Germany · Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg · Hamburg
Altona, Hamburg — Area Guide & Where to Stay
Altona traces its founding to 1535 and stands within Hamburg, known for the Altonaer Fischmarkt and the harbour at Oevelgönne.
About Altona
Where to stay in Altona
The right area depends on your trip — here's what each neighbourhood is best for.
Altona works as a lively alternative to central Hamburg, with beds spread from the old town core toward Ottensen and Altona-Nord. Rooms cluster near the Altonaer Museum and the Altonaer Fischmarkt down by the water, while the quieter streets toward Ottensen suit travellers who want cafes and markets over the business district. The choice is broad.
Base here for harbour mornings and easy trains into Hamburg.
About Altona
What are the main landmarks in Altona?
Altona carries the landmarks of a town that predates its borough status. The Altonaer Museum holds the regional collections, while the Altonaer Fischmarkt and the Fish Auction Hall still draw crowds to the water. St Petri, St Trinitatis, and the Christianskirche anchor the old parishes, and the Stuhlmannbrunnen marks the square at the town's heart.
Poets passed through too. The Heine Haus recalls one of them.
What is the history of Altona?
Altona traces its founding to 1535, when it grew as a separate town at the edge of Hamburg. For a long time it kept its own churches and identity, among them St Petri and the Christianskirche, before it was folded into the larger city as the borough that takes in Ottensen and Altona-Nord. The old rivalry faded.
The Altonaer Museum keeps that separate story on display.
Where is Altona?
Altona forms a borough of Hamburg that takes in Ottensen, Altona-Nord, and the harbour at Oevelgönne along the water.
Good for
More areas in Hamburg
Updated July 2026