Hamburg

In any other city, repeatedly seeing a skull and crossbones flag flying might be a little intimidating. But in Hamburg, it’s a symbol of the good fight. The city’s St Pauli football club unites a social movement under the rather piratey emblem, which seems to finds its way onto every banner, T-shirt and window sticker in town.

St Michael’s church: with the giant organ and outlandish, goblet-like pulpit especially swaggering. But it’s the spire you’ve come for: 452 steps (or 52 plus the lift for cheats) up to a 272ft-high viewing platform with 360-degree city views.

Discovery Dock: For a surprisingly entertaining insight into how the port works, this new attraction employs virtual reality to get you operating cranes and searching containers for illegally smuggled goods.

Miniatur Wunderland: Speicherstadt is home to numerous museums, including this, the world’s biggest model railway. Spread over two floors, the scale and detail — including sprawling mini models of cities a fully functioning airport — is extraordinary and heart-warming.