beatles tour hamburg germany

Beatles Tour

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A musical journey to the original sites where the Beatles took their first steps into stardom.​​​​​​

Stefanie Hempel’s Beatles-Tour is a musical journey to the original sites where the Beatles took their first steps into stardom. Armed with a little ukulele, Stefanie guides you around the infamous old red light district of St. Pauli, stopping here and there to sing the songs that the Beatles performed night after night in the smoky clubs of Reeperbahn and Große Freiheit. The tour also includes a closing concert where Stefanie performs the Beatles’ big hits.

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Dank Stefanie Hempel wirkt die Magie der ersten Beatles-Jahre noch heute.

FRANKFURTER ALLGEMEINE ZEITUNG

The greatest Beatles tour of all time.

Accept no copy cat: die beatles-tour, nur echt mit steffi hempel.

SÜDDEUTSCHE ZEITUNG

Die Beatles in Hamburg - sie weiß ALLES darüber.

She’s like a beatles-reincarnate., it’s a labor of love through ten stops in the hippest section of the city..

ARCHITECTS & ARTISANS

Die Beatles-Expertin Hamburgs.

HAMBURGER MORGENPOST

Ein Fest, bei dem alle zusammen singend ihre Liebe zu den Beatles zelebrieren – All you need is Love, All together now!

WELT AM SONNTAG

… eine Institution.

Eine kleine ukulele reicht, um die beatles lebendig zu machen., stefanie hempel begeistert menschen aus aller welt., book a tour led by the charismatic, beatles-besotted, ukulele-playing historian stefanie hempel..

EVENING STANDARD

A magical musical tour!

Stefanie’s business and her heart are interchangeable., auf st. pauli ist diese frau ein popstar..

ELBPHILHARMONIE MAGAZIN

You’ll not spend a better three hours in St. Pauli than on Stefanie’s Beatles tour.

IRISH DAILY MAIL

Dear guests of Hempel's Beatles tour!

20 years of Hempel's Beatles Tour!!! 2004-2024... Hallelujah!!! This year will be a very special one!

We're celebrating this big anniversary with two shows at the St. Pauli Theater on October 24 and 25. With special guests and lots of surprises. Stay tuned! Get your tickets here:

https://www.st-pauli-theater.de/programm/stefanie-hempel-band-special-guests/

Why don’t we do it in the road?

Stefanie Hempel is the originator of the musical Beatles-Tour in Hamburg. Follow her on the tracks of John, Paul, George, Ringo, Pete & Stuart across the famous red light district of St. Pauli!   

I hope you will enjoy the show!

THERE ARE PLACES I REMEMBER

From indra to star-club.

“No Hamburg, no Beatles,” says the great Beatles author Mark Lewisohn. And they can still be seen, all those places where the Fab Four grew up to become the band that would conquer the world. Countless stories are set in the streets and backyards of Hamburg-St. Pauli. The tour takes you to all those sites that breathe Beatles history: Indra, Kaiserkeller, Top Ten, Star-Club, Bambi Kino, Lennon’s “Rock’n’Roll” Cover and more…

JUST LET ME HEAR SOME OF THAT…

Rock’n’roll the street.

Hempel’s Beatles-Tour is a musical journey to the original sites. Armed with a little ukulele Stefanie guides you around the notorious old red light district and it is there that Stefanie sings the songs that the Beatles performed night after night in the smoky clubs of Reeperbahn and Grosse Freiheit. The tour also includes a closing concert where Stefanie performs the big hits.

Celebrating George!

George Harrison Birthday Show LIVESTREAM FABRIK Hamburg, 9 April 20:00 CET Stefanie Hempel & Band, Heinz-Rudolf Kunze, Inga Rumpf, Annett Louisan, Stoppok and many more

"MY BONNIE" Live at Friedrich-Ebert-Halle, Hamburg

Book your virtual tour, on beatles-tour, get a glimpse of the tour.

10 Years Hempel’s Beatles-Tour

Stream & Shout - 60 Jahre Beatles Hamburg

NDR 50 Jahre Abbey Road

ARD Nachtmagazin

NDR Hamburg Journal

ZDF Volle Kanne

WDR Rockpalast

ARD Morgenmagazin

I’m looking forward to your feedback on Tripadvisor or facebook

Freda kelly.

Beatles’ secretary and head of the fan club

“It was my great pleasure do a Beatle-Tour with the best guide in Hamburg, the lovely Stefanie Hempel. Stefanie does her tour with an easy charm, a lovely sense of humour, and real enthusiasm and love for ‘the boys’, as my old boss Brian called them. At certain places she bursts into a song- I found myself jiving with my partner to ‘I saw her standing there’. I would recommend Stefanie’s tours to anyone interested in learning about ‘the boys’ and their time in Hamburg. And what a time it was!”

Nancy Lee Andrews

Photographer and former fiancée of Ringo Starr

“When visiting Hamburg at the top of your must do list is Stefanie Hempel’s Beatles-Tour. It’s a fun tour that you will cherish! And be sure you get one of her CD’s, this gifted woman will rock your socks off!”

Mark Lewisohn

Beatles historian

“No Hamburg, no Beatles. St Pauli was crucial to the Beatles’ development – and, thankfully, all these years on, most of the clubs they played can still be seen, along with the places they lived and the locations at which they were photographed. Hamburg needs a Beatles tour guide, and we all need Stefanie Hempel. She has the human touch and she talks, sings and plays her music with heart and soul. It’s clear she loves what she does, and time spent in her company is not only educational – it’s a delight.”

Author and former girlfriend of John Lennon

“Stefanie Hempel gives such an informative tour around Hamburg that if you don’t take it and you’re a Beatles fan, then you are missing out!”

Günter Zint

Photographer and friend of the Beatles

„Die Beatles haben auf St.Pauli viele Spuren hinterlassen. Die informativste und musikalisch beste Erinnerung an die Fab Four liefert jede Woche aufs neue Steffie Hempel mit Ihrer unvergleichlichen Beatles-Tour. Ich habe sie schon oft begleitet und werde nicht müde immer wieder mitzuerleben wie professionell und unterhaltsam Steffie uns die Zeitreise in die ‚Golden Sixties‘ erleben lässt. Wer die Beatlestour nicht kennt – hat den Kiez verpennt.“

Gibson Kemp

Musician and friend of the Beatles

“HEMPEL RULES!”

