Dresden and Environs Trip Report
Oct 31st, 2008, 03:36 PM
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Dresden and Environs Trip Report
We are back from yet another fabulous trip to Germany. We are thankful to Ingo and the other Fodorites who gave us great suggestions for this trip. Although we have been to Germany many times, it always surprises us. This trip was no different. And, though somewhat seasoned travelers, this trip was full of “firsts” for us. There is always something to learn. We also think Germany is a great travel value and this trip also reinforced that for us.
I’ll start with the basics. If you’re interested, you can come back and read the details and I’ll be happy to answer any questions.
Who: Wanderherr (DH) and I, with a 21” and 18” rollaboard plus and two small carryons
Where: Eltville on the Rhine, Dresden, Leipzig, Saxony Switzerland, Goerlitz
When: late Oct
Air Travel: UA frequent flyer miles through OHA to FRA; nothing out of the ordinary.
- Recommend at least 2 hours upon returning to catch your connecting flight in OHA
- Next time I’m going to order a special meal; they looked freshly made, and much more appetizing
Ground travel: 99.5% public transportation; one car ride from friends and we paid for gas
Food: We are not foodies, but we love a good meal at a reasonable price, preferably at a place the locals like. All our meals cost less than 50Euro for two including beer or wine.
Accommodations: All guesthouse/b&b type places (except Frankfurt), all less than 90Euro a night, all great values
Weather: generally cooperative, but some rain, some fog
I’ll start with the basics. If you’re interested, you can come back and read the details and I’ll be happy to answer any questions.
Who: Wanderherr (DH) and I, with a 21” and 18” rollaboard plus and two small carryons
Where: Eltville on the Rhine, Dresden, Leipzig, Saxony Switzerland, Goerlitz
When: late Oct
Air Travel: UA frequent flyer miles through OHA to FRA; nothing out of the ordinary.
- Recommend at least 2 hours upon returning to catch your connecting flight in OHA
- Next time I’m going to order a special meal; they looked freshly made, and much more appetizing
Ground travel: 99.5% public transportation; one car ride from friends and we paid for gas
Food: We are not foodies, but we love a good meal at a reasonable price, preferably at a place the locals like. All our meals cost less than 50Euro for two including beer or wine.
Accommodations: All guesthouse/b&b type places (except Frankfurt), all less than 90Euro a night, all great values
Weather: generally cooperative, but some rain, some fog
Nov 1st, 2008, 02:56 AM
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That's a good start, Wanderfrau ... but anxiously waiting for more ;-)
We're back to late fall weather - sunny and the remaining leaves started turning their colours. Weird. Sunny and 60 F today!
I.
We're back to late fall weather - sunny and the remaining leaves started turning their colours. Weird. Sunny and 60 F today!
I.
Nov 1st, 2008, 03:14 AM
#3
hi wanderfrau - nice start - looking forward to more.
BTW, ingo, you're getting weird weater, be grateful you don't live in Ottery st. Mary in Devon [about 100 miles from here] - earlier this week they had rain, snow, and 1+ metre high piles of hailstones.
regards, ann
BTW, ingo, you're getting weird weater, be grateful you don't live in Ottery st. Mary in Devon [about 100 miles from here] - earlier this week they had rain, snow, and 1+ metre high piles of hailstones.
regards, ann
Nov 1st, 2008, 08:19 AM
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Day One:
After arrival in Frankfurt we had about 24 hours to ourselves before visiting friends. We chose to spend a night in Eltville, based on an old Fodor’s recommendation. We’ve been to many of the small villages along the Rhine, but this was the first time in Eltville. A great choice!
We grabbed some snacks for the train, took the S-bahn to Weisbaden, changed trains and in a little over an hour we were at the tiny Eltville train station. A five minute walk, dodging rain drops, took us to the cozy winery/guesthouse of the Schumacher family. They also have a tasting room and gift shop. www.offenstein-erben.de
We had a large, comfortable, modern double room with seating area, TV and honor bar. We were welcomed with a complimentary bottle of house sekt (sparkling wine).
