Do you have a trip planned to Hamburg Germany, but would also like to explore the surroundings a little? Then you are in luck, because there are a lot of cute little villages in the Hamburg area, that are just a short train trip away. All of them are no more than an hour away. So if you’re looking for a change of scenery or want to grab a bite to eat in an idyllic village, these are 4 fun day trips to remember!

1. Bremen

Traveltime: 0.56 minutes – Price: €17.90 – Book your ticket

Bremen is the biggest of the 4. I have to say, though, that I found it a bit disappointing for its size. There are basically 2 hotspots in the town, the Marktplatz surrounded by various beautiful buildings such as the impressive cathedral. Also here, next to the town hall, you will find the “Bremen Musicians”, a famous statue of 4 animals standing on each other’s backs. It comes from a well-known Grimm fairytale about these animals who go to Bremen for a better future as musicians. In Germany, the statue is very famous and people really come to Bremen just to see the statue. The legend goes that if you grab the donkey’s front legs, your wishes will come true. Be careful: you have to grab both legs at the same time! Otherwise, you will have bad luck instead.

Another hotspot in Bremen is the Schnoor district. It is a cute little district where you can just wander around. With cute little houses and restaurants. Nice to stroll through and get lost in the district.

Personally, I found Bremen the least interesting of the 4. But I found the atmosphere very cosy and there are more than enough restaurants and bars to entertain you for days. So if you are looking for a place outside Hamburg that is a bit quieter but still has a bit of a city feel to it, then Bremen is definitely a nice alternative! Do you have only one day for a day trip from Hamburg? Then I would definitely go for one of the other 3.

The ho(s)tel I stayed at was my favourite ever though! It’s an indoor camping with old camper vans and wooden houses in different country themes, like a Canadian hunting cabin, converted to rooms. There’s also 1 shared hostel room if you’re on more of a budget. But the vibe was great as well, the outdoor area is lovely and the staff was so passionate about their place! Highly recommended!

Another building not to be missed is the townhall or “Rathaus”. You will find it next to St. Mary’s Church, so you will probably get there anyway. This building has also suffered considerable damage and later destruction and fire. It has been rebuilt in different years and different styles and therefore looks like an amazing mix of styles. With beautiful drawings, pitch-black stones but also white details. The townhall is located in the market square, where you can also find a cozy Christmas market in the winter.

In Lübeck you only have 1 hostel, so you’ll either have to go for this party hostel or pay a bit more for a hotel. Honestly, I liked this hostel, although I usually avoid party hostels. The isolation was on point! As soon as you close the windows, all noise is gone. And if you do want to meet people there’s plenty to do and there are clubs across the hostel, so you can crawl home. 

3. Lüneburg

Traveltime: 0.29 to 0.50 minutes – Price: from €8.56 – Book your ticket

Lüneburg is a fantastically cute village just east of Hamburg. Here too, you will find the typical old German houses in a maze of small streets. Filled with cosy restaurants and terraces. This is clearly a very touristic place. The whole train emptied out and the whole crowd walked towards the old city centre. There, most people go straight to the market square, where you find another church and a load of cute little houses. Around it, you will find many little streets with coloured houses, where you can just wander.

It is certainly not a town where you can spend a week. But there is enough to see and do to even plan an overnight stay. There are enough terraces and restaurants and a lovely relaxed atmosphere. I really got a holiday feeling here, because clearly everyone is having a nice day out and doing everything at their leisure. “Alter kran im Lüneburger hafen”(photo) is an absolute must to visit, who doesn’t like such a lovely little street near the water? Take a seat at a terrace or on a boat and enjoy. From there, you can go further into town and don’t forget to look into the courtyards! They are sometimes a bit hidden, but worth a visit.

Discount – Get your train tickets cheap

Are you planning a longer train trip trough Germany? Than I have an interesting tip to get cheap train tickets. With a German rail card, you can travel for 3 months (or a year) with 25% or 50% discount on all trips. They offer different cards, like a special senior or junior card, for up to 27 years or above 65. They also offer trial cards for 6 weeks, which are obviously cheaper. The only downside is that you’ll have to cancel this rail card within those 6 weeks! Otherwise, you’re stuck with a year membership. You’ll find all the rail cards here, where you can directly order them as well. The “probe” cards are the 6-week trial cards.