City: Saxony
Top Things to do in Saxony
Top Hotels in Saxony
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The 10 Best Things to do Good for a Rainy Day in Saxony, Germany
The Free State of Saxony (German: Freistaat Sachsen [ˈfʁaɪ̯ʃtaːt ˈzaksn̩]; Upper Sorbian: Swobodny stat Sakska) is a landlocked federal state of Germany, bordering the federal states of Brandenburg, Saxony Anhalt, Thuringia, and Bavaria, as well as the countries of Poland (Lower Silesian and Lubusz Voivodeships) and the Czech Republic (Karlovy Vary, Liberec and Ústí nad Labem Regions). Its capital is Dresden, and its largest city is Leipzig.
Restaurants in Saxony
1. Horch Museum
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 265 reviews
Reviewed By jeremywO7675SR - Ripon, United Kingdom
This is a mecca for all car fans and particularly those fans of German cars. The history of various marques is followed clearly and the individual people are featured to give the human side to the visit. Towards the end of the museum there is a reference to the town of Zwickau and it's more recent car manufacture. Well worth the visit in my humble opinion. There are all facilities you would want, a restaurant and a shop with fine books and models to remind you of your visit. Excellently laid out and no restrictions on photography!
2. Terra Mineralia
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 107 reviews
We invite you to see over 3.500 minerals, gemstones and meteorites from five continents presented in the historical setting of the Freudenstein Castle. At terra mineralia, a permanent exhibition of the TU Bergakademie Freiberg, the treasures of famous deposits in Asia, America, Africa, Australia and Europe are displayed on three floors. No matter how old you are or whether you are a scientist, a mineral collector or a tourist - the terra mineralia will amaze everyone. In KRÜGERHAUS, the TU Bergakademie Freiberg, presents a permanent exhibition of minerals from German sources that crowns the terra mineralia exhibition in Freudenstein Castle. Next to the castle you can also visit the Mineralogical Collection Germany at the KRÜGERHAUS. Beautiful and fascinating treasures from Germany await visitors from near and far: Curls of silver from Freiberg, gems from the Vogtland region, petal-like pieces of barite from the Sauerland region, green pyromorphite from Bad Ems, raspberry coloured rhodochrosite from the Siegerland region, beautiful pyrolusite from the Black Forest, honey-golden fluorite from the Oberpfalz, big halite cubes from Thuringia and filigree gypsum crystals from Saxony-Anhalt.
Reviewed By acha42 - Boulogne-Billancourt, France
Even though we had not reserved in advance (recommended because of coronavirus restrictions), we were able to enter the museum immediately (we were there at 12:30 PM on a Wednesday). The museum contains an incredible number of absolutely wonderful stones! There is a full floor for every continent and a final floor with the huge ones. Even though we are completely ignorant about mineralogy, we are able to fully appreciate the visit and were astonished by the beauty of what we were seeing! We bought a nice rock at the shop in the end for a very reasonable price.
3. Landskron Braumanufaktur
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 270 reviews
Reviewed By M8404MRjamesn
The Landskron Brewery is kind of off the normal tourist trail for Americans, but once I contacted the marketing department to inform them we would like to have a tour they could not have been more accommodating. The brewery is about a 10-15 minute walk from the Goerlitz train station and easy to find. Our tour including a visit to the modern visitors' center (all displays are German/English), then we had a guided tour of the production/storage facilities in the historic buildings conducted by a great guy named Ulrich (with my baby German I could understand about 40%), but hey, besides the history we are also there to sample the beer. Our tour included a buffet lunch with open tap afterwards which was a real treat (the Kellermeister Tour). Give yourself 2-3 hours for the total experience. It is worth it.
4. Frauenkirche Dresden
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 6,555 reviews
Once one of Dresden's most famous cathedrals, this structure is currently undergoing a massive reconstruction project to repair the damage done by Allied bombings.
Reviewed By HCovik - Atlanta, United States
It's hard to believe that this beautiful baroque church was completely demolished as a result of allied bombing in February 1945. A piece of the original dome still stands on the square in the same spot as were it landed in 1945. All through the DDR years the church remained a ruin and only after the German reunification effort was made to rebuild it. Restoration started in 1994 and was finished in 2005. What we are looking at is the result. It's absolutely beautiful. It's Baroque at its pinnacle. It actually looks more like an opulent opera building than a church. Its hard to imagine that what we are looking at is less than 25 years old. Frescos on the ceiling look centuries old. Here's were Bach played in 1736 and Wagner conducted. It's absolutely a must see part of Dresden. Being here will give you some sense as to what else was destroyed during the bombings of 1945. The once royal city of the kings of Saxony must have been awesome. The church is open for prayer services, concerts and lectures and the dome can be ascended (between heaven and earth) and offers a stunning view of the city. The first 24 meters (75 ft) are by lift and the the remaining 43 meters (130 ft) take you via narrow stairs, a spiraling ramp and a steep ladder stairway to the viewing platform. Admission fee is 8 Euros for an adult and is definitely worth it.