We had hoped to visit the nearby Schloss Eberbach (easily reached by local bus), but we didn’t think we’d enjoy it in the rain. We dodged the rain drops, wandered through the lovely boutiques (alpaca sweaters, hand-made jewelry, etc), contemplated our dinner options, visited the church, and when everything closed for the afternoon, joined the locals for coffee and cake; coffee and cake for DH, federweisser (new wine) and zwiebelkuchen (onion cake) for me. Yes, they serve alcohol in the coffee shop, especially at this time of year. The zwiebelkuchen was like none other I have tried; much more like pie than quiche and a much sharper onion flavor. Not what I expected, but still delicious.
When the sun peeked out between the clouds, we took the self-guided town walking tour. Charming half-timbered houses, a castle, rose gardens, very old wineries, a small promenade along the river – what more does the perfect German village need?
We chose the Weinstube Gelbes Haus (Yellow House) for dinner; it’s an unpretentious and casual place, in a large yellow and red half-timbered building. Large wooden tables with lovely linens, candles and flowers, wrought iron light fixtures made for a rustic and cozy atmosphere. The small crowd was both locals and German visitors (and us). The chilly evening called for trying soup – kurbis (pumpkin) and krauter (herb), homemade and delicious. DH had the grill plate and I was adventurous and tried wildsülze. It’s one of those things you try and then ask what you ate. Both were delicious. It was all complemented by a bottle of dry Eltviller Riesling.
Day Two:
We enjoyed a huge breakfast in the gorgeous breakfast room appropriately decorated in a grape theme. Fine linens and china, candles and flowers on the table, set the stage for a wonderful meal. House grape juice included.
With the sun shining, we had just enough time to retrace yesterday’s steps and take some better photos before checking out and walking to the train station.
On this trip we were changing trains in Mainz. Unfortunately, the train from Eltville to Mainz was late and we missed our connection. This was our first experience with a late German train. The service desk in Mainz was helpful and rerouted us to our final destination, but not without paying an additional 20€. We think we lost something in the translation. We don’t think it should have cost that much, but getting to our destination was more important than trying to figure out the pricing system.
We spent the next two days visiting with friends with not much of note for fellow Fodorites.
After arrival in Frankfurt we had about 24 hours to ourselves before visiting friends. We chose to spend a night in Eltville, based on an old Fodor’s recommendation. We’ve been to many of the small villages along the Rhine, but this was the first time in Eltville. A great choice!
We grabbed some snacks for the train, took the S-bahn to Weisbaden, changed trains and in a little over an hour we were at the tiny Eltville train station. A five minute walk, dodging rain drops, took us to the cozy winery/guesthouse of the Schumacher family. They also have a tasting room and gift shop. www.offenstein-erben.de
We had a large, comfortable, modern double room with seating area, TV and honor bar. We were welcomed with a complimentary bottle of house sekt (sparkling wine).
We had hoped to visit the nearby Schloss Eberbach (easily reached by local bus), but we didn’t think we’d enjoy it in the rain. We dodged the rain drops, wandered through the lovely boutiques (alpaca sweaters, hand-made jewelry, etc), contemplated our dinner options, visited the church, and when everything closed for the afternoon, joined the locals for coffee and cake; coffee and cake for DH, federweisser (new wine) and zwiebelkuchen (onion cake) for me. Yes, they serve alcohol in the coffee shop, especially at this time of year. The zwiebelkuchen was like none other I have tried; much more like pie than quiche and a much sharper onion flavor. Not what I expected, but still delicious.
When the sun peeked out between the clouds, we took the self-guided town walking tour. Charming half-timbered houses, a castle, rose gardens, very old wineries, a small promenade along the river – what more does the perfect German village need?
