Andante Dresden

Dresden

The German city of Dresden is also the capital of the state of Saxony and is located in the Elbe river valley between Berlin and Prague. Dresden is also known as 'Elbflorenz' or Florence of the Elbe, thanks to the city's layout and surroundings with vineyards on the slopes of the Elbe.

The city has served as the residence of Saxon kings and electors, and developed especially under August the Strong, as an important cultural city with famous buildings such as Frauenkirche, Schloss Pillnitz and Zwinger, all built in August's reign between 1694-1733.

After 2. World War II, Dresden ended up in the GDR, but the city has come back strong after the fall of the Wall and German reunification. A number of chip manufacturers have set up in the area and there are also several research institutes and universities in the city. Dresden has therefore also been called Saxony's Silicon Valley.

There are several interesting art collections and in particular Dresden SKD is famous for its collection of art and Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister is clearly worth a visit if goldsmith art is of interest. At the Zwinger Palace there is also an interesting exhibition of mathematical instruments from the Baroque and Enlightenment periods, visit the 'Mathematisch-Physikalischer Salon'.

The Old Town of Dresden is charming and lively, with a buzz of people and activities. The Altmarkt-Galerie shopping arcade is a great place to start your shopping trip in the inner city, which also has its share of pavement cafés and restaurants. By the way, every Friday there is a market in Lingner-Allee.

Kennel

Like about 80% of Dresden, the Zwinger was destroyed by Allied bombing between 13 and 15 February 1945. But the palace was rebuilt in the late 1950s. The Zwinger is probably Germany's most famous Baroque building, filled with beautiful paintings that can be enjoyed in the Zwinger Museum, among other places. The paintings were hidden in the Soviet Union during the war and later returned to the city. One of the main attractions is the Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister museum, which houses works by Raphael, Giorgione and Titian. Also visit the Armoury, which has an impressive collection of old weapons and battle armour.

The Zwinger also houses a very famous porcelain exhibition and here the Chinese and Japanese collections are of particular note.

Striezel market

Striezelmarkt is the oldest and largest Christmas market in Germany and was first mentioned back in 1434. The Christmas market is named after the local Christmas cake, Strietzel. A huge experience for both children and adults with many highlights such as the Pflaumentoffelhaus, the Knusperhaus, the Christmas bakery and at the same time several music events are held. Especially in the days leading up to Christmas Eve, various celebrations are held and the Stollenfest, on 5 December, is a particular attraction with the giant Stollen Christmas cake being transported from the Zwinger to the Striezelmarkt, in Dresden city centre, by horse-drawn carriage and then cut up and distributed to the many attendees amid great festivity. Enjoy a glass of warm Glühwein, some Christmas cake or fragrant chestnuts, but don't forget to sink your teeth into the famous Christstollen Christmas cake.

Semperoper

The Semperoper is Dresden's opera house, built in 1841 by architect Gottfried Semper. The opera house has been rebuilt too many times, first after the fire of 1864, then after the Allied bombing campaigns of 1945 and most recently in 2002 after the great and devastating floods of central Europe.

The Opera House has many premieres to its credit, including works by Richard Wagner and Richard Strauss. If there are music-loving members of your family, see if there are tickets for sale in the impressive building.

Frauenkirche

The beautiful church was unfortunately destroyed in 1945 as a result of one of the most violent aerial bombardments during WWII. It burnt down in the ensuing firestorm. However, the Frauenkirche was reborn in 2005 after a lengthy restoration, begun in 1994.

According to history, a church should have stood on the same spot since the year 1000, but the original Frauenkirche dates from the 18th century and was completed and ready for use in 1743. The church was designed by the architect George Bähr, who unfortunately never saw it completed as he died in 1738.

The church's huge dome became a landmark for the city and has seen a bit of everything, including being bombed by the Prussian army in 1760 without being damaged, and then the church was also the centre of the May Uprising in 1849.

