Hamburg

Area

755 sq km

292 sq miles

Population

1,700,000

Time Zone

GMT/UTC +1 ()

Daylight Saving Start

last Sunday in March

Daylight Saving End

last Sunday in October

Currency

Euro (€)

Electricity

230V 50HzHz

It's easy to see why the youthful Beatles fell in love with Hamburg. Germany's second largest city has a magnificent harbour right in its centre and, so the locals like to say, has more in common with canal cities like Amsterdam or Venice. Indeed, Hamburgers will proudly point out that their city has even more bridges than Venice.

But, unlike its maritime counterparts, Hamburg remains a hard-working port that is among Europe's busiest. Add to this the independence of a place that has been invaded only once in its history (by Napoleon, no less) and you too will be inspired to serenade the city.

Factoid

Who's For Thirds?

In St Pauli, Hamburg's red light district, one sex shop displays in its window an unusually large condom. A cash prize is offered to any gentlemen who fits it. The money has only been won twice.