Hamburg is a very good base for day trips. The main station is one of Germany’s busiest rail hubs, and several of northern Germany’s most attractive old towns lie within an hour or two by regional train. You can leave after breakfast, see a whole town and be back for dinner on the Alster. The choices below are the ones that repay the journey most, in rough order of ease.
Lüneburg: the easy one
Lüneburg is the closest, a short regional train ride south of Hamburg, and one of the best-preserved medieval towns in the region. Its wealth came from salt, and the centre still has gabled brick houses, a Renaissance town hall and a historic harbour by the river. Some buildings lean visibly because of the ground subsidence that came with the salt mining. It is compact, easy to walk and good in any weather, so it suits a half-day trip when you have a late start or an evening plan in Hamburg.
Lübeck: the Brick Gothic jewel
Lübeck is the one most visitors choose if they only have time for a single trip. Its old town on an island in the river Trave is a UNESCO World Heritage site, with the Holstentor gate, seven church spires on the skyline and the narrow lanes of old merchants’ courtyards. The city is also famous for marzipan, and the café of the best-known maker is a classic stop. Plan a full day: walk around the island, visit one or two churches, have lunch in a cellar restaurant and finish with a coffee by the water. The journey from Hamburg is a regional train ride of well under an hour, so the day is long enough to see it properly.
Bremen: a second great Hanseatic city
Bremen, about an hour away by train, is Hamburg’s fellow city-state and old trading rival. Its market square has the UNESCO-listed town hall and the Roland statue, and the bronze Town Musicians of Bremen, the donkey, dog, cat and rooster of the fairy tale, stand beside it. Walk to the Schnoor, a tight maze of small half-timbered houses, and along the Böttcherstraße, a brick lane of galleries and shops. Bremen has a smaller, more relaxed feel than Hamburg, and it combines well with a lunch of local specialities.
Schwerin: the lake palace
Schwerin is the longest of the five, about one and a half hours by regional train, and it rewards the effort with a fairy-tale palace on an island in a lake, surrounded by gardens. The town is the capital of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and has a quiet, lakeside atmosphere that contrasts with Hamburg’s port bustle. Because of the travel time, go early and consider it a full day with a relaxed lunch.
The Altes Land: orchards on the Elbe
Just west of Hamburg, along the river, the Altes Land is Germany’s largest fruit-growing region, with apple, pear and cherry orchards, timber-framed farmhouses with decorated gables and quiet dykes. It is a bike-and-farm-shop trip rather than a sightseeing one, and its best moment is the spring blossom season, usually in late April and May, while autumn brings the apple harvest. A regional train and bus take you to the village of Jork, from where cycling along the lanes is the best way to see it. A guided bike ride in Hamburg itself, such as the city bike tour, is good practice if you want to try this region.
Tickets and timing
Regional trains in northern Germany run frequently, and regional group day tickets for the neighbouring states can be good value for two or more people, so check the rail operator’s site for the current ticket options and their rules. If you already hold a Germany-wide monthly transit pass, regional trains are included. Avoid the fast long-distance trains for these short trips, because they cost more for little time saved. Buy tickets in the app or at a machine before boarding, and validate if your ticket requires it.
How to choose
For a first trip, choose Lübeck. For a short half-day, choose Lüneburg. For a second great city, choose Bremen. For a palace and lake views, choose Schwerin, and for a slow spring or autumn day outdoors, choose the Altes Land. Leave your hotel luggage at the front desk, wear comfortable shoes, and be back on the Alster or the Elbe for a harbour cruise or dinner in the evening.
If you would rather stay
If the weather is poor or you are short of time, Hamburg itself has full days to fill. See our three-day itinerary and the first-timer guide for ideas.
