[Mike Tyson]

Not climbing related.

I'm on best man duties for my oldest friend, who has decided he would like to go to Hamburg for his stag party.

Any UKBers got the lowdown on the place? Going for a long weekend at the start of July next year.

Many thanks in advance.

[SA Chris]

Reeperbahn. Meets all your needs and many you probably don't want met

[tomtom]

Yup - Reeperbahn was (don't know if it is) the infamous brothel/club/bar strip of the city...

[HaeMeS]

The city is fantastic. People are really nice, lots of culture and I like way they mixed industrial with cultural - and posh with normal. The recent upgrade of the old docks made it into tourist attraction #1, with the € 700.000.000 (once completed - the Sagrada Familia of Hamburg....) Oper as 'highlight'. The 'beaches' in Blankenese next to the Elbe and the surrounding hillsides are nice for a picnic.   

Not much rock close by. Might want to visit the Ith. Some really good climbing in the Selter. Check 'Hoch im Norden' by Panico.de.

There are several climbing gyms. Nordwandhalle is the biggest. There also a bouldering gym: Salon du Bloc. Even got a communal climbing wall on an old bunker. Went climbing there on a sunday with a few kids and appreciated the place - not because of the climbing. It's located in part of town that has become hipster territory - yek -, but the bars, food, music in the streets, mixed with drug-dealers and alcoholics make it a nice place to be. Most impressive thing about hHmburg(ers): everybody is very, very very polite.

Would be a fine place to live - except for the lack of rock.

[Obi-Wan is lost...]

Visited a few times as a teen, still one of my fave cities. Want to return someday to check out the 'Wunderland', no not a strip club,  only the biggest miniature town in the world!

[tc]

I lived there for ten years Mike. What do you want to know?

[tc]

Choice of venue depends on whether or not you can behave yourselves  and what style of music you like. My man in Hamburg says, "If they are into house and minimal techno they should go to Ballsaal or Ego or Neidclub. They are on the Reeperbahn and ok for clubbing, not too druggy and very good music. If there is a party at the Docks Club I highly recommend it - best parties and beautiful girls."
You might have to wipe the cow shit off your wellies and charm the bouncers if there are a lot of you. The Reeperbahn bouncers don't like big English stag parties as they tend to get too excited about being on the Kietz (Reeperbahn), drink themselves senseless and behave badly.
If you decide not just to opt for the beer diet, make sure you sample the eel soup (also a superb hangover cure). A big Saturday night on the Kietz traditionally finishes with a trip to the Fish Market, which is down on the River Elbe and kicks off about 6 in the morning. Soused herring butties are another great kill or cure.