Sightseeing Tours

Sightseeing Tours

Boat Tours

Viking K-D has two luxury cruise ships on the Elbe River. It operates a full program of cruises of up to eight days in length, from mid-April until late October, that go from Hamburg as far as Prague. All the historic cities of Saxony and Thuringia are ports of call -- including Dresden, Meissen, Wittenberg, and Dessau.

Weisse Flotte's historic paddle-steam tours depart from and stop in Dresden, Meissen, Pirna, Pillnitz, Königsstein, and Bad Schandau. Besides tours in the Dresden area, boats also go into the Czech Republic. For more information contact the Sächsische Dampfschiffahrt.

Information

Sächsische Dampfschiffahrt (Hertha-Lindner-Str. 10, D-01067, Dresden. 0351/866-090. www.saechsische-dampfschiffahrt.de).

Bus Tours

Dresden bus tours (in German and English, run by the Dresdner Verkehrsbetriebe) leave from Postplatz (daily at 10, 11:30, and 3); the Stadtrundfahrt Dresden bus tours (also in German and English), leaving from Theaterplatz/Augustusbrücke (April-October, daily 9:30-5 every 30 minutes; November-March, daily 10-3, every hour), stop at most sights.

Leipzig Erleben operates several Leipzig bus tours (in English and German) with daily departures at 10:30 and 3:30 (and more frequent and varied schedules in the summer). Tours leave from opposite the Tourist-Information office on Richard-Wagner-Strasse 1.

Information

Dresdner Verkehrsbetriebe AG (0351/857-2201. www.dvbag.de). Leipzig Erleben (www.leipzig-erleben.com. 0351/7104230) Stadtrundfahrt Dresden (0351/899-5650. www.stadtrundfahrt.com).

Canoe & Paddle Tours

Tour operators and boat-rental companies can be found throughout the region. One of the largest operators is Saale-Unstrut-Tours, which runs canoe tours on the Rivers Saale and Unstrut. In Dresden, contact the Kanuverein Laubegast e.V., an association that offers canoe rentals and guided tours on the Elbe River. For canoe rental and tours on the Elbe River starting near Meissen, try Sachsenboote Marlies Trepte.

Information

Kanuverein Laubegast e.V (Laubegaster Ufer 35, Dresden. 0351/252-5613). Saale-Unstrut-Tours (Campingpl. Blütengrund, D-06618, Naumburg. 03445/202-711). Sachsenboote Marlies Trepte (Niedermuschützer Str. 20, D-01665, Zehren. 035247/51215).

Train Tours

In Saxony, two historic narrow-gauge trains still operate on a regular schedule. Both the Lössnitzgrundbahn, which connects Ost-Radebeul-Ost and Radeburg, as well as the Weisseritzelbahn, which operates between Freital-Hainsberg and Kurort Kipsdorf, are perfect for taking in some of Saxony's romantic countryside and Fichtelberg Mountains. A two-way ticket is between EUR 6.60 and EUR 10.70, depending on the length of the ride. For schedule and information contact Deutsche Bahn's regional Dresden office.

The famous steam locomotive Harzquerbahn connects Nordhausen-Nord with Wernigerode and Gernerode in the Harz Mountains. The most popular track of this line is the Brockenbahn, a special narrow-gauge train transporting tourists to the top of northern Germany's highest mountain. For schedule and further information contact the Harzer Schmalspurbahnen GmbH.

Information

Lössnitzgrundbahn (0351/46165-63684). Harzer Schmalspurbahnen GmbH (Bahnhof Westerntor, Friedrichstr. 151, Wernigerode. 03943/5580. www.hsb-wr.de).

Walking Tours

A walking tour of Leipzig (in English) sets off from the tourist office May-September, daily at 1:30; October-April, Saturday at 1:30 and Sunday at 10:30.