I read the news today oh boy

Los angeles times 05.2019.

FORGET LIVERPOOL. HAMBURG, GERMANY MADE THE BEATLES... A magical musical tour! It's hard to imagine anyone in Hamburg more effusive about the Beatles than Stefanie Hempel. She conducts walking tours, performs the group's music on a ukulele and is a cultural ambassador for the city.

THE SUNDAY TELEGRAPH 02.2020

Roll up for the Mystery Tour! Sixty years after their first visit, the Fab Four still rock in this vibrant port-city.

THE GUARDIAN 03.2020

A Local's Guide to Hamburg - 10 Top Tips by Stefanie Hempel. Stefanie Hempel is a singer and ukulele player, and created the Beatles Tour.

DIE ZEIT Magazin 08.2020

Aus der Serie: Ich habe einen Traum. Die Beatles sind für mich Familie und Schutzengel. Dazu passt ein Traum mit George Harrison, den ich vor vielen Jahren hatte.

FLYBE MAG 06.2019

Stefanie Hempel's Beatles-inspired musical tours of Hamburg are a big hit with fans from around the world. It's not that the Hamburg singer, songwriter and musician takes her business to heart. It's more that her business and her heart are interchangeable...

IRISH DAILY MAIL 11.2018

Or rather you want Stefanie Hempel to show you Hamburg's most famous neighbourhood. Trust me, you really do. Stefanie is something of an institution in St. Pauli. What Stefanie doesn't know about the Fab Four and their teenage days in Hamburg isn't worth knowing... you’ll not spend a better three hours in St. Pauli than on Stefanie’s Beatles tour.

MTV UK 04.2017

The greatest Beatles tour of all time. Thankfully, we have the frankly brilliant Beatles mega-fan Stefanie Hempel to get you up to speed. The creator of Hamburg’s first Beatles tour, her tours have become so popular that they’re now oft-xeroxed, but never beaten.

EVENING STANDARD 07.2017

Yes, but what about The Beatles? There's only one thing a groupie has to do: book a tour led by the charismatic, Beatles-besotted, ukulele-playing historian Stefanie Hempel - as an incognito Bob Dylan once did.

DAILY EXPRESS 02.2018

A ticket to ride in Hamburg - The fascinating story of how the Fab Four were moulded into the supergroup they became by their experiences in Hamburg was the highlight of my visit to the city, as it was told by professional musician Stefanie Hempel.

WELT AM SONNTAG 04-2017

Mit Frau Hempel auf Beatles-Tour durch Hamburg. Sie begeistert damit Menschen aus aller Welt – und sogar Nobelpreisträger. All you need is Love, All together now!

DAILY MIRROR 04.2017

The best way to discover more about the history of the young Mop Tops in the city is taking a tour with musician and major Beatles fan Stefanie Hempel. The effortlessly charming Stefanie will show you round all of the key spots in the group's history and even serenade you with a song or two.

EASY JET MAGAZINE 07.2014

… Passion, that´s not something she struggles with. Head to Grosse Freiheit on a Saturday and you´re bound to hear her belting out hits on her ukulele. 

SH:Z IM NORDEN 09.2019

Auf den Spuren der Fab Four. Mit einer Leidenschaft, die ihresgleichen sucht, erzählt die 42-jährige, mal auf Deutsch, mal auf Englisch, von der wenig glamourösen Frühphase der Beatles... Heute gilt Stefanie Hempel als Hamburgs Beatles-Spezialistin Nummer eins. Das hat sich sogar bis zu Bob Dylan rumgesprochen.

FAZ 05.2010

… Dank Stefanie Hempel wirkt deren Magie der ersten Jahre noch heute. Sie führt ihre Gäste auf den Spuren der Fab Four durch das nächtliche Hamburg, kennt alle Anekdoten.

POLITIKEN 12.2016

Hamburg: En syngende guide... Vi forelsker os også. Dog ikke i Astrid Kirchherr, men i Stefanie Hempel, som fortryller hele gruppen ikke alene med sin Beatles-fortælling og musikalske fortolkning, men også med sin entusiasme og sine strålende øjne.

WESTFÄLISCHE NACHRICHTEN 04.2017

Mit der Ukulele unterwegs - Stefanie Hempel und ihre Beatles-Tour

TIROLER TAGESZEITUNG 12.2016

Paris ist die Stadt der Liebe, Mailand die Stadt der Mode. Und Hamburg? Die Stadt der Musik! Nicht nur wegen der Elbphilharmonie, die bald ihre Türen für Konzertbesucher öffnet. Es sind auch die Menschen, die die Hafenstadt mit Musik erfüllen. Zu ihnen gehört Stefanie Hempel.

DAILY STAR 09.2015

On a busy street corner a girl pulls a ukulele from its case, strikes a chord and starts to belt out 'Twist And Shout‘, stomping her feet to the rhythm.

BILD 11.2014

Die Beatles in Hamburg - sie weiß ALLES darüber. Sie ist DIE Beatles-Kennerin auf St. Pauli: Stefanie Hempel (37). Die Sängerin macht seit genau zehn Jahren Kiez-Führungen.

GONOMAD 09.2011

Are you a Beatles fan? You can claim to be the biggest “Fab Four” fan on the planet but odds are good that Stefanie Hempel of Hamburg, Germany knows more. She’s like a Beatle-reincarnate.

DAILY TELEGRAPH 08.2010

My hard days and nights in Hamburg. Adrian Bridge goes on the trail of the Beatles... One of the first to recognize the need to take pride in the Beatles link was Stefanie Hempel. She started her own magical mystery walking tour.

HAMBURGER ABENDBLATT 06.2014

Ein Leben mit den Beatles. Seit zehn Jahren macht Stefanie Hempel Führungen auf den Spuren der Fab Four. Und singt deren Songs auf einer CD.

NEW YORK TIMES 03.2011

Twist and Shout! Forever enshrined by the Beatles. The City of Hamburg is a fab foray into Sex, beer and Rock´n´Roll. In 1961, an English art-school screw-up named John Lennon stepped into a doorway in St. Pauli...

