Things to Do in Hannover: The 22 Best Attractions & Highlights

3 Reasons Why I Love Hannover

1. Hannover is Green

Hannover is a wonderfully green city. Parks, gardens, and open spaces are everywhere. The Leine river winds its way through the city with the Leineaue floodplain.

The Eilenriede is one of the largest urban forests in all of Europe, and the Welfengarten stretches for kilometers near the university. On top of that, Hannover has plenty of water — the Leine, the Ihme, the Maschsee, and numerous lakes and ponds.

Hanoverians love being outdoors in summer. Blankets get thrown down and people picnic or grill in the park at any time — whether at the Kleines Fest im Großen Garten, on the Wilhelm Busch meadow, or taking a dip in the Leine.

2. Hannover is Cozy

Hannover is neither pretentious nor run-down, not ultra-hip, but not stuffy or old-fashioned either. It’s not a boring small town or a stressful big city — it’s something in between.

To me, Hannover has a comfortable, just-right size. Everything is easily reachable by bike or public transit without having to commute across the city for hours.

There are distinct neighborhoods with their own individual characters, but people don’t get too hung up on that. Even if you live in Linden, you head downtown to go shopping and to the List neighborhood for a coffee, or from the Nordstadt to the weekly market in Linden.

3. There's Always Something Going On in Hannover

There’s really something happening in Hannover all year long. Countless genuinely great events fill the calendar.

From the Maschseefest to the International Fireworks Competition, the Kleines Fest im Großen Garten, neighborhood street festivals, and the Fête de la Musique — many events are open-air, which is exactly how I like it.

The large student population keeps the city lively and gives Hannover a youthful energy. New cafés, restaurants, and shops are constantly popping up. Pretty much every time I come back, there’s something new to discover somewhere.

By the way: if you haven’t decided where to stay in Hannover yet, check out my hotel tips article. I don’t just share personal hotel recommendations — I also show you which neighborhood suits you best.

Our hotel tips for Hannover

General Tips: The Best Ways to Explore Hannover’s Highlights

Does this sound familiar: you live in a city for years and never really appreciate its attractions? You walk past some of the highlights every day without ever stepping inside?

That was me for a few years in Hannover. Before my best friend from university left the city, we walked the entire “Red Thread” together and visited all the sights our city had to offer.

Here’s a quick rundown of the best ways to explore Hannover’s highlights — then we’ll get into the 22 most beautiful attractions.

1. The Red Thread

Completely independently and at your own pace, you can explore 36 attractions on a 4.2-kilometer city walk. Just follow the red line painted on the pavement.

The accompanying brochure is packed with information and facts about each stop. It’s available for 3 euros at the tourist information office in front of the train station or at the New City Hall.

The entire route is wheelchair accessible, and the brochure comes in ten different languages.

2. Hannover Card

With the Hannover Card, you get unlimited travel on buses and trains plus up to 50 percent off at many attractions and museums, as well as at restaurants, cafés, and theaters.

The card also gets you discounted admission to amusement parks and museums in the surrounding area. You typically save between 1 and 3 euros per venue, so it’s easy to calculate whether it’s worth it for you.

The city card is available for one to three days and costs 10 euros for one day, 16 euros for two, or 19 euros for three days. Group cards for up to five people are also available, and they’re a smart buy for groups of three or more.

You can pick up the Hannover Card at the tourist information office in front of the train station or at the New City Hall, as well as at the German Youth Hostel. It’s also available at numerous hotels in Hannover and at some tourist information offices in the region.

For more information and a full list of benefits, click here.

3. Hop-on/Hop-off City Tours

With the double-decker bus, you can head directly to numerous attractions around Hannover. In good weather, the roof even opens up for a perfect panoramic view.

At seven stops around the city, you can hop on and off as many times as you like in a single day. The bus runs on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays in winter (November through March), and daily in summer (April through October).

One heads-up: departures from all stops only run three times a day, so you’ll need to plan your boarding carefully or be prepared for longer waits.

A day ticket costs 18 euros. You can buy it directly on the bus or at the tourist information office in front of the train station.

My tip: The hop-on/hop-off bus ticket also comes with discounts at some leisure facilities. If you’re using the bus, a one-day Hannover Card usually isn’t worth it.