We chose the Weinstube Gelbes Haus (Yellow House) for dinner; it’s an unpretentious and casual place, in a large yellow and red half-timbered building. Large wooden tables with lovely linens, candles and flowers, wrought iron light fixtures made for a rustic and cozy atmosphere. The small crowd was both locals and German visitors (and us). The chilly evening called for trying soup – kurbis (pumpkin) and krauter (herb), homemade and delicious. DH had the grill plate and I was adventurous and tried wildsülze. It’s one of those things you try and then ask what you ate. Both were delicious. It was all complemented by a bottle of dry Eltviller Riesling.
Day Two:
We enjoyed a huge breakfast in the gorgeous breakfast room appropriately decorated in a grape theme. Fine linens and china, candles and flowers on the table, set the stage for a wonderful meal. House grape juice included.
With the sun shining, we had just enough time to retrace yesterday’s steps and take some better photos before checking out and walking to the train station.
On this trip we were changing trains in Mainz. Unfortunately, the train from Eltville to Mainz was late and we missed our connection. This was our first experience with a late German train. The service desk in Mainz was helpful and rerouted us to our final destination, but not without paying an additional 20€. We think we lost something in the translation. We don’t think it should have cost that much, but getting to our destination was more important than trying to figure out the pricing system.
We spent the next two days visiting with friends with not much of note for fellow Fodorites.
Nov 2nd, 2008, 11:10 AM
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Day Five:
Friends drove us to Frankfurt Fernbahnhof (at the airport, not downtown) to catch our train to Dresden. Deutsche Bahn offers up to 50% off long distance fares in Germany if you plan ahead, restrict yourself to a particular day and train, and buy a return ticket to the same station. It was our first time using this type of ticket and I purchased it when I saw the great price, but without doing all my planning ahead of time. It meant the travel schedule was not the best, but the overall savings were worth it.
Round trip for two, from Frankfurt to Dresden, with seat reservations, cost 132.50€. Ticket was purchased on line, printed at home. When the ticket inspector checked the ticket, it was scanned along with the credit card used to purchase it. Just remember not to fold, staple, crumble or mutilate that funny square marking that the scanner reads.
When we got off the train, the sunny day encouraged us to stretch our legs and walk to our pension. It’s a 15 minute walk from the main train station. It wasn’t until we were on our way that I realized the map I had didn’t show that part of town....we got a bit turned around, but found Pension Käubler. It just took a little longer than 15 minutes. www.pension-kaeubler.de
The pension is really more like my idea of an American B&B. It is in a restored turn of the century house that was not destroyed in WWII. Some rooms have shared baths/WCs. It is full of paintings by the former owner, local artist Paul Poetzsch and lots of heirlooms. It is almost a museum in of itself.
We were given Room 6, up two flights of creaky wooden stairs. The big bay window overlooks the front of the house. It’s a huge room with a seating area, desk with phone, TV and honor bar. The towel warmer in the bathroom was extremely helpful on cool mornings and laundry day. We had at least three vases full of flowers from the garden. We loved it here.
The bus stop is about 50 meters away, although we never used it. We walked about 5 minutes and used the #3 tram for trips into town.
We didn’t have tickets to the Historical Green Vault. I had read on the internet that it is sometimes possible to get tickets late in the day, especially in the autumn. That was our first stop. No tickets available. We had to wait until Wednesday.
Next stop, Tourist Information to purchase a Dresden Regio card. Once we calculated the cost of state museums and local transportation, we considered this a bargain. The English version of www.dresden.de has details on what the card includes. WARNING: the website information, TI worker information, the card brochure and reality are not all the same. Even with a few mix ups, we still thought it was a worthwhile purchase.
Our late nights with friends caught up with us so it was an early night for us.
Day Six:
Breakfast today, as every morning at Pension Käubler, was at a large wooden table dominating the breakfast room, one flight up from the entry level. Each morning the table was set with gorgeous blue onion china (with every imaginable accessory) and a huge fresh-from-the-garden flower arrangement. Classical music played in the background and the morning paper was on the table.
