with a visit to St. Michaelis, whose own history of fire and rebuilding the Dungeon touches on, and with the Maritime Museum for the pirate and seafaring side of the story.