The hottest spots in town are concentrated in the St. Pauli Harbor area on the Reeperbahn thoroughfare and on a little side street known as the Grosse Freiheit (Great Liberty -- and that's putting it mildly). In the early '60s, a then obscure band called the Beatles had their first live acts at the now demolished Star Club. The striptease shows are expensive and explicit, but a walk through this area is an experience in itself and costs nothing. Saturday night finds St. Pauli pulsating with people determined to have a good time. It's not advisable, however, to venture into the darker side streets alone in the wee hours of the morning.

Although some of the sex clubs may be relatively tame, a good many others are pornographic in the extreme. They all get going around 10 PM and will accommodate you until the early hours. Order your own drinks rather than letting the hostess do it, and pay for them as soon as they arrive, double-checking the price list again before handing over the money.

Among the attractions in the St. Pauli area are theaters, clubs, music pubs, discos, and all kinds of bizarre shops.