MARE 08.2012

… Es gab kein Bandmuseum, keinen Beatles-Platz und keine Beatles-Tour. Und so machte es eben Stefanie Hempel, Songwriter und zugleich der größte Beatles-Fan. Sie wurde zu einer Institution.

SZENE HAMBURG 05.2011

Stefanie Hempel ist die Erfinderin der musikalischen Beatles-Tour. Singend und erzählend katapultiert sie das wilde Rock´n´Roll-Leben der Fab Four auf St. Pauli in die Gegenwart.

SÜDDEUTSCHE ZEITUNG 08.2012

Stefanie Hempel spielt Beatles-Songs auf der Ukulele oder Gitarre und erzählt von Ringo, George, Paul und John, denen sie ihre Begeisterung für Musik verdankt.

HAMBURGER ABENDBLATT 03.2011

Stadtführungen wie die Hempel's Beatles-Tour und die Kiez-Geh-Rock-Revue zeigen die musikalische Seite des Hamburger Rotlichtviertels.

TRAVEL AGENT CENTRAL 07.2013

An enjoyable and enlightening evening can be spent “On the Tracks of the Beatles,” courtesy of Hempel’s Beatles-Tour, hosted by the engaging young singer-songwriter Steffi Hempel.

HAMBURGER ABENDBLATT 05.2013

Seit neun Jahren führt die Musikerin Beatles-Fans und Touristen durch Hamburg. Dabei zeigt sie ihnen die Plätze, an denen die Pilzköpfe zwischen 1960 und 1962 den Grundstein für ihre Weltkarriere legten.

POLITIKEN 12.2011

Genoplev Beatles i Hamburgs festlige kvarter Før Beatles indtog verden, indtog de Hamburg. Guidet tur fortæller den ukendte historie om bandets barske år i de tidlige 1960'ere.

NORDJYSKE (DK) 10.2013

Well, she was just seventeen, you know what I mean ... Med firestrenget ukulele synger, spiller og fortæller Stefanie Hempel, mens vi følger i Beatles fodspor rundt i Hamburg.

Get the Press Kit (40MB)

Book the tour, every saturday or as exclusive tour, beatles-tour.

Book the classic Beatles-Tour with live music on the street, all the sites plus Specials. Including closing singalong concert in a Beatles/ St. Pauli Location

April to November. Saturday at 6 p.m.

DEPARTS FROM

Subway Station Feldstrasse

German/English

Stefanie Hempel [email protected]

EXCLUSIVE BEATLES-TOUR

Book your private Beatles-Tour with live music. For small or bigger groups. We would be glad to cater to your individual wishes. Tell us your desired date, group size and favourite songs.

All-season Dates as desired

Beatles-Platz, Reeperbahn

Hempel's Beatles-Show

Experience Stefanie Hempel on stage with her personal hommage to the greatest band of all time.

Beatles-Tour Album

Listen and buy here, impressum / datenschutz.

Verantwortlich für den Inhalt:

Stefanie Hempel

Telephone: +49 151 56047984

E-Mail: [email protected]

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Hamburg Beatles Tour Honest Review

Updated on  January 28, 2024  

As a lifelong Beatles superfan, I've always dreamed of walking in the footsteps of my favorite band during their early days playing the seedy clubs of Hamburg.

So when I finally had the chance to visit Hamburg last year, booking the 2.5 hour Beatles-themed walking tour through the St. Pauli district was a no-brainer. 

This tour exceeded my lofty expectations and delivered an unforgettable experience that brought the Fab Four's history to life.

The tour was great, seeing the many places in their original form with the very detailed stories about them. You don't have to be a Beatles fan, then you know that music history began, and not just for the Beatles, in Hamburg. This is a part of Hamburg's history and is perfect with the musical performances that almost everyone still knows. The finale was great for us; since two groups ran in parallel, the final concert with two people was even nicer. Thank you for the lovely evening."

- a satisfied tour attendee

(see 104 reviews)

2.5-Hour Beatles Music Tour

• See main Beatles spots
• Enjoy live performances

Hamburg Beatles Tour Review

Our meeting point was outside the Feldstraße U-Bahn station, where our enthusiastic guide Thomas greeted the group.

We set off on foot down the bustling streets as Thomas launched into tales about the Beatles' first visits to Hamburg in the early 1960s as raucous teenage rockers eager to perfect their stage act.

The first stop was the Indra Club, a tiny venue where the Beatles made their Hamburg debut in August 1960, crammed into the dingy basement beside strip clubs and brothels. [ 1 ]

Thomas pointed out the modest doorway they once walked through, regaling us with stories of their marathon sets, ramshackle sleeping quarters, and adventures in Hamburg's notorious St. Pauli district .

We continued onto the Kaiserkeller, where the Beatles graduated to after the Indra, playing grueling 8-hour sets. [ 2 ]

Thomas emphasized what a pivotal moment this was for honing the Beatles' sound and stage presence.

We paused by the curious Herbertstrasse, the street of legal prostitution, where Thomas shared amusing anecdotes about the band members' encounters with local women.

Turning onto Grosse Freiheit street, we passed the iconic Star Club, where the Beatles had a triumphant final residency in Hamburg before rocketing to stardom.

Thomas then led us to the site of the Bambi Kino, the old cinema where the band first crashed upon arriving in Hamburg, sleeping on the filthy concrete floor.

It was mind-blowing visualizing the cramped spaces where John, Paul, George and Pete played during their Hamburg days.

Besides the historical insight, I really appreciated Thomas bringing the early songs to life with impromptu renditions on his guitar.

When he belted out raw, rocking covers of tracks like 'Twist and Shout' and 'Long Tall Sally', it wasn't hard to imagine the youthful energy the Beatles radiated back then. 

Thomas's passion for the band and knack for storytelling made the entire experience vivid and engaging.

We eventually popped into a local pub , where Thomas treated us to a mini-concert, masterfully belting out classics on his guitar.

Everyone sang along, transported back to the early 60s when the Beatles were just a fledgling bar band with unmatched charisma. It was a joyful way to wrap up the tour.

Over the 2.5 hours , I gained a much deeper appreciation for how the Beatles' time in Hamburg shaped their evolution.

Thomas expertly peeled back the layers on this transformative chapter that took them from wide-eyed Liverpool teenagers to confident rock n' rollers laying the foundation for Beatlemania.

