Reeperbahn: To go or not to go?
There are two sorts of tourists: those who make a stroll through the Reeperbahn’s red light district the highlight of their trip, and those who want to avoid the area at all cost. Which type are you? We list the pros and cons of Hamburg’s sinful district so that you can figure out whether to pass by or not.
What we like about the Reeperbahn
First of all, let’s point out that the Reeperbahn, the ‘mile of sin’ in the St. Pauli district is fun. The famous red light district does host strip shows and has brothels scattered around, but it doesn’t ever feel really unsafe. Furthermore, it is famous for its awesome live music venues, great restaurants, theatres, bars, pubs and night clubs that are open all night long. For an authentic Hamburg experience, you can’t really afford not to at least walk over the Reeperbahn during the day. And when the night starts, you can expect a varied clientele filling up the diverse bars and clubs to party all night long. The bottom line here is: We do think it’s a fun night out that is well worth your time.
What we dislike about the Reeperbahn
The Reeperbahn can get very touristy – especially at the weekend. It is a hotspot for stag and hen dos and some of the drink prices on the main Reeperbahn strip do reflect that. Furthermore, many bars fill up so quickly it gets hard to get a spot and the main strip can get rowdy later at night so that you should be aware of pick pockets. Luckily, there is a big police station right in the middle of the Reeperbahn if you do need help at some point in the night.