ALSTERSCHIPPERN - BOAT TRIP ON THE ALSTER RIVER

You can take a nice boat trip on the Alster or on the canals from the pontoons on the Binnenalster, directly on the Jungfernstieg. This is a very pleasant way to get to know the city and its relationship with water, and to see the size of the inner lake. From the water you can see many of Hamburg's buildings such as the TV tower, the Rathaus and all the city's church towers. The tour is guided by the boat's pilot (mostly in German). You learn that the Alster is only 2.5 meters deep (3 meters at its deepest). Or that in the summer, there are more than 200 swans on the lake, which are then put away for the winter. They are one of the symbols of the city. There is even a saying about them: "If the swans on the Alster are well, Hamburg will be well". No wonder these beautiful birds are so well cared for..

The banks of the Alster are very chic, lined with elegant villas on the eastern side, in the Uhlenhorst district. We will note that of the star architect Hadi Teherani, author of the famous Hamburg Dockland: the back of his house, which overlooks the Alster and which we can therefore contemplate without scruples, looks like the stern of a cruise ship. In the distance, you can also see the silhouette of the historic Atlantic Hotel. Almost opposite, you can also make out the futuristic circular silhouette of the new large luxury hotel, the Fontenay. The guided cruise is also the only way to see the Rondeelteich villas, invisible from the street. Around this sort of perfectly circular pond are lined up dream villas: this secret place costs its owners 16,000 to 20,000 € per square meter! This makes it the most expensive district in Hamburg, far ahead of Blankenese. One can only dream of the huge villas overlooking the lake with their gardens overlooking the banks... For the average person, however, there is still the Alsterpark and its beautiful Japanese garden on the water's edge and the many cafés on the water, where you can rent boats and kayaks. Not to mention a dreamlike vision from a tale of the Arabian Nights, the Blue Mosque on the Alster: this beautiful turquoise building dates from 1960 and is the oldest mosque in Hamburg. The Alster is one of Hamburg's favorite places to go for a walk and you will surely see them running on the banks or paddling, kayaking or rowing on the water.