The charming German port city of Hamburg is elegant and lively, with a proud history of commerce and culture, presenting an ideal destination for sightseers.

Germany's second largest city and its main port, Hamburg is a city state of around 1.8 million inhabitants. Situated where three rivers – the Alster, the Bille and the Elbe – meet, it has more bridges than both Venice and Amsterdam combined and two artificial lakes.

Hamburg's history is caught up with the water and it is still one of the busiest ports in Europe. The historic Harbour is stunning and the heart of the city, while the lakes provide activities such as sailing and windsurfing in the summer and the many waterways create a unique scenery for visitors.

Hamburg was founded in the 9th century, when a moated fortress was built where the modern city stands today. Growing slowly into a European trading power, with little concern for politics, it established a merchant navy in the 17th century to protect its vessels. Hamburg joined the German Confederation as the 'Free and Hanseatic City and continued to enjoy relative independence.

A terrible fire in 1842 levelled a third of the city, but Hamburg rapidly rebuilt and became one of Europe's major ports. The city suffered during both World Wars, with an Allied attack in July 1943 killing more than 50,000 civilians. Modern Hamburg is home to many of Germany's media companies and continues to flourish.

Hamburg has nine academic institutions and a wealth of culture, with a number of excellent theatres and classical music venues. For pop fans, Hamburg is the city that launched helped launch The Beatles' career in the early days and it is also the centre of German alternative music and hip hop scenes. The city is home to an array of dance clubs, catering to all tastes and styles.

A city of opposites, alongside its wealth and elegance Hamburg also has the seedy Reeperbahn red light district. A far cry from the boutiques and fine restaurants of the city centre, the Reeperbahn has become increasingly fashionable with trendy young people and now has its fair share of bars and clubs.

Hamburg has cold winters, with skiing in the mountains nearby, while summers tend to remain cool, with temperatures around 20C. The city has a number of lively festivals each year, including the International Fireworks Festival in August, film festivals and music festivals.

Four motorways, a large train station and an international airport serve Hamburg. Once in the city, it is relatively easy to get around by light rail, underground subway, bus or taxi. The city is generally safe to walk around and has some beautiful architecture, with stately hotels, mansions and cafes set along wide, tree-lined German boulevards.

Of the many museums, the Altona Museum and North German State Museum, the museum dedicated to composer Brahms, the Museum of Ethnology and the Museum of Labour are some of the best. Buildings of particular note, such as the City Hall, St Michaelis church, St Pauli and the Kunsthalle Art Gallery, are also worth visiting.

Accommodation is plentiful in Hamburg and ranges from grand old hotels to youth hostels, with everything else in between. The city has some excellent restaurants, though it is not, as legend claims, the birthplace of the hamburger. The hamburger was named after Hamburg, but the city does have many of its own dishes, including meat, fish and vegetables offerings.