Just because you want to be surrounded by nature, that does not mean you have to move out into the countryside. Almost a quarter of Hamburg's municipal area is taken up by modern and historical gardens and parks, and a good tenth by waterways. Even at the trade fair and congress site in the city center, culture and recreation, amusement and shopping are all just a short walk away. Everyone knows where you can enjoy yourself in Hamburg, and even today the world's reddest of red-light districts, the Reeperbahn in the St. Pauli harbour district, has every visitor under its spell. Outstanding musicals, cosy pubs and trendy lounge bars - the places of entertainment are as varied as the tastes they cater for.

As a cultural melting-pot Hamburg forms a bridge between subculture and culture, art and commerce. Seven national museums of world rank in themselves represent a high-level and varied cultural offering. The museum mile connects the historical warehouse quarter "Speicherstadt" on the River Elbe to the Inner Alster lake in Hamburg's city center. The Hamburg State Opera House, the German Theatre and the Thalia Theatre attract up to one million visitors each year.

Despite its rich tradition, Hamburg remains a youthful, dynamic city - proof of which are the numerous sporting fixtures it hosts each year. Millions of spectators follow events such as the OLYMPUS MARATHON HAMBURG, the HEW Cyclassics and the Holsten City Man Triathlon on the streets of the city. Germany's numberone sports city hosts regular topleague football, handball, American football and ice-hockey fixtures.

The city's cosmopolitan character is also reflected in the diversity of its cuisine. More than 3,500 restaurants range from traditional Hamburg cooking all the way to the exotic delights of far-off lands. Several restaurants have already been awarded much-coveted Michelin stars, putting Hamburg at the peak of German gastronomy - ahead of both Berlin and Munich.