Explore Hamburg’s river address via boat with Maritime Circle Line’s water tours, departing throughout the day from Landungsbrücken — landing stages — located at the city harbor. Tours wind through the harbor traffic to addresses that include the Ballinstadt Emigration Museum. Great after-stops: Museum for the Applied Arts, with its permanent collection spanning antiquity to today, including graphic and poster art, ceramics, Art Nouveau, fashion, photography and textiles.

With a great central address, five stars, historic charm and serious luxury, the Fairmont Hotel Vier Jahreszelten is a natural choice for lodging. A five-minute walk from the main train station and close to the city’s swish shopping arcades, the property is also a convenient and pleasant stroll to the State Opera House and Congress Centre. Fully renovated in 2010, the 156 brightly decorated and spacious luxury guestrooms and suites face either Inner Alster Lake or a garden courtyard.

A quirky and oh-so-useful outgrowth of the hotel’s spectacular service ethic is reflected in two programs designed for the younger guests: The Small Book on Etiquette (ages 6–13) and Etiquette — Next Generation (ages 13–18) are two in-house programs that offer short courses on the finer points of table manners, small talk, dress and bearing.

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