Hamburg in winter is not for the faint of heart. This statement could be applied to the whole of Germany, really (and that comes from someone born and raised in Russia). It’s not the cold that you should be afraid of (although low temperatures are not my favorite), rather the drizzling rain and the lack of sunshine for weeks on end.
Any Hamburger will tell you, it’s the never-ending greyness that drains all energy out of you. When sun finally does come out, it’s not uncommon to see someone standing in the middle of a sidewalk, with their eyes closed, soaking up sunlight. Recharging the batteries, so to say.
Hamburg in winter can still be fun, though. My strategy to survive from November until March is to plan as many cozy activities as possible, including (but not limited to) tasting coffee at every third-wave coffee shop (of which there are dozens in Hamburg!), eating hot and spicy (but most importantly) delicious food, and staying inside predominantly (think museums, art exhibitions, and shows).
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Hamburg has an enormous amount of roasteries and third-wave coffee shops. I have recently published this post with 28 spots for best coffee in the city (and I still have at least a dozen places on my list that I haven’t checked off yet).
If it’s your first time in Hamburg, definitely try Elbgold (the location in Schanze features a roastery); Nord Coast has a beautiful café on Deichstraße with a view of the canal; Codos Coffee makes my favorite cappuccino in Ottensen. In Eppendorf, try Belum Coffee Bar. In Eimsbüttel, pay a visit to Black Hat (and try their Medovik cake!)
As far as winter drinks go, there’s nothing cozier than a cup of hot cocoa and Mutterland serves some of the best in Hamburg. My absolute favorites are Vattis Kakao, pure cocoa without any sugar or additional flavors, and Chili Kakao that has a slightly spicy aftertaste. You can always add a shot of espresso into your cocoa for an extra boost of energy.
Mutterland is not just a cafe, but an amazing spot for buying all kinds of delicacies produced in Hamburg and Germany. This is my go-to whenever I am looking for unconventional presents from Germany.
Mutterland – Lenhartzstraße 1 and Kirchenallee 19
Now that we covered coffee and cocoa, I couldn’t possibly leave you without a trusted place for good tea. And not just any tea, but afternoon tea British-style. Eaton Place Café in Ottensen serves classic British afternoon tea with finger sandwiches, scones, and clotted cream. They have over 30 tea varieties to choose from: we are talking properly brewed tea, not tea bags.
The cafe is quite small, but cozy, with tables so close to each other it’s not uncommon to strike a conversation with another guest. The interior design, with UK flags and pictures of the royal family, is on the verge of being kitschy, but somehow they pull it off.
Tip: do make a reservation ahead of time, the place is really popular!
Eaton Place — Bahrenfelder Str. 80-82
I promise actual things to do in Hamburg in winter are coming up. But this blog is called That’s What She Had, after all. And I truly believe that eating your way through a city is the best way to learn about it. Especially, in colder months when staying outside might not be an option.
In winter I always look for something hot and hearty, possibly even spicy. Soups and stews are my everything. With that in mind, here are some of my favorite restaurants in Hamburg that are great on a cold day.
Sri Lankan Wave Street Food makes amazing, authentic Sri Lankan food — and I can tell, because I am married to a Sri Lankan. While Sri Lanka is a tiny tropical island in the Indian Ocean, I think the cuisine is perfectly suited for cold weather. Think: rice with a variety of spicy curries, deviled chicken, deep-fried potato cutlets.
The brightly colored cafe is located in Eimsbüttel. There’s not much space inside, so best to make a reservation.
Sri Lankan Wave Street Food — Bellealliancestraße 38
Authentikka makes delicious Indian cuisine with a modern twist. They have 3 locations in Hamburg, with my favorite being in Winterhude. The restaurant is located inside a beautiful Art Nouveau building. Some of my favorites on the menu are cauliflower popcorn, samosa with potatoes and peas, chili chicken, and biryani. On especially cold days, paneer curry with a freshly baked garlic naan is simply perfect.
Authentikka — 3 locations, my favorite at Schinkelstraße 2
Jing Jing was named the best restaurant of the year in 2025 by Genuss Guide. It serves modern Thai food and exceptional cocktails in a casual setting. The lightly-fried eggplant with Thai basil and roasted chicken leg was the highlight of my latest dinner at Jing Jing. Don’t skip dessert. Thai chocolate from Chiang Mai with peanuts and caramelized condensed milk was incredible.
Jing Jing — Waterloohain 7
If you are in the mood for hand-pulled noodles, Cyn Cyn is the place to go. All noodles are served bathed in chili oil. You are welcome to choose your spice level: from lovely spicy to chili inferno. Their fried dumplings are absolutely delicious, too!
Cyn Cyn — Eppendorfer Weg 62 and Karolinenstraße 32
For a quick and affordable lunch, make a stop at Souperia in Schanze. As the name suggests, they offer a big range of soups: from vegan and vegetarian options to hearty meat stews. My kids especially love potato soup with sausage, I am a fan of their lentil soups.