We were asked to sit across from each other at our assigned places. Yogurt, a hard-boiled egg, orange juice and coffee were waiting for us. Frau Käubler later brought us a basket of brotchen and a platter of meat and cheese. For those who desired, cereal, and pitchers of milk and juice were on a side table. If you went away hungry you had no one to blame but yourself.
We had an early start and were in the Altstadt by about 0915, which was not really the best idea since nothing except the coffee shops seem s to open until 1000. Our first stop was the Frauenkirche – beautiful, bright and jammed with people talking, making it difficult to enjoy what should have been peaceful surroundings.
The Stalhof area was encased in scaffolding. We enjoyed seeing the Parade of Princes in the morning quite before the alley was full of people and souvenir salesmen. It was a beautiful day and we walked Bruhl’s Terrace from one end to the other, admiring the architecture spanning the ages from the old Albertinium (still being renovated) to the new Synagogue, the fountains, the sculpture and the beautiful view across the river.
We had soup for lunch at the Alte Meister before going into the actual gallery. We were overwhelmed. There is so much crammed on to each wall, it’s hard to digest. We did recognize a painting that looked just like one that hangs in Pension Käubler. We wondered if perhaps Herr Poetzsch spent some of his days in the Alte Meister galleries copying while learning his trade. We were nearly run over by large tour groups racing through the museum while listening on headsets to a guide quietly talking into a microphone clipped to her purse. We enjoyed the art, especially Canaletto’s Dresden scenes, but we didn’t particularly like the presentation. It was interesting to find a small painting in the museum’s lower level (on the way to the lockers) depicting the museum at the turn of the century (I think), with the paintings arranged the same way.
Our next stop was the much anticipated Porcelain Museum. It has an extensive collection of Japanese porcelain. Lovely. The large Meissen animals are very interesting, but I was disappointed with the Meissen collection overall. I much preferred the Meissen collection at the castle in Schwerin. Thankfully, we learned after collecting our coats that the porcelain museum is in two sections, with two separate entrances, in the same building. If you go, be sure you see both portions.
I was thrilled to hear the famous glockenspiel not only chime the hour, but also play a tune.
It was warm and sunny and there were lots of people in the Zwinger courtyard enjoying the afternoon. There were lots of benches available thanks to the gusty wind blowing the fountains.
A highlight of our trip was getting to meet fellow Fodorite Ingo at the Café Coselpalais for cake and coffee/tea. We enjoyed a wonderful afternoon sitting outside enjoying the good weather, good company and delicious cake. As with most everything else, take Ingo’s advice and have the “Haus Torte.”
We did our best to enjoy the gorgeous weather (the warmest of our trip), wandered the Altstadt and searched for a place to have dinner al fresco. Right along the river, on Bruhl’s Terrace, is a Radeberger dependency, another Ingo recommendation. The food is good, nothing special, but the view and the beer make it worth stopping in. We were surprised to find the unfiltered “Zwickel” was much more mild than the regular Pils. We weren’t surprised all the tables with a view were filled and remained that way even when it started to sprinkle. Thankfully we were finished with dinner by the time it really started to rain.
Friends drove us to Frankfurt Fernbahnhof (at the airport, not downtown) to catch our train to Dresden. Deutsche Bahn offers up to 50% off long distance fares in Germany if you plan ahead, restrict yourself to a particular day and train, and buy a return ticket to the same station. It was our first time using this type of ticket and I purchased it when I saw the great price, but without doing all my planning ahead of time. It meant the travel schedule was not the best, but the overall savings were worth it.
Round trip for two, from Frankfurt to Dresden, with seat reservations, cost 132.50€. Ticket was purchased on line, printed at home. When the ticket inspector checked the ticket, it was scanned along with the credit card used to purchase it. Just remember not to fold, staple, crumble or mutilate that funny square marking that the scanner reads.
