DESTINATIONS DRESDEN | SHORT BREAKS

hours

Dresden 48Catch the cultural highlights of this historic German city with Laura French’s guide

ention Dresden and images of a city flattened by the bombings ofm 1945 might well be the first that come to mind. But this city has changed dramatically over the past few decades. Today, its baroque churches, Renaissance palaces and elaborate galleries – many of them built under Augustus the Strong and reconstructed after the war – glitter with all their former glory, while a quirky culinary scene and a trendy, creative vibe lure young

Shutterstock and old alike. Here’s how to spend 48 hours in the city. ➣ PICTURE :

travelweekly.co.uk 1 AUGUST 2019 51 DESTINATIONS DRESDEN | SHORT BREAKS

BEST OF THE REST ❂ Pillnitz Castle: A restored baroque masterpiece just outside the city, this elegant complex of palaces and gardens – once the summer residence of the royal court – makes for an idyllic day trip, with a paddlesteamer shuttling FROM FAR LEFT: guests along the Elbe to Zwinger; Frauenkirche; reach it. top tip Kunsthofpassage; Albertinum; Dresden 1900; Semperoper; ❂ Striezelmarkt: Germany’s Check museum opening days; the Elbe River; Residenzschloss oldest Christmas market PICTURES: Blend3 Frank Grätz; Dresden Tourist descends on Dresden’s Zwinger is closed on Mondays, and Board; ddpix.de; Francisco Guerrero; Frank Exß; Tomy Heyduck; Kirker Holidays; Shutterstock Altmarkt Square every the Green Vault is closed on Tuesdays December, bringing handicrafts and glühwein to the city – plus a giant stollen, DAY ONE gallery, armoury museum and the 16.00: Elsewhere on Neumarkt 19.00: When evening falls, DAY t wo draw here, with trendy bars, 16.00: Venture back into the Old paraded through the fairylit 09.00: Kick off your cultural Münzkabinett, which showcases Square you’ll find one of the it’s time to experience the 10.00: Head to the other side of the restaurants and pubs luring a Town to finish your stay at one streets at an annual festival. musings with a trip to the sprawling nearly 300,000 coins and medals city’s iconic landmarks – the jewel in Dresden’s crown – the city to explore Neustadt, Dresden’s young, hipster crowd. At its heart of Dresden’s cultural highlights, Zwinger palace. Originally built dating from antiquity to today. Frauenkirche. This champagne- Semperoper opera house: a edgier, artsier district, set on the is the Kunsthofpassage, a cobbled the Albertinum. Set in a former in the early 1700s to entertain coloured, dome-topped behemoth magnificent, Renaissance-meets- eastern bank of the Elbe and split courtyard filled with quirky street Renaissance armoury, this gallery the royals, this reconstructed, 13.30: Right next to that is the of a church – originally constructed baroque structure bedecked with into ‘Inner’ and ‘Outer’ areas. Start art installations set on apartment now showcases sculptures and FIND OUT MORE baroque-style masterpiece is an Fürstenzug (also known as between 1726 and 1743 – sat in extravagant chandeliers and with a wander round the Inner part. buildings – the most outlandish of paintings from the 1800s through homage to all things ornate, with the ‘Procession of Princes’), ruins until 2005, when it was finally Corinthian-style pillars. Composers Rebuilt after a fire in 1685, it’s which is the ‘courtyard of elements’, to the modern day. Exhibiting ❂ germany.travel intricate statues, fountains and a 330‑foot long, porcelain- rebuilt. It now boasts lavish, pastel- such as Richard Wagner and now filled with leafy boulevards, where metal pipes snake down an greats such as Van Gogh, Rodin, ❂ sachsen-tourismus.de gardens decorating its verdant tiled mural stretching along an hued interiors and an elaborate, Richard Strauss once premiered baroque townhouses and aqua-blue wall and play music Karl Andres and Gerhard Richter, ❂ der-dresdner-zwinger.de/en courtyard. Its crowning glory, old city wall. Commissioned in gold-splashed centrepiece, plus a their works here, and today there atmospheric galleries. Highlights when rain falls. Stop for lunch at it