Walking in their footsteps past the dingy clubs and through the seedy red light district was surreal. Thomas brought context and color to the landmarks with his captivating tales and musical numbers.

I discovered so many fascinating details I never knew before. This was a bucket list memory for any Beatles aficionado.

The Beatles will always be the greatest band of all time in my book. But before changing the world, they were nobodies cutting their teeth in Hamburg's gritty clubs.

Thomas made their incredible origin story come alive with his passion and knowledge. I left with immense gratitude that I could tread the same streets that launched these four lads into stardom.

For any Beatles fan visiting Hamburg, this is an utterly unmissable experience . Thomas's engaging tour set the bar sky-high.

His storytelling and musical interludes transported me back to the early 60s, as if I was there when it all began. I rediscovered my love for John, Paul, George and Pete while gaining a newfound appreciation for the city that shaped them.

Whether you're a lifelong Beatlemaniac like me or simply curious about music history, do yourself a favor and take this tour.

You'll come away with a deeper connection to some of the most gifted musicians of all time, seeing Hamburg through their eyes.

Thomas brings infectious energy and expertise that makes the whole experience an absolute joy. My only regret is not having more time to pepper him with every obscure Beatles question I could think of!

Self-Guided Beatles Tour Alternative

While Thomas' guided walking tour of the Beatles' Hamburg brought their history to life in vivid detail, I know not everyone has the time or budget for an in-depth group tour.

Fortunately, there's now an excellent self-guided Beatles tour option that lets you explore St. Pauli at your own pace.

This interactive digital tour begins at the iconic Davidwache police station and uses your smartphone's GPS to guide you to the key sites related to the Beatles' early days.

Armed with the printable/mobile map, you can follow the outlined route through the St. Pauli streets while referring to the text summaries about each landmark's history.

The best part is you can take as much time as you want at each stop. I loved being able to stand outside the Bambi Kino cinema and soak up the history without someone rushing me along to the next site.

I also appreciated the freedom to wander down seedy Herbertstrasse and imagine the teenage Beatles strolling that street of legal prostitution.

The self-guided tour is packed with obscure Beatles facts and fun stories you'd never find in a guidebook.

When I felt like taking a break, I could put the tour on pause, duck into a cafe, then resume whenever I was ready.

It was cool hearing songs from the Beatles' Hamburg setlists play on my headphones as I walked the same streets they did. Definitely helped transport me back in time!

Unlike a regular tour in Hamburg , I could revisit spots that interested me most and skip ones I'd already seen before. The flexibility let me fully indulge my Beatles obsession at my own pace. I ended up uncovering stories and anecdotes that even Thomas didn't mention.

While I loved Thomas' infectious energy, not everyone may feel up for a fast-paced, crowded group tour.

This self-guided digital option lets you customize the experience so it works for your stamina and interests. The GPS-guided route ensures you won't get lost as you hunt down Beatles history.

I'd suggest doing this tour first as an introduction before a more in-depth walking tour like Thomas' . That way you'll already have context on the sites and history. 

Whichever option you choose, exploring the Beatles' Hamburg is an unforgettable experience for any true fan. With the DIY tour, you can nerd out on their legacy at your own pace without missing any key stops.

References:

1: 17 August 1960: Live: Indra Club, Hamburg | The Beatles Bible, retrieved from https://www.beatlesbible.com/1960/08/17/live-indra-club-hamburg/

2: 4 October 1960 – The Beatles' first show at the Kaiserkeller, Hamburg | The Beatles Bible, retrieved from https://www.beatlesbible.com/1960/10/04/live-kaiserkeller-hamburg/

About the Author

Stephan Drescher

Stephan Drescher, founder of germanytravel.blog, is a German travel expert and insider, providing trusted tips and advice for a perfect trip to Germany. Born & bred German.

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I hope you will enjoy the show

Stefanie Hempel´s „Beatles Show“ is an hommage to the greatest band of all time. The Hamburg rock´n´roll, the classics, favourite songs and favourite stories. The show is interactive and absolutely enthusiastic.

Mach Schau!

Roll up for the magical mystery show.

„Hempel´s Beatles Show" is a concert and also a celebration of stories. A magical mystery show for the small and the big stage. A musical tale full of ripping anecdotes and secrets around those four boys that set off to conquer the world. Discover the world of St. Pauli in the early 60s, a wild scenery of seamen, barmaids, female mud-wrestlers, rockers, and the "Exis". Find out how four friends become a unit that reinvents the genre of pop music and shapes this genre like no one else before or after. „Mach Schau!“ – Make a show! was the motto in the clubs of Hamburg-St. Pauli.

Stefanie Hempel´s Beatles show is a Mach Schau-Singalong. Join in and sing along with the big hits! Enjoy the A-sides, discover the B-sides. Experience the „Come together“ of Beatlemaniacs and Beatle discoverers as a musical community. Follow Germany´s Beatles expert No. 1 on a musical journey into the magic cosmos of the Fabulous Four.

"MY BONNIE" Live at Friedrich-Ebert-Halle, Hamburg

Book your virtual tour, upcoming shows, st. pauli theater   hempel's beatles-show.

Stefanie Hempel & The Silver Spoons 

mit Billy King und Ben Barritt 

Es geht weiter im St. Pauli Theater im März und April. Mit wunderbaren Gästen!!!

Tickets:  https://www.st-pauli-theater.de/programm/hempels-beatles-show/

Oststeinbek, Bürgersaal

8.3.2024 20:00 Uhr

Tickets:  https://www.oststeinbeker-kulturring.de/event/stefanie-hempel-the-silver-spoonsbeatles-show/

Lange Nacht der Museen, Hafenmuseum

27.4.2024 18:00 Uhr

Tickets:  https://www.langenachtdermuseen-hamburg.de/

Midsummer Bulli Festival, Fehmarn

20.6.2024 18:00 Uhr

Tickets:  https://www.midsummerfestival.de/

St Pauli Theater, Hamburg

mit Billy King und Ben Barritt

Gäste: Gustav Peter Wöhler, Rolf Zuckowski, Rosi Sheridan-McGinnity

01.12. // 06.12. // 12.12. 2023 20:00 Uhr 

Fabrik, Hamburg 

"GET BACK TO UNIVERSE"

Inga Rumpf & Stefanie Hempel

17.12.2023 20:00 Uhr 

LAEIZHALLE HAMBURG

"GLÜCK IM UNGLÜCK" Constantin Schreiber Show

Musikalische Gäste: Stefanie Hempel & Anna Depenbusch

15.12.2023 20:00 Uhr 

KULTURETAGE, OLDENBURG

09.12.2023 20:00 Uhr 

NDR BÜHNE, TAG DER DEUTSCHEN EINHEIT

Stefanie Hempel & BAND

03.10.2023 20:00 UHR

FABRIK,  HAMBURG: CELEBRATING GEORGE! 

