Beautiful Blankenese

The Riviera aka upstairs and downstairs

The Riviera of the Elbe
Every day, giant ocean-going ships laden with stacks of containers glide silently past the windows and doors of the old fishermen´s cottages and the elegant villas.
As we walk along the Elbe beach we´ll be stopping off at the historic waterworks dating back to the 18th century. After enjoying the views from and of the prettily laid-out Roman Garden and amphittheatre, the tour heads off to the famous Treppenviertel (stair district) of Blankenese. The tour ends on the Elbe beach where there is a choice of cafés, bars and restaurants.

Upstairs and downstairs
A small hill of brightly coloured shells, above it a cosy blanket of clouds ... (from the poem "Blankenese" by Hans Leip).
Once a fishing village, now Hamburg´s most exclusive district with villas, captain´s houses and mansions, surrounded by enchanted gardens. Right at the heart of Blankenese, the famous stairs district with nearly 5,000 steps and 58 little lanes winds up the hill to the Süllberg, where you are rewarded with a magnificent view.