HOLIDAY GUIDE FOR THEREGION OF HILDESHEIMHoliday Tips, Accommodation and Event Highlights for 2015

TOURIST INFORMATION AND WELCOME CENTRE

Service, Advising and Booking

The tourist-information office is located in one of the most beau-tiful buildings in Hildesheim - in the Tempelhaus on the historical market square. Plans have been made to expand tourist information into a modern Welcome and World Heritage Centre by spring 2015. Look forward to a multimedia presentation on UNESCO World Herit-age in Hildesheim, the region and beyond. 3D computer animations, live webcam pictures of the World Heritage sites in Lower Saxony, an interactive city model and much more invite you to explore the World Heritage sites. Guided tours for groups are in the planning.

Awarded with the seal of qualityService QualityGermany in Lower SaxonyLevel I

Hildesheim Marketing GmbHtourist-information HildesheimRathausstr. 20 (Tempelhaus) 31134 HildesheimTel.: +49 (0)5121 1798-0 Fax: +49 (0)5121 1798-88 E-mail: tourist-info@hildesheim-marketing.deInternet: www.hildesheim.de/tourismus

English information: www.hildesheim.de/english.i

The tourist information team is happy to provide you with infor-mation on UNESCO World Heritage sites: St. Marys Cathedral and Cathedral Museum, St. Michaels Church and Fagus Factory Accommodation and arrangements Meeting and conference services Guided tours and costumed tour guides Guided tours in the region Segway tours through Hildesheim Climbing the St. Andrews church tower Hiring e-bikes Souvenirs, travel guides, books and maps (also online at www.hildesheim.de/online-shop) Special exhibitions in the museums Events and festivals Cycling and hiking/walking tours

3Content | HILDESHEIM HOLIDAY GUIDE 2015

Published by: Hildesheim Market-ing GmbH, Managing Director Lo-thar Meyer-Mertel, Rathausstr. 15, 31134Hildesheim, Tel. +49 (0)5121 1798-100 e-mail: info@hildesheim-marketing.de, www.hildesheim-marketing.deIn co-operation with: Wirtschafts-frderungsgesellschaft Hildesheim Region (HI-REG) mbH, www.hi-reg.deEditors : Anja Barlen-Herbig (agentur from b.), Britta Franke (Hildesheim Marketing)Design: agentur from b. GmbHPrinter: Leinebergland Druck GmbH & Co.KGEnglish translation: Johnson Trans-lations, Sandra Johnson, HildesheimPhoto credits: Title and pg. 26 and 27 designed by Insa Krebs 2014 with Kunstbaukasten Hildesheim 1200, Hildesheim Marketing (pg. 2-7, 14, 19, 21, 30), Nicole Buchholz (pg. 2), Leif Obornik (pg. 4), Martin Ganzkow (pg. 4), Fagus-GreCon Greten GmbH & Co.KG (pg. 4, 9, 28), agentur von b. (pg. 7, 12-15, 17, 20, 49), Bishoprics Press Office Hildesheim, Manfred Zimmermann EUROMEDIAHOUSE (pg. 8), City Archive Hildesheim (pg. 10), City Archive Hildesheim. Order No. 953 Nr. 204 (pg. 11), Roemer and Pelizaeus Museum Hildesheim (pg. 11), Hans-Werner Kalkmann (pg. 11), City of Elze (pg. 12), Jim + Jim-my (pg. 14), City of Sarstedt (pg. 16), Wolfgang Schulz (pg. 16, 20), Werf-tengruppe GmbH (pg. 17), City of Bockenem (pg. 21), City of Bad Salz-detfurth (pg. 22, 23), form: arte Grafikbro Hildesheim (pg. 24,, 25), Andreas Hartmann (pg. 28)

Subject to change without notice, last updated: October 2014

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Museums and ExhibitionsPages 10 and 11

1200 Years of HistoryPages 6 and 7

Bad Salzdetfurth Pages 22 to 25

Castles, Fortresses, Monasteries, ConventsPages 12 and 13

UNESCO World HeritagePages 8 and 9

Water, Water EverywherePages 16 and 17

Welcome to the Region Pages 4 and 51200 Years of History Pages 6 and 7UNESCO World Heritage Pages 8 and 9Museums and Exhibitions Pages 10 and 11Castles, Fortresses, Monasteries, Convents Pages 12 and 13Family Fun Pages 14 and 15Water, Water Everywhere Pages 16 and 17Cycling Pages 18 and 19Hiking Page 20Parks and Towns Page 21Bad Salzdetfurth Pages 22 to 25Events Pages 26 to 29Accommodation Pages 30 to 43in Hildesheim Pages 31 to 36in the Region Pages 37 to 39in Bad Salzdetfurth Pages 40 to 43Maps of Accommodation Pages 44 to 48How to Get Here and Public Transportation Page 49General Terms and Conditions of Agency Page 50 and 51

Welcome to the Region Pages 4 and 5

4HILDESHEIM HOLIDAY GUIDE 2015 | Welcome to the Region

WELCOME TO THE REGION OF HILDESHEIM

Hildesheim is celebrating an impressive anniversary this year: It is 1200 years ago that Emperor Louis the Pious had the first chapel built on the hill where the Cathedral stands today. The founding of the bishopric marked the beginning of Hildesheims develop-ment as a city. Gradually, the small settlement outgrew the walls that surrounded the chapel. Up to the Middle Ages, a town of tradesmen, merchants and citizens developed in the area around St. Andrews Church; the first document calling it a town was dated from 1146..

Mariensee Holle

Today, the city of Hildesheim, with its close to 100,000 inhabitants, is the centre of the region and is located just 30 kilometres from the state capital of Hannover, nestled between the lowlands of the Hildesheim Brde, the Leine and Innerste Rivers and the Leine hill country leading into the foothills of the Harz Mountains. A large-scale jubilee programme has been devised to duly celebrate the citys 1200th anniversary in 2015. The programme includes new events that have been specially put together for the anniversary, such as the theatre production entitled In the Name of the Rose, which will transform the entire city into a stage. Other successful formats, such as the popular street artist festival called Pflaster-zauber (Magic on the Cobblestones), will also be included in the anniversary celebrations.

5Welcome to the Region | HILDESHEIM HOLIDAY GUIDE 2015

Hildesheims half-timbered district

The famous St. Marys Cathe-dral and the adjoining Cathe-dral Museum will be shining in a new light just in time for the citys anniversary the UNES-CO World Heritage church un-derwent extensive renovations for five years. The newly de-signed church interior stands out by virtue of its clean lines and airiness. Valuable art treas-ures that are part of the UNE-SCO World Heritage have also returned to Hildesheim. The Roemer and Pelizaeus Muse-um makes its contribution to the celebrations with an exhi-bition entitled The Roots of the Rose - Hildesheim in the Mid-dle Ages: From the Bishopric to the Peoples City. Visitors can retrace the history of the city from the Middle Ages to mod-ern times - and discover the his-torical Roots of the Rose. Aside from all the anniversary festivi-ties in 2015, Hildesheim also has a lot more to offer - hikers can saddle up Shanks pony to trav-el such interesting trails as the Kings Route or the Ith-Hils trail. Cyclists can rent e-bikes to ride over the hills and mountains with ease. Water rats can dive into the cool waters in the many swimming lakes in the region or go off on an adventurous canoe-ing tour. On a side trip into the surrounding region, youll dis-cover many cultural treasures castles, monasteries, convents and palaces. One highlight in-cludes the Fagus Factory in Al-feld. Originally built by Walter Gropius, it was added to the list of UNESCO World Heritage sites in 2011. Find out more about the many different facets of the re-gion of Hildesheim and cele-brate this impressive anniversa-ry with us! We look forward to welcoming you here!

St. Marys Cathedral Hildesheim

Fagus Factory

6HILDESHEIM HOLIDAY GUIDE 2015 | 1200 Years of History

Happy Birthday! Born in 815, the city and the bishopric are cel-ebrating a Big Birthday. 2015 is the 1200th anniversary of the founding of the bishopric by Louis the Pious and the beginning of the development of Hildesheim into a city. The story of the found-ing of the bishopric is intertwined with a fascinating legend that is closely linked to the famous 1000-year-old rosebush, which still grows today at the apse of the Cathedral. According to the legend, Emperor Louis the Pious celebrated mass during a hunting trip at the place where St. Marys Cathedral stands today. St. Marys pre-cious rosary, which he had brought along, somehow got left be-hind. The Emperors chaplain returned to the spot and found the valuable rosary among the blossoms of a bush, later called a rose. It seemed impossible, however, to remove it from the branches. The Emperor was summoned and he declared it a miracle and a sign

of Gods will. In honour of Mary, the mother of God, he had a chap-el built on this site. During the past 12 centuries, the bishopric and the city have expe-rienced a history of magnificent heydays and intense storms. The two World Heritage churches - the Cathedral and St. Michaels - are eloquent witnesses of these turbulent eras. Throughout the gen-erations, the people of Hildesheim lived their everyday lives - they worked, loved, dreamt, believed, prayed and celebrated. In the an-niversary year, visitors can take a trip through 1200 years of histo-ry. Hildesheim is celebrating its birthday with a host of impressive events. Exhibitions, street festivals, theatre performances visitors and citizens alike can look forward to a programme of more than 100 events (see pg. 26 and 27).

