I'll be in Dresden this weekend May 7-8 & I'm looking for day trip ideas for Saturday and/or Sunday.

Ideas that have been suggested:
Saxony Switzerland - been there, and is high on my list if weather is nice.
Berlin - not interested on this trip
Prague - not interested on this trip
River cruise - not interested
Leipzig
Weimar.
Freiberg
Poland - (not Krakow or Warsaw, but rather areas closer to Dresden)
...

I'd love feedback from others on these or other destinations for a 1 day excursion. I can travel by car or train.

J62, we were based in Dresden for almost a week (conference for husband), and I took day trips to Leipzig, Meissen, Bautzen, and Gorlitz. Meissen has a beautiful cathedral and castle to tour (and porcelain to shop for); Bautzen is a very well preserved old town; and Gorlitz is architecturally beautiful.

Thanks 44t.

There's a Meissen outlet right near my hotel. 30% discount off 500 euros for a single plate is still out of my league.

Will look into Bautzen and Gorlitz.

The town Meissen is not only about porcelain. I wouldn't recommend it as a day trip at the moment, though, as the castle exhibits are remodeled right now.

What about Zittau and the nearby mountains? I am pretty sure you've been to Saxon Switzerland already so this would be a nice alternative. I have pages on Zittau and Oybin on Virtualtourist:
http://members.virtualtourist.com/m/4166c/11bc/
http://members.virtualtourist.com/m/4166c/11bc/
A Sachsen Ticket covers all the trains and buses from Dresden to Zittau/Oybin as the public transportation network ZVON accepts this ticket. Only the steam trains are extra.

Freiberg is of course always a good idea. Görlitz and Bautzen, too. But I'd head out into the countryside in this wonderful weather.

Oh, have you considered Pirna, maybe with a side trip to castle Weesenstein?
http://members.virtualtourist.com/m/4166c/6ed7/
http://members.virtualtourist.com/m/4166c/2457/

Have fun!

I.

Thanks Ingo,

What's with the fireworks. Cinco de Mayo? Great view from the Augustusbrücke - just happened to catch them on my way back to hotel.

I didn't see any fireworks ... doubt it was because of Cinco de Mayo. But nice anyway, eh?

Does the Sachsen pass cover ODEG trains as well, Zittau to Goerlitz?

Yes, it does.

<i>"The town Meissen is not only about porcelain. I wouldn't recommend it as a day trip at the moment, though, as the castle exhibits are remodeled right now."</i>

Ingo, how does August look for the castle exhibit remodeling? I checked the website but it doesn't mention the remodel. Do you have any thoughts as to whether an August visit would be advisable?

Thanks!

Hey swisshiker!

The exhibit in the castle in Meissen is open. Remodeling is finished. Yep, August is a good time for a visit.

I.

Another recommendation here for Meissen and have lunch/drinks at Richters. It's fab!

I haven't been to Meissen, so I can't vote on that one.
I vote for Pirna. I was there for a quick visit and would return if I had the chance. I also suggest you make time to visit Schloss Pillnitz -- a boat ride on the Elbe, beautiful gardens, nice museums and interesting handcraft shops.
You can read about my trip to Dresden here
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...rip-report.cfm

Reporting back on my own thread.

- I'd already visited Schloss Pilnitz as a large group/buffet dinner that same week.

- On Saturday I spent the day hiking from Bad Schandau to Schmilka, through the Saxony Switzerland area. Perfect day. I'd do the same trip a couple times a year if I could.

- On Sunday I took a solo trip to Zittau region. Leisurely regional train from Dresden to Zittau, then the steam RR to Oybin. A couple of hrs hiking around Oybin. It was another beautiful weather day, but since I didn't have a local guide it wasn't as good an adventure as my several trips to Saxony Switzerland region.

If I'd had a car I'd have driven to the 1/2 way point on the steam RR @ Olbersdorf, taken the train a shorter distance to Oybin, hiked a better planned route over to Jonsdorf.

Then I went to Goerlitz later in the afternoon since it wasn't too much of a detour on the way back to Dresden.

Gorelizt and the neighboring town across the river in Poland are a mixed bag. The parts of Goerlitz that are renovated are quite nice but a lot of the town has seen it's best days long ago. It appears to be a very economically depressed region. Gelato was 60c/scoop vs the usual 1 euro elsewhere, so I guess that was a benefit.

I'd say Goerlitz is a good foul weather side trip from Dresden if you have a car, but there are better destinations for perfect spring-weather days.

Ingo - thanks! And thanks for the links to your other reports.

J62 - it's always nice to read about neighboring towns, esp. for repeat visitors. Your thread is very helpful!

Right next to Weimar is Naumburg, a smaller town but a real gem after it the DDR era grime was cleaned off it. And Erfurt is right there too - big city with lots of attractions as does another nearby gem Eisenach, home of the castle where Martin Luther once hid and left ink stains on the wall after he threw his ink bottle at the Devil! All those towns are right near each other so any would be as convenient a day trip as Weimar, which I did like a lot, what with its park-like setting and all.

Thanks for the feedback, J62. Glad you enjoyed the day in Saxon Switzerland so much - I never get tired of hiking there. (Oh, btw, did you take the trail half way up or the trail on top of the Schrammsteine? Just curious ...)

Slightly surprised about your impressions of Görlitz. Sure, the street leading from the train station into town is a construction site right now, but the rest of the (German) town is mostly restored. Did you really see Untermarkt square, St. Peter and so? (Polish) Zgorzelec is a totally different thing, though ...

I.