In case you have time left beyond the full program of OR2019, there are a lot of things you could do in Hamburg. Once you registered on location, you can freely use the HVV public transport to get to even more remote places.
You could always consult the usual “Top X” lists on e.g. Tripadvisor to scout for the top sights, but these lists usually lack the option to simply roam the lively districts of the city, like the Schanzen– or Karoviertel, Altona or St. Pauli, which has more to offer than its infamous red light district.
This does not mean that you should not visit Hamburg’s top sights. The Elbphilharmonie, St. Michaelis, Speicherstadt, Miniatur Wunderland and the Old Elbe Tunnel are all in walkable distance from each other in direct vincinity of the harbour.
It’s not possible to visit the grand hall of the Elbphilharmonie if not for concerts. We have a handful of tickets for Devendra Banhart on Sunday, June 9th and Erlend Øye on Monday, June 10th for €68 each (best seats) – if you are interested, contact us. Visiting the Plaza is always possible and free of charge. If you don’t want to wait, you can buy tickets for visiting the plaza at a certain time; these are €2.
For the Miniatur Wunderland, the world’s largest model train exhibit, it is advisable to book tickets for admission at a certain time in advance and to bring some time for the actual visit. The exhibit is large and ever growing.
The St. Michael’s Church (or “Michel”), Hamburgs “original” Landmark, can be visited free of charge from 9 am to 7.30 pm every day, expect when there are church services. Admission to the tower costs €5.
The newly renovated Old Elbe Tunnel is open for pedestrians free of charge and around the clock – it’s well worth walking to the southern banks of the Elbe to get a nice view of the city and harbor.
If you haven’t booked the Conference Dinner, the best way to get a good impression of the Hamburg harbor is to get on a boat. You could either opt for a Harbor Cruise or simply take a ferry to e.g. Finkenwerder (line 62), leave in Övelgönne to visit the Elbstrand and take the ferry (or the bus) back, all of which is covered by your HVV ticket.