Souperia — Bartelsstraße 21
Ok, not an actual igloo made of ice, but a very close second. 60 Seconds to Napoli, an Italian restaurant most famous for its pizza, sets up cute transparent igloos made of plastic in their courtyard every winter. There are igloos for up to 10 people and even bigger ones for up to 16 people. If your party is smaller, you can still make a reservation, but the bill has to be at least 150 Euro. Do make a booking in advance.
60 Seconds to Napoli — Großer Burstah 1-3
An alternative is Tide cafe in Ottensen. They have cute little glass houses outside all year round, which are especially nice in winter. You won’t have a full meal here, but you can make a stop for a cup of coffee.
Tide — Rothestraße 53
If you are visiting Hamburg in winter, chances are you are here for the Christmas markets. It’s a bit obvious, so let’s get it out of the way. The markets usually start as early as mid-November and go on until Christmas.
The biggest and most popular one is the historic Christmas market in front of the Town Hall. In November for two weekends only, you can find Nordic Christmas markets at the churches of Finland, Sweden, Denmark, and Norway near Landungsbrücken (my personal favorite!)
If you are looking for a truly unusual experience, check out Santa Pauli. Warning: just like the neighborhood where it’s located — Sankt Pauli — the market is meant for adults (with a sense of humor). You can find a full list of all Christmas Markets in Hamburg here.
A word of advice: big popular markets are cool and a must-see, however, I think the smaller markets in neighborhoods are so charming and worth taking a little trip out of the city center. They are usually less crowded, super cozy and frequented by the local community. These small markets are especially great if you are traveling with kids and want a little less chaos and noise. There are often tables where one can sit down and chat with friends over a hot drink.
Shopping at an outdoor market might not be an obvious thing to do in Hamburg in winter, but I promise, you will love it. Isemarkt is the longest market in Europe, stretching for over a kilometer in Hamburg’s Eppendorf neighborhood.
So why is it perfect for cold winter days? First of all, it is located under a bridge, so even if it’s raining cats and dogs — you are covered.
Second, it’s the energy! Winter days tend to be a bit slow and grey and boring, Isemarkt is bustling, it’s happening, it’s a fun place to be. Over a hundred market stalls offer anything and everything: from locally grown vegetables to freshly made pizza to the best Franzbrötchen (Hamburg’s classic cinnamon bun) in town to great coffee. You can shop here, eat here, or just hang out with friends.
Isemarkt takes place on Tuesdays and Fridays, rain or shine. There are also smaller markets in different neighborhoods in Hamburg during the week. I like the one in Ottensen on Wednesdays and Saturdays.
This is the one winter activity in Hamburg I haven’t yet done myself, but it’s so iconic I couldn’t possibly leave it out. Ice skating at EisArena in Hamburg’s most famous park Planten und Blomen is not a cheap thing to do, unfortunately. A ticket for 2.5 hours costs currently 14 Euros per person (plus 9.50 for renting ice skates). It is a bit more affordable for families on Tuesdays which is Familientag at EisArena.
There’s a cafe that serves hot chocolate and glühwein on the premises, so it could be a proper winter experience. Check here for all information and prices.
When it comes to museums, Montblanc Haus, although not the most famous or conventional, is my favorite in the city. It was a complete surprise to me once I moved to Hamburg to learn that the famous pen originates in my new hometown.
Montblanc Haus features a permanent exhibition dedicated to the iconic pen: learn the story behind its creation, see the production process, and admire over 400 writing tools on display. You can see, for example, fountain pens inspired by The Beatles, Marilyn Monroe, and Gustav Klimt.
A real gem of the exhibition are several dozens original notes and letters written by Voltaire, Albert Einstein, and Frida Kahlo to name a few.
There is, of course, a boutique shop where you can buy Montblanc products and a stylish cafe that serves great coffee, cake, and lunch.
Montblanc Haus is located a little away from the city center, but is easily accessible by bus. It is well worth the trip!
Hamburger Kunsthalle is probably the most famous art museum in the city that showcases major works of romanticism, impressionism, and contemporary art. Here you will find art pieces by painters like Caspar David Friedrich, Max Liebermann, Monet, and Renoir.
I especially love their thematic temporary exhibitions that are thoughtfully curated. Not to mention that the building is a piece of art in itself. The grand staircase is a dream for anyone looking for a dramatic photo-op.
If you have kids, there’s a great space called Das Hamburger Kinderzimmer inside the museum created together with a Danish designer Olafur Eliasson. Inside, you’ll find thousands of colorful sticks that work together as a constructor or a puzzle.
Translated as Museum of Arts and Crafts, this is one of the most unusual museums in Hamburg, in my opinion. Its extensive collection includes photography, musical instruments, a ceramic collection, and everyday objects among many other things.
