Discover Hanover: Gardens, City Forest and Lake Maschsee

City forest and water: different ways to stay active

The Eilenriede covers around 650 hectares and is described as Europe’s largest city forest. It has around 80 kilometres of hiking trails, 38 kilometres of cycling paths and 11 kilometres of riding trails. These three figures represent different ways to experience the forest: on foot, by bike or on horseback. If you would like to include some exercise in your stay, consider which of these options best suits your travel plans. The trail lengths given here help put the city forest’s significance as a distinct Hanover attraction into perspective.

Lake Maschsee offers a different range of activities. People sail, canoe and pedal boat on the lake; it can also be circumnavigated by skaters and joggers. This puts water activities alongside exercise around the lake. For families or travellers with different interests, this makes it possible to decide while planning whether time on the water or a lap around the lake better suits what they have in mind.

Blossoms and alpine plants in the Berggarten

Iris season is a special seasonal highlight in the Berggarten: more than 200 different iris species and varieties bloom there from April to June. If you visit Hanover during this period, you can make this variety of blooms one of the highlights of your trip. The rock garden in the Berggarten adds alpine plants from around the world to the garden experience. It was created in 1961. The iris bloom and the rock garden show two different sides of the garden: a bloom confined to a particular season and a collection of plants with an alpine character.

The Great Fountain in the Great Garden is another striking garden attraction. It reaches a height of up to 72 metres when there is no wind. This condition is part of what makes the fountain so impressive. If you are interested in garden design and striking gardens, you can consider the Great Garden and the Berggarten as separate themes for your trip, without conflating the seasonal iris bloom with the rock garden, which is described as an attraction throughout the year.

Welf history and Baroque art at the Museum Schloss Herrenhausen

Schloss Herrenhausen was once the Welfs’ summer residence. The Museum Schloss Herrenhausen hosts the exhibition “Four Carriages, One Kingdom: Hanover 1814–1866,” featuring the state carriages of the Welf rulers. The museum also houses precious Baroque-era objects in its “Treasury.” This brings together different historical interests: the exhibition focuses on the state carriages and the period from 1814 to 1866, while the Treasury showcases Baroque objects. This cultural highlight can be part of your plans alongside nature and garden experiences.

Plan around your interests and find accommodation

Whether gardens, city forest, water activities or history are what matter most, you can tailor your search for a holiday apartment in Hanover to what matters for your trip. First, consider which of these interests you would like to shape your days. This lets you compare the destination based on specific experiences instead of choosing accommodation separately from your plans. The Hanover Tourist Information office at Ernst-August-Platz is directly opposite the main railway station. It offers in-person advice on attractions, city tours, events and day trips in Hanover and the surrounding area. Tickets, the HannoverCard, city maps and practical planning tips are also available.

Discover more destinations

For further trip planning, you can also find Wunstorf, Barsinghausen, Sehnde, Steinhude, Neustadt am Rübenberge, Mardorf, Hemmingen and Wedemark here.

For the overarching travel overview: Hanover Region.