Große Beatles-Show zu George Harrisons 80. Geburtstag

Stefanie Hempel Band & Special Guests 

mit: Inga Rumpf, Gustav Peter Wöhler,  Annett Louisan,  Abi Wallenstein, Phil Siemers, Michèl von Wussow &  Surprises!

09.04.2023 20:00 Uhr 

Tickets:  https://www.eventim.de/artist/stefanie-hempel/

Music Hall, Worpswede

The Joni Project, Stoppok & Artgenossen

15.04.2023 20:00 Uhr 

Tickets:  https://musichall-worpswede.eu/produkt/sa-15-03-2023-stoppok-artgenossen/

Musikfest ION, Nürnberg

The Joni Project "A Celebration of Joni Mitchell's Album Blue"

30.06.2023 23:00 Uhr 

Tickets:  https://musikfest-ion.de/programm/konzerte/the-joni-project

24.04.2022 20:00 Uhr 

Tickets:  https://musichall-worpswede.eu/produkt/sa-11-12-2021-blue-the-joni-project/

Stage Club, Hamburg

25.10.2021 20:00 Uhr 

Tickets:  https://bit.ly/3gUXcSX

Zeise Kino Open Air 

25.07.2021 18:00 Uhr

Burg Henneberg/ Alsterschlösschen

Stefanie Hempel & The Silver Spoons

05.08.2021 20:00 Uhr

Fabrik, Hamburg

14.11.2019, 20:00 Uhr 

Stefanie Hempel's ABBEY ROAD TRIBUTE

mit Band und vielen Special Guests!

Haus der Kulturen der Welt, Berlin

21.03.2019 Festival "Find The File" Konzert mit den legendären Liverpooler LIVERBIRDS

Gruenspan, Hamburg

17.02.2019 Stefanie Hempel's WHITE ALBUM TRIBUTE

The Boiler House, London

01. und 02.09.2018   "Hamburg On Tour"

Cavern Club, Liverpool

25.08.2017   International Beatleweek

Palazzo Fava, Bologna

07.07.2017    Astrid Kirchherr Retrospective

Solo, Duo or Band

Stefanie Hempel

Vocals, guitar, piano and ukulele

Stefanie Hempel has been a passionate Beatles fan since since her early childhood. It all started with a cassette and „She Loves You“. This is what she wanted to do in life: make music. The first songs she wrote were all love songs for John Lennon. Stefanie is a singer-songwriter and the originator of the musical Beatles tour in Hamburg. For 13 years she has been guiding fans from all over the world around the famous old red light district St. Pauli on the tracks of the Fab Four. She is a world-renowned Beatles expert and Beatles performer.

Ben Barritt

Guitar and vocals

The man of 100 concerts. This is what the Berliner Zeitung called Ben, because he has played around 100 concerts in Germany alone in 2015. From living-room concerts to big stages. An excellent singer-songwriter himself, Ben originates from London but is now based in Berlin. He brings the groove to our Beatles show, the solos and the wonderful vocal harmonies.

FONTAINE BURNETT

Guitar, bass, ukulele, percussion and vocals

Fontaine is a multi-instrumentalist, a fantastic singer and songwriter. Born in Kansas City, widely travelled, he has toured the world with music greats like Chaka Khan, The Temptations, Marla Glen, Wynton Marsalis, Joy Denalane and Max Herre. He loves the Beatles, the music, the harmonies, the energy, the spirit.

I read the news today oh boy

Welt am sonntag 04-2017.

Mit Frau Hempel auf Beatles-Tour durch Hamburg. Sie begeistert damit Menschen aus aller Welt – und sogar Nobelpreisträger. All you need is Love, All together now!

HAMBURGER ABENDBLATT 06.2014

Ein Leben mit den Beatles. Seit zehn Jahren macht Stefanie Hempel Führungen auf den Spuren der Fab Four.

WESTFÄLISCHE NACHRICHTEN 04.2017

Energiebündel Stefanie singt die Beatles

NORDSEEZEITUNG 11.2016

Ein Benefizkonzert, das die Gäste nicht nur zu wahren Begeisterungsstürmen hinreißt, sondern auch viele Besucher an ihre Jugend zurückdenken läßt.

Book the Show

Book hempel’s beatles-show for your event.

2 x 45 minutes (Individual wishes possible)

Solo, duo or with full band

Theater, club, living room, event: on your stage or in an original Beatles location

Stefanie Hempel Phone: +49 151 56047984 [email protected]

Hempel's Beatles-Tour

Follow Stefanie Hempel on the tracks of the Beatles across the famous red light district of St. Pauli!

The Show-Album

Listen and buy here, impressum / datenschutz.

Verantwortlich für den Inhalt:

Telephone: +49 151 56047984

E-Mail: [email protected]

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Forget Liverpool. Hamburg, Germany, made the Beatles into the band they became

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At the tender age of 8, I knew the Beatles were extraordinary. In their appearance on “ The Ed Sullivan Show ,” they sang and played effortlessly, their timing perfect despite rarely looking at one another.

Like thousands of others, I basked in that black-and-white glow on that Sunday night in February 1964, but when it was over, I had a burning question: How did they do that?

I recently had the chance to find out. On a business trip to Germany, I spent three days in St. Pauli , the Hamburg district where the Beatles became really good before they became really, really famous.

My expert guide: Peter Paetzold , a bearded 68-year-old with the street cred of a chain-smoking rock drummer, well versed about St. Pauli’s music scene of the 1960s. He grew up around the corner from the Indra club, one of four venues the group played.

