Go on a tour through town or visit one of the many events.

Stroll around the Großer Garten (Great Garten). Only a few minutes from the city center, this beautiful big garden with a little castle in its middle is used by many locals to relax, walk around, go rollerblading or rowing in small boats on the Carolasee.

Go on a tour with one of the old paddle-steamers [26]. It is a really great experience. Best start your tour from the main pier at the castle and go down to Meissen or up to Pillnitz or the Saxon Switzerland.

An evening out in the Semper Opera is an unforgettable experience, but be sure to book in advance.

The city is also home to many good sport clubs. Examples are the Dresden Monarchs (American Football - German Football League) [27], Dynamo Dresden (Soccer) [28], Dresdner Eislöwen (Ice Hockey - Second National League) and the Dresdner SC (Volleyball women - First National League) [29]

Dresden is a very beautiful, lightspirited city, especially in summer, when you can appreciate the serene setting of the historic center. Although Dresden is larger than Munich when measured by area, the historic center is quite compact and walkable. Your sightseeing tour should among others include:

• Zwinger Palace [10]. The baroque palace features a nympheum, many sculptures of Permoser, a bell pavilion and famous art collections. Do not miss the "Alte Meister" - you'll find the famous Madonna Sistina of Rafael there including the well known angels. There is also a very nice museum on the arms of Saxon kings, the "Rüstkammer".

• Semperoper [11] The building is well worth visiting, as it is one of the most beautiful opera houses in the world. The acoustics and the orchestra - the Staatskapelle, are marvelous. Its history saw many operas of Wagner and Strauss having their first night there. Nowadays productions are of lower quality and follow the German "Regietheater" fashion. Make sure to inquire about the production in advance, you might have unpleasant surprises. - Make also sure to book tickets in advance. Some last-minute tickets are available from the box office shortly before the performance starts. Seats which do not have a good view are very cheap, and you can sit on benches behind the seats, right at the top of the auditorium, for free. When there is no rehearsal or performance, the opera offers an interesting tour behind the scenes (7 euro, 3.50 euro reduced, 2 euro photography pass, but they don't check if you have it).

• Frauenkirche[12] The reconstructed Church of Our Lady was completely destroyed during WWII, and has now been reopened. The City of Coventry, which was raided by the Luftwaffe in WWII, donated the golden cross for the dome of the church. Check out some ruins in the basement. Do not miss the tower visit and bring good shoes to climb in (otherwise you will not be admitted in!).

• Fürstenzug This biggest porcelain painting of the world shows (almost) all Saxon princess and kings on their horses and splendid parade uniforms. It leads to the "Stallhof" - the last preserved tournament place contained in a European castle. This place is in winter the location of a very romantic Christmas marked with a big fireplace.

• Albertinum Museum [13]. The collections of "Neue Meister" feature a wonderful collection ranging from romantic painters (Caspar David Friedrich etc.) up to Rotloff and Van Gogh.

• Gläserne Manufaktur [14] Lennestr. 1, 01069 Dresden, Mon-Sun 8AM-8PM, tel. 018-05-89-6268, infoservice@glaesernemanufaktur.de. The transparent factory is the site where Volkswagen builds its luxury sedan Phaeton. There is a tour (English language) offered by Volkswagen (4 euro, 2 euro reduced).

• Schloss und Grünes Gewölbe [15]. The Green Vault is Europe's most splendid treasure chamber museum. You may see the biggest green diamond, the court of Aurengzeb and precious crown juwels. It is not yet completely restored and will be completely re-opened from end of 2006 on.

• Staatliche Kunstsammlungen This website provides an comprehensive overview of all important museums in Dresden: [16]

• Kassematten under the Brühlsche Terrasse (the terrace at the Elbe river) are the remains of the old fort. Gives you an insight view of what a fort in a medieval European town was.

• Schwebebahn Dresden - a unique aerial tramway

• Museum of Mineralogy[17] One of Dresden's most important museums.

• Dresden History Museum[18]

• Neue Synagoge, Hasenberg 2.  edit

Dresden from another point of view

• Dresden Neustadt -- Very nice, lively part of the town. From heavy alternative style in the 90s it has become more and more "pseudo-exclusive" and expensive. But still you find some of the older way. Check out the Bunte Republik Neustadt festival in June. But you shouldn't leave your bicycle unattended without a good lock, and there is a serious risk of damage to your bicycle and car also, especially at weekend nights.
• Elbwiesen (River Banks): Go to the (mostly) green river banks, especially in hot summer evenings/nights - very nice view of the old parts and lot of people doing sports, having barbecues and parties. There are often big concerts and a huge movie screen offers "outdoor cinema".

