Hanover

Baroque gardens, lakeside walks and big fairs

Hanover is the capital of Lower Saxony and a major rail and trade fair city. Visitors can follow the Red Thread route past the main sights, ride the arc lift up the New Town Hall dome or stroll the baroque Herrenhausen Gardens. The Maschsee lake is the local place for walks and swimming. Stadtbahn lines link the center with the gardens and the fairground. Trains from Berlin, Hamburg and Cologne arrive at the main station in the center. If you want an easy city break with plenty of green space, this is a good fit.

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City in Germany

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$	Cheap
$$	Medium
$$$	Expensive, upscale
$$$+	Very expensive, luxury

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Safety: 7.8

General Safety:	7
Health & medical:	9
Accessibility:	8
Tap water:	9

Read details

3/5

In Hanover, most young locals and service staff speak clear German, but many also understand basic English – especially in hotels, restaurants and tourist spots – making everyday communication fairly easy for visitors.

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Last update: Oct 21, 2026

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Hanover Summary

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Good for gardens and city parks. Walk royal gardens, visit museums, explore historic squares and enjoy green spaces across the city.

Place score

8.9

Best at:

Gardens & parks

Zoos

Cycling

Festivals

Less touristy

Personal score

Suited for

👶 9

Families

🧓 9

Seniors

🐕 9

With dogs

🌈 9

LGBTQ+

Germany – Quick facts

Guide Etiquette Holidays Other

Power Grid:	230 V, 50 Hz Plug: Type C , Type F Type C: Type F: Read about power adapters
Currency:	Euro (EUR) $1 ≈ €0.90
Cashless info:	Rating 4/5 Cards are widely accepted, especially in urban areas, but small establishments may prefer cash. Be prepared for occasional cash-only situations. Save with a travel credit card
eSIM providers:	Best value: Saily Flexibility: Airalo Read our in-depth comparison

Tipping:	Tipping is common in restaurants, typically 5-10%. For taxis, it is customary to round up to the nearest euro. Tipping in cash is more common than adding it to card payments.
Public drinking:	Public drinking is allowed in most parts of Germany, especially in beer gardens and public events, but some local regulations may restrict it in specific areas.
Public smoking:	Smoking is prohibited indoors in public places such as restaurants, trains, and buses. Designated smoking areas are available outside many buildings.

Oktoberfest (September)	Huge crowds in Munich. Expect high hotel rates and crowded transportation.
Christmas (December)	Christmas markets are popular, expect crowded cities and higher prices.
Labour Day (May)	Many shops are closed, and there are celebrations throughout the country.

Emergency contact:	Police: 110, Emergency Number: 112 (Fire, Ambulance)
Taxi apps:	Uber, Free Now, myTaxi
Other:	Germany is well-equipped for tourists, with good public transport and high-quality facilities. However, be prepared for language barriers in some rural areas.

Best times to travel

The best times to travel section shows how the months compare for a visit, so you can find the time of year that fits what you want to do.

Background colors of the months:
The color shows the typical temperature: yellow (hot), green (mild) and blue (cold). How strong the color is shows the travel season: full color means high season, soft color means shoulder season and soft-striped means off season.

Weather symbols:
Each month has one symbol showing what the weather is typically like, such as hot and sunny, freezing or a rainy or snowy season. Use them to quickly spot months that match the weather you want, or to avoid the ones that don't.

Crowdedness:
The people icon shows how busy the place usually is. The more people, the more crowded it gets.

Additional notes:
The gray info boxes point out special things worth knowing, like recurring weather issues or seasonal events.

for Hanover, Germany

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Feb

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Mar

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Apr

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May

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Jun

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Jul

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Aug

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Oct

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Nov

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Dec

High season:	May - Aug.
Shoulder season:	April, Sep. - Oct., Dec.
Crowdedness:	3 (Few tourists)

Tap on a month for more info Hover over a month for more info

Climate details

Major trade fairs, especially Hannover Messe in April, fill hotels and raise prices sharply

Schützenfest, the world's largest marksmen's festival, runs late June to early July

Don't miss

🌸 Explore Herrenhausen Gardens' Baroque masterpieces
🎨 Stroll through Neustadt's vibrant street art scene
🍺 Sample local brews at the historic Brauhaus Mönckeberg
🏛️ Visit the Lower Saxony State Museum for regional history
🌅 Walk along the Elbe River promenade, sunset views
🚤 Enjoy a boat tour on the Weser and surrounding wetlands

You've been here?

