If you do any traveling in Northern Germany, there is a good chance you will pass through Hannover. It is an important crossing point for rail lines and auto traffic in Lower Saxony. Louie and I found ourselves driving through there en route from Cologne to Berlin and thought we’d stop and find out how dog friendly Hannover is.
Hannover Zoo
The first thing I wanted to check out was the dog friendly Hanover Zoo. Louie had previously visited the zoo in Gelsenkirchen, Germany and seemed to enjoy seeing the animals there. Like Gelsenkirchen, leashed dogs are very welcome at the Hanover Zoo. Louie even got his own ticket at the gate for 9.50 €. There are “Hunde Bars” with water located all around the property.
The Hannover Zoo covers 54 leafy acres and is a pleasant place for a stroll with your pup. The animals look well cared for, and the facility is actively involved in conservation efforts. Educational presentations are given throughout the day on a variety of different creatures. While I’m not sure if Louie was technically allowed, no one seemed to mind that he and I sat and watched the impressive falconry show.
I did make sure to ask if dogs were allowed before embarking on the Hannover Zoo Zambezi Cruise. The operator said it was fine though the policy wasn’t shown anywhere. Obviously, you should take your own dog’s temperament into consideration before boarding. The boats are wide open, so I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone who’s pup might decide to bolt and take a swim! Louie was content to just watch the giraffes and rhino from the safety of my lap.
Congress Hotel am Stadtpark
Louie and I spent the night at the dog friendly Congress Hotel am Stadtpark Hannover. It is within walking distance to the zoo and has plenty of free parking. Dogs are allowed for an additional 10 € per night. We were provided with a special blanket for Louie and made to feel very welcome. There are grassy areas all around the hotel for when nature calls. Although the hotel is on the outskirts of town, it is close to public transport.
Holländische Kakao-Stube
The Holländische Kakao-Stube (Dutch Cocoa Shop) may not sound particularly German, but it is a Hannover institution. As you might expect, the downtown cafe specializes in hot chocolate, but it also offers a wide variety of baked goods. The Baumkuchen cake is particularly famous and absolutely delicious! Louie and his small friend Baloo were allowed in the cafe though I wouldn’t say service is especially friendly to four (or two) legged guests.
So, Is Hannover Dog Friendly?
Overall I found Hannover, Germany to be very dog friendly. Although we were there only a short time, Louie and I were allowed to visit the Zoo and wander around the Old Town. It is a surprisingly green city with lots of places to walk and enjoy nature with your dog. If you find your self in the area, it is well worth a stop even if only for a few hours.
More posts on travel with dogs in Germany:
- Dog Friendly Hannover
- Dog Friendly Munich
- Dog Friendly Eifel National Park
- Dog Friendly Berlin
- Dog Friendly Zoos
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Useful to know if these dog friendly places thank you. The zoo sounds like a lot of fun!
How cute is this! Love the dog friendly zoo with places for dogs to drink! Bucket list….Germany!
Great Post,
That is awesome that you found so many cool activities you can do with your dog in Germany. What a cute idea to take your pup to the zoo. What was Louie’s favorite animal at the zoo? (From Dachshund Station)
Louie loves the meerkats!
I’m happy to see you and Louie had a great adventure in Hannover. I’ve never been to Germany, only London, but it’s nice to see towns that are dog friendly. Thanks for sharing your trip. I love that picture with Louie and the Bear (at the entrance)
I went to Hannover when I a teenager and loved it. I am so happy to hear more and more cities in the world are becoming dog friendly and allowing our dogs to go with us. It makes life so much easier.
Thank you for sharing and the hot chocolate sounds yummmm
Very cool! I visited the Black Forest once years ago, but I would love to go back and visit more of Germany someday. Unlikely that I would be able to bring any dogs.
I love seeing pictures of places I have never been. Hamburg yes, Hannover, sadly no – and I am sorry I missed seeing it. Especially if their cake looks THAT good!
When I went to Germany in 2006, I was very impressed with seeing dogs in restaurants and on trains – so different than here in the states. Cool photos!
Germany isn’t a country that would evoke dog-friendly in my brain but that’s, obviously, silly as I a sure that every country has dog-friendly places.
How wonderful! I thoroughly enjoyed being an armchair traveler, especially to one of the places I’d love to visit! I have a dear friend in Germany who is also a dog mom and I’m going to share this with her! Also Pinning to share!