HILDESHEIM ... BORN 815

English information 1200 years of Hildesheim: www.hildesheim.de/anniversary

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71200 Years of History | HILDESHEIM HOLIDAY GUIDE 2015

Hildesheim looks back on an eventful, lively history - many buildings and tourist attrac-tions are evidence today of the impressive history of the city. Guests visiting the city can experience the 1200 years of history by following the Rose Route. Small, decorative pave-ment stones displaying a rose point you in the right direc-tion. From the historical mar-ket square with the famous Butchers Guildhall, you pass by churches and historical build-ings to get to the half-timbered district and the UNESCO World Heritage churches. The histori-cal market square and the Up-ended Sugarloaf attract thou-sands of tourists to the city each year. And it can all be at-tributed to the dedication and commitment of the citizens of Hildesheim. They spared no ex-pense to have the old half-tim-bered buildings reconstructed according to the original plans in the heart of the city. The Butchers Guildhall (Knochen-haueramtshaus) and the Bak-ers Guildhall (Bckeramtshaus) deserve special mention. An-other eye-catcher on the mar-ket square is the Tempelhaus, with an architectural style that clearly evidences the influence of the Orient. Todays tourist-in-formation office is located in this former patrician villa. Look-ing at the elaborate faades of Rolandstift and Wedekind-haus and the Stadtschnke, the Rococo Building and the Wool Weavers Guildhall on the opposite side of the square, youd never believe that there are modern concrete buildings on the inside. The Upended Sugarloaf is located just a few metres away from the market square, in the midst of the mod-ern building complexes in the

1200 YEARS - FOLLOWING THE ROSES THROUGH HISTORY

pedestrian zone. The name of the building is no less unusu-al than its looks: the half-tim-bered building on St. Andrews Square, where each level slight-ly overhangs the one below it, was already called the Upend-ed Sugarloaf 500 years ago. The route continues on into the half-timbered district. Many historical half-timbered build-ings have been preserved in the Neustadt (New Town). Nar-

row lanes, beautiful rosebushes and lovingly restored half-tim-bered buildings be sure to take some time for a leisurely stroll through the past in this part of the city. The roses guide visi-tors along the Kehrwiederwall (old city wall) and through the romantic half-timbered district and finally to St. Marys Cathe-dral and St. Michaels Church, the two UNESCO World Herit-age churches. The Rose Route

can be divided into different sections and individually com-bined with one another. Walk-ing the entire route takes about four hours. The Rose Route bro-chure, which is available from the tourist-information office, provides accompanying infor-mation on city history, the UN-ESCO World Heritage sites, the buildings, churches and streets.

8HILDESHEIM HOLIDAY GUIDE 2015 | UNESCO World Heritage

Evidence of past cultures, artistic masterpieces and one-of-a-kind landscapes whose downfall would be an irreplaceable loss for all humankind - there are 39 natural and cultural sites on the UNESCO list of World Heritage in Germany. And not one, not two, but three of them are located in southern Lower Saxony in and around Hildesheim.

Hildesheim is able to boast not one but two World Heritage church-es: St. Marys Cathedral and St. Michaels Church were added to the list of World Heritage along with the Cathedral Treasure in 1985. St. Michaels is considered as one of the most beautiful early Roman-esque churches in Europe. Inside, you can see the fascinating, mon-umental ceiling painting dating from the 13th century. The Hildesheim Cathedral was extensively renovated over the past few years - it is now shining in its new glory and was re-opened in August 2014, just in time for the bishoprics anniversary year. The adjoining St. Anthonys Church has been converted into the new Ca-thedral Museum - with its official opening scheduled for April 2015.The building history of St. Marys Cathedral goes back to the 9th century. In March 1945, it was destroyed in an air raid and was re-built by 1960. The Episcopal Church had not been renovated since its reconstruction and the buildings structure also no longer re-flected contemporary liturgical and aesthetic concepts.The renovation work has without a doubt given the Cathedral a completely new look and places a clear focus on the Romanic fea-tures and use of space - the impressive Bernwards door was moved inside to protect it against the elements. The central access points to the crypt were re-opened. In front of the crypt there is now a new burial place for the deceased bishops. The newly designed church interior stands out by virtue of its clean lines and airiness. It was

ST. MARYS CATHEDRAL AND THE CATHEDRAL MUSEUM

UNESCO- WORLD HERITAGE

UNESCO-World Heritage: www.hildesheim.de/welterbeDom und Dommuseum, Domhof 18-21, Hildesheim:www.dom-hildesheim.de, www.dommuseum-hildesheim.de

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also important to satisfy the theological and liturgical demands of the 21st century, to integrate the Cathedral into its city surround-ings and to emphasize its significance as a UNESCO World Heritage site. During the renovation phase, the famous art treasures were lent to many different museums - among others, in Berlin, Chica-go and Washington, and finally with great success, to the Metro-politan Museum in New York. The Cathedral Museum is home to the valuable, internationally renowned Cathedral Treasure exhib-its and important interior features of the Cathedral, displayed in rooms designed to evoke different moods. The Baroque tapestries from the former Great Hall will once again be on display for the first time since the Second World War. As another highlight, there are the famous works belonging to the Bernwardian artistic treasures. The basement floor of the museum is devoted to the historical loca-tion of the original nucleus of the city and bishopric of Hildesheim - this is where the remains of the Bernwardian Wall can be found, one of the oldest Post Classic period city walls in Europe. It was un-covered during the construction of the Cathedral.

Cathedral MuseumSt. Marys Cathedral

9UNESCO World Heritage | HILDESHEIM HOLIDAY GUIDE 2015

The Fagus Factory in Alfeld was added to the World Heritage list as the first modern indus-trial building in June 2011. The building, which was originally built in 1911 and belongs to Fa-gus-GreCon, was designed by Walter Gropius, the founder of the Bauhaus School it was the first major project to be built by the well-known architect. Gro-pius succeeded in giving a me-dium-sized company a com-pletely different appearance, a far cry from what was consid-ered as traditional up till then.The Fagus Factory represents an architectural concept that took into account the needs for light, air and clarity for the first time at that time and that used

glass and steel in the sense of the new architecture. The liv-ing monument continues to perform its original function as a production plant until to-day. Visitors are invited to take a look behind the scenes on in-teresting tours of the factory and the former warehouse is now home to a Fagus-Gropius exhibition on display space of some 3,000 square metres that provides information on such topics as the company history or shoe fashion over the past 100 years. The most important attractions of this World Her-itage site include: the Confer-ence Centre, the Fagus-Gropius caf, the Fagus-Gropius exhibi-tion, the Fagus gallery, the Fa-

MORE UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE IN THE REGION

Fagus Factory, Hannoversche Str. 58, Alfeldwww.fagus-werk.com

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gus shop and the new UNESCO visitor centre, which is current-ly in the planning stage. In the region surrounding Hildesheim, there are two more UNESCO World Heritage sites that are definitely worth a day trip. In 2010, the system of the Upper Harz Mountains Water Works was added to the Rammels-berg Underground Ore Mine and the Historic City Centre of Goslar, which have been World Heritage sites since 1992. With an area of more than 220 square kilometres, eleven museums

and many accessible archae-ological monuments, the Wa-ter Works is Germanys larg-est World Heritage site. Corvey Castle, which has also been on the UNESCO World Heritage list since June 2014, is located ap-proximately 70 km away from Hildesheim. Sights definite-ly worth seeing in the former Benedictine abbey and todays castle include the Carolingian westwork, the Baroque castle, the cloister, the gallery of ab-bots and the magnificent Em-perors Hall.

Fagus Factory

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HILDESHEIM HOLIDAY GUIDE 2015 | Museums and Exhibitions

The Roemer and Pelizaeus Museum makes its contribution to the citys expansive celebrations with an exhibition entitled The Roots of the Rose - Hildesheim in the Middle Ages. From 31 March to 4 October 2015, visitors can retrace the history of the city from the Middle Ages to modern times - and discover the histori-cal Roots of the Rose. As an expedition to the unknown city be-low our feet, the exhibition enables visitors to see what lies hid-den beyond and below the visible buildings, streets and structures. The reconnection with todays cityscape shows that European his-tory took place right on our doorsteps and it can still be felt today. The exhibition transforms Hildesheims role as a religious and sec-ular centre of power into an exciting experience. New archaeolog-ical finds and precious exhibits trace the way from the bishopric to a city of the people in the early and High Middle Ages. Modern me-dia, guided tours and interactive elements, such as a Middle Ages laboratory to allow visitors to actively explore the Middle Ages, round out what the exhibition has to offer.

