World City Guide

Nightlife

Compared to Berlin, Hamburg or Munich, Hanover’s nightlife is relatively uninspiring, with much of it geared to visiting businessmen – fine for those with a love of hotel bars. The city centre often feels very quiet at night, with more life around the Old Town.

The dress code in Hanover’s clubs is smart-casual – a tie is not necessary, although many places will not allow trainers or jeans. Admission to clubs and discos is usually around ¬8-10. The minimum drinking age in bars and clubs in 18 years. Most venues stay open until around 0500. A beer costs approximately ¬4-5.

Prinz Hanover magazine features up-to-date nightlife venues and is also available online (website: www.prinz.de).

Bars: The Brauhaus Ernst August, Schmiedestrasse 13, is one of the city’s liveliest haunts, brewing its own tasty unfiltered beer (in either half-litre or two-litre servings) and also offering hearty German food. At the weekend, DJs are often brought in to spice things up. Broyhan Haus, Kramerstrasse 24, and Plümmeke, Vossstrasse 39, allegedly serve the best curried sausage in town, as well as lashings of good beer. One of the town’s most attractive beer gardens is at the Vier Jahreszeiten, Waldhausenstrasse 1. For ultra-friendly service and a relaxed atmosphere try Georxx, Georgsplatz 3. Harry’s New York Bar, in the Arabella Sheraton Hotel, Podbielskistrasse 145, has a famous name and a reputation to live up to. Its impressive interior, live piano music, exotic cocktail menu and drinks make it slightly better than the usual Hanoverian hotel bar. Espada, Theaterstrasse 14, is a modern bar in the city centre, serving up a good range of spirits and cocktails, including the venerable Scottish single malt, Laphroaig. Whisky-lovers will also want to check out Oscar’s, Georgstrasse 54, where 600 different varieties of whisky are on offer, accompanied by a selection of cigars and light meals. The staff makes up for the lack of knowledge of hallowed single malts with enthusiasm. Five, Knochehauerstrasse 30, is a straight-friendly gay bar with funky modern décor, which includes a TV screen with a continuous image of a roaring fireplace. It also has outside tables, for warm nights. Similarly hip is Liquid Bar & Lounge, Raschplatz 11, with its invitingly hip, crazy and shrill living-room atmosphere.

Casinos: Casino am Maschsee (Spielbank Hannover), Osterstrasse 40, is open daily 1500-0300, offering free admission to holders of the Hannover Card (otherwise admission is ¬3). The casino comprises two floors of games – the ground floor contains one-armed bandits and other slot machines, while the top floor provides a more elegant setting for roulette and Black Jack. The minimum age for entry is 18 year and a valid ID must be presented. Dress code for men is shirt and jacket, although a tie is not necessary.

Clubs: Altro Mondo, Bahnhofstrasse 8, used to be a cinema but now the celluloid has been replaced by live acts and house and soul beats. Professional dancers keep the crowd going until 0500 from Thursday to Saturday. Hanover’s hottest house sounds, including guest appearances by international DJs, can be heard in a mirror-clad underground vault at Konvex, Georgstrasse 26. Techno heads should rave to Schallkraft, Buchard-Retsch-Ring 7b, which lives up to its own simple billing as ‘the techno club’. For funk and soul, head to Palo Palo, Raschplatz 8A, at the weekend, for a venue crammed to the rafters with a fun-loving crowd. In the small hours, the beautiful people flock to Zaza, Hamburger Allee 4A, which serves cocktails until breakfast time, against a musical background of house and chart tunes. Opposite Zaza is one of the three legendary Bagwan discos, relating to the famous religious sect and bizarrely a trendy hangout of the young and successful. For a more chilled-out crowd, Trinidad, Nikolaistrasse 1, spreads a Caribbean atmosphere with reggae and steel drum sounds.

Live music: Major rock and pop concerts are usually held in the Niedersachsenstadion, Arthur Menge Ufer 5, or the accompanying Stadionsporthalle, near the Maschsee Lake, Ferdinand-Wilhelm-Fricke Weg 8. The Capitol, Schwarzer Bär 2, and Flohzirkus, Am Hohen Ufer, in the Old Town, are the best of the smaller venues. Jazz can be enjoyed at the Jazz-Club, Am Lindener Berg 38. Nashville, Weidendamm 8, is a popular country and western club that hosts great live acts, parties and events.