provides a fascinating glimpse ❂ skd.museum/en/visit/royal-palace the Old Masters Picture Gallery, 1870 and created by alchemist viewing platform you can climb for are nightly performances spanning include Die Welt der DDR (The Lila Sosse, a popular spot with in to how perspectives changed ❂ kurfuerstenschaenke-dresden.de houses works by Raphael, Rubens, Johann Friedrich Böttger, it depicts views of the square below – think classical concerts, ballets and World of the GDR), an intriguing young locals, with modern, tapas- before, during and after the two ❂ semperoper.de/en Canaletto and Vermeer, while the the dukes, kings, artists and dolls-house-esque buildings set on operas, with standing tickets collection of memorabilia about life style dishes and salads served in world wars, as well as under East ❂ pfunds.de Porcelain Collection showcases the scientists who have shaped the shiny manicured cobbles. available from as little as €10. in the former East Germany. artsy jars on outdoor tables. Germany’s communist regime, and ❂ lilasosse.de delicate china creations for which region, and it’s one of the few parts then after the reunification. ❂ dresden1900.de Dresden is famous. of the city that wasn’t destroyed 12.00: A 15-minute walk west 14.00: For a bit of downtime, head in the war. inNside dresden takes you to Pfunds Molkerei, a to Dresden Elbe Valley, where 19.00: Round things off with 11.00: Next door you’ll find porcelain-tiled dairy shop founded you’ll find several miles of green a quirky dining experience at BOOK IT TRIED the rebuilt Residenzschloss, a 14.00: Stop for lunch at With a central location in the heart of the old town, in 1880, which earnt a Guinness meadows and landscaped gardens Dresden 1900. It’s all about history 16th‑century palace where a Kurfürstenschänke, located just this four-star Meliá hotel makes a good base for visitors World Records listing in 1998 as stretching along the north bank of here, with dishes from the early Kirker Holidays offers three succession of royals lived for almost around the corner on the central TESTED wanting to explore the key sights – it’s right next to the the “world’s most beautiful milk the river. It was here that Italian 1900s set against a ‘new’ menu – nights at the five-star Kempinski 400 years. Its centrepiece is the Neumarkt Square. Tuck in to & Frauenkirche, and the Zwinger and Semperoper are a shop”. Now it comprises a shop painter Bernardo Bellotto, nephew think bratwurst and batzen (roast Hotel Taschenbergpalais in Green Vault, founded under traditional regional dishes such few minutes’ stroll away. Rooms are modern, with two- and cafe, with indulgent ice creams of Canaletto, painted the iconic pork with bacon cabbage) versus Dresden from £586, based Augustus the Strong and now home as sauerbraten (roast beef in a floor studios available on the upper floors (offering views and cheesecakes complementing Dresden from the Right Bank of carpaccio beef and mango- on two sharing, with breakfast, to a vast collection of treasures, deliciously sweet wine marinade) over the old town), and there’s a simple restaurant, bar traditional specialities, plus the River Elbe below the Augustus infused duck breast. It’s all set in flights from Heathrow (regional with rare pearl figurines and and Sächsische quarkkeulchen and spa with saunas, steam bath and fitness area. porcelain wares available to buy. Bridge (displayed at the Old historic surroundings, where the departures available), return colourful, precious stones sparkling (Saxon pancakes), served in an melia.com Masters Picture Gallery), and with centrepiece is a restored railcar private car transfers and the in glittering cabinets. Elsewhere atmospheric interior which dates 13.00: But it’s perhaps the Outer sweeping views over the city, you’ll from 1898; a memorable way to services of a Kirker Concierge. in the palace you’ll find an art back to 1708. Neustadt that’s the biggest see straight away what inspired him. end a culture-filled stay. TW kirkerholidays.com

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