In Laatzen, experiences range from interactive attractions in the Park of the Senses to quiet bodies of water and paths in the southern Leine floodplain. The town also has notable sites of local history. If you’re looking for a hotel in Laatzen, use the planned focus of your stay as your first search filter: nature and outdoor activities, or historic buildings and memorial sites.
The Park of the Senses: Elements and perspectives
The seven-hectare Park of the Senses is laid out as a basin-like landscape, divided into sections with walking paths. More than 30 interactive stations bring the senses to life. On a walk through the park, you can explore the four elements: air, water, fire and earth. One special attraction is the Insect Eye: this walk-through sculpture, with 120 glass lenses, lets you experience the world from an insect’s point of view.
The play forest is another of the park’s special features: children can climb, balance and play hide-and-seek there. The Park of the Senses is at the heart of the EXPO project “Regional Landscape Area on the Kronsberg.” The project connects the Leine floodplain and the Kronsberg via a landscaped green corridor. In this way, the park brings together sensory, interactive design and a broader landscape context.
The Leinemasch, water and forest
The southern Leine floodplain, also known as the Leinemasch, covers about 500 hectares and includes the Leine’s river landscape. Its still waters are an important breeding and resting area for waterbirds. An extensive network of paths is used for cycling, walking, hiking and nature watching. The Park of the Senses lies between the Leine floodplain and the Mastbruchholz landscape conservation area.
Mastbruchholz is a 20-hectare remnant of woodland and the only remaining forest within the city limits of Laatzen. The area is protected as a landscape conservation and wildlife area; quiet recreation is explicitly compatible with its protection. The landscape can be explored here from different perspectives: the Leinemasch brings together floodplain scenery and still waters, while Mastbruchholz puts the remaining forest in the spotlight.
A nature trail with specific things to look out for
The accessible nature and discovery trail “Plants and Animals of the Southern Leine Floodplain” has been open since December 2024. The 2.5-kilometre loop runs around the Wiesendachhaus and introduces visitors to the wildlife and plant life of the Leinemasch. Ten information boards cover beavers, marsh frogs, kingfishers, white storks, grey herons, dragonflies and bats, as well as non-native species and pollarded willows. The trail offers specific subjects to explore along the way, while the wider network of paths is also used for cycling, hiking and nature watching.
Chapel and memorial stone: Laatzen’s local history
The historic sites each offer a different perspective. The Gothic chapel in Alt-Laatzen was first mentioned in 1325 and is considered the southernmost building of North German Brick Gothic. In Gleidingen, the Tordenskiold memorial stone commemorates a duel in 1720: Peter Wessel Tordenskiold and the Swedish colonel Jacob Axel Staël fought near the site of the memorial stone. The chapel offers insight into architectural history, while the memorial stone recalls a specific event in local history.
When looking for a hotel in Laatzen, it therefore helps to consider which side of the town you want to shape your stay. The Park of the Senses and the Leinemasch offer sensory experiences, paths and opportunities to observe nature; the chapel and memorial stone add architectural and local history to the picture.
Discover more destinations: Steinhude, Uetze, Burgwedel, Isernhagen, Lehrte, Langenhagen, Altwarmbüchen, Sehnde.
Return to the regional travel overview: Hannover Region.