One of my favorites is the Spiegel canteen created by Danish interior designer Verner Panton, an orange-reddish room from top to bottom. Talk about the world turning minimalist and beige! The canteen used to be located at Spiegel Publishing House and was transferred to the museum in 2012 for preservation purposes.
It’s a great space for kids, too. On the weekends, Hubertus Wald Kinderreich, a creative space for children, is open on the lower level of the museum. There’s also a space called Freiraum on the ground floor that you can visit without a ticket. It is essentially a large, open space where people can gather, chat, and relax. A cozy corner with children’s books and toys makes it great for families, too.
If you are visiting Hamburg with kids, there’s no better place to spend a few hours indoors than Altonaer Museum.
Now, the collection is dedicated to the history and everyday life of Hamburg’s Altona district and the broader North Sea region. So if you are not from Hamburg, it may be a bit too regional and less interesting for you as an adult. On the contrary, if you are from here, it’s a great way to learn more about your home.
The reason I keep coming back here is Wunderkammer, a big space for kids filled with everyday objects that children are encouraged to touch, move and play with. You will find kitchen utensils, costumes, musical instruments, jewelry, and just a whole bunch of random things on the shelves. Basically, everything that kids much prefer to actual toys.
There’s a great cafe called Schmidt und Schmidtchen on the ground floor that offers delicious breakfast and baked goods.
Possibly, one of the most popular things to do in Hamburg in winter or any other season is Miniatur Wunderland. Officially, it is the world’s largest model railway exhibition. Unofficially, I am not sure why it is called model railway, because it is a whole world of miniatures that features multiple countries and cities: from canals of Venice to, of course, Hamburg with its main attractions, to a working airport with planes taking off and landing.
You can easily spend 3 hours looking for tiny Easter eggs the creators hid in different parts of the world. Like a miniature couple doing it in one of the buildings in Venice (it’s more funny than it is erotic.)
Deichtorhallen is the place to be if you are into contemporary art and photography. Two spacious steel-and-glass market halls built in the early 20th century are now home to one of the most important centers of modern art in Germany. The interior design — industrial, light-filled — provides a backdrop for art pieces that in themselves are dramatic and become part of the experience.
The most recognizable building in Hamburg is, without a doubt, the Elbphilharmonie. Located right on the Elbe River, it was built on top of a historic red brick warehouse. The glass structure with an iconic wave is home to one of the most respected concert halls in the world (as well as a hotel and some restaurants.)
You will see Elbphilharmonie from the outside one way or another when you explore the port and Speicherstadt. You can always go in to see the plaza, or rather, the spectacular view from the plaza. But seeing the grand concert hall is only possible if you catch a show. Some of the most famous musicians and singers in the world perform here regularly. And tickets are not necessarily crazy expensive, especially if you book in advance and take advantage of their programs, for example, there is a 50% discount for people under 30 years old.
Fun fact about Hamburg you probably didn’t know: it is the third musical capital of the world, after New York and London. I learned it from the New York Times review of Hamilton, as the first language it was translated into was German and the show premiered in Hamburg.
Other musicals that are currently running or ran in the past on stages across the city include The Lion King, Frozen, Tarzan, Mama Mia, & Julia, and so many more. The only catch is that they are all translated into German. So if you know the language, I think watching a musical is one of the best things to do in Hamburg in winter.
Located in Stadtpark, one of the largest green spaces in Hamburg, Planetarium is a great indoor activity on cold winter days for both adults and kids. The building — a former water tower built in 1915 and turned into a planetarium 15 years later — is an attraction in and of itself.
Inside, the large dome hall is where spectacular shows take place: you can watch projections of stars, planets and galaxies in high resolution and some in 3D. A lot of shows have audioguides in English. Apart from astronomy-focused shows, Planetarium regularly hosts cultural and musical events.
There are also many shows for kids starting from about 3 years old. If you have kids, you can combine a show with a walk through Stadtpark and a visit to a playground afterwards. This playground is my favorite. There’s a Schmidt und Schmidtchen cafe on the ground floor of the planetarium that serves great baked goods and ok coffee.
If you can’t catch a show, you can still visit Planetarium for gorgeous views from their observation platform.
I know a day at a spa sounds like an expensive affair, but I promise you it is not. If you want to spend a cold day in Hamburg like the locals do, look no further than visiting one of the many swimming complexes. They usually include indoor and (sometimes) outdoor pools and multiple saunas.
Some of my favorites include Holthusenbad (possibly the prettiest historic interior) and Kaifu-Bad. Alsterschwimmhalle is supposed to be one of the biggest and most modern complexes in Hamburg and Festland with its enormous dinosaurs is great for families (I haven’t visited these two yet.)
A full-day pass with access to swimming pools and saunas costs about 23 Euros for adults and 7 Euros for kids.
I write stories about food, travel, and my life as a mom of two boys. Home is Russia, but somehow also Sri Lanka and Hamburg, Germany. Go figure.
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