The Wandsbek and Farmsen end of Hamburg is the quiet side of the city, and it makes a gentle landing at the end of a day. After the traffic of the autobahn, the streets are slow and tree-lined, with low brick buildings and the soft glow of shop windows. The district is not on any tourist list, but it has the unhurried feel of a place where people actually live, with weekly markets, small cafés and corner bakeries, and a long stretch of park beside the Wandse where dog walkers and joggers pass in the evening.
If you have arrived back with energy to spare, Hamburg is a city that rewards an evening. Head for the water: the Alster lakes in the centre are ringed with paths and cafés, with white excursion boats gliding across the surface. Or take the ferry across the Elbe, which is part of the city's ordinary public transport and gives a fine view of the harbour cranes, the container ships and the grand shape of the concert hall on the quay. The city's signature snack, a fish roll with pickled herring or fried fish, can be bought at a stall near the landing stage.
The weather in Hamburg is famously changeable, and the saying goes that you can have four seasons in an afternoon. Rain, wind and sunshine pass over the flat land in quick succession, so a layer of waterproofs is always useful. Autumn and spring tend to be the most pleasant, with the low light of evening turning the brick red and the canals silver. If it rains, shelter in the doorway of a café and wait; it will pass.
There is no worry about fuel here, because the district is thick with stations and supermarkets, and the nearest big shops are in Wandsbek, a few minutes away. Park the bike somewhere safe, take off your helmet, and give your legs a moment to remember how to walk. Then decide whether to go straight to bed or to find a late supper. Either is a perfectly good way to end a ride.