Why should I go? Because you’re a seedy businessman who likes nothing better than a port town full of strip joints and brothels. Only kidding. The infamous Reeperbahn - Germany’s harder-core answer to Amsterdam’s red-light district — is still there, and still sleazy, but the rest has been transformed into one of Europe’s coolest cities. It’s Scandinavian cool without the prices. If you love trendy bars, designer hotels and super-fash nightclubs, this is the place. Ditto if you love shopping. Even if you hate shopping, you’ll love shopping here.

There’s no Oxford Street pushiness; instead, you glide through a sparkling labyrinth of arcades, canalside walkways and pedestrianised streets full of unique boutiques as well as high-street staples. In the Hanse-Viertel and Gänsemarkt Passage arcades, you’ll find everything from fine frocks to futuristic cutlery.

Where do I stay? The Alameda (Colonnaden 45; 00 49 40-344000; doubles from £61) is a budget hotel at a chic address. It’s clean, basic and welcoming, with designer boutiques, sushi bars and shopping arcades on the doorstep. At the opposite extreme is the Raffles Four Seasons (403 4940, www.raffles.com; doubles from £182), on the Alster Lake, a haven of 19th-century elegance. In between is East (00 800 3746 8357, www.designhotels.com/east; doubles from £117), a stone’s throw — but a world away — from the Reeperbahn, with minimalist rooms and a superb bar.

Where do I eat? Sushi has made a big splash in Hamburg — try Bok Sushi Bar (00 49 40-430 4458) in the Schanzen district, or Sushi Circle on Colonnaden. Asian fusion food is also big. Indochine (Neumühlen 11, 3980 7880), for example, might be in a glass box near the harbour, and it might have the obligatory statue of Buddha, but it’s still excellent. Or hang all the trendiness and go warm and trad-Hanseatic at Friesenkeller (Jungfernstieg 7, 3576 0620), where you’ll find six types of herring dish and East Friesian sausage with pickled pumpkin.

What do I do? Unless you really are a seedy businessman, ditch “Sin Mile” for “Art Mile”, a gaggle of museums and galleries. Start at the Kunsthalle (428 131200, www.hamburger-kunsthalle.de), which has a superb collection of paintings from 1400 to the 20th century. For nightlife, hit Mandalay (Neuer Pferdemarkt 13), where you’ll rub shoulders with gorgeous media luvvies. Or try the old-school Kaiserkeller (Grosse Freiheit 36) — yes, it’s by the Reeperbahn, but it’s worth the trip to check out the venue that once hosted the Beatles. If you’re up till the small hours, head straight for the boisterous fish market (Sun 5am-10am; Nov-Mar, Sun 7am-10am) and carry on drinking — these days, you’ll find a lot more than just fish for sale.

How do I get there?

Germanwings (0870 252 1250, www.germanwings.com) flies from Gatwick; it had returns from £55 last week. Lufthansa (0870 837 7747, www.lufthansa.com) flies from Heathrow and Manchester; British Airways (0870 850 9850, www.ba.com) from Heathrow and Birmingham; EasyJet (www.easyjet.com) and OLT (www.olt.de) from Bristol; Air Berlin (www.airberlin.com) from Manchester; and Aer Lingus (0818 365000, www.aerlingus.com) from Dublin. The airport is a 30-minute, £14 taxi ride from the centre.

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