October 29 to November 2, 2025: Winter Magic at Herrenhausen Palace in Hanover

Romantic Getaway Tip: October 29 to November 2, 2025 - Winter Magic at Herrenhausen Palace in Hanover, the capital of Lower Saxony

A romantic getaway for Christmas enthusiasts: Winter Magic at Herrenhausen - pre-Christmas stalls between the Gallery and Orangery, a nostalgic carousel, and stilt walkers

October 29 to November 2 - Winter Magic invites you to stroll and enjoy the Herrenhausen Gardens again in 2025 (English, Nederlands, Deutsch)

Hanover. Christmas is in the air when the Courtyard of Honor at Herrenhausen Palace in Hanover is illuminated for Winter Magic. Strings of lights and decorated Christmas trees are everywhere, even at the end of October. Yes, you heard right! If you can't wait any longer, hop on the ICE train and head to Hanover to enjoy the aroma of gingerbread and hot punch at Herrenhausen Palace, the adjacent Gallery, and the avenue. The train from Munich takes just over 4 hours. The gallery and the orangery provide a magical backdrop for the pre-Christmas stalls. The nostalgic carousel and several stilt walkers will delight young and old alike.

Photo of the flyer announcing the Winter Magic event at Herrenhausen Palace in Hanover, photo of the organizer's flyer: Helga Waess

Starting Wednesday, October 19, 2025, around 130 exhibitors will be welcoming visitors.

Winter Magic promises delights and a fantastic culinary selection in front of the castle:

• finest almond nougat,
• winter stollen,
• doughnuts,
• fresh Baumkuchen (tree cake),
• roasted chestnuts,
• delicious wild boar burgers,
• raclette specialties,
• Finnish flame-grilled salmon,
• mulled wine,
• apple punch, coffee, hot chocolate, and teas are all available.

The wait for Christmas is already getting romantic in Hanover

The castle's courtyard, the gallery, and the magnificent avenue will be transformed into a fairytale setting for a pre-Christmas market.

Everything that warms and delights body and soul during the cold season will be offered here starting October 29:

• mulled wine, cookies, handicrafts, Christmas decorations, and wonderful gifts for a cozy home.

As a special highlight, the Great Garden will be open free of charge

•  from 4:30 pm for all Winter Magic visitors with a Winter Magic ticket.

In the evening twilight, which, thanks to the time change, now falls as early as 5 pm, the Great Baroque Garden will be romantically illuminated.

... Winter Magic at Herrenhausen Palace in Hanover

Location

Herrenhäuser Str. 3

30419 Hanover

• www.gartenfestivals.de

• Tickets are available on-site at the box office every day
• or online in advance - available on the organizer's website

Winter Magic Opening Hours in the Palace Courtyard and Gallery of Herrenhausen Palace

• October 29, 2025 - 1:00 PM to 8:00 PM
• October 30, 2025 - 11:00 AM to 8:00 PM
• October 31, 2025 - November 1, 2025 - 11:00 AM to 9:00 PM
• November 2, 2025 - 11:00 AM to 7:00 PM

Winter Magic is also open on the public holiday, October 31!

                

Opernhaus, Hannover - Foto: Helga Waess

Munich: ENGLISH GARDEN - bike tour

ENGLISH GARDEN - Impressions of a bike tour

Shady paths under old trees and the sound of the Isar ... Idyllic, green and relaxed people - that's Munich too!

From Haidhausen to Oberföhring and back through the English Garden

Munich. It's the hot August days in Munich that inspire us to take a bike tour along the Isar. Our bike tour with reliable "PAKKA" bikes begins above the Isar and will lead through the English Garden. We start on the eastern high bank of the Isar: in Haidhausen. Winding paths lead down to the banks of the Isar. We enthusiastically stop at almost every corner and enjoy the greenery, the shade and the romantic places where we are almost alone today.

 

Path on the high bank of the Isar near Haidhausen, photo: Helga Waess

From here we drive down to the Isar and continue towards Bogenhausen.

Isar Canal, photo: Helga Waess

We drive through lush green parks with old trees, which provide wonderful cooling at almost 35 degrees.

Angel of Peace, Munich Maximiliansanlagen, photo: Helga Waess

Here we allow ourselves a look at the Angel of Peace, which towers over Munich's Maximilian complex at a height of 38 meters.

Isar in Munich, photo: Helga Waess

We drive an idyllic route to the right of the Isar under tall trees. Here on the edge of Bogenhausen the Isar flows slowly towards the Oberföhring dam. There the Isar is dammed by 6 meters by the building, which appears almost monumental like a castle.

Oberföhring weir, photo: Helga Waess

The so-called inlet, on which ducks and swans frolic, spans the Middle Isar Canal. At this point we cross the waterways. However, this impressive weir is not, as one would expect, a hydroelectric power station.
However, a smaller power plant located slightly below feeds the Middle Isar Canal, which only flows back into the Isar near Landshut. On the route to Landshut there are several run-of-river power plants that generate electricity over a total gradient of 109 m.

Isar Canal at the Oberföhring dam, photo: Helga Waess

Cycling along the Eisbach from the north takes you directly past the Tivoli power plant. The secluded red brick building complex, surrounded by trees, was built in 1896 as a hydroelectric power station. The bare brick building in our photo can now be used as an event location. The rest of the former facility with the turbine hall over the Eisbach, boiler hall and machine facilities are only partially there.

Pakka bicycles in front of the entrance to the Tivoli power station, Photo: Helga Waess

Wide paths lead from the north of the English Garden towards the city.

Northern English Garden, Munich, photo: Helga Waess

 

Artists can exhibit their works in the Orangery at the English Garden - but the lists are long and you have to wait a while.

Orangery at the English Garden, photo: Helga Waess

Now we have earned a break in the beer garden at the Chinese Tower

There is an article about this in this blog: Munich tip: Beer garden with live music and Bavarian delicacies at the Chinese Tower in the English Garden ... The Chinese Tower in Munich: Traditional Munich cuisine and a cool Hofbräu beer with traditional folk music from the tower. The beer garden is open from Monday to Sunday during “beer garden weather”! Mon-Fri from 11 a.m. / Sat and Sun from 10 a.m

Beer garden at the Chinese Tower in the English Garden, Munich, Photo: Helga Waess

From afar we can hear the brass band playing beer garden music on a plateau of the 25 meter high wooden tower.

Chinese Tower - Pagoda with Bavarian live music, beer garden atmosphere in the English Garden, photo: Helga Waess

Here you can quickly start a conversation and find out who came here or was even born in Munich.

Monopteros in the English Garden, Munich, photo: Helga Waess

After a refreshing stay in the beer garden, we drive towards the city center, past the Monopteros Hill and experience the city panorama above the trees of the English Garden.

Meadow in the English Garden in Munich, in the background the dome of the Bavarian State Chancellery, the top of the town hall tower and the characteristic towers of the Frauenkirche Munich, photo: Helga Waess

Behind the trees rises the dome of the Bavarian State Chancellery, the top of the town hall tower and the characteristic towers of the Frauenkirche with their “Welsh hoods”.

Relaxed Munich residents and tourists lie, play and sleep on the meadows.

This is Munich too!

Literature on the topics mentioned

•     Manfred Nerdinger (ed.): Architecture Guide Munich. Reimer, Berlin 2002
•     Werner A. Widmann: A piece of beauty lies above the Eisbach. The Tivoli power station in the English Garden. Tivoli Handels- und Immobilien-Aktiengesellschaft, Munich 1986