THE ROOTS OF THE ROSE Roemer and Pelizaeus Museum invites to the anniversary exhibition

Roemer and Pelizaeus Museum, Am Steine 1-2, Hildesheim, www.rpmuseum.de

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Museums and Exhibitions | HILDESHEIM HOLIDAY GUIDE 2015

The Hildesheim Civic Museum (Stadtmuseum) will feature not one, but two interesting special exhibitions in 2015. Historical photo-graphs taken by Franz Heinrich Bdeker will be on display in an ex-hibition entitled Hildesheim at the Time of the Emperors from 11 April to 2 August 2015. The World Heritage path has been guiding visitors from the market square to the World Heritage sites and back since 2013. But what did this path once look like? The exhibition in-vites visitors to take a stroll through Hildesheim around 1900: from the train station downtown and from there along todays World Her-itage path. The photographs focus not only on Hildesheim in the Middle Ages, but also on the modern, ambitious city. From Care Packages to Petticoats. Reconstruction and the Economic Miracle in Hildesheim is the name of the second special exhibition - it can

SMALL GALLERIES AND MUSEUMS Water Sculptures in the Bull Pen

Stiftung Kunstgebude Schlosshof Bodenburg, Bodenburg, www.kunstverein-bad-salzdetfurth.de Pottery Museum, Duingen, www.toepfermuseum-duingen.deTower Clock Museum, Bockenem, www.bockenem.de

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HISTORY AND STORIES A Stroll through the History of the City

Hildesheim Civic Museum, Markt 7, Hildesheimwww.stadtmuseum-hildesheim.de

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Small museums and galleries throughout the region provide an im-pressive display of international art, unusual handicrafts and del-icate mechanics - whether its the Pottery Museum in Duingen or the Tower Clock Museum in Bockenem. With its international ex-hibitions, the gallery in the former Bull Pen at Bodenburg Castle is no longer an insiders tip. From 27 June to 2 August 2015, the focus here will be on water sculptures created by Hans-Oiseau Kalk-mann. The Bad Salzdetfurth Art Association will put water projects that Kalkmann has created in public spaces in the limelight in a comprehensive retrospective. A photo documentation and models of the water sculptures produced over the past 25 years will be fea-tured in the exhibition. They were installed in many different Ger-man cities. The exhibition is rounded out by two talks on the cre-ative process of the sculptures from start to finish in the context of art projects, in which the general public also took active part.

be seen from 5 September 2015 to 28 February 2016. From Trm-merfrauen (women who cleared away the debris after WWII) and Care Packages to Kidney-Shaped Tables and Petticoats - the time of reconstruction and the economic miracle awakens a lot of mem-ories. The period after 1945 continues to affect Hildesheim today. That applies to lifestyle and youth culture as well as the architec-ture of department stores and churches. The exhibition makes this time of change come alive again: from the deprivation of the post-war period to the new affluence of the 1950s.

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HILDESHEIM HOLIDAY GUIDE 2015 | Castles, Fortresses, Monasteries

Marienburg Castle, Pattensen, www.schloss-marienburg.comi

The community of Sibbesse is home to an enchanted castle, the Wrisbergholzen Baroque Castle. The famous tiled par-lour from 1752 is located in the left wing; its walls are com-pletely covered by approx. 680 tiles with inscriptions (in Ital-ian, French and Latin) that were made in the former counts faience manufactory in Wris-bergholzen. This faience man-ufactory was built in 1736 and is the oldest one in north-western Germany. The castle grounds

with the many old, majestic trees are also worth a visit. The castles orangery is one of the very few orangeries remain-ing from the mid-19th century in all of Lower Saxony. Tours are conducted by the Society for the Preservation of Buildings of His-toric Importance (Verein zur Er-haltung von Baudenkmalen in Wrisbergholzen e. V.) through the orangery and the church of Wrisbergholzen on selected Sundays throughout the sum-mer.

Fairy tale-like castles and fortresses, monasteries and convents and many churches give the region an unmistakeable profile. Marien-burg Castle is a famous tourist attraction, Hildesheim is known for its churches and the view from the Wohldenberg ruins is unrivalled.

WRISBERGHOLZEN BAROQUE CASTLE

MARIENBURG CASTLE OVERLOOKING NORDSTEMMEN

CASTLES, FORTRESSES, MONASTERIESWhere knights and princes have left their marks

Information and dates for visits can be found at www.alfeld.de/wrisbergholzen

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Get married in the castles chap-el or take a closer look at the sa-lon once used by the queen and princesses Marienburg Castle is considered as a real highlight among the tourist attractions in Lower Saxony. Beautifully situ-ated on the Marienberg over-looking Nordstemmen, the cas-tle attracts thousands of visitors every year as one of Germanys most well-known Neo-Gothic

architectural monuments. At Marienburg Castle, you can get a real taste of how the royals lived in the 19th century: George V, King of Hannover, gave the castle to his wife, Queen Mary, as a present on her 40th birth-day it was built between 1858 and 1867. The impressive four-wing complex served as the summer residence for the roy-al couple.

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Castles, Fortresses, Monasteries | HILDESHEIM HOLIDAY GUIDE 2015

An impressive abbey can be found in Lamspringe, to the south in the region of Hildesheim. The historical grounds are famous for their elaborately decorated convent church and the picturesque park with ponds and modern sculptures (see pg. 21). Its also well worth taking a look at the Baroque interior of the church, which is one of the most artistically valuable in Lower Saxony, with its flowery pic-tures in the groined vaults and the ornate carvings on the high altar, choir stalls, choir screens, pulpit and baptismal font. Hildesheim is also home to many different churches. In addition to the UNESCO World Heritage churches, more than 30 churches evidence the his-tory of Hildesheim as a see city. A visit to St. Godehards, a Romanic church, for example, which was elevated to the status of a basilica minor by Pope Paul VI, or the Late Gothic St. Lamberts hall church, is sure to please. St. Andrews is also a church worth visiting; par-ticularly the view from its observation deck 75 metres on high is impressive indeed. From up here, Marienburg Castle, the Leine Riv-er hill country and even the Brocken, the highest peak in the Harz Mountains, all look so close. Hildesheim also boasts a convent and a castle. In Marienrode Convent, guests can stay overnight in the retreat house and experience a time of silence and contemplation in a cloistral atmosphere. For a short outing, you can sit down and relax in the courtyard caf at the Marienburg demesne and then pay a visit the School Museum there.

CHURCHES AND CLOISTERS

A number of castles and fortresses can be discovered in the com-munity of Holle. One of the most well-known castles is Derneburg Castle. It was made famous by its former owner, the painter Georg Baselitz. He purchased the castle in 1975, but then sold it to a patron of the arts from the US in 2006. The castle and its gardens are not open to the public, but with its curved pagoda roof, it is still a sight worth seeing from the outside. With the Glashaus Restaurant close by - the former greenhouse of the castle nursery - the Laves Cultur-al Path and the attractive natural surroundings, which invite visi-tors to go for walks or explore by bike, the castle is a popular des-tination for a days outing. Other castles in the region include the Baroque Sder Castle and the Henneckenrode Castle. The Wohlden-berg Castle ruins take visitors back into the Age of Chivalry. From the old, square castle tower, you have a beautiful panoramic view of the area right up to the Harz Mountains, with its highest peak, the Brocken. Starting from here, there are also many different hik-ing trails through the forests surrounding Holle.

CASTLES & FORTRESSES IN HOLLE

www.hildesheim.de/tourismus-hollei

Lamspringe Abbey, phone + 49 (0) 5183-500-0St. Andreas Church, Hildesheim, www.hildesheim.de/andreaskirchturmwww.hildesheim.de/kirchen

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Wohldenberg Castle Ruins

Lamspringe Abbey

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HILDESHEIM HOLIDAY GUIDE 2015 | Out and About with Children

FUN FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY

I want to play, swim, and do arts and crafts, sing, jump and do all that all at once. Family holidays are always little adventures. The re-gion of Hildesheim invites you to come and explore where wild animals live, go on a mystery hunt through the city or visit play worlds and amusement parks.

Jim + Jimmy is the sport, playground and adventure centre with countless offers for the entire family. While parents can use the Jim the fitness area at their leisure, kids can romp to their hearts con-tent in Jimmy. 3,000 square metres full of ideas and lots of room for play, sport and activity: you can go climbing on Lower Saxonys largest indoor rope-climbing course with 21 stations, even when its stormy and snowing outside. Way up high, younger and older guests alike can test their skills and see how much they dare. Be-side it, there is a freestanding climbing wall and a boulder wall. An-yone who wants to can expend their energy in different ways: by playing soccer or basketball on the soccer/multi court, riding a uni-cycle or pedalo in the velodrome or racing around the bumper car track. Four giant slides six metres high provide for a different thrill. HopplaHopp promises lots of fun for young and old, both out-side and in. On 2,000 square metres, young adventurers in Hop-pla-Hopp will find a football field, a climbing tower, a whale slide, a bungee trampoline, a jumping mushroom and the Mississippi Ex-press. In addition, there are many different special events arranged here throughout the year.

HAVING FUN EVEN IN BAD WEATHER

Jim+Jimmy, Lerchenkamp 60, Hildesheim, www.jim-jimmy.deHopplaHopp, Kruppstr. 5, Hildesheim, www.hopplahopp.com

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Small, smart and free of charge the game park, approximately 15 acres in size on Hildesheims Stone Mountain (Steinberg); includes several large fenced areas that are home to different types of game typical of this area. In addition to deer and elk, there are also rac-coons, martins, owls and a number of birds of prey. Children are par-ticularly fond of the rabbit and guinea pig pens, which give them an opportunity to pet the animals, and they can tire themselves out on the different playground equipment.

GAME PARK ON THE STEINBERG

Wildgatter, Steinberg 6, Hildesheim-Ochtersum, www.wildgatter-hildesheim.de

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Walks are boring? Not if youre underway with a little man in your ear. Children seven years old and older can take a mys-tery tour through Hildesheim. In a combination of radio play and audio guide, the young de-tectives help a dwarf named Hildemar to find hidden num-bers. Its only with the correct number code that Hildemar can free his girlfriend from the

ON THE HEELS OF THE HUCKUP

www.hildesheim.de/kinderaudioguidei

clutches of the wicked Huckup. In return for this help, the dwarf provides interesting information on buildings and the history of the city and relates old legends about Hildesheim. The audio guide for children can be borrowed in the tourist-information office.

