By Birge Amondson. No visit to Hamburg, Germany, is complete without hitting the Reeperbahn, Hamburg's legendary nightlife mile. Located within the district of rebellious St. Pauli, it is home to one of Europe's biggest red-light districts and is a theme park of neon. It harbors the city's seedy but largely safe underbelly and is a must-visit in Hamburg.
While this particular area is especially known for its strip clubs, cabarets, and red-light district, it's also a popular area for locals and tourists alike to go out for drinks. This hip neighborhood offers everything from dive bars to elegant cocktail lounges, and is also known for its underground music scene where budding artists find recognition most famously a little group called the Beatles.
Reeperbahn is the core of the St. Pauli party district, so anyone looking to continue the night after dinner and drinks has no shortage of options. The biggest annual event is without a doubt the Reeperbahn Festival, where international music artists and fans descend on the city for this four-day event at the end of September.
Artists perform in all types of venues, from nightclubs to churches. In addition to music, there are also movie screenings, poetry readings, art exhibits, and more. The focus of the event is on the Reeperbahn, but the entire St.
Pauli district—even the city of Hamburg—comes alive for this event. In early August, heavy metal fans can visit Wacken Open Air, the largest metal festival in the world.
