Alster Lakes
Binnenalster und Außenalster
Two artificial lakes in the city center: the inner lake lined with the Jungfernstieg shopping district, and the outer lake, a place for sailing, rowing and running around its shore.
The Alster River is dammed in the city center to form two lakes. The Binnenalster (Inner Alster) is ringed by Jungfernstieg, the Alster arcades and luxury hotels. The tall Alster Fountain stands in its middle, and the Alsterpavillon, a long-established café, sits on its shore. Beyond the Lombardsbrücke and Kennedybrücke lies the much larger Außenalster (Outer Alster), surrounded by greenery and villas. The loop around it is about 7.4 km, ideal for walking, cycling and running. In summer you can rent sailboats, pedal boats or paddleboards, or take a white Alster sightseeing boat (about one hour) from the Jungfernstieg pier to tour the lakes and canals. In very cold winters the lake surface occasionally freezes, and the Alster Ice Festival is held. Nearest station: Jungfernstieg (U-Bahn and S-Bahn).
Opening hours
Open all day; boat tours run more frequently April–October
Nearby sights
- Jungfernstieg & Alsterarkaden
- St. Petri Church
- Hamburg Rathaus
- Hamburger Kunsthalle
- St. Nikolai Memorial
- Speicherstadt & Kontorhaus District
- Hamburg Dungeon
- International Maritime Museum