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Out and About with Children| HILDESHEIM HOLIDAY GUIDE 2015

RASTI-LAND

Family holidays are small adventures and the region of Hildesheim offers not one, but two amusement parks for families to enjoy. Search for precious stones, pan for gold, interpret animal tracks, pet the animals in the petting zoo or walk along the path that takes you back in time to the ancient past in the Family Park Sottrum in Holle, there are 100 different stations at which children and their parents can experience new things. You can also experience histo-ry in the Family Park Sottrum: Light a fire like people in the Stone Age or bake bread in the old bakery. Old farming equipment shows how crops used to be sowed and harvested. The Mathematics Trail weaves its way through the park, with stops along the way from A to Z. Find out more about numbers with your feet, zero tells its story, square roots are calculated and Albrecht Drer presents his magic square. Experience nature first-hand this is where learning can really be called childs play. In contrast to many other amuse-ment parks, visitors will not find amusement machines here, but rather lots of room for individual discovery and for trying out and testing things themselves.

SOTTRUM AMUSEMENT PARK

Rasti-Land, between Hildesheim and Hameln, www.rasti-land.de

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Sailors large and small are in-vited to take an exciting ride on the giant swinging ship in Rasti-Land, a water and amuse-ment park. Another of the main attractions is the high-speed rollercoaster. The park also fea-tures a rafting ride with a whirl-pool. Would you like a bit more of a thrill? The climbing towers

of Rastis robber-knights cas-tle reach high into the sky, all awry as if they were growing wild. In between them, there are wire bridges on high, a gi-ant slide and endless oppor-tunities to play. The high-rope course is also an adventure for small climbing artists. Unique in all of Germany is the in-

Familienpark Sottrum, Holle, www.familienparksottrum.dei

door white-water fun in the Kids-Dinoworld amusement park, which is located directly next to Rasti-Land. On a total of 2,500 square metres, kids can

tire themselves out any time of the year and in any weath-er with rides, lots of options for fun and games and in an elabo-rately designed Dinosaur World.

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HILDESHEIM HOLIDAY GUIDE 2015 | Water, Water Everywhere

ADVENTURE SWIMMINGPOOLS AND WELLNESS

In Alfeld, you dont have to de-pend on sunshine, either the 7 Berge Bad, an indoor swim-ming pool complex, guarantees fun for the whole family, even in bad weather. A convertible roof makes it possible. Kids can play to their hearts content on the giant water slide, in the childrens wading pool with dif-ferent attractions, on the climb-ing fish and on the generous-ly sized playground. In an area with 1,500 m of water surface, a 70-metre long slide, endless swimming, a wading pool, an outdoor pool, a three-metre high diving tower and more guaran-tee enjoyment for everyone. The nine theme saunas and the cos-

metic and massage studio in-vite you to come in, relax and pamper yourself. In the heart of the city of Sarstedt, the Innerste Swimming Pool Complex with a large bathing landscape attracts swimming fans from near and far - 2,100 square metres of wa-ter surface invite you to jump in and cool down. Whether you use the indoor or the outdoor swimming pool - you can enjoy swimming here in summer and winter alke. In the white-water, on the giant slide, in the whirl-pools, fitness courses and sauna landscape you can let off steam or just relax, whatever you like. You want to simply go with the flow and relax? Then the saltwa-

Fun and games in the water - even when the weather is less than perfect - can be enjoyed in the adventure swimming pools in the re-gion. While the kids are splashing around, their parents can relax in the wellness oases and sauna landscapes.

7 Berge Bad, Alfeld, www.7bergebad.de Wasserparadies, Hildesheim,www.wasserparadies-hildesheim.deInnerstebad, Sarstedt, www.innerstebad.sarstedt.de Solebad und 5*-Saunen, Bad Salzdetfurth,www.mit-natur-natuerlich-fit.dePottlandsauna, Duingen, www.hallenbad-duingen.de

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ter swimming pool in Bad Salz-detfurth is where you want to be. The water is a soothing 30 to 33 C warm and, with a salt content of three per cent, it does wonders for your skin, muscles and joints. Experience a new dimension of wellness in the 5-star sauna and in the adjoin-ing Therapy Centre (see pg. 24 and 25).Coloured lights, different scents with water being poured over the stones every hour - the Pottland Sauna in the Duingen swimming pool will awaken all your senses. The sauna land-scape with indoor and outdoor saunas and the sanarium with different coloured lights stand for sweating and relaxation. In the indoor swimming pool with a depth of 30 cm to 1.80 m, even small water rats and non-swim-mers will enjoy their swimming fun.

Innerste Swimming Complex Sarstedt

Pottland Sauna Duingen

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Water, Water Everywhere | HILDESHEIM HOLIDAY GUIDE 2015

LAKES PROVIDE FOR WATER FUN

Roll out the barrel, well have a barrel of fun ... Beaches, lakes and pretty rivers are the perfect places to enjoy swimming, canoeing or sailing in the region of Hildesheim. The sandy beach with palm trees, sun awnings and lounge chairs at the JoBeach directly on Hohnsen Lake will get you into the holiday spirit. The beach bar of-fers cold drinks and for even more fun on land, theres a volleyball

Holiday flair at the JoBeach

Adventurers will get their moneys worth on a canoe trip. Individ-ual excursions can be planned either on the Leine or the Inner-ste Rivers. Anyone who would like to try out canoeing, but doesnt have a canoe of their own, can borrow one from a number of dif-ferent suppliers or take part in a guided tour - with or without a picnic. A two-hour hike from Hohnsen Lake through the Innerste Valley to Heinde with a canoe trip back to the starting point is a special combination for people who enjoy hiking and canoeing. The 13-km long route between Alfeld and Gronau is the perfect choice as a family-friendly beginners trip. Depending on how much you paddle, the trip takes from four to five hours. Experienced canoe-ists can also try out the white-water course at the Bischofsmhle (Bishops Mill) in Hildesheim. The artificial canal close to downtown can be adapted in levels of difficulty to suit the canoeists with op-tions ranging from beginners in white-water to demanding train-ing. Ranking-list competitions are held here every year by the Ger-man Canoeing Association.

UNDERWAY IN MY TIPPY CANOE...

Jo-Beach, Hildesheim, www.jowiese.deBadeseen in Sarstedt, www.sarstedt.de

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www.hildesheim.de/aktiv, www.leinekanu.de, www.kanu-leine.de

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court nearby. The Sarstedter-Giftener Lakes, a local recreation area, are popular for surfing and sailing; however, this does require the permission of the city of Sarstedt. It is also possible to go for walks or to go swimming without express permission; and there are also two BBQ pits. The only condition is that the area be left clean and tidy after it has been used. Not far away, there is another very nice swimming lake - the lake in Heisede, a part of Sarstedt, is popular amongst young and old alike. At the swimming lake in Heisede, you can swim in the refreshing waters, then lie down and relax on the sunbathing lawns, soon to feel revived and restored. There is also a small beach especially for children.

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HILDESHEIM HOLIDAY GUIDE 2015 | Cycling

ALL NATURE AND CULTURE Between the Innerste and Leine Rivers - from the Foothills of the Harz Mountains to the Hildesheim Brde

Cycling tourists can experience the diverse landscapes and cultural highlights of the region on beautiful bike paths: along the idyllic shores of the Innerste and Leine Rivers, views of Ith and Klf hills or through the many old historical towns.

The Leine-Heide Bicycle Path is a total of 410 kilometres long and connects the low mountain range in the Leine hill country with the Lueneburg Heath and the Hanseatic city

of Hamburg. The approximately 55-kilometre long route through the region of Hildesheim provides wonderful views into the Leine River valley, passes through beautiful towns with half-timbered buildings and past many points of interest along the way, such as the UNESCO World Heritage Fagus Factory in Alfeld.In addition to the existing paths, another attraction will be add-ed to the region of Hildesheim starting from 2015: In co-operation with many network partners, including the district of Hildesheim, the network of Greater Hannover has developed a long-distance bi-cycle path that connects the cultural lighthouses all around Han-nover. The total length of 800 km is divided into 15 day tours, of which 3 tours pass through the region of Hildesheim. In addition

The Hi-Ring, for example, which is 45 kilometres long, takes cyclists beyond the city gates of Hildesheim and provides wonderful views of the city and surrounding area with its

many churches and the UNESCO World Heritage sites.The Innerste bike path, which is approximately 105 kilo-metres in length, follows along the shores of the Innerste River from its source in the Harz Mountains to the point

where it empties into the Leine River. Along the way, cyclists pass through a variety of different landscapes in the low mountain range area through the foothills and on to the flat river shore. Along their routes, the cycling tourists will experience natural beauty and dif-ferent cultivated landscapes, such as the areas characterised by min-ing in the Harz Mountains or World Cultural Heritage sites.

The Bicycle Path to Art, which is close to 58 kilometres in length, connects Sarstedt with Bad Gandersheim via Hildesheim and is made up of five shorter routes: the Wa-

ter-Art Path, the Romanic Path, the Contact-Art Path, Art Moves (Kunst beWEGT) and the Sculpture Path. Anyone interested in art and culture will have a lot to discover on any one of these tours. Na-ture lovers will also get their moneys worth, pedalling through the long hills, the gentle valleys and taking a rest stop somewhere in the Leine and Innerste river valleys.

More information and bicyclist-friendly enterprises can be found at www.hildesheim.de/radfahren

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People interested in culture or sports, those seeking peace and quiet or families with children - the bike paths in the region of Hildesheim are as diverse and different as the people who use them. From long-distance and special topic routes to tours and right on up to local cycling paths and paths for mountain biking, everyone will find what theyre looking for on the total 430 km of well-signed, well developed bike paths - ideal for a days outing, there are differ-ent routes to choose from for art, culture, nature or special tourist attractions in Hildesheim.