Book hop-on/hop-off bus ticket online

4. Guided Tours in Hannover

If you want to go deeper into the stories and history behind the sights, a guided tour is a great option.

Hannover’s city marketing office offers various themed tours — including bike tours — as well as culinary tours and neighborhood walking tours.

Browse guided tours from Hannover’s city marketing office

A really fun way to get to know the city is through the mystery tours by Citygames. As detectives, murderers, crooks, or criminals, groups race through the city together and discover Hannover in a playful way.

5. Exploring Hannover on Your Own

Hannover is wonderfully well-suited to exploring independently. That way you’re free to chill in the park, stroll through Linden, or take a lap around the Maschsee.

Cycling Through Hannover

Hannover is compact and easy to navigate. The best way to see the city is by bike — it’s also the ideal way to reach the parks and gardens that lie a bit outside the center.

There are several bike rental stations around Hannover. Right at the train station, you can rent a bike through Deutsche Bahn’s Call a Bike service.

Since 2019, the provider Nextbike has expanded across Hannover. With a Nextbike account, you can easily rent bikes using your smartphone — they’re scattered throughout the entire city.

Public Transportation in Hannover

Hannover’s public transit network is excellent. Lines run in all directions at frequent intervals. The central transfer hub, where all lines converge, is at Kröpcke (see Attraction #17).

A single ticket is valid for one trip, including transfers, and is valid for two hours from the time of validation in the direction of your destination. A day pass is worth it even for just a round trip.

With a day pass, you can ride as many times as you like until 5:00 AM the following morning — making it perfect for night owls too. A group pass is worthwhile for two or more people.

There are tickets for three zones in total. Zone A covers the city of Hannover and will always have you covered. If you’re heading to the surrounding area, add one or two more zones depending on how far out your destination is.

A day pass for Zone A costs 5.80 euros; for a group of up to five people, the price is 10.80 euros. You can buy your ticket at the vending machines at all tram and subway stations.

For more information about public transportation in Hannover, visit the Üstra website.

The Best Things to Do in Hannover — on a Map

Now you know the best ways to get from one attraction to the next.

Before we dive into the individual highlights, here’s a map with all the key points of interest so you can get a rough overview of the city.

Buildings & Icons

New City Hall and Maschpark

The New City Hall is not only a landmark of Hannover but also one of the most photographed spots in the city. No wonder — with its ornate decorations and towers, it looks like a castle.

It’s even one of the 80 most popular travel destinations in Germany according to a recent survey by the German National Tourist Board. The magnificent building is now over 100 years old, yet the mayor’s office is still here and the city administration still meets within its walls.

The doors are always open to visitors, though — and you should absolutely take advantage of that and have a look inside.

In the grand hall, four city models trace the development of Hannover over time. It’s striking — and sobering — to see just how severely the city was destroyed during the war.

The real highlight of the New City Hall, however, is the view from the dome. From up there you can see the entire city, and on a clear day you can even spot the Harz mountains in the distance.

And the ride up is an experience in itself. A unique curved elevator — one of a kind in the world — takes you to the top. In winter, the dome ride isn’t available due to weather conditions.

Don’t miss: Behind the New City Hall spreads the Maschpark. Around the Maschteich pond, you can have a wonderful picnic and enjoy the best photo angle of the New City Hall with the idyllic park in the foreground.

My tip: On weekends, especially in summer, there can be long waits to ride up to the dome. Your best bet is to buy your ticket early in the morning.

In the afternoon, it’s quite possible that tickets for the last rides of the day sell out well before closing time.

Aegidienkirche

Unlike many other buildings in Hannover that fell victim to the bombs during the war, the Aegidienkirche was not rebuilt — or at least not completely.

Only the tower and the outer walls were restored. Today they serve as a memorial to the victims of war and violence. The Peace Bell from Hiroshima is housed at the base of the tower.

Hannover State Opera

You can catch world-class opera at Hannover’s State Opera House — but the building itself is equally worth seeing. The magnificent late-Neoclassical structure stands right behind Kröpcke (see Attraction #17).

The opera house was originally built between 1845 and 1852 as a royal court theater. The enormous covered portico was once used by carriages so that high society could step out and enter the opera without getting wet in bad weather.

