Hanover – one of Germany's lesser-known tourist gems

Hanover is one of Germany's best-kept secrets, and a pleasant surprise to anyone who discovers it.

This city is not yet a mainstream tourist destination like Berlin, Munich or Cologne. Social media is not flooded with pictures of Hanover's main sights, so they will not look familiar when you see them live for the first time. That's why a trip to Hanover is a real adventure with a guaranteed feeling of discovering something new.

And now a few facts about Hanover. Germany is divided into states, and Hanover is the largest city in the state of Lower Saxony. It has about 516,000 inhabitants and is known as a centre of universities, fairs, technological innovation and culture, but also a great place for shopping. It is one of the greenest cities in Germany.

From a fishing village on the banks of the river Lajna, it developed into an important industrial, business and tourist centre. Volkswagen, Continental, VHV and many other companies work here.

Hanover is influenced by the maritime climate and has more pleasant weather and milder winters than cities in the south of Germany, so you can visit it in any season. Through its many fairs, festivals and exhibitions, the city lives all year round.

Air Serbia flies directly to Hanover! Book your Belgrade - Hanover flight and arrive in the capital of Lower Saxony in just two hours of comfortable flight.

It is not easy to single out just a few sights in Hanover, as this German city has plenty to offer for everyone's taste. But your tour can be helped by Hanover's "red thread", a line drawn along the streets and pavements that takes tourists past all the most important attractions, with as many as 36 on the list.

Hanover's old town, the Altstadt, turns out to be not so old. Like most of the city, it was destroyed during the bombings in World War II. Today's Altstadt is much smaller than it used to be and contains only a few preserved facades from the old days, but it has retained a historic German atmosphere that you will enjoy.

When you get tired of walking and sightseeing, find a break in one of the cafes or restaurants where you can try local beers and the famous sausages in curry sauce.

Herrenhausen is a green expanse consisting of four magnificent gardens of different styles and contents: the Great Garden, the Berggarten, the Georgengarten and the Welfengarten. It is a true Hanoverian jewel and a baroque masterpiece whose beauty can be compared to the French Versailles. During the summer months, Herrenhausen becomes a spectacle with a number of festivals, an international fireworks competition and concerts. Be sure to visit the fountain with the highest waterspout in the world, as much as 35 meters into the sky. The Berggarten is home to one of the largest orchid collections in Europe, while the Welfengarten is home to Leibniz University.

One of the most recognizable symbols of Hanover is the Neues Rathaus, the new town hall. This magnificent complex, built on about 6,000 beech piles at the beginning of the 20th century, bears witness to the stormy history of the city. The Rathaus houses four miniature models of the city that show how Hanover looked in 1689, 1939, 1945 and today. Through this kind of time machine you will experience Hanover's past, especially in the Second World War when only three buildings survived the bombing. An elevator in the building will take you to a viewpoint with a panoramic view of the entire city. We advise you to arrive early because it is a well-visited tourist destination precisely because of the breathtaking view.

Marienburg Castle is probably the most romantic birthday present of all time. King George V, the last King of Hanover, gave it to his wife Mary for her 39th birthday. Although the king was blind, he had a clear vision of the kind of castle he wanted to create.

As the king was soon driven into exile by the Prussians, the castle was not completed until 2004, when the royal family's descendants brought the building back to life as if from a fairy tale.

There are over 40 museums in Hanover, but we recommend the Museum of Lower Saxony. Located opposite the Rathaus, the museum has a rich collection of artifacts from the 12th to the 20th centuries, including impressive archaeological and ethnological collections with specimens of reptiles and birds.

The artificial lake Maschsee in the heart of Hanover is the right place for walking, resting, sailing, and in the summer for swimming.

Hanover is also known as a paradise for cyclists because there are cycle paths everywhere, and one of them stretches along the lake.

The Church of St. Aegidia leaves a special impression and is a rare sight to see in Hanover. Once the most beautiful symbols of Hanover, the church was almost destroyed during bombing in 1943, and its beauty is buried in ruins. It is one of the few buildings that was not reconstructed in the post-war years, but stands as a reminder of the tragedy of the war.