capital island st georg being th capital

CAPITAL ISLAND ST GEORG BEING TH CAPITAL SERIES

This is where gay couples gather after their Sunday stroll along the Alster, and it’s a great spot to relax with its red leather banquettes and chairs filled with gay couples and single women. Istart my explorations in Café Gnosa with coffee, some of the best pastries in creation, and a friendly unpretentious staff. Georg, in short, has gentrified, without losing its GLBT appeal. Visit on the weekends and you’ll likely find gay couples walking around Lake Alster It’s actually a broad river, but Hamburgers call it a “lake,” so what the hell.

It’s now a tourist destination as well as the gayborhood, and GLBT life is pretty well integrated into the mainstream here. According to tour guide Tomas Kaiser, it’s now the tenth most visited city in Europe (which puts it, in fact, one ahead of Amsterdam). Hamburg is not only a city of understated wealth but is booming as a tourist destination.

Surprised at all this design splendor? Don’t be. True design splendor awaits at SIDE, where the gleaming modern architecture features an atrium light show by illumination-god Robert Wilson, amazing view lounge, and clean-lined, neutrally toned rooms. You can get anything from caviar to crystal, chocolate to clothing, and the Park Hyatt’s proximity makes it even more alluring. My friend Angela first brought me here, and I return every time I’m in Hamburg. Another great choice is the Park Hyatt, perfectly located in the Levantehouse complex, that also contains a variety of upscale stores. Pauli, which is more obviously a design spot with its curving, almost futuristic forms and its see-and-be-seen crowd packing the cavernous restaurant and lounge. It’s a ten-minute walk from the central train station, but you’d never know how close to everything you are from the utter silence inside your room.įor other hotels, you might try East in St. The George also benefits from a nearly perfect location, just a block from Lange Reihe, the gayest street in town. The rooms are large and design-conscious, simple and comfortable, with a hint of color coming from the hues of the wallpaper and the throw across the bed. There’s a clubby little library off the lobby with leather furniture. Georg, the traditional gayborhood, check into The George Hotel, with its laid-back, sorta-British sorta-German, designer feel. It has the same number of people as Vienna, but twice the area. It’s the same size as Singapore but has one-third the population. It’s also one of Europe’s greenest cities, and the River Elbe and Alster Lake add to its livability. It’s a wealthy city, and this is reflected in its lifestyle, devoted to enjoyment. A member of the Hanseatic League of merchants, Hamburg was always in a position to thrive. Just start walking: there are about a million fascinating streets to stroll down, lined with the galleries and boutiques by young designers, fabulous restaurants, and, most importantly, a sense of life, an open-mindedness and welcoming air that comes from being a great shipping city and always open to the world. Pauli, at either tip, and a lot of amazement in-between. Instead, you get this sort of crescent with the two gayest areas, St.

CAPITAL ISLAND ST GEORG BEING TH CAPITAL SERIES

Which makes it simultaneously challenging and rewarding: while there’s a lot to do in this fun and liberal city, from great museums and fabulous dining to strolls along the many bodies of water that run through town, there isn’t a conveniently charming old town, a castle from which to anchor your ramblings, or a series of world-heritage monuments for your “must do” list. There just aren’t a lot of landmarks for the tourist. Or should I write, “sights,” for there’s a lot to see in Germany’s bustling second-biggest city.

Capital island st georg being th capital