Maschsee

Maschsee is the lakeside heart of Hannover: an artificial lake just south of the city center, ringed by a shoreline path, sailing clubs, a beach bathing area and beer gardens. Locals jog, cycle and stroll the roughly 6-kilometer loop, ride a boat across the water in season and gather for the Maschseefest each summer. If you are looking for things to do in Hannover that cost nothing, this is an easy choice.

Where it is and how to get there

The lake lies in Hannover, the capital of Lower Saxony, close to the New Town Hall and the Sprengel Museum. From the central Kröpcke square it is about 1.8 kilometers, or a 20-minute walk, to the lake jetties; bus line 100 from Kröpcke to the Heinz-von-Heiden-Arena stop takes about seven minutes. Hannover Hauptbahnhof is the main hub for Deutsche Bahn trains, and the Deutschlandticket typically covers local buses and trams in the region. By car, parking is available along the shore, but spaces are scarce at weekends and during the festival.

How the lake came to be

The lake was dug between March 21, 1934 and May 21, 1936. Otto Franzius drafted the design in 1925 and 1926 for flood control on the Leine and Ihme rivers, and the work also gave jobs to the unemployed: up to 1,650 workers moved about 780,000 cubic meters of soil. The lake is about 2.4 kilometers long, 180 to 530 meters wide and at most 2.2 meters deep, and it is fed with groundwater.

What to do

• Walk or cycle the loop: The path is about 6 kilometers long with a marker every 500 meters. Allow one to two hours on foot.
• Take a boat: The ÜSTRA lake fleet runs between jetties, including the solar catamaran "Europa." A round trip takes about 50 minutes; in May 2025 it cost 9 EUR for adults and a one-way crossing 5 EUR. The late season runs until the end of October. Check 2026 fares on the ÜSTRA website.
• Rent a boat: Pedal boats, rowboats and sailboats are available on the north shore.
• Spot the art: Along the shore stand a torchbearer column, Alexander Calder's red "Hellebardier" (1972) and the lions at the Löwenbastion.
• Join the party: The Maschseefest, a three-week summer festival since 1986, draws about two million visitors.

Practical tips

The path is mostly flat and works for strollers and bicycles. In cold winters the city opens the lake for walking and skating once the ice reaches 13 centimeters. Beer gardens and a bathing area on the south shore add places to eat and swim, though the bathing area is now largely run by a private spa club. Dog rules are not covered in the sources we checked. There is no admission fee, and English-speaking visitors will find the area easy to navigate.