Stand at the top of the 136 steps on the Dockland building and the Elbe opens out below you, with the cranes and container terminals of the harbour on one side and the roofs of Altona on the other. This is the moment that explains why the borough is worth a day of your trip: it looks straight at the working river rather than away from it.
Altona suits travellers who are happy to walk, who prefer a residential district with a few strong sights over a dense old town, and who want the harbour and the Reeperbahn within easy reach of each other. Much of the historic fabric is gone, and the Altona-Altstadt has very little of the old to offer, so plan around the specific places below rather than expecting to wander into them.
This guide covers the sights in Altona itself and the adjoining harbour and Sankt Pauli area, with a one-day route at the end.
Top things to do in Altona
1. Dockland
A six-storey glass and steel building shaped like a parallelogram, reminiscent of a ship bow, with a public roof reached by 136 steps. The climb is the point: from the top you get a view over the harbour.
Pair it with the riverbank walk south from Bahnhof Altona, which passes the town hall and museum on the way.
2. Alter Elbtunnel (St. Pauli Elbe Tunnel)
Completed in 1911, the tunnel links both sides of the river Elbe. A lift or stairs take you 24 m down, and you then walk through one of its two 427-m-long pipes with 12 m of water above your head. The tunnel is decorated with ceramic arts of maritime motifs such as fish, mussels, seals and old boots.
For pedestrians and bicycles it is free and open all day and night, every day. Find the entrance at Landungsbrücken in the building with the biggest green dome; signs to "Aussichtspunkt Steinwerder" also point to it.
3. Landungsbrücken (St. Pauli Piers)
The piers are connected by bridges that float on the water, adapting to the tide, and tourist boats land here among souvenir shops, restaurants and snack bars. The old passenger docks were the departure point for many emigrants to the Americas from eastern Europe in the 19th century, and they remain the departure point for harbour tours and many public transport ferries. The sailing ship Rickmer Rickmers can be visited.
The stroll eastwards along the water from the S-Bahn station "Landungsbrücken" all the way to the HafenCity is very pleasant, so leave time for it rather than treating the piers as a single stop.
4. Altonaer Museum
Dedicated to Altona's, Hamburg's and northern Germany's cultural history. It sits on the route south from Bahnhof Altona towards the riverbank, so it fits naturally into a walk between the station and the water.
5. Altona City Hall (Rathaus Altona)
Built in 1898, when Altona was still a separate city, it is an impressive building with influences of Italian Renaissance. It is on the same southward route from Bahnhof Altona as the museum, so the two are easily combined.
6. Altonaer Volkspark
This used to be the city park of the independent town of Altona and has been left in a more natural state than the Hamburger Stadtpark. On the northern edge of the park are the Volksparkstadion, home stadium of the football team HSV, and the multi-purpose Barclaycard Arena.
Reach it by S2 or S21 to Stellingen, from where it is a 10-15 minute walk.
7. Lornsenplatz
If you want what remains of old Altona, head north up Max-Brauer-Allee and venture into the streets branching out east; Lornsenplatz is especially nice. The district around it is green and residential, with a lot of post-war construction that is of little interest, so treat this as a short detour rather than a destination in itself.
8. Museumshafen Oevelgönne
A harbour of historical boats. Admission is free, which makes it an easy addition to a walk along the water.
9. U-434
One of the biggest non-nuclear Soviet submarines, moored near the Fischmarkt, with guided tours possible. It is at St. Pauli Fischmarkt 10; take S1-S3 to Reeperbahn and walk 700 m to the Fischmarkt.
Opening hours are Monday to Saturday 09:00-20:00 and Sunday 11:00-20:00, with admission at €9 for adults and €6 for children.
10. Reeperbahn
A street and entertainment district in Sankt Pauli, one of the two centres of Hamburg's nightlife and the city's major red-light district. In German it is called die sündigste Meile and nicknamed Kiez, and the Reeperbahn Festival is among the largest club festivals.
A lot of people come here for dinner, live music, theatre or musicals rather than for the red-light side of it. Common sense and caution are advised, as in any such area; it is relatively safe and a definite touristy place to see, and if you are not interested in the approaches you may receive, it is best to just ignore them.