Why travel to Hanover?

Hanover is a relaxed city that's easier to like than its fair city image suggests. The Herrenhausen Gardens on the north side are the biggest draw and the baroque Great Garden is one of the finest in Germany. It sits beside the Berggarten and the English style Georgengarten so a full day fits easily. Summer fireworks and garden events keep the place lively. The center is compact and the Red Thread, a painted red line, leads on foot past the main sights. The New Town Hall is the best known and you can ride the arc lift up its dome for views over the city. The Marktkirche and the old town streets are close by and show the rebuilt historic core. Several museums sit within walking distance including the Sprengel Museum and the Landesmuseum. Water and woods are never far. The Maschsee is a large lake close to the center with a path around it, sailing boats and a beach on the north shore. The Eilenriede is one of the largest city forests in Europe and sits right inside the city. Two days cover the gardens, the Red Thread and the lake while three days leave time for the museums and day trips. Spring and summer are the best seasons and hotel rooms are scarce and expensive during big trade fairs.

🏯Places worth seeing

1 St. Michael's Church
2 New Town Hall
3 Eilenriede-Süd
4 Buchdruck-Museum

🎡Places for activities

1 Masch Lake

🏞️Natural landmarks

1 Eilenriede-Süd
2 Masch Lake
3 Leine
4 Bürgerpark Seelze

🛍️Shopping

1 Market Hall
2 Maschweg
3 Schillerstraße (Galeria Kaufhof)
4 Lister Meile

Explore on map

Open map view

Knowledge before you go

Check the trade fair calendar before booking because rooms get pricey.
Ride the dome lift at the town hall for the best view over the city and the lake.
Look for the red line on the pavement to follow the Red Thread on foot.
The Maschsee has a path all the way around and it suits an easy afternoon walk or ride.

How to travel to Hanover

This is an easy city to reach by train. ICE services stop at the main station on routes between Berlin, Hamburg, Cologne, Frankfurt and Munich and many of these need no change. Regional trains link the city with Bremen, Göttingen and Brunswick. By car the A2 runs east to west and the A7 north to south and they cross close to the city. Both roads are busy and long delays are common around the big fairs. The airport lies north of the city and the S-Bahn reaches the main station in about 20 minutes. Flights serve hubs such as Frankfurt and Munich and some holiday destinations. Long distance buses also stop in the city center and near the main station.

Access summary

From Hannover Airport (HAJ): S-Bahn to city center, 15–20 min.
From Hamburg (HAM): Intercity train, 1h 30min; from Berlin (BER), 2h 10min.
By regional bus from Bremen, 1h 45min.

Check your route from anywhere

Where to stay in Hanover

The area around the main station and the old town has the most hotels, guesthouses and apartments and is the practical base. It's close to the sights and to the Stadtbahn so you don't need a car. List is a calm district north of the station with cafes and tree lined streets. Linden is a lively and creative district west of the center and it suits visitors who want bars and small restaurants. The area near the Maschsee is quiet and good for walks. Hanover is a trade fair city and big events fill the hotels. Rooms are scarce and prices climb for fair weeks so book well ahead. Weekends outside fairs are usually easier and cheaper.

Hotel recommendations

*by rating and popularity. Commissions have no influence on the rankings.

DORMERO Hotel Hannover

8.7

Maritim Airport Hotel Hannover

8.7

June Six Hotel

8.6

InterCityHotel Hannover

8.7

Hotel Amadeus

8.5

Leonardo Hotel Hannover Airport

8.8

IntercityHotel Hannover Hauptbahnhof-Ost

8.8

Grand Palace Hotel Hannover

8.6

DORMERO Hotel Hannover-Langenhagen Airport

8.9

Kastens Hotel Luisenhof

9.2

Explore more accommodations

How to get around Hanover

The center is flat and compact and the main station sits right in the middle. Most sights are within a short walk. The Herrenhausen Gardens and the Maschsee lie a few stops out and the fairground is south-east of the center.

