116
—
GW
T I M E O F F I N
…
HANOVER
See
Before you visit the palatial Wilhelmian
NEUE RATHAUS
(
New Town Hall),
take a trip up to the cupola. The platform
at the top offers great views.
There’s also plenty to see in the vicinity,
including the
MASCHSEE LAKE
,
a
popular destination for watersports fans.
The 6km-long shore is ideal for walking,
cycling, jogging or inline skating. There’s
also the
EILENRIEDE
,
Europe’s
biggest urban forest. It’s twice the size
of New York’s Central Park.
The
MARKTKIRCHE
(
Market
Church) is one of the most northerly
examples of Gothic brick architecture.
The church also contains the tomb of an
officer who served in the Thirty Years
War and who may be a legendary figure
called Deutscher Michel, an early
personification of the German nation.
The Old Town is also home to Hanover’s
most beautiful and oldest townhouse,
the
LEIBNIZ-HAUS
,
which dates
back to 1566 and has an elaborately
decorated Renaissance facade. The
building was destroyed in World War II
but subsequently restored to its glorious
original state. Hanover’s most famous
resident, the great mathematician
Leibniz, lived here for some years.
One of the city’s most well-loved
attractions is the
GROSSER
GARTEN
in Hannover-Herrenhausen,
a short car or tram ride away. It’s one of
the best-kept and important Baroque
gardens in Europe. To the north of the
Großer Garten is the
BERGGARTEN
,
a botanical show garden which contains
Europe’s largest orchid collection.
Hanover
ZOO
attracts over 1.5 million
visitors a year. It houses over 3,000
animals in seven different ‘worlds’.
Drink
Hip club
PALO PALO
► Raschplatz
8
a, Hanover, +49 (0)511 331073,
◄
is frequently filled
to its small 200-person capacity, even
onMondays. According to
Prinz
magazine,
it’s ‘Hanover’s number one nightspot’.
From the 1920s to the 50s,
GOP
►
Varieté Theater, Georgstraße 36,
30159
Hanover, +49 (0)511 3018 6710,
◄
was Germany’s only
dedicated variety theatre. The acrobats,
comedy acts, oddball characters and
witty comperes still play to enthusiastic
audiences today.
The
BRAUHAUS ERNST
AUGUST
► Schmiedestraße 13,
30159
Hanover, +49 (0)511 365950,
◄
has been one of
Hanover’s most popular hangouts for
almost three decades. Each year over
300,000
visitors descend on the venue
to drink their way through 600,000 litres
of beer. But it’s not just about the beer:
the Brauhaus is a brewery, bistro,
restaurant and disco all rolled into one.
Sportsbar
PEANUTS
► Voßstraße
20,
at the corner with Kriegerstraße,
30161
Hanover, +49 (0)511 590 6218,
◄
in the
List quarter isn’t just popular with fans
of local Bundesliga football club
Hannover 96. You can follow all the
sports action on two film screens and
four flat-screen televisions, and even
calm your nerves with the odd cigarette,
as smoking is allowed here.
Sleep
Hanover is used to welcoming large
numbers of tourists, particularly during
the trade fairs held at the world’s largest
exhibition centre. Many locals even use
the opportunity to make a bit of cash on
the side by renting out rooms. The city
also offers hotels for all budgets, from
five-star luxury to private guesthouses.
The
COURTYARD BY
MARRIOTT HANNOVER
►
Arthur-Menge-Ufer 3, 30169 Hanover,
+49 (0)511366000,
is a stone’s throw from the city, the old
town and numerous sights. The
four-star boasts 149 newly renovated
rooms and suites. It’s the ideal stop-off
for business travellers and a great
starting point for a tour of the city.
Not far off is
LÜHMANN’S HOTEL
AM RATHAUS
► Friedrichswall 21,
30159
Hanover, +49 (0)511 326268,
◄,
a modern
hotel in the city centre, which offers 40
individually designed non-smoking rooms
and attractive weekend package deals
which include visits to local attractions.
The
PELIKAN-RESIDENZ
► Gästeresidenz Pelikanviertel,
Pelikanstraße 11, 30177 Hanover, +49
(0)511 39990,
pelikanviertel.de ◄
is the former
Pelikan stationery factory, now tastefully
transformed into 173 reasonably priced
apartments with a great ambience.
BED’NBUDGET
► Hildesheimer
Straße 380, 30519 Hanover, +49 (0)511
1261 1504,
◄
offers affordable accommodation for the
budget traveller. The furnishings are
quirky and practical: the 3.4m-high
bunk beds can easily sleep four kids (up
to 1.70m tall), and rooms also include a
double bed for parents.
Eat
Hanover’s most famous resident and
former chancellor Gerhard Schröder
might love currywurst, but there’s more
to the city’s gastronomic scene than
curried sausages. In Lower Saxony’s
capital, you can dine on everything from
gourmet delicacies to simple, hearty fare.
And, yes, you can even get a currywurst!
At
DIE INSEL
► Rudolf-von-
Bennigsen Ufer 81, 30519 Hanover,
+49(0)511831214,www.dieinsel.com◄
owner and head chef Norbert Schu’s
fine cuisine and huge choice of wines
have earned his restaurant a place in the
prestigious Gault Millau gourmet guide.
Diners can also enjoy views of the
Maschsee Lake, just one of the Green
Metropolis’s many attractions.
CLICHY
►Weißekreuzstraße 31,
30161
Hanover, +49 (0)511 312447,
◄,
in the fashionable
quarter of List, offers French fare with a
German and Italian twist. The restaurant,
which opened its doors 30 years ago, is
something of an institution in Hanover.
Gourmet eating for big spenders.
MAX WALLOSCHKE
► Lange
Laube 2, 30159 Hanover, +49 (0)511
13607,
◄
,
named after the former owner, a local
boxer, opened its doors 60 years ago,
and specialises in hearty German fare.
Jazz musician Lionel Hampton allegedly
composed
The Eisbein Boogie
here in
1974
and
Eisbein
(
knuckle of pork)
remains the house speciality.
You’ll find no-frills gourmet cuisine and
simple contemporary dishes on the
menu at
11
A
► Am Küchengarten 11a,
30449
Hanover, +49 (0)511 590 1111,
◄ –
fresh
organic food that attracts Hanover’s
discerning middle classes.
