Hanover's nightlife is pretty diverse, what kind of music are you interested in? The best nights out I had were either in Linden, which is a bit further away from the stadium and the train station, the clubs there are pretty alternative, but usually the crowd is really friendly. Can't say that to all the Mainstream clubs (it always depends of course, but that was my experience so far).
Another option is the Steintor, hanover's red light district. Smaller than the likes of Amsterdam or Hamburg, it features bars/small clubs that are open till 9 AM, no entrance asked. There are night shops next to it open all night where half a litler of beer is 1€, so you can have a pretty cheap night out with a lot of different styles of music, not too far from everything.
A good start for the night would indeed be the Maschseefest, if it doesn't rain and it doesn't get cancelled because of the Swine flu. It's a festival with a bit of music and lots of ddifferent drink and foodstalls, and right next to the Stadium. There's also an outdoor club there open until the late morning hours.
Zaza and Phoenix are a bit special, I wouldn't recommend going there by yourself. They are the clubs posh high-schoolers go to, they can be fun, but in an Arsenal shirt I think Linden (Bei Chez Heinz, Faust and Glocksee come to mind) or Steintor are the better options.

My course of action would be going to Maschseefest (the pubs of the old town/Around Schwarzer Bär if that one gets cancelled) and just try to talk to some locals and try to clinge for them for the night. Those are usually the best nights out.

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Thank you for your informative reply Squig, it's much appreciated.

All those places you described are still open late on a Wednesday yeah?

Steintor seems like the most appealing due to the cheap beer you mentioned, a cheap night of German beer would be perfect for me. I don't really wanna be paying over the odds for drink all through the night.

I read that North and South Linden were quite dangerous for tourists? I take it this is not true then? Either way i don't wanna venture too far away from the central station after the public transports shuts down for the night.

Anyway not long now till the game

Where did you read they are dangerous? never had problems there, even though they don't have the best of all reputations. Idiots are everywhere, don't worry too much.

Linden is also generally cheap, and lots of Kiosks there as well. Around the Steintor the clubs will be open, dunno about the pubs in Linden, the clubs in Linden actually will be closed. So better just go to Maschseefest first and then Steintor.

At Maschseefest a normal beer will be a bit more expensive (still cheap enough, this is Germany we are talking about, and not the expensive Bavarian part), but you can buy so-called Lüttje Lagen at some stalls, which is a special Hanoverian drink, 5cl beer and 1cl Korn (comparable to Gin), drank together as a kind of shot. 11 of those (22 glasses) are about 6 to 8€.

Also keep in mind that in germany there is ALWAYS a deposit (German: Pfand) on most drink containers, unless its in a pub.

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Wikitravel mention it under the 'Stay Safe' heading.

Yeah i'm aware of the deposit on the containers, i learned that at a heavy cost in a bar in Cologne last year, i also remember local kids making a fortune off it at the Mercedez Benz Arena in Stuttgart last summer too by going around and picking up the empty pint glasses in the away section.

Thanks for your help anyway mate, it's made a big difference.

Would you consider to write a short review when you're back home (London?), afterwards? Just a few lines..

btw: weahter forecast looks good

Yes sure, it would be my pleasure. I love Germany so i know it will be nothing but praise for the place.
But my hometown is Glasgow, Scotland just to correct you .

Weather does look very good i noticed yes .

Oh, Glasgow, i see.

I hope that 96 will make a much higher effort in the game against Arsenal unlike their match against Anker Wismar on saturday (2:1 win for Wismar)

Let's see.. my level of curiosity is rising, even it's just a test match

Match report from 96-arsenal

http://www.arsenal.com/match/report/080 ... tab=report

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53 Mitglieder sind mittlerweile gemeldet

http://unser-hsv.net

Score was respectable, I was expecting many more

Bring on Hertha

Geile Roten

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Followed Hannover 96 since the 1960s as a kid.
My English team is Sheffield Wednesday.
Used to live in Hameln.

PLEASE return the 96 to green shirts, black shorts and white socks!

But tomorrow we have to play against Eintracht Trier, first Round of DFB-Pokal.

I hope, 96 will win this match. This is important in order to increase their self-confidence.

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96 - Die Macht aus Niedersachsen

Geile Roten!!!

Not a great game but nonetheless a good time was had in Hannover,

Got to Hannover at around 11am and the sun was baking, made for a great day. Headed for the Zoo, enjoyed a few hours there even if there was a bit too many infants running around.

Made our way back to Kropcke, locals were very friendly despite me dressed in Arsenal colours, made for some good banter in McDonalds and places as such, especially on the tram to the stadium.

The stadium is very nice, much better than it appears on TV. Particularly enjoyed the atmosphere the standing section down the opposite side created, rest of the ground was pretty flat. After the game made our way back to the centre with no fuss once again on the public transport, can't tell you how different it is after a game in the UK, one of the reasons why i love the German football experience.

Then headed out to Herrenhausen Gardens just to get a glimpse before it got too dark, plesantly surprised at 'illumination', some incredible features in that place after dark, the huge fountain under the lights is stunning.

So after that headed to Steintor, looked about for a bit before heading into Sansibar. Very small place with some strange characters it must be said, enjoyed a couple of hours in there though before deciding upon buying beer from the shop down the road and heading back to the station to wait on our 5am train.

Hannover is a very plesant city, i doubt i'll ever come back so i think i experienced enough of it in the 18 hours i was there, the locals too were very friendly and played a part in a memorable trip for me. Can't wait till our next game in Germany.

Please what was the result in Pokal v. Trier?

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Followed Hannover 96 since the 1960s as a kid.
My English team is Sheffield Wednesday.
Used to live in Hameln.

PLEASE return the 96 to green shirts, black shorts and white socks!

Better don't ask!

It was a disastrous 1-3 defeat after an 1-0 lead in the first half...

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It's a shoreline
It's high speed
Its a cruel world
And it's time

Broken Social Scene - 7/4 Shoreline

This why we love H96

_________________
Followed Hannover 96 since the 1960s as a kid.
My English team is Sheffield Wednesday.
Used to live in Hameln.

PLEASE return the 96 to green shirts, black shorts and white socks!

_________________
It's a shoreline
It's high speed
Its a cruel world
And it's time

Broken Social Scene - 7/4 Shoreline

Thx for the review of the day, GoonerMarc

Yeah good to hear you enjoyed it!

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veni vidi vici
Gegen Rassismus
Remember Lara!