11. Beatles-Platz (Beatles Square)
At the corner of Reeperbahn and Grosse Freiheit there is a sculpture honouring the Beatles. Also in the Reeperbahn area are clubs where the Beatles played at various times from 1960 to 1962, including the Indra club and Star Club.
It is a quick stop while walking the Reeperbahn, and it sits directly at the mouth of Grosse Freiheit.
12. Grosse Freiheit (Great Freedom)
A pedestrian street full of bars and clubs and a good place to go in the evening, though it is very crowded and may get a bit dangerous at the weekend. On weekdays it is harmless, and the 99 Cent Bar offers many drinks for basically €1; at the weekend there is an entrance fee of €1, which still makes it the best place to go drinking on a budget.
The street was named in 1610 after Count Ernest of Schaumburg and Holstein-Pinneberg granted religious freedom to non-Lutherans such as Mennonites and Roman Catholics, and commercial freedom to handcrafters not enrolled in the otherwise compelling guilds. Today it is part of the red light district.
13. Panoptikum
A wax cabinet with a history of over 125 years, and as such the oldest in Germany, though it has been in its current location since the 1950s. It is not as big and famous as Madame Tussauds in London, but the figures have been created with attention to detail; some of the older ones are less detailed because there were fewer tools and less knowledge about working with wax figures at the time.
It is at Spielbudenplatz 3, by U3 St. Pauli, and opens Monday to Friday 11:00-21:00, Saturday 11:00-00:00 and Sunday 10:00-21:00.
14. Spielbudenplatz
The square got its name from the entertainers who put up shows here for sailors from all over the world. It is the natural companion to the Panoptikum, which stands at the same address, and it puts you in the middle of the Reeperbahn area for the evening.
15. Hafenstraße
The street was a place for squatters in the 1980s and was well known by the media when there were battles between the Autonomous movement and the police. Some squats still exist there, though the 80s myth is dead. You can go to the punk bar "onkel otto" or eat at the "VoKü", a group cooking event at which the meal is served free of charge or at cost.
Find it at Hafenstraße at Balduintreppe, between Landungsbrücken and the fish market, so it fits into a walk along the water.
If you only have one day
Morning. Start at Bahnhof Altona and walk south towards the riverbank, stopping at the Altona City Hall (Rathaus Altona) and the Altonaer Museum on the way. Continue to the Dockland and climb the 136 steps to the roof for the view over the harbour.
Afternoon. Carry on to Landungsbrücken (St. Pauli Piers) and take the Alter Elbtunnel (St. Pauli Elbe Tunnel) under the river and back, then walk eastwards along the water. If you have time, add the U-434 at the Fischmarkt or the free Museumshafen Oevelgönne.
Evening. Move into Sankt Pauli. Look at the sculpture at Beatles-Platz, walk down Grosse Freiheit, and settle on Spielbudenplatz, where the Panoptikum is, for the rest of the evening. If you want to keep walking, the Reeperbahn runs through all of it.
Frequently asked questions
Is there much of old Altona left to see?
Very little, despite the borough's long history, and the Altona-Altstadt has very little of the old to offer. For the remains, head north up Max-Brauer-Allee and into the streets branching out east, where Lornsenplatz is especially nice.
How do I get to the Alter Elbtunnel, and what does it cost?
You find the tunnel at Landungsbrücken in the building with the biggest green dome; signs to "Aussichtspunkt Steinwerder" also point to it. For pedestrians and bicycles it is free and open all day and night, every day.
Is the Reeperbahn safe to visit?
It is relatively safe and a definite touristy place to see, but common sense and caution are advised, as in any such area. You are likely to be accosted by prostitutes offering their services; if you are not interested, it is best to just ignore them.
When is the best time to go to Grosse Freiheit?
On weekdays it is harmless and the 99 Cent Bar is a low-budget option. At the weekend it is very crowded, may get a bit dangerous, and there is an entrance fee of €1.
Pick your dates around the harbour, the tunnel and the Reeperbahn, and Altona will fill a day without any guesswork.