7 beaches near Hamburg: Where to go for sun, sand, and surf
If you plan to visit Hamburg, Germany, you probably have an entire list of places that you want to eat, shop, and visit during your stay. For those who have a little extra time during their trip or who want to get outside of the city center for a little bit, there are many beaches near Hamburg, Germany, that can make for a great day of relaxation and fun. Sandy beaches might not be the first thing that you think of when you travel to this part of the world, but there are actually numerous really good options for fun in the sun or near the water that are close to Hamburg.
Before you choose from these beaches near Hamburg, make sure that you have plans for your luggage to stay safe during your trip. You will want to count on us to store your bags conveniently and securely while you lounge on the sand. Once your bags are securely stored, you will be able to have the peace of mind that you need to thoroughly enjoy your day at the beach.
Elbstrand Beach
This beach is so close to downtown that you might be tempted to land at the Hamburg Airport and head right to the beach. This is one of the best beaches for having a local-type experience, and you can head here for delicious food, quiet and peaceful charm, and a really amazing view of the ships passing on the Elbe River.
Elbstrand Beach travel distance from Hamburg
This lovely location on the Elbe River is about 15 minutes from downtown Hamburg. If you choose to head to Hamburg Hauptbahnhof and get on the train, you will be at this beach within 20 minutes.
Activity recommendations
This is one of the nicest river beaches near Hamburg, and you should consider this a great option for a place to stay over for a night as well. You can walk along the beach, enjoy warm weather and sunshine, or snuggle up in a local pub and watch the sunset over the water.
This is a Nordic-inspired area, and you will love the various Viking-themed attractions as well as the chance to play Viking chess (Kubb) on the beach with locals. There is a lot of shipping traffic along the water here, making this a great place to sit and watch the world go by.
Rissener Ufer
This cute little beach area is one of the best beaches near Hamburg for golden sand and comfortable time spent listening to the waves lap on the beach. This is not as ideal a location to swim as some others due to the dark brown water of the Elbe River, but you can have an amazing experience on the beach here. The sand feels almost tropical in nature at this location, making it a great place to get out of the city and enjoy some relaxation.
Rissener Ufer travel distance from Hamburg
If you're traveling by car, the journey time is about 30 minutes but is closer to 45 minutes with traffic. Using public transport will take an hour and involves a metro ride on the S-Bahn 1 and then a bus ride on Route 189.
Activity recommendations
If you want to head over to the DLRG lookout tower area, you can swim here, but be aware that the water is not clear. This is not like an ocean beach, so you might want to just paddle around or walk in the shallows along the sand. This is one of the best beaches for soft and sandy comfort, and many people head here in the summer after a long day at work just to enjoy the peace and quiet.
This area is not known for the wide array of other things to do, so you will be coming here just to visit the beach in most cases. However, the proximity to the city is such that you will have no trouble popping over here when you want and then getting back to your hotel to carry on with other adventures that you have planned.
Alsterwiese Schwanenwik
While not actually a real "beach," this area is a large grassy spot that sits right on the water. The Schwanenwik is actually a road that circles the bay here, so you can wander along the walkway or just stop somewhere on the grass and lounge in the sun. This area is quite popular in the summer because there are a variety of things to do here and it is fairly close to the city center.
Alsterwiese Schwanenwik travel distance from Hamburg
You can drive to this area in about 10 minutes from Hamburg Central Station, or you can hop on the train and get here in about the same amount of time.
Activity recommendations
This location used to be the home of a public swimming pool until it was removed in the late 1920s. The large swathe of grass is just as cozy as any beach, and the water is really lovely to look at or dip your toes in. This is an area where many locals come to walk or have a barbecue, so you will enjoy a lovely summer with a family vibe when you head here.
Bring your own picnic lunch with you so that you can visit and just lounge in the sun, or walk here from nearby areas after you've had a meal. This is also a place where there are lots of lovely swans to watch gliding along the water.
Elbstrand Finkenrieker
Elbstrand Finkenrieker is another riverside beach along the Elbe. This sandy area is located behind the Finkenrieker Hauptdeich at the corner of König-Georg-Weg in Wilhelmsburg. This area is often peaceful and quiet due to its small size. That might be because many people are not aware of its location unless they are locals. This is one of the best beaches to head to if you just want to enjoy some peace and quiet for the day.
