Miniatur Wunderland

It's not just trainspotters and railway lovers who come to visit Hamburg's Miniatur Wunderland (Miniature Wonderland) this fascinating and unique attraction is a real treat for visitors of all ages and interests with an incredible range of destinations recreated in intricate detail.

Trains, planes and automobiles zoom across landscapes as diverse as the soaring peaks of the Swiss Alps and the famous neon-lit streets and hotels of Las Vegas. In and around one million people come to Miniatur Wunderland every year, making it one of Hamburg's, and Germany's, most popular tourist attractions.

This amazing site opened in 2001 and now houses nine different sections within its sprawling 6,400-square-metre area. There are hundreds of trains running around the many kilometres of tracks at any time, as well as almost 9,000 cars, all carefully coordinated from a central control room.

And these tiny worlds are also home to over 215,000 “Wunderlander”, as the world's miniature inhabitants are known. They live their lives in wonderfully intricate towns and cities with transport systems that would put many of their real-world counterparts to shame.

One of the most interesting sections is the fully automated airport with planes – and sometimes UFOs – taking off and landing continuously in an extremely impressive feat of structural engineering. There is also a 200-square-metre scaled model of Hamburg city where you'll get a bird's eye perspective of the city's most famous attractions, including the zoo and the train station, which hundreds of trains pass through each day.

More than half a million working hours were spent creating these miniature worlds and there are plenty of amusing scenes being played out – see if you can spot a family of penguins waiting for the train among the many other strange sights that will keep the eyes of younger visitors peeled.

This popular attraction can get quite busy so book ahead online or arrive early to avoid the queues. Miniatur Wunderland is located in the old warehouse district which is well served by public transportation and there is parking available in the area also. There is an entrance charge and the behind-the-scenes tours come at an extra cost.