Source
r/germany•
ih8bees

Planning a trip to Hannover to see a goth show...

Tourism

Hiya, I'm a solo female traveler planning a trip to Hannover in November. I have three concerns: the presence of English speaking people (I also know a little Danish), my personal safety as a solo female traveler, and whether or not it would be safe to dress goth outside of the one goth concert I'm attending in Hannover.

I read that most parts of Germany are super progressive, diverse, safe, but I'm concerned about Hannover because it appears to be a less-touristy city. In the US (where I'm from), it can be dangerous to "look" like an outsider unless you really know your surroundings. Is that also true of Hannover?

This is my first 100% solo trip so I'm a little nervous! Any insight into my concerns is appreciated.

Posted Jan 31, 2023, 12:01 AM UTC

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wheredoigeticecream•

Hi and welcome to Hannover :)

Dont worry, Hannover is pretty chilled. We got her a huge Univeristy, and a Fachhochschule (roughly the same) and alot of International Schools and Students. Ususally you find alot of ppl speaking english, and usually there is no problem here with Goth outfits. We got a huge multicultural scene, and aswell alot of Punks here (Chez Heinz is a pretty famous Punk Club, Alternative Clubs are aswell pretty present here).

Only thing is: it can be cold and rainy in November, make sure to be prepared for cold and wet weather, the Winter time can be pretty surprising weatherwise.

Public transport here is amazing, you dont have to remember the times when Metros drive, they usually drive in a 5 to 10 min cycle.

Book your room a bit in advance, we have sometimes exibitions here, then rooms are pretty rare and 'spensive...

If your Concert is in the Capitol or Faust Zentrum, thats in Hannover-Linden, one of the most divers and alternative quaters of Hannover.

If its in the Musikzentrum, that Nordstadt, aswell a pretty chilled Area, but a bit harder to reach with pubilc transport.

You can buy a Day ticket for Public Transport innercity for a day for around 6,10 Euro atm, wich lets you travel basically all around Hannover for one day, should cover your Transportation needs.

Im living now roughly 16 years here in Hannover, great City so far imho.

Feel free to contact me for further details :)

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ih8beesOP•

Wow, this is incredibly helpful! Yes, I'll be relying on public transportation a lot and downloading all the necessary apps ahead of time. I'm definitely adding some of the places you mentioned to my itinerary! Googling this kind of thing has been like finding a needle in a haystack, so I absolutely appreciate your thorough response!

3
wheredoigeticecream•

You dont need an App for the Ticket, you can buy it on Ticket Machines at every stop here, and its a paper ticket... Aswell check out the subkultur https://subkultur-hannover.de/, and maybe Cafe Glocksee (an alternative Disco/Project) aswell in the Linden Quater.

There are some clubs in the Steintor Area, dont be surprised, its the local Red Light District, its a mixed culture there, regular clubs and restaurants and red light are mixxed there, might be a little overwhelming concept for ppl new here. Eaven when its red light, aswell for a single lady its safe to go there.

The inner city is mostly pubs/restaurants and shops, bit touristic and less alternative.

We got some fashin stores wich have aswell gothic/alternative cloth here if your in a mood for shopping, google for ModeRockCenter for example.

Yup, the stuff is a bit hidden, but Hannover has its nice spots for alternative ppl :)

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Perfect-Sign-8444•

seems to me like no problem. U should be safe traveling alone around germany as well as wearing goth cloths as much as u want and where u want.

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ih8beesOP•

Thank you, I appreciate the peace of mind!

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Infinite_Resource_•

Hannover is famous for one thing: they got nothing worth to be mentioned. You’ll most likely be completely safe except for being bored to death (and depending on others speaking english shouldn’t be a problem either)

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ih8beesOP•

Ha! Yes, I am struggling to fill my itinerary a bit. Thank you for this insight!