In August 1960, when the Beatles arrived, the Indra was a seedy strip joint complete with a neon-lighted elephant beckoning passersby. The band’s contract required the five of them (John, Paul, George, drummer Pete Best and bassist Stuart Sutcliffe) to perform for 30 hours, six nights a week. Each one received the generous sum of 30 Deutsche marks a week, about $51 in those days.

“We had to learn millions of songs because we’d be on for hours,” George Harrison later said. “Hamburg was really like our apprenticeship, learning how to play in front of people.”

The Indra’s owner provided the group free lodging. On my private tour, Paetzold and I crossed the street to the entrance of those accommodations, the back door of the Bambi, a movie theater. The Beatles slept behind the screen in two dark, dank, cramped storage rooms with small beds, folding cots and a couch. The nearby men’s room, where broken toilets sometimes overflowed into their rooms, served the group’s personal hygiene needs.

‘Oh-my-gosh’

As we stood outside the back entrance of the Bambi, Paetzold removed a photo from an envelope, a black-and-white image of John Lennon taken in 1960 at the theater. The singer is reading a newspaper and wearing only a cap, sandals and white briefs. It marked one of my “oh-my-gosh” moments in St. Pauli.

There were many more OMG moments the previous night.

It’s hard to imagine anyone in Hamburg more effusive about the Beatles than Stefanie Hempel. She conducts walking tours , performs the group’s music on a ukulele and is a cultural ambassador for the city. She is organizing a celebration in September of the “Abbey Road” album with a band and orchestra.

Hempel vividly remembers the moment — she was 9 — when she first heard “She Loves You” on a cassette tape her father had acquired surreptitiously in the 1980s because rock music was verboten in East Germany. “It was the moment of my life,” she said.

She often is asked what it was like for the Beatles playing small, noisy, smoke-filled clubs in Hamburg.

“It was a very tough time for them, but it was the wildest time of their lives,” she said, an allusion, I think, to the musicians’ introduction to prostitutes and “prellies,” the nickname for Phenmetrazine, a stimulant.

“They were never again as free as they were in Hamburg,” she said. “As John Lennon said, ‘We could try anything and the audience liked it, as long as it was really loud.’ ”

Magical musical tour

I joined Hempel and 30 others on her weekly Saturday evening musical tour , more magical than mysterious, through St. Pauli’s red-light district. Her clients have included Bob Dylan, Steve Winwood and John Lennon’s half-sister, Julia.

Hempel’s three-hour excursion, now in its 15th year, includes a stop at the site of the Star-Club, where the Beatles and other musical icons, including Bill Haley and Jimi Hendrix, performed in the 1960s. The venue closed in 1969; it was destroyed 18 years later in a fire.

After leading us in a robust sing-along of “Twist and Shout,” Hempel walked us to Beatles-Platz , a circular plaza with five metal silhouettes, a tribute to the pre-Fab Four. Names of their songs (in English), from “My Bonnie,” recorded in Hamburg in 1961 with singer Tony Sheridan, to “The Long and Winding Road,” are incised in the ground representing the grooves of a record.

The plaza is the city’s only public recognition of the group, and I wondered why Hamburg had not capitalized on this extraordinary musical legacy,

“They spent their time in a very sleazy area, and it is still that way,” said British radio broadcaster Spencer Leigh, author of “The Beatles in Hamburg.” “If Hamburg were to clean up the area, they presumably would be turning away profitable enterprises ... a real conundrum.”

Carsten Brosda, head of Hamburg’s office of culture and media, contends the Beatles’ legacy lives on in the annual Reeperbahn Festival , four days in September when rock, pop, folk, soul and jazz abound in clubs and blocked-off streets. The name refers to the half-mile main boulevard in the heart of the red-light district.

“It’s grown to become one of the most important European music festivals,” Brosda said. “So you could say that the lively music culture in this part of town is one of the best commemorations of the Beatles and the long tradition of music around the Reeperbahn.”

Vintage market

That lively culture extends beyond the Reeperbahn. A short walk led me to the waterfront district where the promenade along the Elbe River is filled with locals and tourists. The crowd was almost shoulder to shoulder on a Sunday morning as they converged on the Hamburg Fish Market , which dates back more than 300 years.

I was not shopping for cod, flowers or fresh fruit and vegetables. Rather, I was admiring the street artists and buskers, some of whom may have their sights on this year’s Reeperbahn Festival (Sept. 18-21).

Another St. Pauli tradition, although not three centuries old, is the Flohschanze, a Saturday flea market that was a 15-minute walk from my hotel. With my “find,” an Art Deco picture frame from the 1920s, I strolled around the corner to two more Beatles landmarks.

Musik Rotthoff is crammed to the ceiling with Gibson, Fender and other brands of guitars. Claus-Dieter Rotthoff is the third-generation proprietor of this family business. In 1961, his father sold Paul McCartney the stylish violin-shaped Hõfner bass guitar the singer played in concert and in recording studios throughout the 1960s.

The shop is adjacent to Hotel Pacific , where in December 1962 the four Beatles, now with Ringo Starr on drums, stayed two weeks, each with his own room. The group closed its pre-Beatlemania Hamburg run, which totaled more than 1,100 performance hours on five trips from Liverpool, with a New Year’s Eve show in 1962 .

Eleven days later, “Please Please Me,” which record producer George Martin accurately predicted would be the group’s first No. 1 hit, was released in Britain. A little more than a year later, the Beatles played “The Ed Sullivan Show.”

The best way to Hamburg, Germany

From LAX, Lufthansa, KLM, Air France, Austria, British, United and Delta offer connecting service (change of planes) to Hamburg. Restricted round-trip fare from $1,070, including taxes and fees.

To call the numbers below from the United States, dial 011 (the international calling code), 49 (the country code for Germany) and the local number.

Peter Paetzold , [email protected]

Hempel’s Beatles-Tour , 6 p.m. Saturdays, April-November. About $40 for a 2½- to three-hour tour.

Where to stay

Ibis Budget Hamburg St Pauli Messe , 64 Simon-von-Utrecht-Strasse, Hamburg, Germany; 40-31765620 . Doubles from $94, breakfast included

Hotel Pacific , 30-31 Neuer Pferdemarkt, Hamburg, Germany; 40-4395095. Doubles with private baths from $100.

Arcotel Onyx Hamburg , 1a Reeperbahn, Hamburg, Germany; 40 2094090 . Doubles from $170 a night.