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Cycling | HILDESHEIM HOLIDAY GUIDE 2015

SEE THE SIGHTS WITH EASE

E-bikes are becoming increas-ingly popular - no surprise since now anyone can take to the hills with ease in the Leine hill coun-try or the foothills of the Harz Mountains. On an e-bike, you can cycle to all the most inter-esting tourist attractions, expe-rience the most breath-taking views, see the cultural high-lights and enjoy the culinary de-lights without even breaking a sweat. The region of Hildesheim has been one of 50 movelo re-gions since the spring of 2012. Using their own pedalling pow-er and supported by sophisticat-ed technology, cyclists can trav-el long distances on pedelecs in the Brde or along the Inner-ste and Leine Rivers, while be-ing kind to the environment at the same time. The e-bikes have eight gears, three power levels and a centrally mounted mo-tor that switches off by itself at speeds of more than 24 km/h. The battery is good for approx-imately 40 to 70 km, which de-pends on such factors as speed, the cyclists weight and the ter-rain. This means that cycling en-thusiasts of any age can enjoy a bike tour without a lot of ef-fort and easily cycle through the hilly landscape of the Leine hill country or the foothills of the Harz Mountains. E-bikes can be hired at many different lo-cations throughout the region of Hildesheim. The pedelecs are available for hire at hotels, rec-reational facilities, bike shops and the Tourist Information Of-fice in Alfeld, Bad Salzdetfurth, Derneburg and Hildesheim. In addition, there are other loca-tions at which the rechargea-ble batteries can be changed. Guests underway on their own e-bikes will find an increasing number of recharging stations in and around the area. Since re-cently, cyclists stopping at the

ALL NATURE AND CULTURE Between the Innerste and Leine Rivers - from the Foothills of the Harz Mountains to the Hildesheim Brde

www.hildesheim.de/e-bikei

Anyone who doesnt want to explore the region on their own can book one of the guided cycling tours offered - Discover Hildesheim by Bike, for example, is a tour over the medieval town fortifications, along the Innerste River to Steuerwald and to the Marienburg de-mesne. The German Cycling Association (ADFC) offers other guid-ed half-day and full-day tours through the region.

Am Sonnenberg restaurant near Egenstedt can recharge their bikes - four e-bikes at a time. There are six recharging stations available at the train station in Algermissen. Plans have also been made to install an e-bike recharger at the public swimming pool in Sarstedt. The goal is to have an adequate number of recharging stations throughout the region.

to the total 26 lighthouses along the route, cyclists also pass by the World Heritage sites of the Cathedral and St. Michaels Church in Hildesheim and the Fagus Factory in Alfeld. The Cultural Route was specifically planned with those interested in culture in mind or for people on a short holiday. As a special quality feature, all the starting and stopping points along the route can be reached using pub-lic transportation. This means that shorter parts of the route are easily accessible for a days outing. For more information on the Cultural Route, go to www.kulturroute-hannover.de.

Main routeAlternate routeShort cutAdditional routeJourney start/finishInterim stopHistorical old townCultural lighthouseMonument

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HILDESHEIM HOLIDAY GUIDE 2015 | Hiking

On Shankss pony through the Innerste and Leine river valleys - along the quarry, over the hills, the scenic region in and around Sarstedt will delight hikers with its natural beauty. Regardless of whether you choose the Romanic Hiking Trails or the Water Trail to Art, Sarstedt and its lovely surroundings can be explored on many different hiking trails. Hiking brochures are available for the Sarstedt Cloverleaf Route, the Five Mountains Route, the Innerste-Leine Route, the Sarstedt Giften-er Lakes Route and the Wehmholz Route. Not all the routes are signed as hiking trails. But hiking fans will discover idyllic landscapes with striking points of interest even along field paths both far and near.

HIKING IN AND AROUND SARSTEDT

Stadt Sarstedt, www.sarstedt/Tourismus/Wanderni

www.ith-hils-weg.de i

OTHER HIKING TRAILS...

Medieval routes used by emperors and kings invite hikers to take an extended tour in southern Lower Saxony. Passing by castles, fortresses and ruins, hikers can walk along the old riding and carriage routes: the Via Regis Kings Route takes you through an impressive landscape - from Knigshof in Brggen through the Sieben Berge (Seven Hills) and the Sack Forest past the Knigsdahlum imperial palace and on to the former Werla palace. The Kings Route is approx. 88 km long in to-tal - with the connection to Goslar, its 100 km. The Ith-Hils Trail leads past romantic castles, historical places of cultural interest, lakes and mysterious caves. The entire Ith-Hils route can be divided into seven shorter tours. Each of them features particular highlights - be it natu-ral monuments, cliffs with fabulous views, historical tours or half-tim-bered towns, museums or UNESCO World Cultural Heritage. On 80 km, which take you through the southern part of the Hildesheim dis-trict, you cross the crest of the hills to reach spectacular cliffs and spe-cial natural history features with wonderful views out over the sur-rounding countryside. The six Pottland trails near Duingen are also interesting hiking trails. Over the centuries, Duingen was the centre of the region between Alfeld and Springe am Deister. Because of the extensive pottery industry located here, the region was called Pot-tland. Today, hikers can explore this region, which is so rich in tradi-tion, on the Pottland trails.

HIKING WITH CHILDRENOne hiking outing suitable for children takes you to the Schlehberg in Alfeld - to the Path of Senses in the heart of the Leine hill coun-try. At approx. twenty stations, visitors young and old can experience fun and games, relaxation and adventure and learn many interesting facts about the forest and its inhabitants. The different stations in-clude: the Singing Stone, the Wood Relay Race, the Feeling Boxes, the Listening Pipes, the Wind Chimes, the Animal Long Jump, the Tree Tele-phone and many more. One of the special attractions is the Low Ropes Course, which is located directly at the Schlehberg cabin, a Friends-of-Nature house.

Naturfreunde Alfeld e.V., phone +49 (0)5181 828558i

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Exploring Towns and Parks | HILDESHEIM HOLIDAY GUIDE 2015

Go exploring in historical half-timbered towns: In Alfeld, Bockenem, Bad Salzdetfurth, Elze and Hildesheim, you can take part in tradition-al guided city tours, historical costumed guided tours or Segway tours.

Beautiful ponds and a number of pieces of modern art grace the pictur-esque Lamspringe Abbey Park, which is a public park. Five sculptures were created here during a sculptors symposium in 1984. They reflect the context of the Baroque abbey buildings and the park. The Pillar of Life combines human and plant forms and mirrors life in the abbey park. The Soldier and Nun relief is a sombre reminder of the time of violence, which did not leave the Lamspringe Abbey untouched. The so-called Stone Forest, several square pillars in stone, comes to life un-der the eyes of the viewer and the changing gaps between the stone slabs. The Reflexion installation is reminiscent of the triangular ga-bles of churches and abbeys and the Dionysius sculpture, which is made of oak, represents the patron saint of the abbey church. Other park areas in the region are open to the public at specific times during the summer. Mighty beech trees, chestnut, oak and linden trees and idyllic ponds are all part of the Park Walshausen near Bad Salz-detfurth, which is open to the public from 1 May to 31 October on Fri-days from 10 am to 6 pm. The Wrisbergholzen Castle Park, which be-longs to the community of Sibbesse, is a very idyllic park with very old trees, ponds, a waterfall with a grotto and a tea temple built on a hill. The park is open to the public on the second weekend in September of every year, on Open-to-the-Public Monument Day. Simply let go and relax a walk through the 12-acre spa park in Bad Salzdetfurth is more than just a stroll past flower beds. The main at-traction is the 250-year-old salt works that will make you think you are at the seaside (see pg. 24). The city of Hildesheim also has many green spaces: The Rosarium, an extensive rose garden that has been re-

GET LOST IN A DIVERSE IDYLLIC LANDSCAPE

City tours, costume tours and Segway tours Hildesheim: tourist-information, +49 (0) 5121 1798-0, www.hildesheim.de/stadtfhrungenCity tours Bad Salzdetfurth: Tourist Information Office +49 (0) 5063 999-0, www.bad-salzdetfurth.deCity tours Alfeld: Stadt Alfeld +49 (0) 5181 703-111, www.alfeld.deSegway tours Alfeld: eco-mover, +49 (0) 175 9796198 or +49 (0) 175 9796167, www.eco-mover.deCostume tours Bockenem: +49 (0) 5067 242-0, www.bockenem.deCoustume tours Elze: +49 (0) 5068 8191, www.elze.de

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EXPLORING TOWNS

Discover small half-timbered towns, idyllic parks and a widely diverse countryside - the region of Hildesheim invites you to relax and explore.

stored according to plans from the Baroque period, is the main attrac-tion in the Magdalena Garden and a real highlight while the roses are in bloom. The Magdalena Garden is 800 years old, making it one of the oldest historical gardens in Lower Saxony. Peaceful ponds, benches in protected corners and beautiful old trees can be found in the Ernst-Ehr-licher-Park in Hildesheim. The play area and sunbathing lawn around the rose labyrinth make the public park a popular place to meet. Ad-jacent to it, you will find the old town fortresses full of greenery that surround the downtown core.

