14 Hanover insider tips: Nordstadt, Linden & Maschsee Festival
Admittedly, Hanover is probably not on every tourist's radar. Because when it comes to weekend planning, Hannover is relatively rarely a named destination – and wrongly so! Hannover surprises with its alternative and young scene, which is hardly associated with the city.
Due to the large number of students and as the state capital, Hanover is more diverse than you might think. I'll take you to the charming city and show you a few Hannover insider tips, surprising corners in the districts Linden and Nordstadt and go with you to the biggest party of the city – to the Maschseefest.
14 Hannover geheimtipps: Linden – alternative residential district
1. Street Art in the cultural center Faust
An old bed feather factory becomes an intercultural exchange center. The cultural center Faust is a place of the creative minds of Hannover. In 1991, this center was created after the former factory filed for bankruptcy.
Today you can find a lot of cool and fancy streetart, a beer garden and a small café here. Flea markets and also concerts take place here regularly in the old factory halls. In addition, exhibitions that always take place under different themes.
2. Nicezeit – Linden ice cream concept
In the new café Nicezeit you can get really delicious ice cream in fancy flavors. How about a scoop of licorice raspberry?? I have tried mango sorbet, strawberry sorbet and a vegan dark chocolate ice cream. And although I'm not a big fan of chocolate, the dark chocolate ice cream really won me over.
By the way, there are besides delicious ice cream creations as scoops also the hip Coldstone ice cream. Here the ice cream is prepared on a plate with sub-zero temperatures according to your wishes with your favorite ingredients.
3. Café CORNER – Neighborhood meeting place
Quasi around the corner and also on a corner of the house is the small and cozy CORNER. And coziness is really capitalized here. In addition to many homemade treats, the interior of the store invites you to relax in a really stylish ambience and sip a delicious coffee.
4. Stroll along the Limmerstraße
In Linden one loves it not only comfortably and leisurely but, binds exactly this feeling also into the linguistic usage. Sounds boring? Not at all. For who spends here a cozy evening with friends, who goes quite simply “limmern”.
Limmern is meeting up with friends, limmern is visiting a drinking establishment and limmern is simply having a good time. Ideally, by the way, on Limmerstraße – who would have thought that?.
5. Strandleben – Hanover's own beach with flair
Hanover has its own beach! Even if the sea is one or the other kilometer away, you just have to get a little creative. In Hannover this is no problem. The Leine becomes the sea and the shore simply piled up with sand.
In addition, there are cool drinks, the possibility to try stand up paddling and an oasis for the passing canoeists. It does not get better than this!
Hannover insider tips: Nordstadt – cool district with flair
6. Leibniz Lounge – relaxation in the city
Near the university is the beer garden Leibniz Lounge. Here in the summer cinema films are shown or also suitable for soccer maniacs a Public Viewing is offered. If there is no summer weather and it gets cold in winter then the lounge turns into the winter lounge.
Suitably decorated with a lot of Christmas trees and colorful lamps. Guaranteed to get you in the mood! In autumn the lounge becomes a wine lounge, then wines from different vintners are on the menu, of course then also stylishly decorated.
7. Café the 42
Located behind the university and the Welfengarten, you'll find the cute café das 42. In the colorfully mixed store it is particularly nice to eat a piece of cake under dangling teapots as lamps.
The smell that hits me here is insanely appetizing, because the cakes are baked here on site. There is always a changing selection of breakfasts and of course also delicious and fancy cocktail variations.
8. Uncle Olli's Kiosk – beer and sherbet
At Uncle Olli you just have to feel good. Suitable for the kiosk day, because it has on 04.08.Taken place in 2019, of course I had to visit an authentic and above all special kiosk. Hanover loves its kiosk culture and indeed you can find a small meeting place on many corners.
At Onkel Olli there is a seemingly endless selection of different beers from all over the world, as well as of course delicious non-alcoholic fizzy drinks. Who has the agony, has the choice..
9. 24grad Café and Coffee Roastery
Colorful plates and the smell of tempting freshly ground coffee is in the air when I enter the small store in the Nordstadt. Fresh coffee and that in all conceivable variants is here the flagship.
In addition, there is cake in the 24grad Café and quite neat and also crazy creations. A matcha brownie, then, joins a classic cheesecake and a vegan lemon cookie without further ado. Wonderful and the perfect complement to the excellent house coffee.
| Engelbosteler Damm 52 | Hanover
10. Pâtisserie Elysée – French culinary delights
The cake pleasure continues, and also on the Engelbosteler Damm you can find the Pâtisserie Elysée. Here you can find delicious (and also instagrammable) little tarts that will immediately send you to France.
The croissants are said to be legendary and also delicacies like macarons, quiche or petit fours are constantly fresh and always different here.
| Engelborster Damm 26 | Hanover
11. Hannover insider tips: Maschsee Festival
Towards afternoon it becomes full at the Maschsee. Especially at the popular Maschseefest, which is a highlight for Hanoverians and visitors every year. I also plunge into the roaring party at the Maschsee and explore the culinary delights.
The Mascheseefest is an institution where young and old meet at pop-up restaurants or one of the many stages on the waterfront. Culinary the range is large, because between delicious fine specialties also fits a simple and quick crêpe.
I eat in a Mediterranean setting at the pop-up restaurant Aresto, which is located on the north shore and actually has a regular store in the city. The restaurants are rebuilt every year. Here is a little cross-over of the south. The menu has many Greek elements, but also the Italian influence is present.
The Dorade with fresh pan-fried vegetables tasted very good to me and also the appetizer plate with various dips and creams was very tasty. The bread in addition a dream! And with good bread you can always lure me anyway.
Hanover insider tips: Around the Maschsee
12. Museum mile and architecture
The Maschsee is the heart of the city. Here you can rest and enjoy a little silence (except during the Maschenfest). If you want to walk around the lake, you should plan some time, because the circular walk is 6km long. On the north shore of the lake is the museum mile and here art connoisseurs and those who want to become one are guaranteed to get their money's worth.
A building that fascinated me was the one of the Norddeutsche Landesbank (Nord LB). Architecturally a masterpiece and absolutely extraordinary. Its shape makes it stand out from the normal cityscape, and at 40.000m 2 glass clad. In fact, I spot a lot of enthusiasts taking a photo of the building.
13. The new city hall – observation deck
Around the corner is the new city hall, which is a must on your visit to Hannover. The new city hall is enthroned at the Maschpark almost like a castle. From the inside you can first marvel in awe, because the building looks majestic.
In the foyer are various miniature versions of the city, these city models show Hannover at different times in the city's history. The absolute highlight, however, is the ascent with the unique arched elevator to the dome of the new city hall.
Here you can get an overview of Hanover and breathe fresh air at 97.73 meters. The 360 degree view is impressive and from up here you can see how changeable the cityscape of Hannover is.
14. Trip to the Herrenhäuser Gardens in Hanover
I almost thought I had arrived in a fairy tale when I entered the Herrenhäuser Gardens. The scent of flowers and plants is in the air and the nearby main road is quickly forgotten.
The Herrenhäuser Gardens are a small oasis and you quickly get lost here in the various gardens, which are among the most important baroque gardens in Europe. The orangery and various water features found in the gardens were my personal highlight.
Every corner of the Herrenhäuser Gardens offers a new highlight. The artist Niki de Saint Phalle has also immortalized herself here with her sensual figures and her modern art in the grotto of the large garden, to see this is a very big tip for Hanover.