Where to eat

Captain’s Dinner Restaurant and Cafe , St. Pauli Landungsbrücken, bridge 3; Hamburg, Germany; 40-312121. Lovely waterfront setting overlooking the Elbe River; several fish entrees. Dinner for two from $80.

Freudenhaus St. Pauli , 7-9 Hein-Hoyer-Strasse, Hamburg, Germany; 40-314642. Elegant dining just off the infamous Reeperbahn. Nice array of veal, pork and other “sinful meats.” Dinner for two, $100.

It’s Like Kandie , 16 Wohlwillstrasse, Hamburg, Germany . Specializing in dessert waffles; a two-minute walk from the John Lennon “doorway,” featured on the cover of his 1975 “Rock ’n’ Roll” album.

To learn more

Contact the Hamburg tourism office .

[email protected]

@latimestravel

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Over the past decade, a number of tours have sprung up to give visitors a look at some of the darker sides of Hamburg's St. Pauli quarter, from a historical look at the tricks of the prostitution trade that has flourished for centuries to lore as related by a costumed night watchman. But Steffanie Hempel's Beatles Tour is a standout for a number of reasons. First, Ms. Hempel's passion for her subject gives the tour a warmth and enthusiasm that other's lack. This is no surprise that she developed the tour herself 10 years ago. Another reason is that the tour is given in both German and English, and unlike some tours, the information in English is as extensive as it is in German. Further, instead of ping-ponging back and forth between languages, Ms. Hempel will explain a fact in German, then give the English version and add another tidbit, before going back to German. This gives the narration a more fluid course. As she leads the group between key sites, Ms. Hempel performs appropriate songs from the Beatles' early days, singing in a voice that is reminiscent of both Lennon and McCartney, while accompanying herself on her ukelele. It's quite good and tour participants are encouraged to join in at times. Passers-by often stop to take in the performances. Through her extensive knowledge of the Beatles, much of it gained from her interviews with people who knew and worked with the lads during their days in Hamburg from 1960-62, Ms. Hempel builds a convincing case that the band may not have emerged as the world-changing force they became had they not spent weeks on end playing 5-6 hours a night in seedy clubs. In fact, their first appearance, on the Indra club stage, came after the five members had only played together for one hour, with a drummer recruited as he was the only guy they knew with a full drum kit. The band was the promoter's fourth choice and they lived down to his expectations, with the show saved by the stripper performing along with the group. Ms. Hempel then builds the story as to how they honed their lineup, their looks, their songwriting skills and their musical talent over four extended stays in the Hansestadt. She ends the tour with a mini-concert at the St. Pauli Museum, where the sign above the door reads "From stories come history." At the museum, participants can grab an Astra beer, take a seat and sing along as Ms. Hempel takes up her guitar and plays a handful of songs. Singing along is strongly encouraged and lyric sheets are available, but from the first note, most of the guests sing along with the songs that shaped much of their lives. And from their their broad smiles, the tour has added to those happy memories. And to keep the spirit alive, Ms. Hempel has just released CD of her interpretations of a number of Beatles' songs.

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Beatles-Tour Hamburg

• Explore the birthplace of Beat music and The Beatles' iconic journey
• Gain first-hand information from a knowledgeable local guide
• Revisit historical sites significant to The Beatles' early career

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• Consider joining the tour with an open mind as some reviews mention varying levels of detail in explanations
• If possible, request a passionate guide or clarify expectations beforehand if you seek more engaging storytelling
• Check for updated schedules and availability as experiences may vary based on guides

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• A Beatles Tour Of Hamburgs...

A Beatles Tour of Hamburg's Best Nightlife Spots

‘I might have been born in Liverpool, but I grew up in Hamburg’, John Lennon allegedly once quipped when a journalist asked what growing up in Liverpool was like. Between 1960 and 1962, the new Beatles played an estimated 281 concerts in Hamburg’s notorious red light and party district , sometimes starting at 7pm and finishing at 7am. In two short years, they played more live music hours in Hamburg than anywhere else in the world in their entire career. It was in Hamburg where they learned how to play as a band, how to improvise and to entertain any audience. It was here that they made their first recording, that John, Paul and George first played together with Ringo and that they acquired their iconic moptop haircuts. Just ten days after their last Hamburg concert in 1962, the LP Please, Please Me was released and took the world by storm . Our guide will let you walk in the footsteps of The Beatles along Hamburg’s most sinful mile.

Beatles-Platz

Music Venue

Kaiserkeller

When the Indra Club had to close a few months later, The Beatles moved down the street to the Kaiserkeller . Here they shared the stage with Rory Storm & the Hurricanes , another Liverpool band whose drummer at the time was Ringo Starr. Here they also met the photographer Astrid Kirchherr, who took some of the band’s most iconic photographs, introduced them to a haircut popular among the Germany’s art scene and got engaged to Sutcliffe. The Kaiserkeller, now the bottom floor of the popular club Grosse Freiheit 36, remains a live music stage for young and upcoming bands. Kaiserkeller, Grosse Freiheit 36, Hamburg, Germany , +49 40 3177 780

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Gretel & Alfons

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Beatles Tours

One of the best ways to explore the Hamburg beginnings of The Beatles’ career is by taking a Beatles tour. There are several options, like the walking Beatles Tour and the bus Magical Mystery Tour . But the most widely acclaimed is the Stefanie Hempel’s musical Hempel’s Beatles Tour , which introduces The Beatles sights, stories and trivia , accompanied by their most famous tunes played on an ukulele.

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Beatles Tour - Adults Only (HAM20)

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A Beatles Tour in Hamburg, Germany

The Beatles may be Liverpool’s most famous band, but as any true fan knows, it was the city of Hamburg that shaped them the most.

Hamburg is Germany’s second largest city. Twice as big as London and with more canals and bridges than Venice, it’s a maritime city built around its port, which was once the largest and busiest in Europe (it’s now number three). In the middle of the century it was full of sailors, shipbuilders, and dockworkers and the St. Pauli neighborhood, not far from the port, was where they all went to party. The seedy streets were lined with clubs that needed live acts that could entertain patrons for hours, and with a shortage of musical talent in Hamburg, club owners looked elsewhere in Germany and across the pond to England and, as bands from Liverpool were cheaper than those from London, recruited bands like the Beatles to come and play the clubs.

