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.