Hanover (Hannover in German) has risen since the dark days of the WWII to become one of Germany's wealthier cities.

Although much of the city on the bank of the River Leine was laid waste by Allied bombers during the 1940s, medieval highlights remain to delight the eye, particularly in the Old Town, whose Market Place, with its distinctive timbered buildings, and 15th-century Old Town Hall are definite ‘musts' for the visitor.

Elsewhere, the city offers elegant parkland, a range of interesting museums and galleries - and all the attractions of a modern city, for business and leisure visitors alike.

The city's economy is dominated by the Messegelände to the southeast, Germany's largest, and one of Europe's most high-tech show and exhibition grounds, which hauls in millions of visitors every year to attend the various business and leisure events. This vast area was also home to Expo 2000, the first World Expo ever to be held on German soil.

Despite the rather less than spectacular success of the event itself, the Expo 2000 site has proved to be a valuable legacy for the city, and certainly placed Hanover firmly on the city breaks map.

Hanover's history dates back to the days of the Hanseatic League, when this north German city used its proximity to the Baltic Sea to emerge as a serious economic player. The golden age came in the 17th century, when at the same time Hanoverian George I became the British king, despite the fact that he could not speak English and chose to spend much of his time holed up back in his native city.

Other famous residents have included 18th-century composer Handel, astronomer William Herschel, former German chancellor Gerhard Schröder, and 1970s rock band the Scorpions.

Like many of the bigger German cities, Hanover is very much a mix of ancient and modern. But it is without doubt an attractive destination, offering all the facilities, shopping and entertainment (it has more than 40 theatres alone) demanded by the modern traveller.