EXPLORING TOWNS

The Dionysius sculpture in the Lamspringe abbey park

Costumed guided tour in Bockenem

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HILDESHEIM HOLIDAY GUIDE 2015 | Bad Salzdetfurth

BAD SALZDETFURTH, A SPA TOWNA combination of relaxation and recreational activities

Bad Salzdetfurth, a spa town, is nestled in between the green hills of the Hildesheim Forest. This town combines long years of tradi-tion with the modern in a very special way. Bad Salzdetfurth offers visitors a very diverse range of leisure-time activities wheth-er youre looking for sports or just want to rest and relax.

A paradise for cyclists and joggers the Bike and Outdoor Park has something for everyone in the family. Cycling fun for any age and any level of proficiency is guaranteed.On the 12-acre partially forested area, the town of Bad Salzdetfurth has set up a permanent cross-training course for mountain bikers and a course for young BMX bikers. With a training course, single trail, north-shore, dirt line, slop style and pump track, every biker will find his/her own personal challenge. The more inexperienced can take the training course to improve their technique and gain better control of their bikes. Other signed mountain bike trails of different difficulty, i.e. with challenging inclines, sharp curves and artificial obstacles, run di-rectly through the park. Even experienced bikers are sure to en-counter a surprise or two on these courses.The signed bike trail around the whole area at the entrance to the Ortberg is a good choice for the whole family, and its also open to joggers, hikers and walkers. With the Bike and Outdoor Park, which

BIKE- UND OUTDOORPARK

Tourist Information Office Bad SalzdetfurthOberstr. 11a, 31162 Bad Salzdetfurth, phone +49 (0)5063 2717513Fax +49 (0)5063 2717529, tourismus@bad-salzdetfurth.dewww.bad-salzdetfurth.de

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opened in the summer of 2012, the town of Bad Salzdetfurth has built a free training course for mountain bikers and BMX bikers that is unique in all of northern Germany and that offers attrac-tive training conditions for other recreational athletes as well. As a result, Bad Salzdetfurth has once again done justice to its claim of being a sporting town. Bad Salzdetfurth also has a lot to offer to other active, sports-mind-ed individuals. Whether on foot through the forested foothills of the Harz Mountains, along the approx. 1200 km of cycling paths throughout the region with a GPS device or out for a game of golf in the Bad Salzdetfurth Golf Club - the spa town is not only for those who want to rest and recuperate.

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Bad Salzdetfurth | HILDESHEIM HOLIDAY GUIDE 2015

Under the majestic trees in the spa park in Bad Salzdetfurth, there are 5,000 m that now of-fer visitors to the spa town a completely new challenge: Ad-venture Golf. This type of golf course has become incredibly successful over the past few years and the course in Bad Salz-detfurth, which has been open since June 2012, is no exception. 18 holes with very different de-signs make playing golf fun for young and old alike. In addition to tactics, youll also need a lit-tle luck and the ability to think visually. The golf course is an attractive addition to the sur-rounding area in the spa park and the design reflects certain elements of the town itself. Youll find, for example, tradi-tional elements of mining on the expansive course. One of the holes is called the Moun-tain Mine and one of the ob-stacles on another hole is a min-ing trolley. You play with a putter on arti-ficial turf bordered on the sides by the so-called rough, the higher grass. Rocks, tree stumps and waterfalls are integrated as special hazards. You have to sink the ball into the hole with a maximum of ten strokes. The holes are between 16 and 36 me-tres long and have significant variations in heights and an-gle. Being able to read this infor-mation right and choosing the right playing tactics is all part of the game. In addition to hitting the ball, you also have to think visually and be creative. Experi-ence has shown that its not au-tomatically the adults who are the better players in adventure golf. Children and young people are often able to outdo their old-er companions. The Adventure Golf course is open all year round. However, play might be limited under ex-

ADVENTURE-GOLF

treme weather conditions from December to March. In the sum-mer months, the course is open until 10 pm. There are also spe-cial tournaments and full-moon golf for the more adventure-some. Adults can swing their putters at Adventure Golf for 6; kids pay 4.

Adventure-Golf & Bistro, Solebadstr. 17, 31162 Bad Salzdetfurth, phone +49 (0)5063 2711875, info@adventuregolf-badsalzdet-furth.de, www.adventuregolf-badsalzdetfurth.de

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A bistro with seating inside and out invites you to cele-brate your victory or to regain your strength with refreshing

beverages and snacks after your round. Family groups, company groups and school classes are welcome.

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HILDESHEIM HOLIDAY GUIDE 2015 | Therapy Centre for Natural Remedies

THERAPY CENTRE FOR NATURAL REMEDIESSalt Water and Mudpacks - the Full Healing Powers of Nature for Health

and Well-BeingDuring the past few years, a stronger focus has been consciously placed on health, vitality and wellness. In our stress-filled world, it is becoming increasingly important to find a balance to our hectic everyday life and to relax as well as to take advantage of opportunities for more effective health care. Salt-water baths and mudpacks are powerful natural remedies that can be used in many different ways for regeneration and therapy and to enhance the well-being of body and spirit. Salt water and mudpacks still form the traditional basis of the wellness offers and therapies available at the Therapy Centre for Natural Remedies in Bad Salzdetfurth today.

The Healing Powers of Mud

Paracelsus, a famous doctor in the 16th century, already described moor mud as the quintessence of life and rec-ommended mud as an effective remedy for different ailments. The mud, which contains val-uable humic acid, is still used today at the Therapy Centre for Natural Remedies for such illnesses as arthritis, osteoar-thritis, spinal problems, mus-cle ailments and for rheumatic diseases and such gynaecolog-ical problems as menstrua-tion problems and as a balne-otherapy for infertility. Mud baths and packs are effective because their warmth stim-ulates the skin to release tox-ics and absorb minerals. Mud has a positive effect on the im-mune system and stimulates

the metabolism. It is anti-in-flammatory, detoxifying and helps to keep your hormones in balance. The mud baths and mudpacks prepared in the Mud Department of the Thera-

py Centre consist of natural low peat moss from the peat bogs in Luttrum. The peat is prepared naturally, i.e. any foreign ob-jects are removed and the pre-soaked mass is mixed with water and heated until a thick mush results. In a moor bath, your body relaxes in a tub filled with mud heated to 42 C. For a mudpack, the mud is spread in paste form at a temperature of about 48 C directly onto the skin, which is the main differ-ence to a fango pack.

The Soothing Effectsof Salt Water

The salt works in Bad Salzdet-furth have already been used for more than 250 years to cre-ate very salty air that has a soothing effect on the respira-tory tract without requiring a trip all the way to the North Sea. The natural salt water is still trickled over the high piles of brushwood up to seven times a day today, whereby the salt content can be concentrated by evaporation to about 30 per cent. Breathing in the salty air while strolling about near the salt works hydrates the respira-tory tract and has a positive in-fluence on the walls of the res-piratory organs. In addition, the fine salt crystals are able to loosen mucus and phlegm, which clears the respiratory system of bacteria. This eas-es the swelling in the mucous membranes. Inhaling this very salty air is particularly benefi-

cial for people with pollen al-lergies and for asthma patients. The healing powers of salt wa-ter have been known in Bad Salzdetfurth for many, many years. It was already in 1850 that a number of salt min-ers had a bold, new idea: they wanted to use the salty brine not only to make salt, but for natural healing therapies as well. In Sulza in Thuringia, Jo-hann Wolfgang von Goethe had already recommended us-ing salt water as a natural rem-edy as early as in 1828. Although the salt works were originally erected to make the production of salt more efficient, they soon

attracted many day visitors to Salzdetfurth. They enjoyed the salty air near the tall salt works and discovered their healing powers for respiratory diseas-es in particular.

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TherapieZentrum der Naturheilmittel | URLAUBSMAGAZIN HILDESHEIM 2012

Therapy Centre for Natural RemediesKurbetriebsgesellschaft Bad Salzdetfurth mbH Unterstr. 87, 31162 Bad Salzdetfurth, phone +49 (0)5063 900-0www.mit-natur-natuerlich-fit.de

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Bad Salzdetfurth has stood for relaxation, restoration and con-valescence for close to 160 years. The first bathing house was al-ready built in 1856 and the salt water was used for healing pur-poses, to remedy such ailments as circulatory disorders or for skin and mild cardiovascular problems. It wasnt long before the business was thriving and the health spa was opened in 1857. The first extensions were already added to the bathing house in 1868. Close to 70 years after it was opened, the bath-ing house was no longer able to meet the demands of the guests. The baths operating company, which was formed in

Time for Yourself

The 5-star saunas in the indoor/outdoor salt water pool afford relaxation along with opportu-nities to take advantage of spe-cial health treatments. A sauna it means time for yourself, it means cleansing your body and spirit, and it means develop-ing your natural beauty sim-ple wellness from beginning to end. An increasing number of people are now discovering the soothing, revitalising ef-fects of a sauna. With five dif-ferent saunas from the tradi-tional Finnish sauna to the Kelo earth sauna and the Kelo hex-agonal sauna, the steam bath and Roman steam bath Salz-detfurth offers a wide range of enjoyment in a pleasant, quiet atmosphere.A wide variety of popular mas-sages, such as aroma oil or hot-stone massages, and Ayurve-da massages and special baths, such as milk or Cleopatra baths complete the diverse range of opportunities to do something positive for your own well-be-ing.