The world of the GDR

The DDR Museum in the Simmel-Center is one of the city's most popular attractions. The museum is spread over four floors, each of which is dedicated to a particular theme, such as work, home, electronics and vehicles. The museum is private and unlike many state-owned DDR museums, Die Welt der DDR offers the unique chaotic charm of a small-scale private collection. The museum offers everything from an impressive collection of Trabants to a detailed timeline of the Cold War.

Christmas market in Dresden

Dates.
The Striezelmarkt - 26.11. – 24.12.
Dresden Winter Lights Market - Dates: 26.11. - 23.12.
Augustusmarkt - Dates: 26.11. - 04.01.
The Christmas Market on the Neumarkt - Dates: 26.11. – 04.01.

Opening hours
The Striezelmarkt - 10.00-21.00
Dresden Winter Lights Market - Sun-Thu: 11.00-20.00 Fri-Sat: 10.00-21.00
Augustusmarkt - Mon-Thu: 11.00-21.00 Fri: 11.00-22.00 Sat: 10.00-21.00 Sun: 10.00-21.00
The Christmas Market on the Neumarkt - 11.00-22.00

Please note that dates and opening hours may vary. You can visit the Christmas market's own website with current information.

The smell of mulled wine and gingerbread spreads through the baroque city of Dresden when the city's famous Christmas market opens in November and December.

The Christmas market in Dresden is also called Strizelmarkt, which is derived from the name of the famous local dried fruit Christmas cake, Dresdner Stollen. The Christmas market is one of the oldest in Germany and dates back to 1434.

Here you can find genuine traditional crafts from Christmas pyramids to candlesticks from the Erzebirge mountains, while you can also see glassblowers and bakers in action at the market. Every year you can also have the pleasure of seeing the largest step pyramid from the Erzebirge; a Christmas decoration more than 14 metres high.

The Three Castles on the Elbe

Just 3 km east of the centre of Dresden you will find the three stunning castles on the Elbe. Schloss Albrechtsberg, Lingnerschloss and Schloss Eckberg are known as the three castles on the Elbe and they are a great visit while strolling along the river. If you cross to the other side of the river you can enjoy the castles at their best. All three were built between 1850 and 1861 and are set in fine English-style parkland.

Golfclub Dresden Elbflorenz e.V.

If you've brought your golf bag on this trip, a shiny place to air it out would be the Elbflorenz Golf Club, located 10 km south of Dresden city centre. The course has 18 holes and is set in a scenic area, with a slightly hilly landscape with natural hazards and tight courses, especially around holes 12-15, which run through the Poisenwald, the Poisen Forest, which once belonged to a German king. The course can provide challenges for even the most experienced player, and after a round, you can relax in the adjoining clubhouse.

Wackerbarth Castle

Between Dresden and Meissen lies the beautiful wine castle, Schloss Wackerbarth. Throughout the ages, the castle has been used as a princely residence for various princes, as well as the centre of August (2nd of Poland) the Strong's lavish feasts and guilds. Today you can visit Europe's first "discover and experience" wine castle. Schloss Wackerbarth represents a beautiful interplay between the palace, the generous baroque gardens with its belvedere at the foot of the vineyards and the winery, with its vineyards. This setting is perfect for parties and events, but certainly worth a visit just for the sight of it.

Pillnitz Castle

Schloss Pillnitz, or simply Pillnitz Castle, is a beautifully restored Baroque palace located in the eastern part of Dresden, in the German state of Saxony. The castle served as the summer residence of a number of kings and electors of Saxony, and it was also here that the Pillnitz Declaration was signed in 1791.

The palace consists of three main buildings, the Wasserpalais, which is on the river bank, the Bergpalais, which is on the mountain side and also contains Chinese-inspired architecture, and then there is the Neues Palais, which connects the buildings on the eastern side. The palace's Baroque garden is very famous and is then again surrounded by a large public park.

Pillnitz Castle also houses the Museum of Decorative Arts and the Palace Museum. An exciting trip back in time and an ideal family outing that the whole family will enjoy to the full.

