Three days in Dresden was the perfect amount of time to spend exploring. This post will give you an inside-out guide to Dresden, plus all the best tips for things to do and architectural gems to marvel at.
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The only reason we first visited the German city of Dresden is because it’s the perfect stopping point before visiting Saxon Switzerland– a little-known national park in the state of Saxony. But Dresden itself is beautiful as well, filled with history and well worth exploring if you get the chance. Stunning gardens, exquisite palaces and cobblestone streets are easily explored with two or three days in Dresden.
Easily accessible from Dresden: A Day Trip to Bohemian Switzerland
A very short history of Dresden
Dresden was an established city and the seat of the rulers of Saxony for a long old time. But when Augustus the Strong came to power in 1697, the city was launched into absolute greatness. Augustus was an advocate of leading musicians, painters, and architects, and Dresden became one of the most important European cities for art and culture. Beautiful, ornate buildings sprang up all over the place, and thanks to its baroque and rococo city centre, Dresden became known as the Jewel Box.
During World War II, Dresden was decimated in a controversial bombing by English and US forces. Around 25,000 lives were lost, the vast majority of whom were civilians; the city itself was almost completely reduced to rubble. Three months later, German forces surrendered.
So it’s kind of crazy, then, that the centre of Dresden looks so old. In fact, almost all of the buildings here are reconstructions of the ornate baroque jewels that first went up all those years ago.
Things you have to see and do in Dresden
The top things you have to see in Dresden- all within walking distance of each other.
Zwinger Palace
My personal favourite of the grand constructions of Dresden, the Zwinger Palace was one of Augustus the Strong’s very first building projects. The palace was never intended to be residential, although this is definitely the kind of place that Prince Friedrich out of Bridgerton surely lived.
Ornate baroque domed rooftops, grand balustrades and galleries, surround some seriously beautiful gardens- filled with fountains, stone nymphs and dolphins frozen mid-leap. At one end of the Zwinger Palace is a beautiful glockenspiel clock, consisting of forty Meissen porcelain bells. The bells ring every fifteen minutes, playing a different tune after each interval.
Entry to the Zwinger Palace and gardens is free, although there’s a small charge to visit the museums housed inside. (The Old Masters Picture Gallery, the Porcelain Collection and the Royal Cabinet of Mathematical and Physical Instruments)
Dresden Frauenkirche
Although the Frauenkirche is probably the most well-known landmark of Dresden’s beautiful skyline, it was nothing but a heap of bricks and crumbled mortar for decades after the Dresden Bombing. The city just didn’t have the funds to rebuilt it. The ruined 18th century church stayed there as a constant reminder of, and eventually a memorial against, the devastation of war.
After donations began pouring in, work started on reconstructing the Frauenkirche in 1994. Having salvaged as much of the sandstone ruins as possible, the work was finally complete in 2005. After the war, Dresden was twinned with Coventry- an English city which was also suffered devastating attacks during World War II. In a gesture of peace and reconciliation, the cross on the top of the Frauenkirche’s stunning dome was crafted by the son of one of the English pilots who was part of the bombing all those years ago.
Entry to the Frauenkirche is free, although are currently being timed to prevent overcrowding. There is an €8 charge per adult to climb to the top of the dome. (Although this is currently closed due to that bloomin’ pandemic)
The streets and squares of Altstadt
You know me guys, I love a good old fashioned wander! Altstadt is such a concentrated area, that it’s best explored in an afternoon with a few stops for a beverage or two. Even in the middle of the Covid-era (alas), there were plenty of street musicians to watch and horse and carriages clip-clopping down the cobbles. An early evening stroll along the River Elbe towards Theaterplatz- home of the Semper Opera House– is similarly atmospheric and downright lovely.
The Fürstenzug
Dresden Castle is an obvious stopping point with only two or three days to explore the city; and at Christmas time there’s normally a sprawling Weihnachtsmarkt held just in front of it. However. I was visiting in the summer of 2020 when entry into any building was risky business. Don’t worry though pals- even from the outside, there’s plenty to marvel at.
The Fürstenzug is a mosaic of approximately 23,000 Meissen porcelain tiles on the outer wall of Dresden Castle’s stable yard. And I’ll tell you this for free- the gold, black and white masterpiece is pretty magnificent. A procession of the rulers of Saxony, plus a few scientists, artists and farmers for good luck, march up the street; the whole parade is rather full on beautiful.
