Germany (Lonely Planet, 6th Edition) - Andrea Schulte-Peevers [543]
3Raum (www.3raum-ballhof.de, in German; Ballhofstrasse 5; club nights €3; 7pm-1am Tue-Thu, to 4am Fri & Sat) is a crossover place for the 25-to-40 age group, where early in the week you can enjoy drinks or theatre, and most get down in the club on Friday and Saturday.
CINEMAS
Anzeiger Hochhaus ( 144 54; Goseriede 9) This spacious, art-house cinema is on the top floor of a magnificent expressionist building designed by Fritz Höger, the architect of Hamburg’s Chilehaus. Check listing times, as the box office only opens just before screenings.
GAY & LESBIAN VENUES
More information can be found at http://hannover.gay-web.de (in German) and, for lesbians, at www.hannoverfrauen.de (in German), or head to the lesbian and gay hang-outs Café Konrad ( 323 666; www.cafekonrad.de, in German; Knochenhauerstrasse 34; weekly specials €6-10; from 10am, breakfast till 4pm; ) or Café Caldo ( 151 73; Bergmanstrasse 7; 6pm-2am Mon-Thu, 6pm-3am Fri, 8pm-3am Sat, 4pm-2am Sun; ) where the staff will be able to fill you in on the scene.
Schwule Sau ( 700 0525; Schaufelder Strasse 30a; ) This alternative gay and lesbian centre regularly hosts concerts, theatre and club nights. The third Friday in the month is gay mixed, the third Saturday lesbian. Take the U6 or 11 to Kopernikusstrasse from Kröpcke.
Famous Club ( 1699 1888; Goseriede 4/Tiedthof; entry €3; from 11pm Fri & Sat; ) This club catering for the gay and lesbian scenes offers up electro, house, R&B, ’80s and other goodies with a top-class sound system and screens.
THEATRE & CLASSICAL MUSIC
Hanover’s cultural firmament, Staatsoper Hannover ( tickets 9999 1111; www.staatsoperhannover.de, in German; Opernplatz 1; tickets €18-50), is housed in the 19th-century Opernhaus (Opera House), where classical music as well as ballet and opera are performed.
The Staatstheater Hannover performs or hosts international theatre in the Schauspielhaus ( tickets 9999 1111; www.schauspielhannover.de, in German; Prinzenstrasse 9; tickets €12-30), while the Junges Schauspielhannover ( tickets 9999 1111; www.schauspielhannover.de, in German; tickets €14.50-18) mainly uses two spaces on Ballhofplatz: Ballhof eins (Ballhofplatz 5), directly on the square, and Ballhof zwei (Knochenhauerstrasse 28), which adjoins it.
GOP Varieté ( 301 8670; www.variete.de/hannover, in German; Georgstrasse 36; tickets €15-35) is an old-school type of variety theatre with dancing, acrobatics, circus-style acts, magic, music and more, housed in the Georgspalast. It also boasts a much-lauded restaurant.
Those interested in seeing some cabaret should make tracks for Marlene Bar & Bühne ( 368 1687; www.marlene-hannover.de, in German; cnr Alexanderstrasse & Prinzenstrasse; free-€15), while German speakers into more serious drama should check out what’s on at the Neues Theater ( 363 001; www.neuestheater-hannover.de, in German; Georgstrasse 54; tickets €10-30). Comedies and musical theatre are performed at Theater am Aegi ( 989 3333; www.theater-am-aegi.de, in German; Aegidientorplatz; tickets from €20).
LIVE MUSIC
Check the websites of the following venues (usually under ‘Programm’), or listings, for dates and prices of events.
Café Glocksee ( 161 4712; www.cafe-glocksee.de, in German; Glockseestrasse 35; entry free-€20; ) Part live-music venue, part club, the Glocksee has everything from techno and trance DJs to grungy gigs. Friday nights go electronic.
Capitol ( 444 066; www.capitol-hannover.de, in German; Schwarzer Bär 2; entry with €3 purchase; ) This former movie theatre has rock, pop, house, soul and more on weekends and frequently during the week. Take tram 3, 7 or 9 to Schwarzer Bär.
Kulturzentrum Faust ( 455 001; www.faustev.de, in German; Zur Bettfedernfabrik 1-3, Linden; ) Ska from Uruguay,