Travel News
Green Living and Travel in Hamburg, Germany
Credit: Henry Mühlpfordt via Flickr Creative Commons
While it may be hard to imagine, industrial Hamburg is at the forefront of the green eco-movement. Dena Rochwerger-Braun investigates the brave new world of walking, biking and pedal boats in Hamburg’s suprisingly open green spaces.
Today it’s trendy to be environmentally conscious, but long before it was politically correct, Hamburg, Germany was embracing Green living.
Despite being the second largest city in Germany, the third-largest port in Europe, and headquarters to over 500 industrial firms, Hamburg is one of the most Eco-friendly cities around. In fact, it beat out 34 other cities for the title of 2011 European Green Capital.
Hamburg has always been a city of green and blue. Over half of the metro area is composed of green spaces, parks, woodlands and nature reserves, and the sea was historically the lifeblood of the city. A quarter-of-a-million trees line Hamburg’s streets. Hamburg’s natural attributes have encouraged its citizens to take advantage of the outdoors, and work to preserve it.
Green Transport: Biking, Walking or Boating
Credit: C. Kalk. www.mediaserver.hamburg.de/C. Kalk" Beleg
Hamburg is a city that begs to be explored on foot, bike or waterway. To appreciate Hamburg’s maritime history, you must get out on the water. In the heart of the city enjoy Alster Lake by renting a canoe or pedal boat or taking one of the many lake cruises available to tour the Inner and Outer Alster. To explore the Elbe River join locals by grabbing a public ferry and simply taking it for as long as you like up the river and in the harbor. Since 2009 the city has offered “free” bikes through it’s StadtRAD program. Pick up one of 1000 red bikes at over 70 rapid transport, underground stations, tourist attractions and business areas. The bike is complimentary for the first half-hour and has a maximum per day charge of 12 euro. The city’s cycle network offers over 1000 miles of bike paths.
Travelers can get a sense of Hamburg’s commitment to climate, environment and sustainable building on a free walking tour (held every Saturday) of HafenCity. This master planned community will truly become a city within a city, increasing the size of Hamburg by a whopping 40 percent! HafenCity, Europe’s largest land development project, is a perfect example of how a former industrial area can become a true picture of urban renewal.
HafenCity
Photographer: Roberto Hegeler
Comprising 387 acres, 66 dedicated to public parks, squares and promenades, HafenCity will have nearly 6,000 homes and employ 45,000 people when fully built-out in 2025. Today tourists can learn about HafenCity in the info and sustainability pavillions, walk through the development, and see major construction projects like the Elbphilharmonic Concert Hall which will house a concert house, hotel and apartments, and enjoy the International Maritime Museum or Protoyp Automobile Museum.
While HafenCity is an overt example of Hamburg’s commitment to being Green, there are many more initiatives going on behind the scenes. If you’re like many travelers, you took the S-bahn train from the airport to your hotel without knowing that it was powered with electricity generated entirely from renewable sources. In fact more than 100 renewable energy companies are headquartered in Hamburg. If you need to take a taxi look for one of 300 green cabs, each saving three tons of Co2 emissions per year, helping Hamburg achieve its goal to cut its overall Co2 emissions by 40 percent by 2020. Tourists can learn more about environmental projects and events celebrating the city as Europe’s Green Capital by visiting the infopavillon at the main train station.
Green Cuisine
No area of Hamburg is untouched when it comes to going Green, even cuisine. German food is traditionally heavy meat and potatoes fare, but today organic eateries, and restaurants that focus on farm-to-table offerings, can be found throughout the city. At Schanzenstern in the colorful St. Pauli district, all produce is locally sourced and dishes are made from organic ingredients. Restaurant Fuh introduced slow food to Hamburg, and all of the items on its menu change daily and are made from scratch. Vegetarians will love the Loving Hut, Hamburg’s first Asian restaurant that is purely vegan.
Green Hotels and Spas
Park Hyatt Hamburg
Happily, in Hamburg going Green doesn’t mean forgoing luxury accommodations as a base for your trip. The five-star Park Hyatt Hamburg, favored by stars like Gwenyth Paltrow, Heidi Klum and the Rolling Stones, is committed to environmental responsibility. The hotel utilizes an environmentally-friendly air-conditioning system and has “green teams” focused on recycling, energy efficiency and reducing CO2 emissions. For travelers on a budget, the three-star Okotel Hamburg is the best eco-choice. Built with environmentally safe materials using low-energy construction, the hotel offers all the comforts of a modern hotel with a small carbon footprint.
While being Green is all about keeping the city in balance, travelers can seek their own balance sampling the German spa culture. Wellness has always been prized in Germany, with spa towns where you can “take the waters.” In Hamburg, the spa experience is more like what you find in the States. At Club Olympus, the 10,000 square foot spa at the Park Hyatt, water still plays an integral role with a gorgeous swimming pool (that is often used in fashion shoots), whirlpool, sauna, steam room and solarium. To ease the effects of jet lag book a deep tissue massage, energy massage or Hawaiian Temple Massage. Ask for Milla and be treated to trigger point therapy that will release tight muscles and nearly put you to sleep during the service.
Dena Rochwerger-Braun, aka, The Fitglobetrotter, covers luxury, wellness and spa travel worldwide. Her work has appeared in Spa Magazine, Robb Report, Destination Weddings & Honeymoons and Bridal Guide. Follow her travels and travel tips on Twitter @fitglobetrotter
Lead image credit: Henry Mühlpfordt via Flickr Creative Commons
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