Dresden - Florence on the Elbe

For me Dresden is one of the most beautiful cities in Germany, fair enough I might be biased as I grew up there. Nevertheless, there is a reason why Dresden is also known as the Florence on the Elbe: it´s just as strikingly beautiful. Especially after the reconstruction of the area around Frauenkirche (Church of Our Lady) that stood there as a waste land of the massive destruction of the city at the end of World War II. Just to get a feel of how bad the destruction was: when standing in front of the Frauenkirche look for the dark stones, those are the remains of the original church, the yellow-ish sandstone is all new. Nevertheless, they did a really great job and now it looks like before the destruction.

Travelling to Dresden

As one of the most eastern cities in Germany it´s no wonder that in a country where everything is about the network of transport systems Dresden is one of the end points. So, you might not get as many high-speed connections as for example Leipzig, but Leipzig is only an 1:15 hour away. Still, you have plenty of good train connections to Berlin, Frankfurt, Cologne and Prague. If you plan on visiting Berlin and Prague (some of the favourites of backpackers), Dresden is a perfect stop for a day or two. The route through the Saxon Switzerland going from Dresden to Prague is still one of the most scenic routes in Europe if not the world. Make sure you sit on the River side (going from Dresden to Prague that would be on the left hand side, the way back would be on the right hand side) to see the full beauty.

For travellers coming from outside Germany the easiest way to get to Dresden is by plane. The Airport is fairly new and modern, but also fairly small. It´s catering mainly connecting flights to/from Frankfurt, Munich, Zurich or Amsterdam. Rather than flying into Dresden you can also fly to Frankfurt or Berlin and take a train straight from the airport to Dresden. To/from Frankfurt Airport (I would recommend that only if you don´t get a connecting flight) it´s a 5-hour train ride on the high-speed train ICE. From Berlin Airport it´s a 1.5-hour train ride on a very comfortable double-decker InterCity train.

As mentioned before by train you don´t get many direct trains, but with Leipzig being one of the biggest train hubs in Germany, with a quick stop there you get to Dresden from almost anywhere in Germany. There are also night trains to/from Zurich, Brussels and Amsterdam. If you want to plan your trip by train one of the best sources is the Deutsche Bahn (DB) website, there you can also book connecting trains to/from almost anywhere in Europe.

Dresden is also connected to the German highway system and it´s fairly easy to get there by car. For this matter also by bus as there´s plenty of destinations. Check Flixbus for the best ones.

What to do

Dresden is fairly small and therefore, easy to walk around. Most of the major sights are clustered together along the river and connected by the Augustusbrücke (Augustus bridge). Around there you´ll fine the famous Zwinger right next to the Semperoper, the reconstructed Castle (Residenzschloss) and Hofkirche. Fun fact: in the cobblestones in front of the Hofkirche you have one unique one with a big N. Legend has it, that this is the point where Napoleon stood commanding his troops during the battle for Dresden on 26-27 August 1813. In the castle you have the Hausmannsturm (Hausmann´s tower) from where you have an amazing view on the city with all its sights. If you walk over from the Hofkirche to the famous Frauenkirche (Church of Our Lady) you pass the Procession of Princes, which shows the rulers of Saxony, the Wettin Dynasty). August der Starke (August the Strong, Friedrich August I) being the most famous and a contemporary of Luis XIV. Thanks to him we have all these magnificent buildings, many of them housing some of the best museums I know showing the collections of the former kings. For a nice stroll you can also go up the Brühlsche Terrasse (Brühl´s Terrace) from the Hofkirche. You´ll have a great view over the river and sights. The terrace stretches between Augustus bridge and Carola bridge. If you cross over the Augustus bridge you´ll get to Neustädter Markt and the famous Goldener Reiter (Golden Rider), as well as the Neustädter Wache (Blockhouse) and Japanisches Palais (Japanese Palais). Following the river upstream you get to Weisser Hirsch and around there you also have the Elbschlösser (Elbe castles) which are three mansions up on a hill overlooking the river and the town. From there you have some of the best views. Their parks are connected and make for a really great hike or walk. From there also the Blaue Wunder (Loschwitz Bridge). It´s quite a unique construction and makes for some great photos. A bit further up you have Schloss Pillnitz (Pillnitz castle) which was the summer residence of the royal family. On the north side of the river you have the Elbradweg (Elbe cycling path). If you rent a bike, you can go all the way from Augustus bridge to Pillnitz castle by bike and visit the sights.