Hang out on the River Elbe
The River Elbe divides the old town from the new, and looking back across to Altstadt as the evening’s lights flickered on reminded me of the views of Budapest on the Danube. In fact, the whole city centre has an air of the Budapest about it.
In Summer, folks flock to the grassy banks of the Elbe with picnics and barbecues, to enjoy a spot of the Great Outdoors in the centre of the city. A smattering of bars and an outdoor cinema set up shop on the banks of the river as well, making it a hive of activity on a summer evening.
Staying around Central Europe: Three Days in Budapest
Where to eat in Dresden Altstadt
If you fancy continuing the feeling that you’re swanning around in a crinoline and powdered wig circa 1789, head to the Grand Cafe Coselpalais. This stunning baroque home opposite the Frauenkirche was once home to Countess von Cosel, official mistress of Augustus the Strong. (That is, until she was considered to be too much of a meddler in Polish politics and was banished. Poor lass.) Nowadays you can dine on some beaut meals in the Coselpalais, as well as a whole selection of cakes and other sweet treats.
For vegan food in Dresden, head to LadenCafe Aha. I’m not vegan, but I was eating with a vegan pal that evening and craving something lighter than your usual German meals. Let’s face it guys, German food tends to be rather meat and salt heavy, so a vegetable break was very much needed. The food at Cafe Aha is delicious and comes in gargantuan portion sizes. Well done those guys.
And lastly, if you’re all about the aesthetically pleasing but also kind of scrumptious, head to Wilma Wunder in Altmarkt. There are a few of these Wilma Wunder eateries springing up in German cities, but they’re a popular option and sitting outside overlooking the Altmarkt is a great way to spend an evening. Plus the food and drinks are delish.
Is three days in Dresden enough?
Personally I think two to three days in Dresden is plenty, depending on what pace you take things at and how much you want to pack in to your itinerary. The city is so easy to get around, but is also less crammed with activities than many other touristy destinations.
To make the most of your time in Dresden, Altstadt is the place to stay if you want to be in the centre of everything. Alternatively just across the river is Neustadt– which is a more budget-friendly area with a mildly bohemian vibe about it. Both areas have plenty of hotels, apartments and Airbnbs to choose from.
The best day trips from Dresden
Dresden is deceptively close to all kinds of stunning natural wonders. The stunning Ore Mountains are around an hour away. During winter plenty of skiers, tobogganists and other winter sports aficionados flock to the little town of Altenberg– but in summer it’s a great place for a hike or two. The Ore Mountains are also home to the village of Seiffen, where nutcrackers, Christmas pyramids and other wooden toys have been crafted for centuries.
Next up (and even easier to access by public transport), a visit to Saxon Switzerland National Park is vital during a trip to Dresden. Especially if you love the outdoors. Pirna and Bad Schandau are ideal villages from where to begin your hike into the incredible sandstone mountains. And the Bastei Bridge is possibly Saxony’s most well-known landmark, accessible after just a short train ride from Dresden.
The town of Meissen, home of all that finely-crafted porcelain, is about 16 miles from Dresden, and there are castles galore in the area as well. Schloss Moritzburg, and Burg Stolpen (where the Countess von Cosel was imprisoned) are both nearby.
A tale of nearby Bohemian Switzerland: Lost in Bohemian Switzerland
So there you have it pals, in all its glory. Three days in Dresden, the exquisitely beautiful city on the Elbe, a world away from its North German city-sisters. Decidedly more relaxed, but with plenty of atmosphere to soak up- and a lovely place to explore for a couple of days and a slice of Baroque splendour.
Where we stayed in Saxon Switzerland:
Königstein, the Pretty-but-Spooky Town in Saxony
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Logistical Statisticals
- If arriving by train, bear in mind that Dresden Hauptbanhof is further than you’d think from the centre of town. In order to reach Altstadt, you’ll need to either hop on a tram, or walk for fifteen minutes or so through a busy shopping street lined with many many malls.
- A single journey on the tram costs €2.50. A one day travel card in Dresden costs €6.50, or €9.50 to cover two zones. Thanks to the cities walkability, I found that over three days in Dresden I only made about four tram trips.
- You can buy your ticket in advance from machines at the stations. Once you have your ticket, make sure you stamp it as soon as you board a tram or bus!
- If you’re a non-native German speaker, a word of warning. The Saxony accent is a challenge to the untrained ear!
- You can get a direct train from Berlin to Dresden in two and a quarter hours, and a direct train from Hamburg to Dresden in four and a quarter.
- Trains also run direct from Dresden to Prague, taking around two and a half hours.