What are the first things that come to mind when you think of Hamburg? Probably the city's stunning location on the Elbe and Alster Rivers, the colorful activity in the St. Pauli entertainment district, unforgettable musicals, a night at the theater, Michaelis Church (colloquially "der Michel") or the impressive harbor. Hamburg, 1,200 years old, is loved both for its contemporary scene as well as for its cultural offerings. In between traditional trading houses and renowned theaters, the latest trends are always cropping up. Hamburg lies open to many streams of influence. With city-state traditions reaching back for centuries, it has always played a special political and cultural role. Today, as a key commercial hub, an international harbor and a media and cultural center, the metropolis on the Elbe River with its one million inhabitants is once again pursuing ancient traditions with typically Hanseatic aplomb. This comes as no surprise: Germany's second largest city offers a high quality of life and international flair. In Hamburg, the word "boredom" is unknown.