• Großer Garten (Big Garden): Recommended for relaxing and sports (rollerblades are very common). It is Dresden's "green lung" and can be reached easily by tram. You can also go on a ride on a miniature train through the park.
• Erich-Kästner-Museum
• Military Historic Museum shows you many items and machines regarding military in history. A must for the interested. Easily accessible with tram lines 7 and 8 and bus line 91 at stop "Stauffenbergallee".
• Pfunds Molkerei (Dairy Strore) A guiness record holder for its variety of dairy products. A beautiful store from the beginning of the 20th Century.
• The Artists' Court A nice complex of inner courtyards artistically decorated. The complex offers art galleries as well as coffee shops.
• Weber Museum[19] Dedicated to the Dresdner most famous composer.
• German Hygene Museum[20] Near the Big Garden. A comprehensive museum dedicated to hygene in various times and cultures.

Other Museums

• Japanisches Palais, on the north bank of the Elbe between Augusbrücke and Marienbrücke. The palace was bombed out, and in its partially restored state holds several small museums, including the museum of natural history of the region, museum of prehistory and a display of assorted exotic garments (ethnological collection). Essentially none of the building is on display, unfortunately.
• Kuegelgenhaus - Museum of Dresdener Romantic Art[21]
• Kunsthaus Dresden[22] An exhibition hall for contemporary art.
• Leonhardi Museum[23] A private art collection of DDR art including works by the collector himself.
• City Gallery of Dresden[24] Art from the 16th Century to the present day.

By Plane

Dresden-Klotzsche Airport [2] is located north of the city and can be reached by bus (line 77 and 97) and tram line 7 (change for the bus at tram station Karl-Marx-Straße). Even faster is the connection with local train lines (S-Bahn).

Flights leave to nearly all important German cities and a few European destinations, like London, Zurich and Vienna. The emergence of low-frill airlines Germanwings [3] and Air Berlin [4] has led to reduced fares to Cologne, Düsseldorf, Hamburg, Stuttgart and Munich. Lufthansa [5] operates to most domestic destinations. Air Berlin [6] also offers flights to and from Rome and Barcelona. In 2007 British Airways[7] started offering a direct service to London (Gatwick).

By Train

Dresden is served by two big train stations, one on the northern side of the Elbe, Dresden Neustadt, and one on the southern side of the Elbe, Dresden Hauptbahnhof or main train station. Be sure to check if your train is really leaving/going to Dresden Hauptbahnhof or to Dresden Neustadt.

The main train station is situated at the southern end of Dresden's main shopping street Prager Straße and in short walking distance from most central attractions in Old Town. It is very well connected with the local bus and tram network and can be reached very fast from nearly everywhere, also at night time. Trains to nearby towns, such as Pirna run till around midnight. Regular trains leave the main train station for the rest of Germany (Berlin, Frankfurt, Munich) and to Prague and Budapest.

The other big train station called Dresden-Neustadt is located in just north of the New Town and also offers very good train connections, as most trains run through there, too. Some trains even terminate there and not at the main train station. Dresden-Neustadt is also easily accessible by tram or car.

By Car

Dresden can be reached without problems by car from the rest of Germany. It is well connected with the German highway system and a new Autobahn to Prague is nearly finished.

The main shopping district in Dresden extends from Ferdinandplatz to the west of Sankt-Petersburger Straße northwest to about Wilsdruffer Straße. At the south end (Ferdinandplatz) is a cinema, a couple of restaurants, and a huge Karstadt department store (which also sells groceries). Tucked away in a corner is Tee Gschwendner, a truly astonishing tea purveyor. On the north end is a covered mall.

In the Äußere Neustadt area (north/east of Albertplatz), many small shops provide books, (vinyl) records, clothing etc., partly on a student's level. The Innere Neustadt (between Albertplatz and Elbe, mainly Haupstraße and Königstraße) is rather on a medium-to-fancy level.

Within the historic centre and especially around the Frauenkirche are a number of restaurants, serving many different tastes. Most of these are overpriced, and the quality is often low. On the north bank of the Elbe river is the Neustadt, which accounts for most of the trendy pubs, bars and clubs, and the majority of the restaurants in the city. You will generally have better luck finding decent food for a reasonable price north of Albertplatz in Neustadt.