The Beatles, who at that time were John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, Pete Best, and Stuart Sutcliffe, arrived in Hamburg in the summer of 1960 when they were 17 to 20 years old. They lived in a squalid apartment above a theater and played music for five to six hours per night at clubs around the neighborhood. It was in Hamburg that they came together as musicians, where they first played with Ringo Starr (who would join the band two years later), where they made their first recording, and where they developed their signature style, including their famous moptop haircuts, which came courtesy of Stuart Sutcliffe’s girlfriend.

Hamburg had such an impact on the band, both personally and professionally, that John Lennon once said, "I might have been born in Liverpool, but I grew up in Hamburg.” Though several of the clubs and landmarks associated with the band’s time in the city have since closed or burned down, there are still a few places for fans to walk in the band’s early footsteps. Here's how to take your own tour of the Beatles' old stomping grounds.

Indra Musikclub

The Indra Musikclub is where the Beatles first played in Hamburg -- though at the time it doubled as a strip joint. Today it’s a less risqué club with live bands performing most nights. The bright red building has a similarly crimson interior, with some token Beatles memorabilia, a foosball table, and a full bar.

Kaiserkeller

The Kaiserkeller is a multi-venue building that includes a club, bar, and concert hall where international stars still perform. The Beatles played a few shows here in 1960. A plaque at the entrance commemorates their time there, and an old poster advertises a performance by Rory Storm & the Hurricanes (including Ringo Starr on drums) with the Beatles as the opening act.

The Star Club

Sadly the Star Club burned down in 1987, but a plaque remains to commemorate the building and the many legends who played there over the years (Jimi Hendrix, Chuck Berry, and Ray Charles, to name a few). The Beatles played there for seven weeks in 1962, including their final show in Hamburg.

Jager-Passage

Tucked in a residential courtyard behind unlocked gates, the Jager-Passage is known as the backdrop for the photo for John Lennon’s 1975 album, Rock ‘n’ Roll. In the photo, which was taken more than a decade before it was used for the album, Lennon leans in the doorway of one of the buildings, effortlessly cool, as the other band members blur in the foreground. Fans still come to the courtyard to recreate the photo in Lennon’s honor.

When the Beatles first arrived in Hamburg, they lived in a cramped, dirty apartment -- actually two storage rooms -- above the sleazy Bambi cinema. They had no showers and shared a bathroom with the theatergoers; Lennon later described it as a “pigsty.” The original theater has since burned down, but a painted deer on the garage of the current building, as well as a small plaque by the door, marks the spot.

Beatles-Platz

A small plaza at the intersection of the Reeperbahn and Grosse Freiheit honors the Beatles’ influence on Hamburg, and vice versa. Built in 2008, the plaza, with is shaped like a vinyl record with a diameter of 29 meters (95 feet) contains five stainless-steel silhouettes playing instruments. Four are grouped together, while one figure stands off to the side; this one represents Stuart Sutcliffe, who left the band for his girlfriend.

BeatleMania

Opened in 2009, this five-story Beatles museum covers nearly 1,300 acres and 10 themed spaces that trace the history of the band from their time in Hamburg and beyond. The interactive, multimedia exhibits include short interviews with friends and acquaintances of the band, costumes from their Lonely Heart’s Club Band days, and recordings of Beatles songs.

For a guided tour -- complete with ukulele renditions of some of the band’s best songs -- join Beatles enthusiast Stefanie Hempel for a Beatles tour of St. Pauli. On the tour, Hempel guides fans to sites like the Kaiserkeller, the Indra Club, and the Star Club, sharing anecdotes about the band along the way.

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Zur Zeit keine Touren!!! No tours at the moment!!! Website im Aufbau....Website Under Construction. "Get Back... ...To where it all began"

All tours are in German and English language (scroll down please for the English description) Beatles-Tour Hamburg Die Beatles-Tour ist einerseits ein Rundgang auf St. Pauli,  andererseits eine fesselnde Zeitreise auf den Spuren der Beatles.  Informationen aus erster Hand von einem Tourguide,  der in den 50er und 60er Jahren auf St. Pauli aufgewachsen ist und die Beatles und viele der anderen legendären Bands dieser Zeit selbst hautnah erlebt hat. Als Stammgast und Autogrammjäger in Clubs wie dem Star-Club, Top-Ten-Club und anderen Treffpunkten hatte er in diesen Tagen Kontakt mit unzähligen Legenden der 60er Jahre. Viele der Musiker und Macher dieser prägenden Zeitepoche zählen bis heute zu seinen Freunden. Mehr Authentizität bei einer Beatles-Tour geht nicht.

Führungen für kleine und große Gruppen, Schulklassen, Junggesellen/innen Abschiede und andere Anlässe sind auf Anfrage möglich.

Für weitere Informationen oder Buchungen  bitte das Emailformular mit Angabe des gewünschten Termins,  Art der Tour und der Teilnehmeranzahl ausfüllen.  (Zum Mailbutton geht es nach dem englischen Text und den Fotos) Wir melden uns umgehend um alle weiteren Fragen zu beantworten.    

Beatles-Tour Hamburg The "Beatles-Tour Hamburg" is a walk around as well as a  fascinating journey back to the famous Hamburg Days of The Beatles.

"Komm gib mir deine Hand" / "I want to hold your hand"

All  information is provided by a tourguide who grew up in St. Pauli

 in the 50s and 60s and who witnessed the rise of the Beatles 

and many other now famous bands first hand. 

He was a regular visitor and autograph hunter at the "Star-Club",

the "Top-Ten-Club" and other venues and locations during this years.

Since then he kept in touch with many legends of the 60s 

and tied friendships with musicians, staff and managers of the scene. 

From this formative era lasting until today!

There is no way to get a more authentic "Beatles-Tour" 

through the real birthplace of The Beatles...

Guided tours for small and large groups, school classes, Hen/Stag nights etc.  are possible on request. For more information or bookings please fill out the email form,   incl. the desired date and the number of participants.  We will contact you immediately to answer all further questions.    

Phone: +49 162 379 77 47  Telefon 0162 379 77 47

E-Mail: [email protected]

Beatles-Tour Hamburg   Grosse Freiheit 39   22767 Hamburg   Germany

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