Visitors to Hamburg are spoilt for choice if they fancy taking a day trip out of Germany's second-largest city.
The extensive public transport system around the region and further afield into Schleswig-Holstein and Lower Saxony means that there is a wide variety of destinations on hand without the need to hire a car or book a bus tour.
The S-Bahn and U-Bahn lines, run by the HVV, the local transit authority, access a number of sights within easy reach of the city. HVV day tickets also cover certain nearby destinations on the regional train lines.
A little further afield, either the Schleswig-Holstein Ticket or the Niedersachsen Ticket offered by the Deutsche Bahn railways allow reasonably-priced day trips to locations like Lübeck and Bremen using unlimited travel within a certain area using only the regional train services. (Note that at the time of writing, these regional tickets are difficult to find on the English version of the Deutsche Bahn website and do not automatically show up as a ticket option when researching fares.)
It is always worth comparing prices available from the HVV (individual, day or group tickets) and the Deutsche Bahn.
Located just 50 km southeast of Hamburg, Lüneburg makes for an excellent day trip. This well-preserved medieval town was once a wealthy centre for the salt trade. Today, visitors can stroll through the picturesque old town and admire the beautiful brick Gothic architecture, especially around the Am Sande square.
Lüneburg
Some of the top sights include the impressive Town Hall which dates back to the 13th century, and St. Michael's Church with its crooked tower. For a glimpse into the town's salt-mining history, check out the German Salt Museum.
Lüneburg is also home to one of the oldest buildings in Northern Germany, the Hospital zum Roten Hahn from the 13th century.
The town's winding cobblestone streets are lined with cafes, shops, and restaurants serving local specialties. Be sure to try some Heidschnuckensuppe, a hearty soup made with mutton.
The best way of getting there is on one of the regular regional train services with a single or group HVV day ticket. The journey time to Lüneburg on the regional services is just under 40 minutes.
The Hamburg suburb of Blankenese is just a 30-minute S-Bahn ride from the city centre. If you are looking for a retreat from the lively city streets, then the peaceful and picturesque settlement on the Elbe River might make the perfect day trip.
Blankenese near Hamburg
Of course, those qualities are also prized by those who live in Hamburg and Blankenese has transformed from a fishing village into a retreat for the better-off residents who inhabit the quaint fishermen's cottages and hillside mansions.
Take a leisurely stroll through the narrow winding streets, climbing the many staircases that lead up to the top of the hill. Views are spectacular from the top.
Blankenese also offers some sandy beaches along the riverbank, popular on a sunny day, with cafés and restaurants looking out over the river.
The historic port town of Stade is situated on the banks of the Schwinge River, about 45 km west of Hamburg. This former member of the Hanseatic League boasts a well-preserved old town filled with half-timbered houses and historic churches.
The Hanseatic port of Stade
One of the most popular places to see in Stade is the Alter Hansehafen. This is part of the historic town centre with its facades from the 17th century and timber-framed houses.
The Schwedenspeicher ('Swedish Warehouse') was once part of the important river trade and now functions as a regional museum.
Stade can be reached on the S5 S-Bahn line from Hamburg and the journey there takes about an hour. There are also regional train services which involve a change in Harburg.
Lübeck is a historic trading port near the Baltic coast of Schleswig-Holstein in northern Germany. Much of the historic centre is protected by a listing as part of the UNESCO World Heritage.
The island-shaped old town is easy to stroll around, and the typical brick architecture of the city is featured in many of the sights along the way.
An aerial view over Lübeck
Like Hamburg and Stade, it was once a member of the Hanseatic League, a powerful commercial alliance in the Middle Ages.
Regular regional trains run from Hamburg to Lübeck. Here the best ticket choice will be the Schleswig-Holstein Ticket, especially if there are two or more travelling together. Journey time is around 45 minutes.
Bremen is another former member of the medieval Hanseatic League of trading cities. Its port is Germany's second largest after Hamburg, although both cities are some way from the sea.
Aerial view of Bremen city centre
Bremen's well-preserved Altstadt (Old Town) is known for its Marktplatz ('Market Square') and Gothic town hall which has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Parts of the building date back to 1405.
Close to the town hall, the statue of the Bremen Town Musicians from the folktale by the Brothers Grimm is a well-known site in the city. Touching the front legs of the donkey is said to bring good luck.
Bremen is around 120 kilometres south-west of Hamburg and can be reached on the regional rail service.
There are both regional and InterCity services available from Hamburg Hauptbahnhof. The InterCity services are sometimes available quite cheaply (look at Spar or SuperSpar prices on the Deutsche Bahn website) but generally the best option is the Niedersachsen Ticket ('Lower Saxony Ticket') with unlimited travel for a day on regional services.
Journey times on InterCity services are just under an hour, while the regional services are slightly longer than an hour.
Schwerin is the capital and second-largest city of the state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.
View of Schwerin castle
The city is known for its romantic palace, Schwerin Castle, which sits on an island in Lake Schwerin. The castle was the seat of the dukes of Mecklenburg for centuries and now houses the state parliament.
The old town of Schwerin has a well-preserved medieval center with cobblestone streets and half-timbered houses. The market square is home to the Gothic red-brick Schwerin cathedral.
But, apart from the historic buildings, around a quarter of Schwerin is actually made up of lakes.
Like Bremen, there are both regional and InterCity services available from Hamburg Hauptbahnhof. The InterCity services are sometimes available quite cheaply (look at Spar or SuperSpar prices on the Deutsche Bahn website) but generally the best option for Schwerin is the Mecklenberg-Vorpommern Ticket (which also includes travel in Schleswig-Hostein and Hamburg metropolitan region) with unlimited travel for a day on regional services.
Journey times on InterCity services are just under an hour, while the regional services take around 90 minutes.