Let Yourself Go and Float Away

Healing powers are just one aspect of the positive effects of the salt water. In the indoor-outdoor salt water pool, located directly by the spa park, visitors enjoy the soothing effects of the warm salt wa-ter. The human body reacts positively to salt water, something doctors refer to as a vegetative reac-tion. Among other things, the salt penetrates callused skin, protein in the skin cells is broken down more quickly and the rate at which the cells divide is increased. This is known as the so-called reju-venation effect.Usually, it is not possible for us to simply lie down in water and float. Because of the salt content in salty water, however, the body is buoyed up, which makes it easier to swim in the salt water swimming pool in Bad Salzdetfurth than in regular swimming pools. At a temperature of 30 to 33C, the warm water and its salt content have a very positive effect: your muscles relax, there is no strain on your joints, your circulatory system is stimulated and your blood flow improves. In addition, the salt-water pool is not a water park or an adventure pool. Youll have time to relax and enjoy the peace and quiet around you.

1925, built the main spa build-ing as it is known today in 1927/28. Salt water and mud these two natural healing pow-ers still form the traditional basis of the therapies offered by the Therapy Centre for Nat-ural Remedies in Bad Salzdet-furth today. Mudpacks and salt water treatments can be all the more effective when combined with other types of therapy and this refers first and fore-most to the physical therapies

from traditional massage to connective tissue and underwa-ter massage, lymphatic drain-age, physiotherapy and right on up to light, cold, heat and elec-trotherapy. Today, the Therapy Centre for Natural Remedies of-fers, with its well-rounded well-ness programme and its trust-ed natural remedies using salt water and mud in Bad Salzdet-furth, the most comprehensive range of such services in the re-gion of Hildesheim.

Traditionally in the Service of Health, Wellness and Well-Being

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HILDESHEIM HOLIDAY GUIDE 2015 | Events

ANNIVERSARY PROGRAMMEThe Highlights during the Anniversary Year

All visitors to the city of Hildesheim and all the citys people, of course, are invited to join in on the celebrations for the Big Anniver-sary of the city and the bishopric in 2015. The anniversary programme will feature new events that have been planned especially for the celebratory year, but also include tried-and-true formats to form an extensive array of more than 100 events.

Official Opening of the City Anniversary Festivities - 28 March

The opening event on 28 March 2015 will set the mood for the fol-lowing events and celebrations. Guests can expect to experience an anniversary revue created for this occasion to provide information on the beginning festivities in the anniversary year and to whet their appetites for more in anticipation of the many different events to come. Together, we will celebrate, eat and dance.

Choir Days in Lower Saxony Hildesheim is All Choir - 5 to 7 June

More than 100 live choirs of all different genre types will fill the city with sound and song all weekend long. The general public can enjoy concerts at different locations and in churches or accept the invitation to be actively involved themselves in special sing-along projects on Saturday. On Saturday evening, there will be a choir gala in the Theatre for Lower Saxony (TfN) with a wide variety of differ-ent styles sung by top-class ensembles. Concerts given by individ-ual choirs at church services throughout Hildesheim will conclude the Choir Days. All are welcome to attend.

Day of Lower Saxony - 26 to 28 June

Lower Saxonys state festival celebrating voluntary service will come to Hildesheim in 2015, the anniversary year. Many different activ-ities, including the traditional costume parade, will transform the entire downtown area into a celebration mile. Five radio stages in-vite you to join in the festivities; all the major associations and clubs in Lower Saxony will have info stands and event miles, such as the Technology Mile or the Sport Mile.

Hildesheim Fortifications - 3 to 5 July

The city fortifications and the Ernst-Ehrlicher Park will become an open-air stage for musical, cultural and theatrical performances presented by regional artists. Art installations and staged lighting will set the scene on the wall and in the adjoining park and the merging of the landscape, the culture and the audience will trans-form the Hildesheim fortifications into an overall work of art in a special atmosphere.

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Events | HILDESHEIM HOLIDAY GUIDE 2015

www.hildesheim.de/anniversaryi

Theatre Performance In the Name of the Rose - 11 June to 1 August

In a large-scale co-production, the TfN and the Heersum Land-schaftstheater (countryside theatre) have blown Hildesheims city history out of the archives with great theatrical enthusiasm. To-gether with some 200 participants from the city and region, the ac-tors shoulder the history of the city and carry it boldly through the streets. This transforms the entire downtown area into a stage and the audience follows the players through the streets and through history.

Pflasterzauber (Magic on the Cobblestones) - 4 to 5 September

Hildesheims Pflasterzauber which translates roughly as Magic on the Cobblestones is an international street music and art fes-tival that draws an enthusiastic audience every year. For two days, more than 80 German and international artists and acrobats, ma-gicians and jugglers, clowns and comedians, vaudeville artists and singer-songwriters transform downtown Hildesheim into one gi-gantic, colourful stage. The Pflasterzauber festival has meanwhile become one of the most popular events in downtown Hildesheim.

Lighting - Light.Art.Fest - EVI Hildesheim - 29 October to 1 November

Towards the end of the two large-scale anniversary events, there will be a lighting art festival on four evenings at different locations and in different places around the city. The lighting shows will give fa-miliar views a new look and highlight the cultural formability and identity of their own city. LIGHTING downtown and along the World Heritage path have been designed by international lighting artists who focus their attention on cultural heritage, collective lo-cations and changes in perspective (think differently when you think city) and translate this into seeing and experiencing.

Last updated September 2014; subject to change without prior no-tice. No guarantee for the correctness of this information, subject to change without notice.

Concerts in the World Heritage churches, the Cathedral and St. Michaels - different dates throughout the year

Solo singers and choirs, organ music and orchestras fill St. Marys Ca-thedral with sound and transform a visit to a World Heritage church into a very special experience. Guitars and saxophones, jazz music and rock n roll are just as much a part of the repertoire as classical concerts and a cappella music.

The Roots of the Rose - 31 March to 4 October

The leading exhibition in the anniversary year, The Roots of the Rose in the Roemer and Pelizaeus Museum features many inter-esting details regarding the history of Hildesheim from its status as a bishopric to a city of the people (see pg. 10).

Cathedral Treasure in the Cathedral Museum - from 18 April

The precious, medieval Cathedral treasure, which is on the UNES-CO World Heritage list, will return to the newly re-opened Cathe-dral Museum in the anniversary year (see pg. 8).

Hildesheim through the changing times - Anniversa-ry guided tours - every second Sunday in the month

To celebrate the big birthday of the city and the bishopric, city and costumed tour guides take you back through history. Important his-torical events, persons and locations throughout the 12 centuries of city history are presented in 12 guided tours. Each tour is dedicat-ed to one century.

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HILDESHEIM HOLIDAY GUIDE 2015 | Events

A LOT GOING ON IN THE REGION

In addition to the anniversary events, there are also many different annual events in Hildesheim, the widely diverse programme of the Theatre for Lower Saxony and events throughout the region featuring international artists.

Once a year, the beautiful abbey grounds in Lamspringe move into a special spotlight international artists get together in this small place in the south of the region of Hildesheim to celebrate the Lam-springer September festival. In putting together the programme, the organisers place particular emphasis on a good balance be-tween music, theatre, art and literature.

LAMSPRINGER SEPTEMBER

www.lamspinger-september.de i

www.fredener-musiktage.dei

www.tfn-online.dei

The International Freden Music Festival is widely known in Hildesheim and beyond. Far away from the usual concert halls, music lovers can expect a musical adventure at unconventional venues. The music festival features chamber music, in unusual ar-rangements and in high quality. With their cleverly crafted pro-gramme, the organisers give the Freden Music Festival an unmis-takeable character all its own each year.

The Theatre for Lower Saxony features not one but two jubilees in the new season: It is 300 years ago that the English king came from Hannover. Georg Ludwig, Elector of Hannover, was crowned King George I of England on 8 June 1714. The TfN takes this anniversary as an opportunity for one of the musical highlights of the coming season - the opera premiere of George - which features composer Georg Friedrich Hndel. The second anniversary is the large-scale city jubilee that Hildesheim is celebrating in 2015. In addition to many smaller events, the TfN will also devote two large-scale pro-ductions to this anniversary. In March 2015, the opera entitled Dia-logues of the Carmelites will premiere, one of the most important operas of the 20th century. In the summer of 2015, the large city-space open-air theatre spectacle will then be on the programme. Together with the Heersum Forum for Art and Culture, the TfN will present In the Name of the Rose.