Radeberg

Whether it's the culinary, the cultural or the beautiful scenery that attracts you most on holiday, you'll find it all in the small town of Radeberg, perfectly located just outside the cultural city of Dresden. Among other things, you can take an exciting tour of the local brewery, Radeberger Exportbier Brewery, or you can choose to take a closer look at some of the local production, of which they are very proud in the area. Among the larger producers where you can get an insight into production are Radeberger Destillation und Liquerfabrik and Radeberger Fleisch- und Wurstwaren Korch GmbH.

In Radeberger you can experience the best of the beautiful nature in the area. The Hüttertal valley is the ideal place for any nature lover who enjoys hiking in nature. The Botanical Garden focuses on the senses, while the Dresden Heath Forest invites you to enjoy pleasant bike rides, while you can take advantage of cross-country skiing during the winter.

Radeberg's cultural highlight is without comparison Klippenstein Castle, the oldest building in the city. The castle offers a wealth of cultural experiences, often including exciting presentations and experiences for children. Also take the opportunity to visit the Radeberger Biertheater's Sächsische Mundarttheater in the Hotel Kaiserhof, where there is a variety of entertainment for the whole family.

Moritzburg

This hunting lodge's impressive 16th-century architecture, built in beautiful harmony with the stunning surrounding countryside, makes Moritzburg a fabulous destination. The baroque hunting lodge is particularly famous for having been used in the 1973 film "Three Nuts for Cinderella".

But Moritzburg has much more to offer. Visit, for example, probably the smallest castle in Saxony. Within walking distance of the hunting lodge is Fasanenschölsschen with its lighthouse. Also take a walk in the "Abenteuerpark", which offers among other things a game reserve, archery and a climbing area.

Meissen

With more than 1,000 years of history, Meißen has plenty to explore, making it an ideal destination for a cheap car holiday in Germany. Already on the way to Meißen you get an impression of the area's beauty with the vineyards in the Elbe valley.

A visit to the former Albrechtsburg Palace, the adjacent cathedral or the first European porcelain factory is a must for history buffs and culture lovers. Linger and enjoy the many small cafés and restaurants in the historic old town, or relax with a lovely walk along the banks of the Elbe.

Pirna

The picturesque town of Pirna with its beautiful church towers stands out clearly in the landscape around the vineyards of the Elbe valley. The town has many beautiful houses which have been elaborately restored with artistic gables, and the cobbled streets of the town invite you to take a walk around the very heart of the town where especially the market square and the Marienkirche are visited by many tourists every year.

But also the Prina Museum, Stadtmuseum Prina, and the DDR Museum, which offers curiosities from the DDR era, are worth a visit. Also stop by Sonnenstein Castle and discover its sinister past. There are guided tours around the castle, which are highly recommended as it is here that the spooky stories are told A fun detail is that Christiansborg Castle is built of sandstone from this very area.

Königstein Fortress

The state of Saxony has a lot of castles and fortresses, in fact almost 1,000 beautiful buildings, which offer a lot of interesting history. Find a cheap family holiday in the south at Risskov with child-friendly hotels and plenty of opportunity to set your own pace. Festung Königstein, or Königstein Fortress, certainly belongs in this unique pool of exciting German history and is the largest hilltop fortress in Europe. Built on a 9.5-hectare rocky plateau, 240 metres above the Elbe, this fortress contains over 50 buildings, which are surrounded by an 1,800-metre-long fortress wall, with the wall up to 42 metres high in places. In the centre of the fortress is a 152.5 metre deep well, which is also the second deepest in Europe.

Used as a state prison, the fortress is still intact and today houses one of Saxony's main tourist attractions. Festung Königstein also has a special map to help wheelchair users find their way around. There is also a tactile model, which gives the visually impaired a better opportunity to experience the fortress by touch.

A great experience for the whole family. Go on a self-drive family holiday and enjoy the many beautiful buildings from other centuries with Risskov.