5. St. Thomas Church
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1,456 reviews
Bach served as the choirmaster at this church, to which his grave was moved in 1949, for the last 27 years of his life.
Reviewed By Fletch1946 - Fair Haven, United States
Thomaskirche is a beautiful church in downtown Leipzig. It is very close to the train station. Aside from being of historical interest, it as a pace where Johann Sebastian Bach led the famed Boys Choir for thirty years, where he wrote about one cantata week for those thirty years and is now (they think) buried.you can lear about that mystery when you visit. Worth your time.
6. Gemaldegalerie Alte Meister
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1,867 reviews
This art museum is jam packed with masterpieces by the likes of Rubens and Titian, but it is most famous for Rafael's Sistine Madonna.
Reviewed By Wadum - Copenhagen, Denmark
The old master galleries in Dresden comprises the most wonderful and complete collection of paintings representing all European schools. The Flemish 16th ad 17th centuries are astonishing and amazing works by The Dutch Johannes Vermeer takes your breath away. The Gemäldegalerie will be rehanging the collection during the second half of 2019 so keep track of this when planning your visits.
7. Albertinum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 394 reviews
A popular art museum displaying a collection of finely wrought jewelry and sculpture.
Reviewed By CodyDC - Washington DC, United States
The museum is easy to navigate and displays a nice collection of the Dresden museum New Masters. There is a nice small set of impressionist and expressionist paintings. A nice contrast to the Old Masters art gallery, which I would also visit.
8. Museum in der Runden Ecke
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 570 reviews
Original office of the secret police. The building now presents these police documents and their surveillance equipment to the public.
Reviewed By AnselmColom - Grays Thurrock, United Kingdom
A very interesting museum set in the building of the subject matter. A look at the rise and fall of the Stasi political police force of East Germany and their methods of work. Plenty of stuff on display. All in German but an English guide is available for 5 euros. Free to get in. The guide does not cover everything but is comprehensive none the less. Will need around 90 mins here if doing the guide or otherwise 20 mins max.
9. Semper Opera House (Semperoper)
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1,861 reviews
Restored to its former magnificence after its destruction in the 1945 bombing of Dresden, this elaborate, High Renaissance style opera house presents opera, ballet and jazz performances, and is worth a visit if only to marvel at its ornate interior.
Reviewed By 476jael - Long Island, United States
During our train travel through Germany, we visited Dresden, and joined a guided tour of this opera house with our pre-purchased tour tickets. We went to the Theater Square about 15 minutes early to admire the panoramic views of the opera house, Konig Johann Denkmal (King Johann Monument), Zwinger and other beautiful buildings surrounding the square. Then, we went to the opera house entrance. At the tour time, a guide from the opera house came out, and called us in. Once inside, we were led to the coat check-in counter where we checked our bags. Then, we toured various halls and chambers. Near the end of the tour, we were seated at an upper level area of the opera house to enjoy the view of the stage and seating areas. The interior of the opera house reminded us of Vienna State Opera House, although the two opera houses had subtle diffences. Our visit to Semeroper at this time was especially memorable to us, because we had visited Poet Henrich Heine’s birth house in Dusseldorf and Wartburg Castle in Eisenach before arriving at Dresden. Why were these prior visits relevant? It’s because; (1) Richard Wagner staged his masterpieces “Der fliegende Holländer” and “Tannhäuser” in this opera house (Sempreoper’s predecessor:C ourt Theatre). (2) Wagner composed these operas inspired by Henrich Heine’s poems “Der fliegende Holländer” & “Tannhäuser”. (3) Wartburg Castle in Eisenach was the backdrop of Heine’s & Wagner’s “Tannhäuser”. Semperoper tour is highly recommended.
10. St. Nicholas Church (Nikolaikirche)
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1,255 reviews
Reviewed By jordanellie41 - Bolton, United Kingdom
This church looks a bit dated from the outside but is vast in size and sits in a small square in a busy pedestrian area. But inside it is truly majestic with its high white pillars topped with its green palms all around the church. The altar is big and wonderous with many pictures adorning its walls to the backdrop of large coloured windows. The pews are different too in a cream colour instead of the usual wooden variety. This is not to be missed because of its splendour but also because it was where the locals first started meeting to protest against the regime.
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