When we got off the train, the sunny day encouraged us to stretch our legs and walk to our pension. It’s a 15 minute walk from the main train station. It wasn’t until we were on our way that I realized the map I had didn’t show that part of town....we got a bit turned around, but found Pension Käubler. It just took a little longer than 15 minutes. www.pension-kaeubler.de
The pension is really more like my idea of an American B&B. It is in a restored turn of the century house that was not destroyed in WWII. Some rooms have shared baths/WCs. It is full of paintings by the former owner, local artist Paul Poetzsch and lots of heirlooms. It is almost a museum in of itself.
We were given Room 6, up two flights of creaky wooden stairs. The big bay window overlooks the front of the house. It’s a huge room with a seating area, desk with phone, TV and honor bar. The towel warmer in the bathroom was extremely helpful on cool mornings and laundry day. We had at least three vases full of flowers from the garden. We loved it here.
The bus stop is about 50 meters away, although we never used it. We walked about 5 minutes and used the #3 tram for trips into town.
We didn’t have tickets to the Historical Green Vault. I had read on the internet that it is sometimes possible to get tickets late in the day, especially in the autumn. That was our first stop. No tickets available. We had to wait until Wednesday.
Next stop, Tourist Information to purchase a Dresden Regio card. Once we calculated the cost of state museums and local transportation, we considered this a bargain. The English version of www.dresden.de has details on what the card includes. WARNING: the website information, TI worker information, the card brochure and reality are not all the same. Even with a few mix ups, we still thought it was a worthwhile purchase.
Our late nights with friends caught up with us so it was an early night for us.
Day Six:
Breakfast today, as every morning at Pension Käubler, was at a large wooden table dominating the breakfast room, one flight up from the entry level. Each morning the table was set with gorgeous blue onion china (with every imaginable accessory) and a huge fresh-from-the-garden flower arrangement. Classical music played in the background and the morning paper was on the table.
We were asked to sit across from each other at our assigned places. Yogurt, a hard-boiled egg, orange juice and coffee were waiting for us. Frau Käubler later brought us a basket of brotchen and a platter of meat and cheese. For those who desired, cereal, and pitchers of milk and juice were on a side table. If you went away hungry you had no one to blame but yourself.
We had an early start and were in the Altstadt by about 0915, which was not really the best idea since nothing except the coffee shops seem s to open until 1000. Our first stop was the Frauenkirche – beautiful, bright and jammed with people talking, making it difficult to enjoy what should have been peaceful surroundings.
The Stalhof area was encased in scaffolding. We enjoyed seeing the Parade of Princes in the morning quite before the alley was full of people and souvenir salesmen. It was a beautiful day and we walked Bruhl’s Terrace from one end to the other, admiring the architecture spanning the ages from the old Albertinium (still being renovated) to the new Synagogue, the fountains, the sculpture and the beautiful view across the river.
We had soup for lunch at the Alte Meister before going into the actual gallery. We were overwhelmed. There is so much crammed on to each wall, it’s hard to digest. We did recognize a painting that looked just like one that hangs in Pension Käubler. We wondered if perhaps Herr Poetzsch spent some of his days in the Alte Meister galleries copying while learning his trade. We were nearly run over by large tour groups racing through the museum while listening on headsets to a guide quietly talking into a microphone clipped to her purse. We enjoyed the art, especially Canaletto’s Dresden scenes, but we didn’t particularly like the presentation. It was interesting to find a small painting in the museum’s lower level (on the way to the lockers) depicting the museum at the turn of the century (I think), with the paintings arranged the same way.
Our next stop was the much anticipated Porcelain Museum. It has an extensive collection of Japanese porcelain. Lovely. The large Meissen animals are very interesting, but I was disappointed with the Meissen collection overall. I much preferred the Meissen collection at the castle in Schwerin. Thankfully, we learned after collecting our coats that the porcelain museum is in two sections, with two separate entrances, in the same building. If you go, be sure you see both portions.
I was thrilled to hear the famous glockenspiel not only chime the hour, but also play a tune.
It was warm and sunny and there were lots of people in the Zwinger courtyard enjoying the afternoon. There were lots of benches available thanks to the gusty wind blowing the fountains.
