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Germany : Hanover - January 2010

Country Code: Dial for Germany

A centre for trade dating back to 1241, the capital of Lower Saxony has always been reasonably wellheeled. It plays host to 40 trade shows annually, including the CeBIT communications and IT fair, boasts a raft of top museums, and is the home town of Germany’s last chancellor, Gerhard Schroeder. Mathias Anders goes in search of what makes it tick

Getting around

HAJ

Bus: The 470 bus leaves from its stand beside Terminal C for the Langenhagen Zentrum station in the city centre, several times an hour. The journey takes about 40 minutes and costs €2.
Train: The S5 train departs every 30 minutes from 4.30am until midnight. The journey takes about 15 minutes and costs €2,80.
Taxi: A taxi from the airport to the city centre costs around €25 and takes about 20 minutes.
Tourist information: The central tourist office is at 2 Ernst- August-Platz ( ; hannover.de).

HERRENHÄUSEN

Anchored by the country’s pride and joy, the Royal Gardens, this quarter oozes imperial magnificence.

Culture vultures – The quartet of Royal Gardens at Herrenhausen are the city’s showpiece (4 Herrenhäuserstrasse). Established during Duke Johann Friedrich’s reign, in 1666, the baroque grounds, with their manicured hedgerows and neat gravel paths, are among Europe’s finest and cover a vast area.

Must eat – Serving warming soups and nouvelle sandwiches, tiny Park Café (1 Herrenhäuserstrasse, tel. ) and the Mövenpick restaurant (3 Alte Herrenhäuserstrasse, tel. ), just a stone’s throw away, are the perfect places to rest weary feet.

CITY CENTRE

The city centre is dotted with worldclass museums, buzzy bars and stately hotels. Its pedestrianised streets are ideal for strolling or shopping.

Sleep soundly – With 145 spotless rooms, each with the latest mod cons, the trusty Kastens Hotel Luisenhof (1-3 Luisenstrasse, tel. , kastens-hotel-luisenhof.de, rooms from €127, excluding breakfast) is ideally located between the main train station and the opera house. While the Courtyard Hannover Maschsee (3 Arthur-Menge-Ufe, tel. , marriott.com, rooms from €77) is situated beside the stunning Lake Maschee and has 144 rooms and five suites – half of which boast water views.

Culture vultures – Sited on what was swampy moorland, City Hall or Neues Rathaus (2 Trammplatz) has foundations that were fashioned from 6,026 tree trunks. Built in the Wilhelmine style in the 10-hectare Maschpark, it features an unusual diagonal lift that rises to the cupola for unbeatable panoramas. At the nearby Niedersächsisches Landesmuseum (Willy-Brandt-Allee), you can learn about all you’ve surveyed from the top of the Neues Rathaus. The Lower Saxony State Museum is one of the most important in Germany, containing treasures that date back seven centuries. Its art collection includes work by Rembrandt, Rubens and Dürer. The Sprengel Museum also has an impressive collection, including work by Max Ernst and Paul Klee (2 Kurt-Schwitters-Platz).

Must drink – HeimW (6 Theaterstrasse, tel. ), a striking minimalist boîte where sybarites nibble on tapas and sip Nega Fulo caipirinhas, is among the most popular watering holes in town. The chic clique also congregates at Acanto (28 Dragonerstrasse, tel. ), a moody bar with live music acts, especially at weekends. Also recommended is the more laidback vibe of the Gelbeseiten Bar (3 Raschplatz, tel. ).

Shop til you drop – Join the throngs of locals window-shopping in the luxe glass-enclosed passages and art nouveau arcades on Georgstrasse, stretching from Aegidientorplatz to the opera house. Retailers include the likes of Benetton and Douglas.

LINDEN-MITTE

This leafy, multi-cultural residential neighbourhood, with its lively, fun ethos, features good bars and restaurants – all on the left bank of the Leine.

Must eat – Named after its address – in a leafy garden – 11a Küche mit Garten (11a Am Küchengarten, tel. ) is among Hanover’s most superlative eateries, with a culinary oeuvre that focuses on fresh seasonal ingredients. For something a little less pricey, Café K (18 Egestorffstrasse, tel. ) offers expertly prepared tapas-like specialities, as well as sandwiches and pastas, paired to beer and wine. In contrast to both of these, the Benz Restaurant & Bar (3 Mercedesstrasse, tel. ) serves local German dishes on the first floor of the building.

Must drink – The epitome of a dive bar, but one with a bit of life to it, und der böse Wolf (1 Heesestrasse) is a long-time favourite. And another favourite is Bronco’s (7 Schwarzer Bär) – a popular retro-style spot for fashionistas, who kick up their heels on the little dance floor.

Compiled by Mathias Anders