How to meet people and make friends in Hamburg (co-ed, all genders)
- BBA
- 1 day ago
- 5 min read
Are you an international looking to meet people in Hamburg? Or a local looking for place to make new friends? Check out this list!
We know how tough it can be to meet new people that you vibe with as an adult, especially when you move to a new city or country – that’s part of the reason why we started the BBA Community. We focus on events for women, but we sometimes get questions about communities or places where men can also socialize and meet new friends, so we’ve made this list to try and help out! Check out these international-friendly (most on the list take place in English) clubs, activities, and more, to meet new people and make friends in Hamburg.
Jump straight to a section:
Centered around an activity
Music Bingo Hamburg
Price: 9.75€ per person
Frequency: 2-3x per month
Link to more info:
Music Bingo Hamburg might quickly become your favorite afterwork activity. Music Bingo is a twist on traditional bingo in which players receive bingo cards featuring song titles, artists, or themed categories. Our MC plays short clips (about 30 seconds each), and players mark off the matching songs. Dancing and singing is encouraged the entire night, so it really turns into a party. There's also usually a 'social bingo' round which gives you the opportunity to mingle and get to know more people.
The English Book Exchange
Price: Free
Frequency: 1x per month
Link to more info: https://www.instagram.com/theenglishbookexchange/
The English Book Exchange is just that – they meet once a month to exchange English books. Give a book you already read (or perhaps weren’t a fan of) and take a new-to-you book home with you. They tend to meet on a weekend at the Zentralbibliothek, but the date and location can vary, so make sure you’re following them on Instagram to get the latest updates.
The Hamburg Board Gaming Club
Price: Free
Frequency: 1x per week
Link to more info: https://www.meetup.com/de-de/the-hamburg-board-gaming-club/
In their words: “We’re an international group of slightly nerdy, likeable, English-speaking people who are into all sorts of games and get together regularly to play and have fun. We’re open to all genres and styles, be it strategy games, card games, role playing (pen & paper or otherwise), family games, party games and many more.”
Centered around food/drinks
Social Melting Pot
Price: 6€ (you get a 6 EUR voucher for the bar)
Frequency: Every Wednesday
Link to more info: https://www.meetup.com/social-melting-pot-hamburg-cultural-and-language-exchange/events/ In their own words: "A weekly language exchange meetup for open minded locals and internationals. Where you can practice languages and meet friendly people from all over the world." What's also cool is that you get flag stickers to indicate the languages you speak or are learning to help get conversations flowing.
Images: @mezze_club on Instagram
Mezze Club
Price: around 30€ (includes water, additional drinks cost extra)
Frequency: 1x per month
Link to more info: https://www.instagram.com/mezze_club/
A big shared dinner with one big table to sit at together. Meet new people over delicious Levantine food.
If you like team sports or being active
Hamburg Netball Club
Price: 65€ per quarter, first two trainings are free to test out
Frequency: trainings every Sunday, match dates vary
Link to more info: https://www.instagram.com/hamburgnetballclub/ A fun co-ed Netball team that trains weekly and takes part in matches across Germany and Europe. No previous experience needed!
SWEET & SALTY Run Club
Price: Free
Frequency: Every Saturday
Link to more info: https://www.instagram.com/sweetandsaltyrun/
This looks like a bit more of a ‘serious’ run club for more advanced runners. If you’re unsure, we’d recommend shooting them a DM beforehand and asking about the typical pace before joining. A run club can be a great way to meet the same people every week and grab a coffee after!
Cozy Sports Club
Price: Free
Frequency: Unsure, check in the Whatsapp Community or DM via Insta
Link to more info: https://www.instagram.com/cozysports.cc
With their motto being: "people over pace. fun over gear." it seems like more of an open run club for all levels! With their home base being the Studio Gusto cafe, you can grab a nice coffee after the run and have some nice conversations after getting those endorphins.
Language exchange
Dialog in Deutsch
Price: Free
Frequency: Weekly, or multiple times per week depending on location
Link to more info: https://www.buecherhallen.de/ehrenamt-dialog-in-deutsch-termine.html
Practice your German for one hour and meet new people while you’re at it. They occur at most of the public libraries across the city, so you can find a spot that is convenient for you. Alternatively, there are many appointments during the week at the main Zentralbibliothek near the main train station in Hamburg. Why not also explore the library while you’re there?!
Courses and workshops
Hamburger Volkshochschule
Price: €-€€€
Link to more info: https://www.vhs-hamburg.de/
Hamburg’s biggest provider of adult education. There’s something for everyone across 8 general subject areas: languages, German as a foreign language (particularly attractive for internationals), culture and creativity, health and the environment, IT and careers, society and politics, basic education, and multimedia and photography. The best part is that the classes are generally really affordable! It’s a great way to learn a new skill and meet people who are also interested in those skills. Just an example, but you can take a woodworking class with 8 appointments for under 200 EUR!
General social collectives with diverse offers
Meetup
Meetup is a platform connecting individuals with shared interests for in-person and online events. In their words: “People use Meetup to meet new people, learn new things, find support, get out of their comfort zones, and pursue their passions, together.” Kampnagel
Kampnagel offers a multi-faceted platform for contemporary performing arts, concerts, conferences, and a diverse range of festivals. Its six stages host both international artists and the local Hamburg scene, spanning theatre, dance, performance, music, visual arts, and architecture.
It is also an important space for the queer community and expressly welcomes everyone. The venue is dedicated to accessibility and inclusivity, catering to a young audience and promoting anti-discrimination initiatives. There are also family-friendly social offers, including the annual Klangfest for children, the Alabama Cinema for young audiences, and dedicated theatre productions.
KULTUR&GUT (also known as KUGU) More info:https://kugu.space/
A space for culture, encounters, and design, located in the historic Zeisehallen in Hamburg Altona. They have around 280m² of ground-floor event space plus 70m² upstairs, with a fully equipped bar, a shop area, a workshop area, a screen-printing workshop, and an outdoor area for summer events and get-togethers. Every week there’s a fun and diverse line-up of events, including things like Drag Bingo (and regular bingo), karaoke nights, stand-up comedy, art events, concerts, readings, exhibitions, workshops, and more.
The space can be hired for private or business events, and you can book the screen-printing workshop and workshop room separately. We used their main space for our Sh*t Happens Night in 2026 and it was great.
Bumble for Friends (formerly known as Bumble BFF) Link to more info: https://bumble.com/en/the-buzz/bumble-for-friends
Bumble for Friends is like a friendship dating app. It uses the typical swipe-and-match mechanics but adapts profile prompts, photos, and conversation cues to signal non-romantic intent. FYI: it restricts to users of the same gender, citing the avoidance of predatory behavior and discomfort for users. So a man would be matched with other men, not women, and vice versa.
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