Big Beatles fans will no doubt know that Liverpool's most famous four-piece got started not on Penny Lane or the streets bordering Strawberry Fields, but along the raucous roads of Hamburg's sleepless Reeperbahn.

The Reeperbahn is not for the faint of heart. It is, however, a lot of fun. Especially on New Year's Eve.

Strolling through the crowds, the last thing my pals and I expected was to be dodging fireworks being thrown into the street. People didn't give a schnitzel; this is standard for Hamburg apparently. One exploded so close to me that it caused me to nearly schnitzel in my pants.

We sought refuge in a bar, where the bitter cold was swiftly numbed by at least three straight vodka shots. Soon after, the group had shrunk from 11 to 4 and we were stumbling past Olivia's Show Club and into Dollhouse. One hour later and €30 or so lighter we stumbled into the most despicable establishment of night: KFC.

Emerging lethargically from hangover-reeking hotel rooms the following morning, evidence of the madness that had taken place the night before was clear to see. Firework debris littered the pavements and cans and bottles rattled in the road. So much for German efficiency!

Time for something that didn't involve shameless debauchery.

The Hamburg Beatles Tour

Who doesn't love The Beatles? At the very least, you will know the words to Hey Jude.

In my case, I was brought up listening to The Beatles on a near daily basis. My Dad is a super fan. Any family meal or holiday throughout my childhood was complemented by a 60s classics soundtrack, and a crooning Dad to boot. So, you can imagine my (and his) excitement when I discovered that several of their old Hamburg haunts were still standing.

I was going on my very own magical mystery tour, and no hangover in the world, no matter how horrendous, was going to stop me. Unfortunately, this is exactly what stopped everyone else, thus, it was to be a solo mission.

So eight hours after I stumbled off it, there I was wearily stumbling back onto the Reeperbahn. I'd spent a good half hour planning my route, starting at the stadium of Hamburg's FC St. Pauli football team.

I'd read about them before the trip; the team has a renowned cult following that was born out of a punk rock scene. According to Wikipedia, FC St. Pauli were the first German side to outlaw right-wing nationalist activities from its stadium during the era of fascist-inspired football hooliganism. Pretty amazing right? They've even got a skull and crossbones as their official team flag.

Sadly there were no games on either that day or the next, but it was still great to stroll around the stadium and get a feel for the club.

The Reeperbahn is just a 2-3 minute walk from FC St. Pauli's stadium, and this is the better end to start with if you're planning on doing your own Hamburg Beatles tour. The first name on the list was 'Top Ten Club', although this was changed to 'Moondoo' several years ago. They played here regularly after moving to Hamburg, and even lived upstairs for a short while.

Continuing down the Reeperbahn, you'll come to Beatles-Platz, at the start of Grosse Freiheit street. There is a sign and four outlined Beatles-shaped figurines that tourists queue to fit themselves into.

The Beatles probably spent many a night stumbling along this lively strip, playing whichever bars and clubs would allow them in. One story goes that Lennon was caught with a working girl in the toilets of Kaiserkeller, a bar where they were booked to perform that same night and which remains iconic to this day. Allegedly, Lennon put a giant hole through the stage floor following a bet made by another band that he couldn't do it if he tried. He could, and he did. When the doorman found him 'hiding' in the toilets, he removed a nearby toilet seat and hooked it around Lennon's neck, literally pulling him back into the bar, so that he could get back on the stage and play. Or so the local guide who I overheard says.

There is a plaque (in German) outside the main entrance to the bar, chronicling the Beatles era, though curiously there is no mention of the incident involving Lennon...

Across the street from Kaiserkeller is Star Club, or at least what remains of it, after a fire forced the bar to close in the 1980s. This was perhaps The Beatles' most famous and routinely visited venue. And there is even a live recording taken from here that is still lurking on a B-side somewhere.

Soon after Star Club you'll come to Indra Club, where the fab four (except Ringo) first appeared on the Hamburg scene. Again, there is a plaque, and a few old posters, but not a lot else to see. At least this one is still in business though.

Further down the road, turning left at the junction and continuing on a few yards, is the green, ivy-covered house in which The Beatles used to live. It's the only building that remains unchanged on Paul-Roosen Strasse (33) since the 60s – everything else is modern and characterless. They lived there 'in squalor' during the summer of 1960, and probably threw some amazing parties. If only I had a time machine...

This article originally appeared on my personal blog CheekyJaunt.com