Movie Buffs in Hamburg: Exploring the most charming Movie Theatres

Movie Buffs and so-called "connoisseurs" love to experience movies in a special atmosphere, far from what they get in conventional cinemas that play only mainstream blockbusters. Hamburg is a cultural city with a bunch of small, charming and independent movie theatres with a great selection of international movies that will chant everyone who considers oneself as an admirer of film.

Passage Kino

One of my favourite cinemas in Hamburg is the former theatre Passage Kino. Entering through a classy foyer with golden wallpapers, red carpets and a bar with an old popcorn machine and vintage leather chairs, you feel already like taken into another era. Passage Kino offers three movie halls; the smallest contains only 40 comfortable seats in an intimate Art Decó atmosphere, the biggest contains 405 elegant seats – designed by Art Montgomery Swing – where you can enjoy international and independent movies on a big screen, placed on the former stage of the old theatre. Anyone who likes surprises should not hesitate coming on a Monday to the famous Sneak Preview. With an entertaining moderator and funny movie quizzes in the beginning, you’ll have the chance to watch a pre-premier of an unknown movie, within an interactive audience.

Zeise Kino

Another very special cinema is the Zeise Kino in the cool area of Altona. This movie theatre is inside a former factory, with an industrial and exceptional interior design. Here you cannot only enjoy a greatly selected offer of good movies, but also watch sneak previews every Tuesday, singer and poetry slams or short film festivals. During summer the Zeise Kino also organizes a daily open air cinema in its picturesque garden. Watching a film in this extraordinary surrounding is certainly an unforgettable experience.

Abaton Kino

In the student area Grindel, there’s the cute little cinema called Abaton Kino, playing independent movies and documentaries. This movie theatre has always an interesting to offer like readings or short films to offer. And since the cinema is right next to the trendy student bar called Pony Bar, you can end your movie night with a glass of wine and a game at one of the football tables, surrounded by vintage furniture and good music.

3001 Kino

This little cinema is located in the hipster district called Schanze and is probably the most alternative cinema in Hamburg. 3001 Kino plays not only international films nominated at Cannes Film Festival, but also B-Movies, documentaries and educational movies for students. Another interesting feature about this place is the program of events and talks with invited actors and directors, explaining their work and visions about filmmaking.

Savoy Kino

The Savoy Kino is really one of a kind. Here you can not only enjoy the best sound quality but also watch the movies on a curved screen, for an even more impressive cinematic pleasure. This unique movie theatre plays old movies, just as new ones in original language versions and also presents the best of English Theatre on screen, such as plays by William Shake­speare, from the National Theatre in London, the Royal Shakespeare Company and The Kenneth Branagh Theatre Company.