Kammeramtstuben: A street with Hanseatic tradition

If you want to experience something that comes pretty close to a time travel in Hamburg, you should check out the so-called Kammeramtstuben – a tiny street, with tiny flats, where even I (with my 158cm of height) feel tall. The courtyard was originally used as flats for widows from the "Krameramt" – a group of small grocers, trading mainly spices, silks and hardware. Today, the half-timbered houses built between 1620 and 1700 form the last remaining street of the 17th century in town – a rare and authentic piece of Hamburg’s history! The narrow alley of Krameramtstuben is located right next to the baroque church of St. Michaelis or "Michel", as the locals call it. Krameramtstuben is filled with cute souvenir shops, an ice cream parlour, art galleries, tea and candy shops, a traditional restaurant and a little museum. Escape modern life of this big city for a while and visit the lovely Krameramtstuben: a street with Hanseatic tradition!

The restaurant

The highlight of the Krameraamtstuben is probably the rustic but cosy restaurant, serving traditional German cuisine with a modern twist. Here you’ll be spoilt with a well-selected offer in typical dishes from Hamburg, like the original "Labskaus" (corned beef with beetroot and fired egg), but also some vegetarian and even vegan options. The prices are not cheap, but worth the food and charm of the restaurant, which is antique and authentic. If you’re coming here with your loved one, I’d recommend saving the only table on the little balcony in-between the two buildings of the Krameramtstuben. You’ll be sitting above the historical alley, on a private balcony – can it be more romantic?

The museum

One of the old widow’s flats within the Krameramtstuben is preserved in its original state and serves as a small museum. It has been facilitated with complete furniture from the period around 1850, partly from the flats themselves or from other grocer households. The entrance costs only 2,50 EUR and is therefore probably the cheapest ticket to travel back in time to the 17th century you’ll ever get.

What to do around

After strolling through the Krameramtstuben, there’s many interesting things to do around. Directly in front of the historical alley is the so-called "Michel" – one of Hamburg’s biggest landmarks. It’s the most iconic church in town (also considered as the most important baroque church in northern Germany) and forms an important element of Hamburg’s skyline! After enjoying some culture and history, you can walk down to the harbour, having the futuristic opera Elbphilharmonie on your left and the promenade leading towards the famous Landungsbrücken on your right. If you decide to go towards the Elbphilharmonie, you’ll find yourself in midst of the most modern part of Hamburg, the district Hafen City (which will be quite the opposite of what you’ve seen in Krameramtstuben). If you decide to walk down the promenade towards Landungsbrücken, you’ll get to some beach clubs and yelling Hanseatic shop owners, selling fresh fish. Both ways are worth a visit, but if you want to have a drink at a beach club, I’d definitely recommend going to Strandpauli, the coolest beach club in Hamburg with a laid back atmosphere, colourful decoration, reggae music and fairy lights. And if you want to go for the full Hamburg-like experience, order an Astra beer, say "Prost, Digga" and enjoy the view of ships passing by.

So, if you’re around the harbour and interested in a piece of Hamburg’s history, don’t miss out on the Krameramtstuben: a street with Hanseatic tradition! A rare opportunity to time travel to the 17th century.