Perhaps Germany’s most beautiful city—and perhaps its least friendly—Dresden sits on the Elbe River not far from the Czech border. Obliterated in the war, the city is finally fully rebuilt and ready to greet (or scowl at) visitors. It’s worth overlooking some sub-par service and grumpiness to enjoy the delights of the reconstructed Dresden.
The Cosel Palace, next to the Frauenkirche (see top photo, with Martin Luther keeping guard).
The Royal Palace and Hofkirche.
Most of Dresden’s main sights are found clustered around a rough rectangle between the Altmarkt and the Elbe. We’ll start with the Renaissance-style Royal Palace, famed for the treasury held in its ‘green vaults.’ [If this sounds familiar, it was in the news in late November 2019, when the vault was robbed of jewels worth just over a billion dollars. The culprits haven’t been found, nor have they recovered the jewels, which included a 49-carat white diamond worth $10 million by itself.] It’s reopened, albeit with a slightly smaller collection, and tighter security.
Cathedral #1, the Catholic Hofkirche, sits across the street. It’s worth a quick visit but is not as impressive as the Frauenkirche, a bit later in our ‘tour.’ Across the street again sits the Semper Opera, one of Europe’s magnificent opera houses. Its grandeur rivals the Wiener Staatsoper, and tours are offered if you can’t fit in a performance.
The Zwinger’s courtyard, from above.
The last stop around the square is the Zwinger, a Baroque pseudo-palace that now houses a collection of Dresden’s (or rather nearby Meißen’s) famous porcelain, a more-interesting-than-it-sounds exhibit of scientific instruments in the Salon of Mathematics and Physics, and the newly refurbished old masters gallery, the Gemäldegalerie Alter Meister. Each of these occupies a separate wing of the sprawling Zwinger, splayed out around courtyard. Go up top for an panoramic view of the palace and nearby sights. [Seen in and around the Zwinger, below—porcelain, ‘science.’]
The Procession of Princes, leading the way to the Frauenkirche.
Exit these sights by walking up the Augustusstraße, pausing to take in the Procession of Princes. This mosaic, made of white and yellow Meißen porcelain tiles so sturdy they survived the fire-bombing of 1945, presents a visual history of the region’s historic figures, including August the Strong, who sits in the middle of Saxony’s nobility.
The main cathedral, the reconstructed Protestant Frauenkirche, or Church of Our Lady, lay as a pile of rubble for 50 years after World War 2. Today, it is Dresden’s most impressive and inspiring landmark. From the outside, notice the dark-colored stones that pock the mostly-cream-colored exterior. Those are stones from the original used in their original places in the reconstruction, which was completed in 2004. The church’s interior is one of Germany’s best—airy and almost dreamlike. Don’t miss the ‘lower church’ downstairs [silence is requested there], which serves as a memorial to those killed in the war. [See below, the Frauenkirche and Martin Luther, the church’s altar, interior, and lower church.]
Off the Frauenkirche’s square (the Neumarkt), you’ll find a variety of restaurants on a row towards the river (Australian food, anyone?). Walk up the steps before the river to the Brühl Terrace, perfect for a post-dinner stroll. Also near the Neumarkt is the Albertinum, which features a collection of art from the 18th to the 20th centuries.
Johan Dahl’s View of Dresden by Moonlight, seen in the Albertinum.
Dresden’s Globe Trekker store (part of it).
Done sightseeing and want to shop? A pedestrian shopping street runs from Altmarkt to the train station. Two points of potential interest: the big mall on one side of Altmarkt is one of the nicest I’ve seen in Germany. Also worth a stop is the huge Globetrotter outdoor store further towards the train station. Great selection of brands and merch, including lots of travel supplies. [Dresden is cold in the winter, and I found a jacket from a brand I like here that was a lifesaver.]
Dessert! (Stollen ice cream with stewed plums.)
My favorite meal in Dresden was at the Sophienkeller, the cellar (‘keller’) of the Taschenbergpalais (former palace for the king’s mistress, now a swanky hotel) right next to the palace, opera, etc. I feasted on Sauerbraten, German roast beef in a tangy sauce and red cabbage, before ordering a special Christmas-season dessert of Stollen-flavored ice cream with stewed plums. An all-time favorite. (Stollen is a Dresden specialty Christmas cake.)
For a break from German food, try the Hans im Glück outpost on the Altmarkt. This upscale German hamburger chain looks like a forest inside and has tasty burgers, chicken sandwiches, salads, and fries. You won’t have to look far for lots of other dining options: a half-block behind the Altmartk to the east is Weiße Gasse, lined with a culinary League of Nations (Thai, Spanish, German, Greek, Viet, and around the corner, Italian and Turkish).
Want to stay in the heart of the city center? The NH Hotel on one edge of the Altmarkt is convenient to the sights, shopping, dining, and the Christmas markets in season. [Rooms on the square side will have a view of the Christmas market—but might be noisier.]
On my recent trip, I stayed at the Hotel Indigo at Wettiner Platz, a 10-15 minute walk or one tram stop from the Altmarkt. I had a beautiful mini-suite that was my favorite room of the trip. I also skipped the over-priced breakfast and went to the Schwerdtner bakery next door, handy for a quick pastry or a sit-down breakfast, light lunch, or ‘Kaffee und Kuche’ (Germans’ beloved afternoon snack break).
A little preview of our Christmas markets post.
The real highlight of my December 2019 trip was being there for the Christmas markets. The Altmarkt’s huge market, and, to a lesser extent, the Neumarkt/Münzgasse market. I’m working on a separate post—with lots of pictures—on that. Will link it up here.
Want to visit Dresden, or other sights in Germany? I’m a travel advisor specializing in Europe. Shoot me an e-mail, and I’ll help you make it happen.
Had to squeeze in one more pic—of the Semper Oper.
