Hamburg is a historic but forward-thinking city, home to arbiters of tradition and avant-garde artists alike.

If Berlin is Germany's clubbing capital then Hamburg is the dinner party that's as raucous as it is refined and the guests are a varied bunch too. Stroll around this prosperous port city and you'll brush shoulders with local fishermen casting their nets on the banks of the River Elbe, world-renowned gallerists hosting exhibitions by cutting-edge artists, and independent retailers flaunting wares that are either Made in Hamburg or highly exotic.