As mentioned before for me Dresden has some of the best museums. The most famous is the Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister (Old Masters Picture Gallery) in the Zwinger, that easily can take it up with the Louvre (Paris), Prado (Madrid) or the Rijksmuseum (Amsterdam). Besides this one you have the Grünes Gewölbe (Green Vault) in the Castle, the Verkehrsmuseum (Transport Museum) next to the Frauenkirche, the Porzellansammlung (Porcelain Collection, with Meissen the birthplace of the European porcelain being close you find here some of the best pieces in the world), the Mathematisch-Physikalischer Salon (also in the Zwinger), the Japanisches Palais with its history of ethnological museums. One noteworthy museum is the Deutsche Hygiene Museum (German Hygiene Museum) which is dedicated to the human body. As a kind it was so much fun to visit it and see what you learn in biology classes. So, if you travel with kids, I highly recommend it!

For something a bit off the beaten track and for some relaxation stop by and enjoy the view on the city from the Elbwiesen right across the Brühl´s terrace. That´s also where you have an open-air cinema in June to September, and some concerts. It´s called Dresdener Filmnächte.

Pfund´s Molkerei (Dresdner Molkerei Gebrüder Pfund) is a milk shop in the Neustadt (Newtown) with quite some unique interior.

And if you come in December a must is the Strietzelmarkt, the oldest and most beautiful (I´ve been to many in Germany and none can compete) Christmas market in Germany. Some people only come for it, and I still go back every year to hang out with family and friends.

If you have few more days, there´s plenty of places to visit around (I´ll probably write another blog about the different options). Don´t miss Meissen (especially if you love porcelain), Basteibrücke in the Saxon Switzerland, Festung Königsstein (Königstein Fortress), Radeberg with it´s famous Raderberger Brewery, and if you want to go a bit further Leipzig. If you want to go to the Basteibrücke I recommend taking the steam boats (Dampfschiff) which makes for quite a scenic boat rid (it´s quite a long trip, so on the way back take the train, it´s faster). The ships also stop in Pillnitz, if you don´t have time to go all the way to Rathen.

Where to stay

Most hotels are in the located in the centre with some more closer to the highway. There are also lovely hotels along the river but they´re a bit further from the city centre. If you want to stay in an Airbnb I would look at some in Neustadt (Neustadt) which is fun for going out and meeting new friends.

Food & Drinks

Hands down my favourite place for beer and food is the Ball & Brauhaus Watzke. Their main place is in Mickten where I grew up but they also have some more and one is close the Goldener Reiter. If you’re looking for something more unique check Anno Domini. It´s a medieval restaurant a bit out of the centre with free roaming animals. They speak and act like back in the days, so don´t get offended if they´re a bit rude. Also, a great place if you travel with kids. The Waldschlösschen back in the days was a favourite of mine, but then it closed and now apparently it reopened as Paulaner Waldschlösschen. It´s a great place to hang out and relax. If you´re around the Blaue Wunder definitely check out Schillergarten, one of the oldest places in Dresden. Besides Radeberger, Dresden has a second major brewery Feldschlösschen. Their main location is also great for beers and food (Feldschlößchen-Stammhaus).

If you have no preference and just want to walk around definitely check out Neustadt. There are plenty of bars and restaurants.

Travelling around Dresden

By far the easiest is with the tram. Trams run every 10mins and all night (even though less frequent after 1am). At night they combine lines, but you can still get from any end of the town to the other, main connecting points are at Postplatz, Albertplatz, and Pirnaische Platz.

Best Photography Spots in Dresden

For some of the best photo opportunities go to Elbwiesen, right across Brühl´s Terrace. On the Terrace itself you have plenty of scenic spots as well, incl. of the copula of the Academy of Fine Arts. If you want to see the city from above don´t miss the Hausmannsturm in the castle. Absolutely worth it to go up there. With one of the most unique baroque structures in the world the Zwinger is one of my all-time favourites. As mentioned before the mansions called Elbschlösser make for a great setback and great views over the city. If you like nature and you want a nice hike definitely don´t miss out on the Basteibrücke in the Saxon Switzerland.

Wow, that post turned out much longer than I thought, but with so many fun things to do in Dresden, especially if you travel with kids, it´s no wonder. I hope with all the above, I could help you with planning your next trip to Dresden.

Here a link to my Dresden site which gives you some ideas of what to expect.