Hanover, on the river Leine, once by personal union the family seat of the Hanoverian Kings of Great Britain as the dukes of Brunswick-Lüneburg, is the capital of the federal state of Lower Saxony (Niedersachsen), Germany. In addition to being the state capital, Hanover was also the capital of the administrative area Regierungsbezirk Hannover (Hanover region) until disbandment of Lower Saxony's administrative regions in 2005. With a population of 525,000 in an area of 204 sq km, Hanover is thinly spread.
How to Get There:
Hanover and its area is served by Hanover/Langenhagen International Airport. Hannover Hauptbahnhof is the starting point of the Hanover-Würzburg high-speed rail
line vital importance in the German high-speed ICE network. It is also the central hub for the Hanover S-Bahn, with international and national connections to virtually anywhere in Germany. Hanover is a focal point in Germany's Autobahn network; two major autobahns, the A2 and A7 interchange at Kreuz Hannover-Ost, the northeastern edge of the city. Local autobahns are A 352 and the A 37. The city is famous for its designer buses and tramways, the TW 6000 and TW 2000 trams being the most prominent.
What to See:
The Royal Gardens of Herrenhausen and the Great Garden are nice. The Berggarten is botanical garden housing the Tropical House, the Cactus House, the Canary House and the Orchid House, which has one of the world's biggest collection of orchids and butterflies.
The Georgengarten is an English style garden, with the Leibniz Temple and the Georgen Palace. The Guelph Garden with the Guelph Palace and the Prince Garden, with the Water Art, the Hardenbergsche House and the Prince House close by are of note. The New Town Hall (Neues Rathaus) epitomizes Hanover. The Hanover Zoo is one of the best zoos in Europe. There are over a dozen museums in Hanover. Of the 40 odd theatres in Hanover, the Opera House, the Schauspielhaus (Play House), the Ballhofeins, the Ballhofzwei and the Cumbarlandsche Galerie belong to the Lower Saxony State Theatre.
Where to Eat:
There are close to 200 restaurants in Hanover. Those recommended are Lou's Restaurant, Canoe Club, Jesse's Restaurant & Tavern, The Hanover Inn, Zins and Applebee's Neighborhood Grill.
Nightclubs:
Casa Blanca, Germany's smallest discotheque, Eve Klub, Heartbreak Hotel, Intensivstation, Heartbreak Hotel, Palo Palo, Rocker and Zaza stay open through the night.
Hotels:
Hanover has 193 hotels, with the 4-5 star range outrageously priced at over € 400-500.
Hotel Loccumer Hof, Courtyard Hannover Maschsee and the Kastens Hotel Luisenhof
are three such hotels. Radisson Blu Hotel, Median Hotel Messe, Novotel Hannover, Mercure Hotel Hannover Mitte and the Best Western Hotel Der Foehrenhof are in the high cost range. Pension Leipziger Hof, City Inn Guesthouse, Apartment World Hanover, Gastehaus am Bockmerholz, Hotel Denkmal and Hotel im Ahrberg Viertel are in the lower price bracket. Do check out all options before coming here.
