Hannover’s Georgstrasse and the adjacent Bahnhofstrasse are among the most popular shopping streets in Germany. Niki de Saint Phalle Promenade, Galerie Luise and Kröpcke Passage offer fashion, jewellery, silverware, porcelain and restaurants. In the area around the Opera House and the central square (Kröpcke) are a wonderful assortment of elegant, exclusive shops and large department stores.

You can find more exclusive boutiques and little shops in the Old Town (Altstadt) around the Market Church, as well as art galleries, antique dealers and specialist shops. Shopping arcades outside the city centre are Leine Shopping Centre and City Centre Langenhagen.

Hanover is home to Schmorl & von Seefeld, Bahnhofstrasse 14, which claims to be Europe’s largest bookshop. Shoppers looking for top-end designer clothes should head for Michael Schulz, Osterstrasse 47, a hip boutique stocking the likes of Thierry Mugler and Christian Lacroix.

Visitors looking for a local speciality might find it in Brauhaus Ernst August, Schmiederstrasse 13, where boozy shoppers can pick up a couple of two-litre kegs of home brewed beer.

The Market Hall in the Old Town, open daily 0800-1900, might look uninspiring from the outside but visitors will quickly forget their surroundings when confronted by the vast array of fresh produce and international delicacies for sale inside. One of the biggest and oldest flea markets in Europe is held on the banks of the River Leine, every Saturday 0800-1800.

Larger stores and supermarkets are open Monday to Friday 0900-2000 and Saturday 0900-1600. Smaller shops only stay open until 1830 during the week and until 1400 on Saturday.

Seasonal sales are at the end of January and July. Visitors can reclaim a portion of the 11% VAT on goods worth over €30, if returning to a non-EU country. Shops displaying the ‘Tax Free’ sign issue a ‘tax-free cheque’ that, when stamped by customs, is redeemable at one of the tax-free reimbursement offices. One of these is located in Terminal B at the airport and in the Reisebank in the main railway station. The German branch of Global Refund (website: www.globalrefund.com) can provide further information.