The eastern part of the city, towards the Blaues Wunder, has a lower density of restaurants than Neustadt, and they tend to also serve as cafés, but the food is generally good and cheap, if simple.

When in Germany one should always try a specialty that is not regarded as German at first sight. Today, doner kebab is typically served as a kind of sandwich in pita (flat bread). This type of doner kebab has been available in Istanbul since about 1960. The doner kebab with salad and sauce served in pita, which is predominant in Germany and the rest of the world, was invented in Berlin Kreuzberg in the early 1970s, because the original preparation was not appealing enough to the German taste. Therefore, as the "modern" kebab is very dissimilar to the traditional dish except by name, it can be argued that the kebab as most people know it is a "traditional" German dish. When in Dresden you can probably get the best kebabs at Babos [30] and at Dürum Kebap Haus (Rothenburger Straße 41 - 01099 Dresden). A typical dish including a large drink should be around 5-6€.

The next step above doner kebab is generally Italian. There are a certain number of ethnic restaurants scattered through the city, and if you go out to the eastern part of town, you will find lots of charming cafés and Volkshäuser that serve good food.

Altstadt

• Afro-Hütte , Lausitzer 35, Phone [0]351 / 26212, deutsches Essen, you get served for 5-10 Euro/ person,
• Anita , Mühlenstrasse 67, Phone [0]351 / 24493, italian food, not too hungry person 10-15 Euro/ person,
• Antica , Hohenzollerndamm 64, Phone [0]351 / 9652, deutsches Essen, >30 Euro, Open Mo-Sa from 10.00 - 23.00,
• Athen, Schönhauser 94, Phone [0]351 / 1635, greek cuisine, >5 Euros for a snack
• Britzer , Fasanenstrasse 17, Phone [0]351 / 20680, deutsches Essen, voted best deli in town Open Mo-Sa from 19.00 - 24.00,
• Engelbrecht , Damaschkestrasse 87, Phone [0]351 / 5211, deutsches Essen, >5 Euros for a snack
• Golden Tweenis, Alter markt 85, Phone [0]351 / 27228, deutsches Essen, >20 Euros,
• Havana, Alexanderplatz 109, Phone [0]351 / 20535, this place serves international food, you get served for 5-10 Euro/ person, Open Mo-So from 12.00 - 23.00,
• India King, Sophienstrasse 45, Phone [0]351 / 11301, Indian restaurant, if money matters you can't go there,
• Little Africa, Mehringdamm 93, Phone [0]351 / 25344, this place serves international food, for young people, Open Mo-So from 17.00 - 23.00,
• Maredo , Fasanenstrasse 17, Phone [0]351 / 7922, this place serves international food, >10 Euro/person,
• Merz , Kochstrasse 85, Phone [0]351 / 908, deutsches Essen, not too hungry person 10-15 Euro/ person, Open Mo-So from 10.00 - 24.00,
• Mona , Blissestrasse 25, Phone [0]351 / 6914, deutsches Essen, that's where the locals go Open Mo-Sa from 10.00 - 23.00,
• Petit , Rheinstrasse 59, Phone [0]351 / 9010, french cuisine, >5 Euros for a snack Open Mo-So from 17.00 - 23.00,
• Roter Ochs, Lindenweg 15, Phone [0]351 / 27587, deutsches Essen, value for money 15 Euro, Open Mo-So from 10.00 - 24.00,
• Saigon, Grossgörschenstrasse 103, Phone [0]351 / 21650, thai food, weekdays lunch time is half price Open Mo-So from 16.00 - 23.00,
• Bierhaus of the Hilton Dresden, An der Frauenkirche 5, phone (0351) 8642-0. Pseudo-nautical decor, doubles as a bar. The food is acceptable, but not anything to seek out. €10-20
• Brühlsche Terrasse This terrace is adjacent to the river Elbe and various restaurants are to be found there - especially in summer time this a wonderful place to be. The view and the drinks are very pleasant.
• Italienisches Dörfchen One of the most stylish places in town - the baroque pavilion features various restaurants decorated with old paintings and furniture. The prices are higher than elsewhere, but still affordable. Go for the cakes!
• Münzgasse If you come as the tourist this is the place to go - lying directly beside the Frauenkirche. The little street is full of restaurants, from glamorous and expensive (for instance the Coselpalais) to the cheaper ones.
• Schützenhaus This little farmhouse-restaurant is not so easy to find. It lies behind the "Herzogin Garten" (which is a ruin) and behind the opera-house. The large Biergarden is a very relaxing place, has good food and good prices and is very pleasant. If you are vegetarian try the adjacent "Brennessel".

