10 Most Instagrammable Places in Hamburg

Elbphilharmonie is a concert hall by the water that's designed to resemble a ship by the placement of a unique glass design atop an old brick structure. The upper glass portion of the concert hall is built to look like a hoisted sail, while the bottom brick warehouse portion serves as the ship's hull.

While taking shots of the hall from directly next to it is a good way to capture the sense of scale, you may want to consider travelling to the other side of Norderelbe for a vantage point that allows you to shoot the building in its entirety. It's located south of the city centre by Strandkai.

St Michael’s Church, also known locally as Michel, is a towering Lutheran cathedral that stands as a fine example of the Hanseatic Protestant Baroque style. The main tower stretches upwards about 132 metres and is adorned with bronze, making it a prominent landmark of the Hamburg skyline.

When you visit this landmark for photos, be sure to capture both the exterior and the interior. While the exterior is impressive enough, the church's interior houses a bronze statue of the Archangel Michael conquering the adversary. It's located just a few steps west of the city centre.

Townhall - Rathaus is the seat of local government in Hamburg and a fine example of Neo-Renaissance architecture dating back to the end of the 19th century. From the outside, you'll be able to take shots of a building that was constructed during a time of prosperity in the Prussian Kingdom.

The tower on this building is around 112 metres tall, but the inside is particularly interesting in comparison. It's notably regal, with its appearance making it clear that it was built during the birth of an empire. You can find it right in the city centre.

Alsterarkaden is an arcade-style collection of buildings with a distinctive Venetian vibe that's located in the city centre, offering everything from jewellery to culinary delights. Among these buildings, you'll find restaurants, shops and cafes, many of which are exclusive to this singular location.

Plenty of photo opportunities are present throughout the complex that allow you to capture images of the waterfront from scenic terraces. Plus, the picturesque Mellin Passage is located here. You'll find the historic shopping street along the northern bank of Kleine Alster.

Wasserschloss is a historic, moated castle located right in the middle of 2 canals and boasting plenty of photo opportunities around, both near and far. The castle dates back to the early 20th century and offers a unique view from its setting on an island in between Wandrahmsfleet and Hollandischbrookfleet.

When looking for local photo opportunities, consider taking photos here in the evening. If you can get a shot of the castle and the surrounding walls of buildings on both sides of the canals, you can capture a truly fascinating sight and beautiful aesthetic. It's all just a short distance southeast of the city centre.

Chilehaus is an office building with a unique brick-expressionist design that creates a massive angular site, and it's officially preserved as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The top of this building is reminiscent of the prow of a ship, with sharp angles on the corners only reinforcing this image further.

If you're looking to take photos of this building, it's typically easiest to do so from across the street. Make sure to get the angular side facing you for the greatest effect. It's located east of the city centre and Altstadt.

Speicherstadt literally means 'city of warehouses', and it's a district of the city in which historic buildings are set on old timber and oak foundations within the port. The unique layout here puts these buildings right up to the water, which makes for fascinating vantage points, especially at night.

Much of the architecture of Speicherstadt is either Neo-Gothic or modernist, which provides a satisfying bit of variation and contrast. You can explore it all for yourself among the canals just south of the city centre.

Planten un Blomen is a nearly 47-hectare urban park with plenty of opportunities for relaxation and taking scenic photos. The name of this park literally translates to 'plants and flowers', and you can see plenty of each throughout, along with extensive open green spaces.

The water features in this park are particularly impressive, and the accompanying fountains make for great photo subjects. Water-light shows are common too, so you may be able to see some performances when you visit. It's located just northwest of the city centre.

Krameramtsstuben is a collection of historic apartments dating back to the 17th century and consisting of scenic timber-framed buildings around enclosed courtyards. Taking photos here is one of the best ways to get a glimpse into what life was like for people living in this town centuries ago.

To photograph the buildings, it's typically best to get into the yard, where you'll find several shops. The narrow walkways here make for unique photo opportunities. It's all located due west of the city centre past Herrengrabenfleet.

Levantehaus is a shopping centre and historic building from the early 20th century that offers stunning photo opportunities and a variety of inviting shops. While the word levante translates to 'towards the sunrise' in Italian, it's actually named after Levant Line, a German man who was the first tenant of the building.

Visiting this building will allow you to explore a sleek and stylish collection of shops with high ceilings, impressive brickwork and a mosaic floor that all look incredible in photos. It's located east of the city centre and just west of the Hauptbahnhof Sud underground station.