Stadtbahn and buses:
Üstra runs the Stadtbahn lines and the buses across the city and the GVH covers the whole region with one fare system. Several Stadtbahn lines run underground in the center and above ground further out. Tickets are sold at machines and in apps and the Deutschlandticket is valid on local services.

S-Bahn:
The regional S-Bahn network links the center with the airport and the suburbs. Trains run often and are the easiest link to the airport.

Walking and cycling:
The Red Thread route is a walk of about 2.5 mi through the center with a red line painted on the pavement. Cycle paths are wide and the city is flat, so cycling works well.

Car:
A car isn't needed in the center. Parking garages are close to the main sights but fill up during fairs.

Food in Hanover

Food in Hanover is northern German cooking with simple dishes and hearty portions. The center has restaurants, cafes and bakeries and the districts of List and Linden have more casual places. Supermarkets and markets make self-catering easy though many places close one day a week.

Lüttje Lage:
This local drink pairs a small glass of beer with a glass of schnapps and you hold both in one hand. It appears in traditional pubs and is best tried once.

Grünkohl:
Kale is stewed with smoked sausage and pork and served with potatoes. It's a winter dish in traditional restaurants and a regional classic.

Butter biscuits:
The city is the home of a famous butter biscuit and you can buy it in any supermarket as a simple souvenir.

Budget snapshot

Costs compared to home

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+5 %

Daily expenses in Hanover are around 5% higher than the average across United States. That means you'll spend around the same on meals and getting around.

Exchange rate trend

The exchange rate price factor shows how expensive or cheap a currency currently is compared to its historical average. It's a quick way to see if a country is currently more or less affordable due to exchange rate changes.

+1 %

Your exchange rate (USD to EUR) is 1% worse than in recent years. That means traveling now costs around the same compared to the past.

Travel costs

To help you plan your trip, we provide estimated daily costs per person (when traveling as a pair) for different travel styles. These numbers give you an idea of what you might spend each day at this destination, including accommodation, food, transport and activities.

Additionally, we also provide average hotel costs for different travel styles to give you an estimate for the accommodation only.

Please note that these are only estimates. The real costs depend on booking times, season and other factors.

Daily cost summary

Travel style categories explained:

Backpacker:
Staying in hostels or budget hotels, cooking your own meals or eating cheap and choosing low-cost activities.

Mid-range:
Staying in mid-range hotels, eating at a mix of restaurants and casual spots and enjoying a variety of activities.

Luxury:
Staying in luxury hotels, dining out at high-end restaurants and enjoying premium experiences without worrying about the price.

	Backpacker	Mid-range	Luxury
💵 Total costs per day, including accommodation	$112	$225	$594
🏨 Accommodation per night, per person	$55	$115	$260
🍝 Food per day	$40	$92	$267
🚕 Transportation per day	$17	$18	$67

Food & Drink

🍽️ Restaurant Dinner, per person	$38
🍛 Lunch Set, per person	$16
🍟 Fast food combo	$14
🍝 Preparing your own food, per day	$13
☕ Cappuccino	$4.30
🍺 Beer in a restaurant, 0.5 l / 16 oz	$6

Transportation

🚌 Public transport ticket	$4.20
🚕 Taxi Ride, 10 km / 6 mi	$39
⛽ Gas, 1 l / ¼ gal	$2.10

Other

🎞️ Movie ticket	$14
👩‍⚕️ Doctor's consult	$115
🤧 Cold medication	$10.50
💇 Basic haircut	$20

Safety information overview

General safety

Hanover is safe with little serious crime and the usual city care applies at night and in crowds. Keep an eye on bags at the station and on busy trains. Cycle lanes are heavily used so look before you step off the pavement.

Health & Medical

Hanover has large hospitals, doctors and pharmacies, so care is easy to reach. Ticks live in grass and woods around the Eilenriede and the edges of the city. Sun and wind can be strong along the open shores of the Maschsee.

Accessibility

The center is flat and the Stadtbahn and buses are low floor, which helps visitors with limited mobility. Cobbles in the old town can be bumpy. Check ahead for step-free access at museums and at the Herrenhausen Gardens.

Tap water

Tap water in Hanover is safe to drink and follows German drinking water rules. Shops and kiosks sell bottled water too. Refilling a bottle from the tap is fine and saves money, especially before a long walk around the Maschsee.