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Acanto
Next door to the restaurant Basil, you'll find one of Hanover's trendiest DJ bars, where fashionably dressed beautiful people sip caipirinhas under chandeliers and mirror balls.
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Anzeiger Hochhaus
This spacious, arthouse 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.
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Brauhaus Ernst August
A Hanover institution, this sprawling brew-pub makes a refreshing unfiltered Pilsner called Hannöversch. A party atmosphere reigns nightly, helped along by a varied roster of live bands.
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Café Caldo
Information about gay and lesbian venues can be found at http://hannover.gay-web.de or ask staff here to fill you in on the scene.
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Café Glocksee
Part live-music venue, part club, the Glocksee has everything from techno and trance DJs to grungy gigs. Friday nights go electronic.
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Capitol
This former movie theatre has rock, pop, house, soul and more on weekends and frequently during the week.
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Der Blaue (B)Engel
Der Blaue (B)Engel Holds individual party nights for the gay and lesbian crowd. Check website for details.
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Der Gartensaal
A great place to sit and have a summer afternoon coffee overlooking the central Stadtpark , this venue now hosts occasional club evenings, too. Keep an eye out for flyers.
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Diablo Latino
Latin club Diablo Latino is based at Raschplatz (the so-called 'golden triangle'), a main clubbing destination - a concrete environs behind the train station.
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Eve Klub
For many, this small club is not only the best in Hanover, but one of Germany's best, too. A former striptease bar, it's kept the red lamps over the tables and red corduroy sofas, and added mirror balls, red hearts and retro trimmings. Reasonably priced drinks, a mixed crowd (mostly all over 20) and a melange of funk, soul and party tunes from the 1970s and '80s keep things going to on weekends.
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Faust
Ska from Uruguay, Chinese new year festivals, disco, reggae, heavy metal gigs, multimedia installations, quiz evenings, book readings - this all happens, and more, in this former factory complex. The 1960s concert hall is complemented by a pub-bar, Mephisto.
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Gig Neue Welt
This chi-chi venue in a historic house is divided into three spaces: the Jazz-Café, as well as serving food, has black music, funk and jazz evenings; the Gig-Lounge specialises in soul; and the main room downstairs is for major events.
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GOP Varieté
This 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.
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Heartbreak Hotel
You have to smile at a place that reserves a parking space for Elvis outside, which is just one reason why this scurrilous little live-music venue and not-just-for-old-rockers club managed to become so cool.
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HeimW
Hanover's hipsters flock to this long, narrow bar, and not just for the cocktails, vodkas and whiskeys. How could you resist a place with lights shaped like huge droplets of water about to land on your head, a ceiling of blue sky and white clouds, potted palms beside cream leather banquettes, and intriguing photos of Hanover landmarks? Small meals are also served.
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Kiez Club
Minimal house, techno house, electro house - it's all house within the red walls here. Beck's beer costs less than around €1 on Wednesdays.
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Marlene Bar & Bühne
Those interested in seeing some cabaret should make tracks for Marlene Bar & Bühne .
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Musiktheater Bad
In this large old building and its surrounding grounds, you'll find a mixed bag of live music and dance offerings. It's great in summer when there's an outdoor stage.
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Neues Theater
German speakers into serious drama should check out what's on at Schauspielhaus or the Neues Theater.
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Opernhaus
The star in Hanover's cultural firmament, the 19th-century Opera House was lovingly restored after suffering WWII damage and now hosts classical music performances as well as opera.
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Osho Diskothek
A main clubbing destination has been the concrete environs of Raschplatz (the so-called 'golden triangle') behind the train station. For years, this is where you've found Osho Diskothek, or 'Baggi' as Hanoverians fondly call it, playing a mix of classic disco hits for the over-25s.
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Palo Palo
See-and-be-seen. Raschplatz was due to be renovated in 2007, and the future of all these clubs has been thrown into doubt. Check local listings before heading in this direction.
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Pavilion
The café-bar of this huge circular venue swarms with customers all the day through, while evenings see a wide programme of jazz, off-beat rock, world music and even theatre.
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Peppermint Pavilion
Holds individual party nights for the gay and lesbian crowd. Check website for details.
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Sansibar
Its roster of 1960s soul, combined with classic tunes from the 1970s and '80s, make this another Steintor favourite.