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Appropriate-Half-129•

But isn’t that kinda nice? So far it’s the most average place I’ve been to and i quite like that.Probably where I’ll be moving to after i’m finished with my studies. Not a lot of weirdness to it and imo it’s a comfortable place to live :)

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DonDerBaer•

No problem at all travelling as goth. There’s btw a famous wave-gothic event in Leipzig, but still it’s subculture

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wheredoigeticecream•

The Wave Gothic Treffen (WGT) is during Pfingsten (Pentecost) at Leipzig, so its a bit off for a November Trip, but its defnetly worth a travel of its own :)

Every yeat alot of Gothic ppl turn the City to a Goth Paradise, there are diffrent Concert Locations (i think 10 or 11 by now), and approx 25.000 to 30.000 ppl (dont nail me on the actual numbers) attend to it, 100+Acts in 4 days, absolut recommendet if your in the Goth/EBM/Dark Wave scene

In the late 80s/90s when Dark Wave/Goth came up, ppl were a bit reserved, but latest since Matrix (wich cracked a whole new approach to black/little fetish styled cloth) its a commen view to see a bunch of wave/goth styled ppl around.

Sure there are some idiots around, but they will be found anywhere where alot of ppl come together, so if you apply a bit commen sense (stay away from Drunks for example) your perfectly fine.

In Hildesheim (close to Hannover too) is yearly the Mera Luna festival for example, wich is aswell a nice event for Gothic / Wave music.

Ah, one thing you should be aware of: Germans LOVE cash.. A credit card might have its limits over here, so be prepared to carry some cash with you all the time, a credit card will be accepted on Supermarkets, Car rentals and some Restaurants, but cash is the common way to pay. Eaven the Ticket Macines for public transport want your cash in first place :)

That might be a huge diffrence to US, as far as i heard :)

2
ih8beesOP•

Ah! Yes,thank you for all of this helpful information. I saw in another post that "paper" is huge in Germany and it didn't click for me what they meant until you mentioned cash. Thank you!!

3
Pferdmagaepfel•

Hello, mostly darker dressed woman from Hannover here- you should be safe! Many people with colored hair and alternative styles in Hannover. People might stare/ look at you but nothing more should happen. Also most people speak English.

Pls feel free to ask if you have any more questions, or need some guidance/pointers ( towards good food for example 😂)

Just asking, which show are you going to? (I still have time for concerts in November hehe)

Adding on to what someone else said: it will be cold so layer up. Idk if you are one of the fishnet-goths but I highhhly advice bringing a very warm thick black winter coat.

3
KinkyDiamondx•

Don't worry, it shouldn't be a problem.

2
MWO_StahlherzGermany•

Well, how goth?

Batcave, corpsepaint goth, or Hot Topic goth?

2
ih8beesOP•

I'm thinking for this trip, I'll do coven fashion to keep it as low-key as possible. Mayyybe do my eyeliner a little crazy, but nothing much more outside of that.

2
godless-lifeAachen / China•

Hanover is famous for being the most boring and average place in the whole country.

Germany as a whole is very safe, Hanover arguably even more so.

As for your choice of clothes, we tend to stare (at least that's what foreigners say we do, for us holding 3-5 seconds eye contact is normal), so you'll be looked at for sure. Nobody will say anything though. Silently judge, maybe, but that's really it.

TL;DR: Do what you want.

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ih8beesOP•

Yes, I saw the earlier post about people staring, and a goth YouTuber that I follow commented on people staring at her during her stay in Germany. I suppose I can count on that!

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godless-lifeAachen / China•

Just try not to feel offended by being looked at - it's what we do (apparently), with everyone and anything. A habit as natural to us, as picking up random conversations with strangers for Americans.

3
thewindinthewillowsGermany•

If anything, there are certain crimes (particular pickpocketing or trick thieves or shell games) that might be done in sites that are very popular with tourists, and done less frequently in other places.

And no, you're not going to be attacked for looking like a Goth, whether people have seen them (and we had one in school in the year ~2000 in a town of ~10,000 people) or not.

2
ChangingTracks•

Its germany. Dress however you want, you will be safer that in your home country in a overwhelming majority of cases.

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[deleted]•

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