FREDEN MUSIC FESTIVAL

Music in the Fagus Factory in Alfeld

TFN

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Events | HILDESHEIM HOLIDAY GUIDE 2015

Ice Age .............................................................................................................................................. 9.1.-15.2. .......................................................................HildesheimOfficial opening of the City Jubilee .................................................................................... 28.3. ..............................................................................Hildesheim*Events hosted by the Cultural Association of Alfeld .................................................. January to April .....................................................AlfeldRe-opening of the Cathedral Museum ............................................................................. 18.4 ...............................................................................Hildesheim* Wedekind Footrace ..................................................................................................................... 26.4. .............................................................................HildesheimGarden and Wellness Fest ....................................................................................................... 9.-10.5. .........................................................................Bad SalzdetfurthMedieval Tournaments at Hohnsen Lake ........................................................................ 2.-3.5. ............................................................................HildesheimMay Market with Sunday Shopping .................................................................................. May .............................................................................SarstedtWine Festival ................................................................................................................................. 13.-17.5. ........................................................................HildesheimJazztime ........................................................................................................................................... 23.-25.5. .......................................................................HildesheimAuto Mile with Sunday Shopping, ...................................................................................... end of May/beginning of June.......................HildesheimSaxophone Quartet Sister God in the Fagus Factory ................................................. 5.6. ................................................................................AlfeldLower Saxon Choir Days .......................................................................................................... 5.-7.6. ...........................................................................Hildesheim*UNESCO World Heritage Day ................................................................................................ 7.6. ................................................................................Hildesheim, AlfeldCulture Banquet .......................................................................................................................... 13.6 ...............................................................................Hildesheim Festival and Riflery Fair ............................................................................................................ 12.-15.6. ........................................................................SarstedtUni Mid-Summer Night ........................................................................................................... 20.6. .............................................................................HildesheimMagdalenen Garden Fest ........................................................................................................ 20.-21.6. ......................................................................HildesheimDay of Lower Saxony ................................................................................................................. 26.-28.6. ......................................................................Hildesheim*Theatre production of In the Name of the Rose ........................................................ July-August .............................................................HildesheimCity beach ....................................................................................................................................... 3.7.-6.9. ........................................................................HildesheimSarstedt Music Days .................................................................................................................. 3.-12.7. ..........................................................................SarstedtOld Town Festival ........................................................................................................................ 5.-7.7. ............................................................................Bad SalzdetfurthMarketplace Music Festival.................................................................................................... July to end of August ..........................................HildesheimHildesheim Fortifications ....................................................................................................... 3.-4.7. ............................................................................Hildesheim*Marienburg-Tattoo ..................................................................................................................... 11.-12.7. .........................................................................Marienburg CastleMarienrode Convent Concert ................................................................................................ 4.7. .................................................................................Hildesheim*Romantic Night ............................................................................................................................ 10.7. ..............................................................................Hildesheim*Freden Music Festival ............................................................................................................... August .......................................................................Freden, AlfeldMera Luna ...................................................................................................................................... 8.-9.8. ..........................................................................HildesheimMagic on the Cobblestones .................................................................................................... 4.-5.9. ...........................................................................Hildesheim*Innerste City Fest & Potato Market .................................................................................... August/September ..............................................SarstedtLighting Fest .................................................................................................................................. September ................................................................SarstedtGospel & Swing Festival .......................................................................................................... 6.9. ...............................................................................Bad SalzdetfurthAlfeld Town Fest ......................................................................................................................... 18.-20.9. ......................................................................AlfeldDiscovery Day in the Region of Hannover ...................................................................... September ................................................................Hildesheim, AlfeldLamspringer September .......................................................................................................... September ................................................................LamspringeFarmers Market with Sunday Shopping ......................................................................... 27.9. ..............................................................................HildesheimLighting - Light.Art.Fest ........................................................................................................... 29.10.-1.11. ..................................................................Hildesheim*Christmas Market ....................................................................................................................... 26.11.-27.12. ................................................................HildesheimAdvent upn Brinke .................................................................................................................... 28.11. .............................................................................Bad SalzdetfurthAdvent Fest in Bad Salzdetfurth .......................................................................................... 6.12. ..............................................................................Bad SalzdetfurthFireworks Competition with Sunday Shopping ........................................................... 27.12. .............................................................................Hildesheim

*Special events in the Anniversary Year 2015. For more anniversary events, go to www.hildesheim1200.de

Last updated September 2014 No guarantee for the correctness of this information, subject to change without notice. For the latest up-dates, go to www.hildesheim.de/veranstaltungskalender or inquire at the tourist-information office.

EVENT HIGHLIGHTS IN 2015

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HILDESHEIM HOLIDAY GUIDE 2015 | Accommodations

DEAR GUEST,

Hotels and accommodations that are not marked with stars have not participated in the voluntary classification. This does not permit any conclusion as to their standard.

The information about the accommodations contained in this listing is based on the information and documents provided by the operators of the accommodations; no warranty is extended by the publishers for the completeness and correctness of this information. No damage compensation claim can be derived against the publishers of the host listing due to false information or unfulfilled service commitment by the respective provider of tourist services.

Restaurant

Bar

Dietary cuisine

Regional cuisine

W-Lan

Conference room

24 h reception desk

Wheelchair accessible

Elevator

TV room

gym

wellness

Suitable for children

Garden

Indoor pool

Laundry service

Room service

Bike shed

Own parking

Historic building

Dogs permitted

Allergen-free

TV in the room

P-TV in the room

Radio in the room

Phone in the room

Non-smoker room

Quiet sleep Deutscher Hotelfhrer des Deutschen Hotel- und Gaststttenverbandes e.V. (DEHOGA), www.hotelguide.de

p.P. per personp.N. per nightLR living roomBR bedroomLR/BR combined living and bedroom

ABBREVIATION

on the following pages we introduce accommodation options for you in the Hildesheim region span-ning the entire range from luxury hotels to bed-and-breakfasts, family-owned inns and cosy rooms and holiday flats as private rentals. Use our service and find accommodations through the agency of our tourist-information employees, who will advise you and suggest select partner accommodations to you. Many accommodations can also be booked directly online at www.hildesheim.de/uebernachten.

Hotel classification according to the DEHOGAGerman Hotel and Restaurant AssociationH Tourist: Accommodation of basic standardH H Standard: Accommodation of medium standardH H H Comfort: Accommodation of raised standardH H H H First Class: Accommodation of high standard

CLASSIFICATION AND PRIZES

LEGEND

Bicyclist-friendly Bed&Bike accommodations, certified by the ADFC

Bicyclist-friendly accommodation with services for bike tourists, que-ried by the District Hildesheim

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Hotels Hildesheim | HILDESHEIM HOLIDAY GUIDE 2015

Guests at the Van der Valk Hotel in Hildesheim are to be envied; after all, as soon as they walk out of the building, they are standing on one of the most impressive historical mar-ket squares in northern Germany. Hildesheim certainly puts its best foot forward here and the distinguished hotel with its list-ed faade makes a considerable contribution to the impressive overall picture presented by the market square. The 4-star hotel offers its guests the choice of 108 rooms in 5 categories (Classic, Superior, Deluxe, Executive, Junior Suite) as well as a room with wheelchair access and a number of allergen-free rooms. 33 of the rooms provide a beautiful view over the historical market square. The completely refurbished rooms with air conditioning feature clean lines, warm wood trim and lovingly selected details that reflect sheer elegance. The Restaurant Gildehaus is a stylish com-bination of the historical and the modern with dark-brown tim-ber and bright white accents and invites guests to experience a widely diverse culinary concept. The hotel terrace is the ideal place to enjoy the warm sun against the beautiful marketplace backdrop. Modern elegance along with classical elements pro-vide the hotel bar with a relaxed atmosphere. Seven tastefully decorated event rooms can be booked for private or business oc-

VAN DER VALK HOTEL HILDESHEIMModern building with a historical faade

casions. A swimming pool, a sauna, a fitness room and a solari-um invite guests to relax and enjoy, while Valentinas Cosmetic Salon offers pampering treatments with revitalising massages and other professional beauty treatments. Anyone who enters the Van der Valk Hotel cannot help but to be impressed by its unique charm and distinctive personality.

HHHH Van der Valk Hotel Hildesheim GmbH

Underground parking 9.50/24 h, WiFi throughout entire hotel free of charge

Markt 4, GPS: Jakobistrae 31134 HildesheimTel. +49 (0) 51 21/30 06 00Fax +49 (0) 51 21/300 444E-mail reservierung@hildesheim.valk.comWeb www.vandervalk.deBook www.hildesheim.de/uebernachten

3 km 0,8 km 0,2 km

Nr. 1 J 6

No. of beds: 193 Room prices w/o breakfast p.NSingle rooms: 9 from 84 to 325Double rooms: 93 from 104 to 335Suites: 2 from 134 to 355Wheelchair access: 1 from 84 to 305Allergen-free rooms: 3 from 84 to 305Half board: 27.50; Full board: 55Free minibar (no alcoholic beverages)

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HILDESHEIM HOLIDAY GUIDE 2015 | Hotels Hildesheim

HHHH Novotel Hildesheim

No. of beds: 225 Room prices incl. breakfast p.NSingle rooms: 15 from 95 to 115Double rooms: 103 from 113 to 147Suites: 2 from 126 to 177

Half board: from 22; Full board: from 44

2 CHILDREN under 16 in parents room free with breakfast, free WiFi

Bahnhofsallee 38 31134 HildesheimTel. +49 (0) 51 21/17 17 0Fax +49 (0) 51 21/17 17 700E-mail H5396@accor.comWeb www.novotel.deBook www.hildesheim.de/uebernachten

2 km 0,5 km 0 km

Explore the old bishopric of Hildesheim with its many treasures. The 4-star Hotel NOVOTEL HILDESHEIM is located on the outer edge of the old city in the midst of a park-like landscape. You can reach the hotel by car - A7 Hildesheim exit - in just 10 minutes (2.5km) or on foot its just a 500-metre walk from the main train sta-tion. Historical charm and a stylish atmosphere characterise the interior of the im-pressive, listed building, which has 120 modern rooms and a generously sized car park. The rooms in different categories are equipped with free high-speed WiFi, flat-screen TVs with Sky Cinema and everything you need to make coffee or tea. A well-balanced, healthy and generous breakfast buffet provides you with a good start to the day. The spacious atmosphere in the Sultino Restaurant with an outdoor terrace offers a wide range of different dishes and a separate childrens menu. You can also enjoy a stop at our Kennedys bar with Sky TV or at the ho-tels own beer garden in the park under the old, majestic copper beech tree. In the hotel foyer, you can use our internet terminal free of charge, our virtual concierge and a childrens play co