TRAVEL
The 5 Minute Guide To... Hamburg
Seán O'Dwyer enjoys a beer and a mouthful of sausage in Hamburg, Germany's oh-so-gay answer to Amsterdam.
Ah, Hamburg! Home of quaint tugboats chugging down the Elbe River, the bustling fish market at the pier, with gulls circling overhead and immaculately-dressed people strolling along the pristine waterside. It's all so dreamy and, well, civilised. But did you know that Hamburg is also known as the sex capital of northern Europe? And that its multi-faceted queer scene is on a par with that of Amsterdam?
Hamburg boasts not just one gay scene but two - make that three, when you consider the unrivalled choice for women. So you'll have to decide which one's yours on any given night.
The biggest and most central is in the old St Georg (or the West Village) district, just to the east of the main station where rail connections come in from the airport. Most gay venues here are along, just off, or in between two main streets called Lange Reihe and Steindamm.
The Lange Reihe is a long, narrow road full of small cafés and boutiques, with an abundance of inexpensive gay-run eateries. During my week in Hamburg, it became a habit to spend whole days and nights in St Georg. During the day I divided my time between Café Uhrlaub, which offers a fairly simple menu in slightly cramped, if quaintly rustic surroundings, and the lovely deco-chic Café Gnosa, with its amazing selection of cakes and a fine array of fit and friendly waiters. Here you can sample the extremely laid back attitude of the Hamburg populace, whiling away whole afternoons sipping latté and talent spotting.
Around the corner you'll find the trendy Bistro des Artistes for an early evening bite to eat. Its menu may be limited, but the '80s wine bar ambience is a nostalgia lover's dream.
Come evening, my first port was usually Bellini, a very popular watering hole on Danzinger St, where hoards thirsty queers gather. It boasts a trendy mix of cute guys and glamorous dykes, and it's pretty friendly to boot.
If it's men-only you're looking for (and I confess, I often was) La Strada, a few streets away, is a friendly pub complete with a cheesy soundtrack and men who'll chat to you at the drop of a hat. However, even its kitsch factor pales beside nearby Rendezvous, where an older crowd often like to par-tay like it's 1999.
Or how about something heavier? Hamburg has the reputation of being home to one of the best leather and SM communities in Germany. You'll find plenty of leather bars, shops, and stores - even several tailors who specialise in leather, rubber, and latex attire. Hamburg's Leatherparty, held in mid-August (www.msc-hamburg.com) is a large event that attracts a good mix of men from all over Europe. The festivities are capped off with a big party aboard the Cap San Diego, a massive ship that's permanently anchored at the docks and serves as a popular venue for events of all kinds.
On a more day-to-day basis, Strictly Men on Danziger Strasse is a leather club, which is not as hard as it sounds and has lots of areas on offer for more intimate action. Meanwhile, a few doors down, Black is a labyrinth of leather, with some heavy SM thrown in for good measure.
And there's always Tom's Saloon, a basement cruise bar on Pulverteich just off Steindamm, where every coloured hanky is catered to. Tom of Finland was a regular and the bar has been named after him. Upstairs from Tom's, the atmosphere changes instantly with the pretty popular PIT, a club where disco bunnies with one thing (Kylie) on their minds abound.
About 15 minutes away by rail, a good place to take a long walk and enjoy the best Hamburg has to offer is the outer port area (Aussenalster), which has lots of paths for jogging, bicycling, rollerblading, and people-watching. Near enough to this you'll find the city's second gay district, St Pauli (the East Village), based around the Reeperbahn. Unlike stylish and trendy St Georg, St Pauli is a cacophony of neon-lit peep shows, stripper joints, adult book shops, and live sex shows (it's locally known as the 'mile of sin'), but you'll find a mixed and pretty interesting gay scene in between that caters to every taste.
Piccadilly is a lovely little pub that looks like someone's front room and is packed with coffee pots from around the world. Wunderbar is this area's most popular bar and club where hotties hang out in abundance. Beware, it gets so packed at the weekend, there's not enough room to fall over, much less dance.
If sex toys and boy mags are your thing, St Pauli is dotted with shops selling the usual videos and mags, and you'll also find plenty of porn cinemas and private cabins for hire. If that's you're thing, check out any of Dolly Buster, Mystery Hall, New Man or Sparta.
Hamburg also boasts a pretty exceptional lesbian scene, which looks back on a rich political tradition with a good infrastructure and a vibrant array of groups, organizations, cafés, and bars. A good starting-point for lesbian Hamburg is the Women's Bookstore (Bismarckstrasse 98) and Frauenkneipe (Women's Bar) in the Stresemannstrasse.
Be sure to pick up a copy of the free gay city monthly Hinnerk, or the quarterly Hamburger Frauenzeitung (Hamburger Women's Paper), to find out what's going on during your stay. You should also stop by the gay switchboard, Hein und Fiete, and stock up with all the information about Hamburg that will fit in your backpack.
THE VERY BEST...
Bar: Bellini, Danziger St 63
Very popular and stylish bar with a mixed-gender clientele, attractive staff and a buzzy, friendly atmosphere.
Café: Cafe Gnosa, Lange Reihe 93
The grand dame of queer cafes serves delicious food and hosts a variety of cultural events. Their patisserie is one of Hamburg's best.
Hotel: Hotel Königshof, Pulverteich 18 (+284 0740)
Gay townhouse with modern interiors, located right across from Tom's Saloon. Breakfast is included and served until noon. There's a gay bridal suite and cafe/bistro on site.
Club: XL Club, Lange Reihe 2, Friday & Saturday, 11pm 'till 6am.
Vast and pumping queer club, popular with Hamburg's in-crowd, complete with a dark cruising area that screens plenty of porn.
Restaurant: Central, Lange Reihe 50, (+2805 3704)
It's essential to book a table any night of the week for high class dining at affordable prices in this chic, //trés// gay restaurant.
Cruising Area: Blind Garden, Stadtpark
Turn left out of Borgweg metro staying on that side of the road and cross straight over at the crossroads, entering the park on the corner where the small wooden sign says Blindgarten. This sunken garden is just behind the pavilion facing you and you'll find action in the bushes all around.