Old City Hall and Market Church

The Old City Hall and the Market Church form the heart of historic Hannover. Both are outstanding examples of Brick Gothic architecture from the 14th and 15th centuries.

The Market Church, with its tower shortened due to lack of funds, fell victim to the war like many of Hannover’s buildings. It was rebuilt in 1952 on the original site in the historic style.

The west portal received motifs from the dark chapter of German history at that time, created by sculptor Gerhard Marcks.

Together with the Old City Hall, the Market Church forms the southernmost showpiece of the North German Brick Gothic era. With its delicate gables, the Old City Hall is also a true gem.

Art & Culture

Nanas

The three curvaceous figures Sophie, Charlotte, and Caroline are among the most popular photo subjects in Hannover. These famous works by Niki de Saint Phalle stand in bright colors along the Leibnizufer riverbank.

Initially met with sharp criticism, Hanoverians have since taken their three “buxom ladies” to heart, and in 2000 even named the artist an honorary citizen of Hannover — making her, incidentally, the first and so far only person to hold that title.

If you continue along the main road toward Königsworther Platz, you’ll encounter seven more works of public art. Together they form the Skulpturenmeile (Sculpture Mile).

My tip: On Saturday mornings, a beloved flea market with cult status takes place along the Leibnizufer near the Nanas — the oldest of its kind in Germany. From the crack of dawn well into the afternoon, you can browse through old treasures.

Welfenschloss

A palace that was never a seat of power: the Welfenschloss was built between 1857 and 1866 to replace the Leineschloss (today the Lower Saxony State Parliament) as the residence of the Welfs. But the Welf dynasty came to an end before the building was even completed.

After sitting empty for a few years, the university moved in in 1879. To this day, the administration, lecture halls, and study rooms of Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz University are located here.

Sprengel Museum

Hannover’s museum scene is surprisingly diverse. Even after visiting several exhibitions in a single evening during the Night of Museums, I’m far from having seen them all.

One of the most significant and widely renowned museums is the Sprengel Museum, located right on the Maschsee (see Attraction 12.).

It ranks among the most important museums of modern art from the 20th and 21st centuries, with a particular focus on German Expressionism and the French modernist movement.

At its core is a donation from Margrit and Dr. Bernhard Sprengel. Expanded in the years that followed, the Sprengel Museum today presents a broad spectrum ranging from classical modernism to contemporary art.

On display are significant works by Pablo Picasso, Max Beckmann, Paul Klee, Kurt Schwitters, and Andy Warhol, among others. Photography also plays a strong role in the collection.

Lower Saxony State Museum Hannover

The Lower Saxony State Museum Hannover is also located not far from the Maschsee and is the largest state museum in Lower Saxony. In addition to paintings and sculptures, the focus is on exhibits covering archaeology, ethnology, and natural history.

In the NaturWelten (Nature Worlds) section, you can explore past and present habitats — from the origins of life in the water all the way to the coasts of northern Germany and the Caribbean.

The evolution of humankind is covered in the MenschenWelten (Human Worlds) section through archaeological objects and natural history finds. And the KunstWelten (Art Worlds) section features sculptures and paintings ranging from the Middle Ages to Impressionism.

Wilhelm Busch Caricature Museum

The German Museum for Caricature and Drawing Art displays a collection of more than 40,000 works by international artists of pictorial satire.

At the center is the complete body of work by Wilhelm Busch — visiting always takes me back to my childhood. Alongside that, a caricature collection traces the history of the art form from 1600 to the present day.

Also on display are sketches and drawings by other satirical artists such as Loriot, William Hogarth, and Friedrich Karl Waechter, as well as illustrations from children’s books.

The museum is housed in a Neoclassical palazzo in the Welfengarten. On weekend mornings, the venue is frequently used for weddings. In the afternoons, students fill the lawn out front for grilling and hanging out in the park (see Attraction 6.).

Parks & Nature

Herrenhausen Palace & Royal Gardens of Herrenhausen

The Royal Gardens of Herrenhausen are actually made up of several individual gardens. The centerpiece is the stunning Baroque garden in front of the palace, known as the “Großer Garten” (Great Garden).

The Great Garden is one of the most significant Baroque gardens in all of Europe — in 2015, it even received the European Garden Prize.

