CENTRAL HAMBURG HALF – 21K

Our starting point is Sternschanzenpark, which makes up a large part of the “Star Jump” district. We will do a warm-up lap – and some star jumps! – around the beautiful water tower before setting off towards the rampart gardens; Planten un Blomen. Weaving our way through the greenery, we’re able to spot the gems dotted all around us. From the Laeiszhalle music hall to the Justice Forum and artworks from local sculptors, taking us on to the “Holy Ghost Field” and St. Pauli corner. From here we can see the sights of Millerntor, including Der Michel: “The Hamburg Landmark”; the most beloved of the city’s five main churches.

Race ya to the bottom of the hill! Down under the Kersten Miles Bridge to the river Elbe and the Landungsbrücken. A scheduled stop here allows you to take in the view and we’ll share a little of the history of the port, The Gateway to the World. Now along the water, we run towards the Elbphilharmonie; the infamous concert hall, which sits at the bow of the Hafencity. Two more of the five main churches and the Speicherstadt also loom in the distance. The well-known warehouses still make up the largest complex in the world and are nowadays home to attractions like the Miniatur Wunderland and the Hamburg Dungeon. Make the most of the wide promenade and river-side vibes for this stretch, all the way to the oldest part of town.

Simply named Altstadt, this district is where the city was founded as a trade port with a defensive church castle. We arrive onto Deichstrasse, where you can see some of the oldest and luckiest surviving townhouses. This historic street was the site of the start of the Great Fire of 1842. We will blaze a trail now, along the route those flames burned, to Brandsende, passing more important sites, such as the Nikolai Memorial and the Town Hall.

On the edge of the Alster lakes, look out for the Swans as we aim for the twin bridges which separate the inner and outer body of water. A stop is scheduled here for photos and a chat in view of all five of the main churches.

In the second half of the run, we will head North through the Rotherbaum and Harvestehude districts. Both neighbourhoods are great spots to explore when you have more time, but our route boasts the better variety of things to see; sports grounds; cafes & restaurants; and the MARKK, the museum of ethnology and culture.

In Klosterstern, stands what we call the sixth main church of Hamburg; the New St. Nikolai. The parish chose to rebuild here in 1960 and gave new meaning to the name “Monastery Star”. Check out the mansion houses on our way back towards the water and onto the Alster path, which brings us back towards the twin bridges.

The last leg of our half marathon takes us via Dammtor; “the Causeway” back towards our start point along Tiergartenstrasse. Possible last run-sightings include the “Arguing” War Monuments, the old Post Office/museum and of course, the “Tele-Michel”; the tallest structure in Hamburg.

On this long informal run, expect to go at a casual, sociable pace. We allow plenty of time for the stops and a little extra to see you nicely into the rest of your day. We look forward to guiding you on this wonderful, diverse running tour.

PICK-UP SERVICE

Pick-up service from your hotel/apartment or another meeting point is possible and will be checked by the tour provider individually. If your hotel/apartment should be too far away from the city centre or not close to the tour route, then we will meet you at our standard meeting point.

MEETING DETAILS

The tour provider will get in contact with you to provide you with more detailed information after the tour was booked. Please, bring along your mobile phone in case we need to contact each other.

WHAT IS INCLUDED?

– Private guide/tour
– Individual pace
– Digital photos
– Tour route
– Pick-up service
– Water