Thing to do
St. Pauli Landungsbrücken
Hamburg's floating harbour station, a listed 1900s pier complex with a tide-gauge clock tower, where harbour tours and public HADAG ferries set off along the Elbe.
Jungfernstieg and the Binnenalster
Hamburg's grand lakeside boulevard on the Inner Alster, with a waterfront terrace, the Alsterpavillon café, Alster boat departures and the Alsterhaus department store.
At a glance
- Type
- Lakeside promenade and shopping street
- Area
- Neustadt, Hamburg, Germany
- Official site
- hamburg-travel.com
Good to know
- Waterfront terrace
- Alster boat trips
- Alsterpavillon café
- Department store
- Shopping arcades
Why we recommend it
Jungfernstieg is Hamburg's best-known boulevard, running along the southern and south-western shores of the Binnenalster, the Inner Alster lake, in the heart of the city. The lake itself is man-made: in 1235 the Count of Holstein had a dam built across the Alster to drive a corn mill, and the water backed up to form the basin. The embankment was named after the miller of the time, and the promenade's present name comes from the custom of families walking here on Sundays to show off their unmarried daughters, the Jungfern.
The boulevard has a long history of firsts. Linden trees were planted along the water in 1665, the first Alsterpavillon café opened in 1799, and in 1838 Jungfernstieg became the first asphalted street in Germany. After the Great Fire of 1842 destroyed the area, it was rebuilt in a unified Neoclassical style, and the Alsterarkaden on the Kleine Alster, the arcades that frame the view towards the Rathaus, date from that rebuilding. Sillem's Bazar, opened in 1843, is regarded as Germany's first shopping arcade.
Today the lakeside terrace, refurbished in the early 2000s, is a public waterfront plaza and one of the city's favourite meeting points, with views across the Binnenalster and its fountain. The Alsterpavillon is still a café, and a smaller pavilion beside it forms the entrance to the underground station. Behind the promenade, the Alsterhaus department store and arcades such as the Europa Passage, the Hamburger Hof and the Hanseviertel lead into Hamburg's main shopping streets, including Neuer Wall and Große Bleichen.
The most popular thing to do here is take a boat on the Alster. The tourism office lists round trips on the lakes, canal trips through the Alster's waterways and twilight cruises, and the Alster steamers are a familiar part of the view. The lake divides into the Binnenalster and the larger Außenalster at the Lombardsbrücke bridge, and a trip is a relaxing way to see both.
Jungfernstieg U-Bahn station, which opened in 1931, lies right under the promenade. Allow an hour for a stroll and coffee, more with a boat trip or shopping. The Rathaus is a short walk away.
Jungfernstieg and the Binnenalster FAQs
What is Jungfernstieg?
Hamburg's best-known boulevard, a lakeside promenade on the Binnenalster with a waterfront terrace and shopping close by.
Can you take a boat trip from here?
Yes, Alster round trips, canal trips and twilight cruises are offered on the Alster lakes.
Where does the name come from?
From the custom of families walking here on Sundays to present their unmarried daughters, the Jungfern.
Is the Binnenalster natural?
No, it formed after a mill dam was built across the Alster in 1235.
What shops are nearby?
The Alsterhaus department store and arcades such as the Europa Passage, Hamburger Hof and Hanseviertel.
Is there a café on the water?
Yes, the Alsterpavillon on the lakeside terrace is a café with a long history going back to 1799.
How do you get there?
Jungfernstieg station lies directly beneath the promenade.
What is nearby?
The Rathaus and the Alsterarkaden are a short walk away.