Elbstrand Finkenrieker travel distance from Hamburg
This lovely beach area is just about a 20-minute drive from the Hamburg City Center. Additionally, you can take a combination of train and bus for a travel time of 30-45 minutes, depending on connections.
Activity recommendations
There is not much to do in this beach area besides relax, but that might be just what you have been looking for. Hamburg is a big and bustling city, so it can be nice to just get away from it all and enjoy some peace and quiet with a good book. You will need to bring your own chair or towel to sit on, or you can just pop yourself down into the soft sand and get comfortable.
This is one of the best beaches in the area, even if it is small and there are no nearby places to eat or get drinks. If you visit here, you will enjoy the beautiful view and have the chance to walk around the nearby park as well. You'll feel much further from the city than you actually are.
Elbestrand Hindenburg Park
This beach offers a classically tropical beach feeling in the summer months, and you can head here to enjoy the sun, swimming, and the feeling of being on holiday. There are beach vendors near the water as well as hammocks and other comfortable places to sit and hang out here if you are looking to relax.
This beach is easily the most tropical and resort-like beach in the area, and many people consider this one of the must-visit locations when they are in Hamburg.
Elbestrand Hindenburgpark travel distance from Hamburg
This lovely beach is about 20 minutes from the city by car and about 40 minutes from the center of town by rail.
Activity recommendations
This lovely beach area is actually a state park, which means that it is very clean and well-maintained. There are nice places to sit in the shade, or you can pick a hammock and just allow the breeze to rock you to sleep. You will have room to walk along the water here, and there are local vendors who sell food and drinks near the water as well.
This is one of the must-visit locations near the city, as this park and beach feel so much like a tropical getaway. The sand here is soft and inviting, and you will love the family feel of this area that takes you away from it all.
Strandperle
If you love to eat or drink right on the beach and you are looking for a resort-type experience, this is the beach area for you. Head here for soft sand, great eateries, and lots of fun things to do in the nearby town. This is a great place to bring kids, or you might head here to relax, unwind, and read a book. This is also a great area for swimming and water sports near the beach.
Strandperle travel distance from Hamburg
This lovely beach area is only 8 km from Hamburg. You'll need anywhere from 10 to 20 minutes to drive here, and public transportation takes roughly 30 minutes.
Activity recommendations
There are various beach bar locations here to enjoy right on the water, as well as street food vendors and shopping nearby. You can swim or just rent an umbrella and a chair and hang out all day. The park-like area near the water is also really inviting and can be the perfect place for a snack or a rest if you have been wandering and seeing the sites in the area.
While some of the attractions in this area are not available during the colder months of the year, during the summer months this is a one-stop-shop for all the beachy activities that you could ever imagine. You will feel like you have been transported to an island away from it all in some tropical location as soon as you head to this gorgeous spot for a day of fun and relaxation.
Many people also like to come here and grab a beer, then sit on the soft sand and watch the river traffic go by. There is no wrong way to enjoy this beach area, and you will be able to spend a whole day here if your schedule permits.
Beach Hamburg
Volleyball on the beach and places to snack and buy a beer close to the water are available here. You can have a really fun and active afternoon at Beach Hamburg if you are looking to socialize and get some exercise, or you might want to just bring a book and settle in for an afternoon of peaceful enjoyment of the sun.
Beach Hamburg travel distance from Hamburg
This pretty beach area is just 20 minutes from downtown Hamburg by car or 25 minutes via metro with a little bit of walking.
Activity recommendations
Head here for water sports, beach volleyball, and all kinds of other active pursuits. There are so many reasons that this might be the right beach for your trip, and kids will have a ton of fun here along with adults. This location is also really close to the city center, making this the official beach area for Hamburg locals. It's a great place to people-watch and enjoy a break from the chaos of the city.
Conclusion
If you've explored all of the best beaches near Hamburg and still want more options, beaches on the North Sea offer some great weekend trip ideas from Hamburg if you're willing to go a bit further. Any of the beaches here are affordable activities if you're visiting the city on a budget.
There are many beaches that are located near this city that can offer you some of the most relaxing and enjoyable days of your trip. Some of these locations are even open year-round, which makes it easy to have fun at the beach even if you have traveled to Hamburg outside of the regular high-season for travel. Make sure that you get your bags stored securely, then head to the golden sand and peaceful waters of these beaches near Hamburg, Germany.