Neustadt

• Die Scheune "The barn" is a restaurant with large Biergarden in alternative style - do not be shocked by the punks in front - they are decor. In warm summer nights you will have trouble to find a free place. Good prices.

• Raskolnikoff The formerly very alternative restaurant now features sand on the floors, a red lamp in front of the door and a very nice garden with a fountain. Again - in summer it is difficult to get in. Food and prices are good. Böhmischestrasse, close to the Lutherkirche.

• Vecchia Napoli, Alaunstrasse 33, phone 0351/8029055, [31]. A good Italian restaurant, with a wood fired pizza oven. You can get a pizza or pasta, or a full multicourse meal. Generally very busy, and the food is excellent. €15-40

• Rosengarten, Carusufer 12, on the north bank of the Elbe at the edge of the park just east of Albertbrücke. A café bordering one of the public rose gardens of Dresden's riverside park, with plenty of outside seating in nice weather. The food is acceptable, but nothing special. The view is gorgeous. Worth a stop for a hot chocolate or an ice cream.

• Brauhaus am Waldschlösschen, Am Brauhaus 8b, [32]. Traditional German cuisine with a taste of beer brewed on place. Located on a hill with a splendid view over Elbe riverside from the outside garden. The food is recommended for those wishing to experience what the German cuisine should taste like.

• Amarena Capanna, Louisenstraße 30/Ecke Alaunstraße, on the southwest corner of this intersection, phone 0351-4969984. An Italian restaurant with a fake tropical hut and palm trees inside. The food is decent, though. €8-20

Eastern Dresden

• Alimentari , Knaackstrasse 85, Phone [0]351 / 22708, italian food, for young people, Open Mo-Sa from 11.00 - 23.00,
• Blaues Wunder, Gustav-Adolf-Strasse 11, Phone [0]351 / 20993, italian food, >5 Euros for a snack Open Mo-So from 18.00 - 24.00,
• Cafe Toscana, Schillerplatz 7 in the Blasewitz quarter, right by the Blaues Wunder bridge, phone 0351-3100744. This is a very pleasant café that includes a pastry shop and a restaurant. The cakes are mostly gorgeous and will make you understand why the cafe is somewhat famous. The decor is a little bit to new, given the very long history of the place (it was called after Louise von Toscana, the run-away princess that divorced the Saxon king). The terrace however is very beautiful overlooking the river and the famous bridge "Das blaue Wunder". Generally ist full of locals, on saturday afternoons come and admire the local old women chat, they're famous as the "Muttchens" . €8-20
• Historisches Fischhaus, Fischhausstraße 14, on the road into the Albertpark to the northeast of the city, phone (0351) 89 91 00. [33] There has been a fish house here since the 16th century (specifically 1573), long enough for the road to be named for it.* Fischer's , Görlitzer 81, Phone [0]351 / 30434, deutsches Essen, 20-40 Euro/ person, without wine Open Mo-So from 10.00 - 23.00,
• Hellas7, Stollbergstr. 95, Phone [0]351 / 31992, greek cuisine, >10 Euro/person, Open Mo-So from 10.00 - 24.00,
• Pow , Exerzierstrasse 7, Phone [0]351 / 19102, this place serves international food, 50++ Euro/ person, Open Mo-Sa from 19.00 - 24.00,

• Volkshaus Laubegast, Laubegaster Ufer 22, right on the river, phone (0351) 2509377. A simple local eatery and café. The food tends to be things stereotypically german (schnitzel, sausages, and the like), and is generally good. Their fried potatos are excellent, though their green vegetables are overcooked. Has a nice view of the Elbe and outside seating. €10-20
• Wiener Cafe Haus Richards, Schandauer Straße 94, phone 0351 2508614. An inward looking café with small, curtained windows, heavy wooden tables, and upholstered armchairs for seating. They have pictures of Mozart on the walls and his music playing in the background. A charming spot to stop for a snack. €5-15

The Neustadt is a very popular destination, especially for younger people. It boasts a high number of bars and clubs, with many different styles. Especially the area around Alberplatz is filled with places to go.

The area around the Frauenkirche and Dresden Castle is very popular with tourists. Some fine restaurants are located there.

The Weiße Gasse is just around the corner of the Altmarkt near the shopping centre and the historical town. Good alternative, if you do not want to go to the Neustadt.