Hannover sightseeing: tips for what to do and see

Latest update: 9 July 2024

Medieval timber-framed houses and BANKSY art. Schnitzels and ceviche. Hannover in Germany is a city that honors history and tradition while being open to new and modern. It allows you to make a fun combination of sights and activities during your visit to Hannover. I’m happy to help you on your way.

Hannover: very suitable for a city trip

I live in the Netherlands, so I can easily travel to Hannover by car or train from Amsterdam and Utrecht in about four hours. The price of the train ticket starts from €28. This makes the city a perfect candidate for a city trip.

Hannover is known as a very green city, but I am there in December, so most of the leaves have already fallen from the trees. In fact, it is snowing, and the Christmas market is in full swing. I think the Hannover Christmas market is really nice and cozy, but that means I really have to go back again because there is much more to see and do. So let’s do it! I’m back in Hanover in the spring and get to know the city even better.

Neighborhoods with character

Hannover has a small, historic center where you can look around the shops, drink tea at an old teahouse, or admire the half-timbered houses. But the city also has all kinds of nice neighborhoods, each with its own character. For example, in Linden, you will find many coffee bars and street art; in Nordstadt, there are many hip and vintage shops. It’s all a bit spread out, so public transport is your friend. With the HannoverCard, you can travel freely on buses, metros, and trams and get discounts at some attractions. You can buy it here, at the tourism office.

The best sights of Hannover

Are you, like me, in Hannover for the first time? Then there are a few sights that you should not miss. Like the ‘red thread’, the market hall, the new town hall… I’ll list them all for you.

City walk: Der Rote Faden

A red line has been drawn on the ground through the center of Hannover. Following this 4.2 km long line, you will walk past Hannover’s most important sights. This route is called Der Rote Faden (literally: the red thread, figuratively: the common thread), and it is easiest if you start it at the tourism office opposite the train station. But you can actually pick up the (red) thread wherever you come across it because it is a circuit.

Google Maps location

You can pick up an information booklet at the tourism office for €3.50. If you want to have the route on your phone (in case you, like me, lose the red line in the snow), try this link. There are 36 sights along the route: from churches and museums to art objects and small facade stones. I think it’s a nice way to orient myself to the city.

The cheerful, colorful images along the red line are Nanas. They were made by artist Niki de Saint Pahlle, who has also been given a place for her art in the Herrenhäuser Gärten. Read more about the garden and the art in the article about green Hannover.

If you would like to do a walking tour like this in Hannover, but would rather go with a guide, that is also possible. I am always a fan of walking tours with a culinary approach, such as this one, but there are many more walking tours in Hannover.

Admire the historic half-timbered houses

Walking around the old center of Hannover, you will automatically come across the beautiful half-timbered houses. Due to the Second World War, little remains of the historic timber-framed houses. The houses were demolished and rebuilt in the 1950s. You may know the style with the wooden beams from Strasbourg or Troyes in the Champagne region. I find a few nice examples in Hannover at the Marktkirche and Ballhofplatz.

The ‘unauthorized’ BANKSY exhibition

The exhibition about BANKSY is more than worth visiting if you are in Hannover. The exhibition opened in October 2023, and hopefully, it will remain open for a long time. There is so much work by BANKSY (replicas, of course) that you need almost two visits to look at everything properly and read all the information signs.

The exhibition is called The Mystery of BANKSY. So, unfortunately, after the visit, you still don’t know who the person or people behind BANKSY are. But I’m really impressed by the amount of work done under the BANKSY name. And how much impact it makes. Because BANKSY’s work is known for political views (anti-capitalist, anti-religion, and anti-war) and being controversial. For example, who doesn’t know the shredded painting? But there is more, much more to see in this Hannover exhibition space. So go! You will not regret it. Buy your tickets in advance here.

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Hannover’s new town hall

Hannover’s new town hall is not that new anymore. The Neues Rathaus was built between 1901 and 1913. It is quite an imposing building; it could easily serve as a palace if you ask me. You can enter for free and walk around the hall and along the corridor of the first floor. In the hall, there are four large city models from different years. They show very clearly what damage the Second World War caused. Hanover was largely bombed and largely rebuilt within ten years.

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Also, take a walk behind the town hall through the park. There, you have a very nice view of the building—especially in spring when everything is green! Only then will you really see what a green city Hannover actually is.

The 17° elevator of the Rathaus

Stay in the Rathaus for a while. There are viewing platforms on top of the dome of the town hall that you can reach by elevator (unfortunately, not in the winter months due to the slippery conditions). The lift has a strange bend of 17 degrees. There is glass in the floor and ceiling of the elevator, so I can see the ‘rails’ when I go up or down. The elevator was actually only intended for the workers during the construction of Hannover City Hall. But because it is so special and the view from the top is great, you can still use it for €4 (in 2024). Make no mistake: after the elevator, you still have to climb 66 steps.

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Go see the Aegidienkirche

Church becomes war memorial. That is what the ruins of the medieval Egidius Church are now: a war monument in memory of the victims of war and violence. The Aegidienkirche was destroyed in 1943, and now only the tower and outer walls remain. With the layer of snow, it has a very serene atmosphere. The bell was donated by partner city Hiroshima and is called the Peace Bell. Every year, on August 6, the day the atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima, the bell is rung.

