TRAVEL :: Hamburg, Germany with Sylvia of Artsy Ants: A Stop on the Summer Vacation Tour:

I’m delighted Sylvia from Artsy Ants is here with us today! She and her sister, Simona, who also blogs at Artsy Ants, have been an incredible encouragement to me since the start of my blog — they are always leaving the sweetest comments. And, Artsy Ants was the first blog ever to put up a Oaxacaborn button! I’m so thankful for their support, and really excited to share Sylvia’s city with you all. I must say, I didn’t know any of these things about Hamburg, and it was a real pleasure to read what Sylvia had to say and look at the beautiful pictures she shared. Take it away, Sylvia!

SYLVIA FROM HAMBURG, GERMANY

A little more about Sylvia
I am a wife, mama, writer, maker of stuff and lover of everyday beauty living in Hamburg, Germany with my husband, 2-year-old boy and soon to be born baby girl. I was born just outside Hamburg, but grew up in Hamburg and spent most of my life here. I stayed on different continents and in different countries for some months, but when I got married and started a family it was Hamburg, again! Right now we live in the heart of the city, trying our best as a family to stay connected to the natural world despite of our urban surroundings. Although Hamburg is the second-largest city in Germany, most people think of Berlin, Frankfurt or Munich first when planning a visit to Germany. But Hamburg is so diverse and has so much to offer, so I wanted to introduce my favourite city in the world to you with some photos and a few interesting facts!

Sylvia’s top five things to love about Hamburg

1. Hamburg is a green city, 14% of the city area is made up of green spaces and recreational area. You can go to the beach, hike through forests, take walks in extensive city parks and spend your days on huge playgrounds, all in one city.
2. There are so many streams, rivers and canals in Hamburg that it has 2302 bridges – more than Venice and Amsterdam combined.
3. You do not need a car in Hamburg, the public transport system (consisting of busses, trains, subways and boats!) and a public bike system help you get around the city.
4. Hamburg is a foreign trade center and has the second largest container harbour in Europe, one of the many reasons for it’s international flair!
5. Hamburg is a city without skyscrapers. The typical skyline of Hamburg consists of the towers of churches and the TV tower.

Sylvia blogs with her sister Simona, who left Hamburg for love, at www.artsyants.blogspot.com. Sylvia is also on Twitter @artsyants.

This post is a part of the Summer Vacation Tour, a virtual travel series hosted here on Oaxacaborn.com. To ‘travel’ to other locations while I’m taking a brief break from blogging, click here. (Want to be featured in the future? Email me!)