Your guide to Hannover / Neighbourhoods: Hannover
Hannover Neighbourhoods
Hannover is divided into districts, which are designed to center around ethnic or social groups. Old Town features what's left and what's been rebuilt and restored from the historic medieval landmarks. The southern districts feature green swaths of forests and parks, with the natural draw of Manchsee Lake. But, then, Northern Hanover is the realm of students. It's all about the vibrant nightlife against a colorful and active pubs-and-cafes scene, with cultural and historical reminiscence thrown in.
Calenberger Neustadt
One of Hanover's neighbourhoods, Calenberger Neustadt, is its largest island, where students experience the hip beach clubs at the confluence of the Ihme and Leine rivers. It's close to the city center with snack bars, restaurants, and shops. You're perfectly positioned for many of the local festivals, including Marksman's festival. The theatrical scene in the Kommandantur Straße stands as a foundation of Hannover's culture and history.
- HDI Arena: Robert-Enke-Straße 3
- Swiss Life Hall: Ferdinand-Wilhelm-Fricke-Weg 8
- Leibniz Theatre: Kommandanturstraße 7
Linden
As one of the Hannover neighbourhoods, Linden is a place like no other, with 6,556 inhabitants. It's teaming with students as well as academics and eccentrics. To support these masses, pubs, cafes and restaurants seem to have popped up all over the district. Collaboratively, the hot spots in Linden mark the virtual party boundaries. It's a multicultural wonderland, and it's home to the famous Jazz-Club Hannover, also called "Orange Club."
- Béi Chéz Heinz: Liepmannstraße 7B
- Kulturzentrum Faust: Zur Bettfedernfabrik 3
- Café Glocksee: Glockseestraße 35
- Jazz-Club Hannover: Am Lindener Berge 38
Mitte
As a Hannover district, Mitte was the first, with 34,040 residents in the area. It's an underappreciated neighbourhood with Sea Life Centre, HDI Stadium and other popular tourist attractions. You can enjoy the 14th-century Gothic design of Marktkirche or the new sloping elevation of the New Town Hall, with the spectacular views of the city of Hannover.
- HDI Arena: Robert-Enke-Straße 3
- Sea Life Centre Hannover: Herrenhäuser Str. 4a
- Martkirche: Hanns-Lilje-Platz 2
Nordstadt
Nordstadt was once a working-class neighbourhood, but now, filled with students, it has become one of Hanover's busiest. With Leibniz University next door, this district is peaceful and welcoming, with colorful and vibrant bar scenes that serve as the hub of activity for students to let off some steam after their studies are over. With more than 16,000 inhabitants, popular meeting spots in the Nordstadt district are the Luther Church or the cafes at Engelbosteler Dam and Welfengarten Park. Shopping is trendy, cool and off-beat. Nightlife is lively with popular placed like Musikzentrum, Schwule Sau, or Klein Kröpcke.
- Musikzentrum: Emil-Meyer-Straße 26
- Schwule Sau: Schaufelder Str. 30a
- Klein Kröpcke: Callinstraße 2
Old Town/City Center
There's a lot to discover at Market Hall, "the Belly of Hannover," or at the cafes, pubs and boutiques in Old Town (ALTSTADT)/City Center. It's right down from Ernst August Galerie, with Niki de Saint Phalle Promenade one level before ground and Bahnhofstrasse above ground. You can find junk and kitsch at the Old Town Flea Market, between Schlossstrasse and Goethestrasse, on Hohen Ufer, the High Bank of the River Leine. Immerse yourself in the promenade, the treasures, or the fresh food and delicacies. About 15% of the medieval city survived World War II, but the structures have been rebuilt, returning the cityscapes to some of its former beauty.
- Old Town (ALTSTADT)/City Center: Bahnhofstraße 8, Second and third Floor
- Markthalle (Market Hall): Karmarschstraße 49
- Old Town Flea Market: Am Hohen Ufer 3
Oststadt (Karlsruhe)
The best restaurants and pubs are in the chic enclave of Oststadt. Art deco houses line streets, with bars and cafes interweaving through the attractive and modern shopping arcade from Raschplatz, the central station, to Kröpcke along Lister Meile Street. This is where you can find a terrific array of preserved older homes and beautiful shops and restaurants to stop in, with a market every Thursday and the 4-star Crowne Plaza Hannover Schweizerhof that's a short walk from the main Hannover Hauptbahnhof station. For an escape to nature, there's Eilenriede, the municipal forest, located on the east edge of Oststadt.
- Central Station: Raschplatz
- Eilenriede: Niemcy, Hohenzollernstraße 28
- Castle Gottesaue: Am Schloss Gottesaue 7
Sudstadt
The Sudstadt district is a working-class neighbourhood at the south side of Hannover. Besides the restaurants and hotels, the draw of this district is the green space from Town Hall to Manschsee Lake. Residents go boating or use the space for exercise and relaxation. Fans are drawn to Maschseefest, the best festival in Hanover.
• Town Hall: Trammplatz 2
• Manchsee Lake: Hanover
• Eisfabrik Cultural Center: Seilerstraße 15F
An exploration of Hannover districts is a great way to discover the highlights of each section of the city, as a systematic approach to enjoying all that this city has to offer. Jump right to the district that's right for you. Old Town offers historic landmarks. Mitte is the district for visiting the Sea Life Centre, HDI Stadium and other popular tourist attractions. Meanwhile, Linden is academia-and-student central, with vibrant nightlife and social hot spots. Oststadt is peppered with art deco houses, the modern shopping arcade, with the municipal forest to the east. Calenberger Neustadt is at the heart of festivals and events.
Almost everything in Hannover can be easily explored on foot, bicycle or even e-scooter. Wherever you end up, awe-inspiring architecture, historical landmarks and artistic adventures abound in the variety of neighbourhoods in Hannover.