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Tip! The Hannover tourism office organizes many fun activities, such as walking tours through the neighborhoods and bicycle tours. View the full offer.

Surfing on the Leine

You can stroll quietly along the Leine and almost imagine yourself in Italy, but you can also surf on the Leine. I didn’t make an attempt and just watched quietly from the side. If you dare, check the Leinewelle website. The waves are semi-natural: the water naturally flows anyway, but it is driven by a system.

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Museum of Modern Art: Sprengel Museum

The Sprengel Museum has a permanent and changing collection of modern art. It is a nice and spacious museum with high ceilings, which makes it an impressive building. For example, you can see works by Picasso and German artists. Some work is more beautiful than others – let’s just say tastes differ.

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Hannover’s city lake: Machsee

Soon, the first ice-skaters will enter the Machsee. At the beginning of December, the first parts of Hannover’s large city lake are already frozen. In the summer, people like to come here to row, SUP, and sail. And have a party! Because the Machsee Lake Festival is organized every year. The people of Hannover and around all join for plenty of music and food. It is one of the largest open-air festivals in the region. So if you are planning to go to Hannover in the summer, see if you can plan it so that you can catch the festival. You can find the current dates on the Visit Hannover website.

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Hannover’s cookie: Leibniz Keks

The name Leibniz Keks may not mean much to you, but I’m sure you know the cookie. In the Netherlands, we call them biscuits or Maria biscuits. The Leibniz Keks are named after a mathematician from Hannover. He first called the cookies ‘cakes’, but the Germans pronounced them ‘kakkes’. They were the first cookies to be made in an assembly line factory. The company now also makes other products, but the cookies still sell best.

On the facade of the building, you see a statue of two men with golden hats carrying a golden cake. This plate (weighing no less than 25 kilos!) was stolen by Cookie Monster. Leibniz Keks was able to get it back in exchange for a large donation for sick children. Ultimately, the large cookie was found wrapped around the neck of a horse statue in front of the university. Watch the video.

You are not allowed to enter the building, but it might be fun to cycle by to look at the golden cookie on the facade.

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Kulturzentrum Faust and more street art

If you are a fan of street art, then you can certainly see a few things in Hannover. You can admire various works at the Faust cultural center and surrounding area. I’ll be honest and say that I’m not super impressed by the graffiti. It’s all very raw. Typically German, I think. On this tour from the Hannover tourism office, you will also view Linden’s graffiti and visit Faust. If you prefer to discover Nordstadt, this tour is a good option – also with street art.

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Lazing around in Linden

In any case, this part of Linden around Faust is a lovely part of Hannover to discover. For example, Biergarten Gretchen is an excellent place for a beer (duh!). Linden has plenty of nice coffee shops and eateries. It is alternative and hip, and it is much more a living and habitat of the residents of Hannover. It is secretly more fun than the center! It invites you to stroll, have a coffee here, and visit the shop there.

Architecture in Hannover

Even if you’re not into architecture, you can’t ignore it in Hannover. The city has many different types of construction: Art Nouveau, Brutalism… It’s bizarre how beautiful the buildings are. That you live there! And yes, there are also some ugly concrete blocks, but that variation is nice. Everything is grand, and the styles alternate. So when you walk or cycle through the city, look up regularly.

Gardens, forests, water and more

I said it before: Hannover is an incredibly green city. If the weather is good, I would like to invite you to explore nature in Hannover. There is the Herrenhäuser Gärten and the city forest, for example. I have an article ready for you with all the green tips for Hannover.

Just outside Hannover…

If you have a little more time and are able to explore the area. I recommend visiting the Steinhuder Meer for more nature, or if you’re interested in authentic towns: go to Celle or Hamelin. The Lower Saxony area has a lot to offer to visitors!

Hotels in Hannover

So I’m staying in Hannover twice. The first time, I want to walk a lot of laps around the Christmas market, so I don’t have such high demands on the hotel. Just good, clean, and affordable. And that’s how I ended up at the YORS Boutique Hotel. If you come by train, the hotel is directly behind the station. Or you can park your car at Tiefgarage Kaufland for €6 per day (here).

View the rooms and prices.

But the second time in Hannover, it is time for a hotel upgrade. I am staying in the modern Me And All Hotel (from Hyatt Hotel Group). I actually want to spend time here. It is a nice, hip hotel with lots of color. I see cool details and beautiful furniture everywhere. The Me And All hotel has a lobby where you would like to linger for a few hours. The breakfast room (which, according to the receptionist, is also a good restaurant) is also hipper than hip—-blue owl vases as cutlery holders and mega LPs as art on the wall. The interior designer did a good job.

The hotel room is modern and cozy, with books and vases. There is a luxurious shower and toilet, and there are a few facilities that make such a hotel visit comfortable and pleasant: a good sound system, plenty of sockets, a Nespresso machine, and a mini fridge with a few free drinks. In the hotel, you will also find a sauna and a gym if you feel like getting hot and steamy.

Curious about the hotel? Check it out here.

The first time in Hannover was at my own expense and then Visit Hannover invited me to come back again. They have given me complete editorial freedom.