A Travel Guide to Dresden, Eastern Germany's Arts Capital

After some 80 years and millions of dollars spent on reconstruction, Dresden, Germany, has risen from the ashes of the firebombing that reduced 70% of the city to rubble in the final months of World War II. The capital of the Free State of Saxony, this former East German city is thriving, thanks to rebuilt landmarks that meticulously recreate their originals, plus one of the world’s most extensive art collections. 

Here’s a guide to the best and newest experiences in Dresden.

Spectacular Scenery and Architecture

Because Allied bombing in WWII was centrally focused, Dresden is the rare city where the Altstadt (Old Town) buildings are actually younger than those in its Neustadt (New Town). With German reunification in the 1990s came the push to return Old Town to its Baroque glory. Most of its historic landmarks have since been rebuilt, including the Frauenkirche, which was re-created using salvaged stones from the original. Visitors can climb to the top of the church's tower for panoramic views of the city and the Elbe River.

Other important architectural and cultural attractions include the recently renovated Kulturpalast — home of the Dresden Philharmonic Orchestra — and the Semperoper Dresden opera house, which is easy to spot on the Theaterplatz historic square by its curving limestone walls and statuary-topped entrance portal. 

Meanwhile, the 335-foot Furstenzug (Procession of Princes) historic tile mural — located on an outer wall of Dresden Castle’s stables courtyard — depicts the Wettin dynasty. On a clear day, Bruhl's Terrace, often called “the Balcony of Europe,” boasts views for miles.

Around Neumarkt, Old Town’s main plaza, there are stunning Baroque gabled buildings that were rebuilt, section by section, over more than half a century. Many house tourist-friendly shops, cafes and restaurants. 

About a mile away, across the Elbe River, the Neustadt district is known for its hip, artsy feel. But visitors can also find Old World charm here, including Dresden Molkerei Gebruder Pfund, a fairytale-esque milk shop opened in 1892 that survived WWII. The cheese, chocolate and gourmet goods boutique is still decorated with thousands of original hand-painted Villeroy & Boch tiles. (Note: Visitors are not allowed to take photos of the interior.)

The Dresden State Art Collections

The Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden (Dresden State Art Collections, also known as SKD) comprise some of the oldest, largest and most significant art collections in Europe. As the city’s reconstruction has progressed, the collections have found permanent homes among 15 separate SKD museums, which host a wide variety of permanent displays — from furniture and paintings to puppetry — as well as some three-dozen temporary exhibits.

In the multi-winged Dresden Zwinger [https://www.der-dresdner-zwinger.de/en] museum, guests will find the Old Masters Picture Gallery, Dresden Porcelain Collection, Sculpture Hall and the Royal Cabinet of Mathematical and Physical Instruments. The Baroque palatial complex also hosts the Zwinger Xperience [https://www.zwinger-xperience.com/], a new exhibit that brings the historic building back to its 18th-century heyday through panoramic projections and virtual reality stations.  

The massive Dresden Castle — also known as the Royal Palace — encompasses multiple collections, such as the Cabinet of Prints, Drawings and Photographs, as well as the Historic Green Vault and New Green Vault, which contain 4,000 pieces of porcelain, jewelry, statuary and other art objects of inestimable value. Visitors should pay a visit to the palace’s recently reopened inner courtyard, which is decked out in elaborate sgraffito, a rarely used art that involves scratching the top layer of paint to reveal the colors of the base layer. 

For contemporary art lovers, there’s the Lipsiusbau museum, recognizable by its “lemon squeezer” dome, which is named for its folded shape.  

Outdoor Experiences in Dresden

Despite Dresden’s well-developed urban center, 60% of the city’s area is green space, which comes in the form of forests, parks and gardens. The loveliest include Botanical Garden Dresden, which features some 10,000 plant species. Grosser Garten Park, meanwhile, is a nearly 1-square-mile green space in the heart of the city with a small lake for boating, a zoo and an open-air stage. 

One of the best ways to experience Dresden’s natural beauty is via a steamboat cruise with Sachsische Dampf Schiff Fahrt down the Elbe, which winds through 15 miles of the city. Because building is prohibited directly on the banks of the river, guests are treated to unobstructed views of sloping vineyards and meadows, pastel-painted homes and majestic old manor houses that populate the hillsides. Floating into the “Florence of the Elbe” underneath the Loschwitz Bridge (referred to as the Blue Wonder) is a singularly relaxing experience.

The historic Dresden Suspension Railway, a hanging funicular between the Loschwitz and Oberloschwitz districts, offers panoramic views of the Elbe River Valley. Travelers can stop at the top for cultural and geocaching tours, or they can leisurely explore the recently developed Saxon Wine Route, which stretches for 34 miles from Pirna to Diesbar-Seusslitz, in a region where viticulture has reigned for more than 800 years.

Where to Stay in Dresden

On the whole, accommodations in Dresden are affordable. The newest hotel in the city is Meininger Hotel Dresden Zentrum. Opened in 2022 on the Wiener Platz transportation hub, it offers 173 colorful, urban-sleek rooms and suites with disco-ball bedroom fixtures, as well as family-friendly amenities such as a guest kitchen, a game zone and a photo booth. The two-year-old Arcotel HafenCity Dresden — which dubs itself a “bleasure” (business and pleasure) property — is located adjacent to the Neustadt district and features 183 rooms and suites, a fitness center, a garden and a terrace. 

Less than a half-mile from Old Town, the 174-room Penck Hotel Dresden — renovated in 2019 — is a funky art lodging dedicated to the work of postmodern painter, AR Penck. Its expansive breakfast buffet, featuring both German and continental favorites, is an excellent value. The 132-room Hotel Indigo Dresden - Wettiner Platz opened under the IHG Hotels & Resorts boutique portfolio in 2018 and is located midway between Old Town and the Kraftwerk Mitte cultural district. It’s stylish and relaxed, and it offers a 24-hour snack bar. IHG also plans to open a 306-room Holiday Inn Express in Dresden by summer 2024.

For a higher-end stay, consider Relais & Chateaux Bulow Palais, set in the middle of Dresden’s Baroque attractions, which has long set the standard for luxury in the city. It has an air of Old World elegance, with a lighted winter garden, an on-site German bistro and a cigar lounge. Hotel Taschenbergpalais Kempinski Dresden — currently undergoing an extensive renovation — is set to open in February 2024 with elevated, modernized facilities and amenities, as well as a focus on sustainability.