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Elbphilharmonie ( pronounced as Elb-phil-har-mo-nie) is a world class concert hall comprising of three concert halls, a Westin hotel, 15 floors of 45 apartments, an 80-metre escalator – the longest in Europe and a plaza flaunting 360° panoramic views of the city.
The Elbphilharmonie dominates the skyline in Hamburg and pretty much wherever you are in the city you can see it. To me it looks like a sail sitting and glistening high up in the sky right on the Grasbrook peninsula of the Elbe River.
The Elbphilharmonie Plaza itself sits mid way between the old harbour warehouse at the bottom and the modern glass structure above it. It’s located at a height of 37 metres above ground level, and is open daily to the public offering a breathtaking 360° view of the city and the harbour.
When is the Elbphilharmonie Plaza open?
The Elbphilharmonie Plaza is open 9am until midnight daily, albeit it is best to check the website before you plan a visit as sometimes it is closed due to special events.
How much does it cost to visit The Elbphilharmonie Plaza with kids?
It’s free to visit The Elbphilharmonie Plaza but entry is regulated by the issue of Elbphilharmonie Plaza tickets. Ticketholders for concerts in the Elbphilharmonie Grand and Recital Halls gain admission to the Plaza from two hours before the start of the event. Visitors to the Kaistudios and all other visitors require a separate Plaza ticket to visit the Elbphilharmonie Plaza.
You can book tickets up to 12 weeks in advance and whilst it’s recommended that you do book tickets to ensure you can get in, it does cost E2 per ticket to reserve one, and it’s free if you turn up on the day and queue to get a ticket from the Elbphilharmonie Visitor Center at the main entrance area.
With children I would always recommend booking tickets as the paid tickets allow you to skip the queue. This is highly recommended during weekends and peak tourist seasons as the lines can be very very long.
You can book tickets online for the Elbphilharmonie Plaza here.
Is it worth visiting the Elbphilharmonie Plaza with kids?
In my opinion yes it is worth visiting the Elbphilharmonie Plaza with Kids. It’s cheap, if not free, and it’s a really good place to give them a good overview of the city. You can see for miles across Hamburg, watch the river Elbe winding along the endless docklands, see all the boats moored and try and spot which one you might be taking later in the day!
The Elbphilharmonie Plaza is also safe and you don’t have to worry about the viewing platform walls being too low.
You get up to the viewing platform on a very very long escalator (apparently the longest in Europe) and so there are no stairs to manage. There is also a lift for the disabled and for pushchairs. It takes about 4 minutes to travel up on the escalator, we found it fascinating on the way down due to the twinkling lights, although on the way up it was a very long 4 minutes as one of the kids announced that they needed a wee and they needed it then! Bear this in mind!
Amazing Ice Cream Shop near the Elbphilharmonie
There is also a small fantastic ice cream shop (Miss Sofie) facing onto the river close to the Elbphilharmonie which had a large queue even in February but did brilliant ice creams that weren’t too expensive at all. This chocolate covered one with nuts was a real hit!
Why not check out our video of our 48 hours in Hamburg with Kids and see more of the Elbphilharmonie in it.
Getting to the Elbphilharmonie Plaza in Hamburg
By Underground rail
You can take the Underground Line U3 and get down at Baumwall ( 450m from Elbphilharmonie) or take Line U4 and disembark at Überseequartier (950 m from the Elbphilharmonie)
By Bus
If you’re coming by bus, the best bus lines are 111 and 6 which will drop you at Am Kaiserkai ( 150 m away) and Auf dem Sande ( 550 m away) respectively.
By Ferry
Ferry 72 from the Landungsbrücken pier will drop you right in front of Elbphilharmonie. This is an exciting and great public transport option.
By Car
Elbphilharmonie has a multistorey paid car park which is open 24/7 and will cost you €4.50 per hour. There are 433 parking spaces available.
By Bicycle
Since there are bicycle stands available in front of Elbphilharmonie, you can take them from any part of the city and park them here safely.
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