Here you can stroll leisurely among precisely arranged flower beds, enormous water fountains, a hedge maze, an orangery, and rose gardens. The best overall view of this complete work of art is from the outdoor staircase in front of the palace.

Be sure to peek inside the small grotto, which artist Niki de Saint Phalle decorated creatively with countless mirror fragments, glass shards, and colorful pebbles.

The palace behind the Great Garden now houses a conference center and a museum. But it’s not nearly as old as it looks — the former summer residence of the Welfs was completely destroyed in World War II and was rebuilt on the original site to match its former appearance only about 70 years later.

Across the street lies the Berggarten, another part of the Royal Gardens of Herrenhausen. Originally a kitchen garden, it’s today a botanical show garden with around 11,000 plant species — including the largest orchid collection in Europe.

My tip: Wonderful events take place in the Great Garden during the summer months. The Kleines Fest im Großen Garten is my absolute favorite. However, you’ll need to line up early and be prepared for long waits at the ticket booth.

Also wonderful are the performances at the International Fireworks Competition, the shows in the Baroque garden theater, and the KunstFestSpiele Herrenhausen arts festival.

Note: Closing times vary considerably for the different sections (Great Garden, grotto, Berggarten, museum, etc.) depending on the season. It’s best to check the official website for current opening hours.

Book a tour of the Royal Gardens of Herrenhausen

Welfen- and Georgengarten

The Georgengarten extends toward the city center from the palace. Technically, it — along with the Welfengarten on the other side of the road — is also part of the Royal Gardens of Herrenhausen, but both are freely accessible without admission.

The Welfen- and Georgengarten are laid out in the style of an English landscape garden, with many walking paths, open lawns, and large trees. Together they form a large recreational area around the university.

Accordingly, many young people visit. But families also picnic here in summer, joggers and inline skaters do their laps, and parents push strollers along the wide avenue.

I used to live near the park. We often grilled with friends on the Wilhelm Busch Wiese in front of the museum of the same name (see Attraction 9.). On nice days, it’s dotted with countless groups of people and the smell of fresh grilled food draws you in from far away.

Maschsee

“If you haven’t been to the Maschsee, you haven’t been to Hannover,” as the saying goes. The Maschsee is the city’s most popular recreational destination.

On a sunny Sunday, it feels like all of Hannover is out and about around this 0.8-kilometer-wide artificially created lake. People walk, cycle, or inline skate around it, or head out onto the water in rowboats, paddleboats, and sailboats, or on the passenger ships of the Maschsee fleet.

Just like in the Royal Gardens of Herrenhausen, popular open-air events take place at the Maschsee in summer. The nearly three-week-long Maschseefest is seriously renowned, drawing around 2 million visitors each year to the party strip around the lake.

My tip: If you want to escape the weekend crowds, head to the western shore. It’s a bit quieter there, and personally I find the paths in the more natural setting nicer than the broad promenade on the eastern shore.

Eilenriede

With its urban forest, Hannover actually surpasses even Hyde Park in London. The Eilenriede, covering 640 hectares, is one of the largest urban forests in Europe.

Hannover’s green lung stretches almost to the city center. Especially on weekends, walkers, joggers, and cyclists make their way through the expansive area, with its meadows, playgrounds, and ponds.

Tiergarten

Another popular year-round spot for locals is the Tiergarten. Ancient trees create a beautiful park setting.

The Tiergarten once served the duke as a hunting ground for the royal court. To that end, he released 120 fallow deer into the area in the 17th century.

The fallow deer population has remained constant to this day. In addition, wild boar, roe deer, and red deer now also live in the Tiergarten, along with countless birds and rare bat species.

Leineaue & Leineschloss

The Leine river runs right through Hannover. At the level of the Maschsee, the Ihme branches off at the border with Linden. The Leine continues through the old town along the Leibnizufer riverbank.

In recent years, the area around the Holzmarkt has been revitalized, with stylish new restaurants and cafés opening along the Leine riverfront. I can highly recommend the inclusive café “Anna Leine.”

Nearby is also the Leineschloss. From 1837 to 1866, the kings of Hannover lived here. Since 1992, the Lower Saxony State Parliament has met in the palace.

Along the Leine and Ihme, you can stroll beautifully on walking and cycling paths. By bike, a ride through the southern Leineaue floodplain from the Maschsee toward Pattensen is really worth it. Oxbow lakes, ponds, wet meadows, reeds, and rushes make for a varied and truly fascinating habitat for wildlife and plants.

Shopping & Strolling

Old Town

Welcome to the heart of Hannover!

In the old quarter behind the Market Church, everything was brought together that Hannover still had left of its old, medieval half-timbered buildings after the bombing in World War II.

You read that right — only twelve of the half-timbered houses standing in the old town today were actually located on Knochenhauer-, Kramer-, and Burgstraße. The other buildings were dismantled from various parts of the city in the late 1950s and reassembled in what is now the historic district.

Some reconstructions are among them too, such as the Leibniz-Haus at the Holzmarkt. This is where Hannover’s most famous son, Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz, lived for many years. Today the building houses the Historical Museum.

In this way, the picturesque quarter with its narrow lanes and crooked houses came to be. It gives you a real sense of what large parts of Hannover once looked like.

The half-timbered houses are now home to independent boutiques, small cafés, and restaurants. The old town is a lovely neighborhood for browsing and strolling, or for grabbing a beer or cocktail in the evening.

My tip: To learn more about this wonderful and historically rich neighborhood, your best bet is to join a guided tour.

Browse guided tours through Hannover’s old town

Kröpcke and City Center

When Hanoverians aren’t meeting “under the tail” — meaning under the equestrian statue at the train station — they meet at the historic Kröpcke clock. The central square is an important transportation hub (where all tram lines intersect) and a perfect starting point for a shopping tour through the city center.

From Kröpcke, shopping streets branch out in every direction. Lined with international department stores, they stretch to the train station, the opera house, and further to the Aegi (for non-Hanoverians: Aegidientorplatz) to the west and Steintor to the east, as well as into the old town (see Attraction 16.).

Hannover’s city marketing even claims that the city center has the longest and most popular shopping streets in Germany, with Bahnhofsstraße and Georgsstraße. Whether that’s true, I can’t say — but you’ll definitely find a seriously dense concentration of shopping options here.

Limmern in Linden

“Limmern” is what Hanoverians call the laid-back wandering, browsing, chatting, and dining along Limmerstraße in Linden.

The symbol of Linden is the “Drei warme Brüder” (Three Warm Brothers) — the chimneys of the old district heating plant. In the evenings, you can see them lit up in colorful lights from Küchengartenplatz, standing watch over the neighborhood.

Linden is a trendy neighborhood known for its multicultural lifestyle, eclectic dining scene, and independent shops. Scattered throughout are the many kiosks that serve as gathering spots for a casual drink to go.

In the evening, iconic, cozy, and rock-and-roll bars and pubs open their doors for night owls. On Saturday mornings, the weekly market kicks off the weekend.

Lister Meile

You can also browse at a leisurely pace along the Lister Meile and the side streets branching off it, popping into independent shops along the way.

The shopping street is easy to reach from the train station, yet the Lister Meile has a world all its own.

Art Nouveau facades, bubbling fountains, and sidewalk cafés give this promenade its special flair. Annual highlights include the Lister Meile Festival and the Christmas market.

Hannover Market Hall

The Market Hall in Hannover is a fantastic place to indulge in great food. It’s no wonder the historic hall calls itself “The Belly of Hannover.”

Across 4,000 square meters, 73 stalls offer international specialties, fine wines, fresh juices, wok dishes, sausages, pizza, and a whole lot of other delicacies.

Activities

Hannover Adventure Zoo

Go on safari through an African Zambezi river landscape, discover polar bears and seals on an expedition to northern Canada, or watch baby elephants in the Jungle Palace — all of this is possible right here in Hannover.

The Hannover Adventure Zoo is lovingly designed around various themed worlds. You can see over 2,000 animals here.

Admission is on the pricier side, but honestly it’s the most beautiful zoo I’ve ever visited.

SEA LIFE

At SEA LIFE, you can peek into the colorful underwater world. From turtles and seahorses to rays, sharks, and a crocodile, you’ll journey through the waters of the Leine river all the way to the Amazon.

The standout is the glass tunnel through the 300,000-liter ocean tank, where you get up close and personal with the marine inhabitants.

My tip: You can order your ticket at a discount here online. Express tickets are also available on the website, letting you skip the line at the box office.

Get tickets for SEA LIFE