A highlight of our trip was getting to meet fellow Fodorite Ingo at the Café Coselpalais for cake and coffee/tea. We enjoyed a wonderful afternoon sitting outside enjoying the good weather, good company and delicious cake. As with most everything else, take Ingo’s advice and have the “Haus Torte.”
We did our best to enjoy the gorgeous weather (the warmest of our trip), wandered the Altstadt and searched for a place to have dinner al fresco. Right along the river, on Bruhl’s Terrace, is a Radeberger dependency, another Ingo recommendation. The food is good, nothing special, but the view and the beer make it worth stopping in. We were surprised to find the unfiltered “Zwickel” was much more mild than the regular Pils. We weren’t surprised all the tables with a view were filled and remained that way even when it started to sprinkle. Thankfully we were finished with dinner by the time it really started to rain.
Nov 3rd, 2008, 01:25 PM
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Day Seven:
Last night’s rain continued. It was chilly and rainy all day. A perfect day for museums.
Today we were in line for Green Vault tickets at 0850. There were already a dozen people ahead of us. By the time we were let in, the line was out to the street. We recognized our fellow Americans dressed in Michigan, Texas A&M, and various other school clothing.
The Historic Green Vault has an interesting electronic tally board that shows how many tickets are available for each time period. As the tickets are sold, the board reflects the changes. So while you are waiting to get to the cashier, you can adjust accordingly. The Historic Green Vault is the only state museum NOT covered by the Dresden Card.
Although we had a choice, we got tickets for 1700, the last time available for the day. We did this on purpose. We wanted to separate the New Green Vault and Historical Green Vault and we wanted to stretch our sightseeing day.
Since we were already there, we started our day with the New Green Vault. Since it was raining, many others thought the same thing. The museum was crowded and noisy, sometimes to the point of having to raise the volume on the audio guide. Tour guides thought nothing of corralling their charges and pushing you out of the way if you were standing in front of the item they wanted to describe. We’ve never had that uncomfortable experience before.
Even with the distractions, the New Green Vault is absolutely amazing. We have seen many curiosities in our travels through Europe, but nothing like what this museum holds. We thoroughly enjoyed every minute there. It was by far, our favorite museum in Dresden. Yes, we think it’s better than the much acclaimed Historic Green Vault; more on that later. By the time we left, all the Historic Green Vault tickets for the day were sold.
It was lunch time. We walked in the rain across the Augustus Bridge to the Watzke brewery. It’s a huge place, but it is separated into smaller dining areas and it has a nice cozy feel. We got a spot with a great view of the “Golden Rider” and if it were a nicer day, the Altstadt. DH caused a quite a stir when his grilled meat dish arrived on a huge sword-like knife stuck into a wooden board. I wouldn’t have order goulash if we’d known his plate could have easily fed two! We enjoyed the house made unfiltered beers. We really enjoyed our meal here – inexpensive, delicious, a mix of locals and tourists, terrific beer and service.
It was still raining, but we wandered through the arts and crafts passages filled with interesting boutiques, small art galleries, cafes, wines bars, etc., just down the street from Watzke. It would have been fabulous on a sunny day…for today a better option was the dry and warm restored Markthalle. This is a great place for souvenirs. There are lots of interesting shops, including one that specializes in Russian products. There is a huge pottery shop filled the German-made version of what most American’s would call Polish pottery. The toy shop had imaginative, inexpensive gifts. We tasted the rum balls from the bakery.
Across the way is the Dreikönigskirche, one of the most interesting churches we have ever seen. It didn’t look or feel like a church of any denomination. It felt very commercial, perhaps because of the shop with non-religious items, the café and the business-like feel to the area where services are held. The interesting altar is worth seeing.
Still dodging raindrops, we walked along Königstrasse and looked at the Baroque buildings and peeked in the upscale stores and restaurants. There’s a nice shop with Erzgebirge wooden items; nicer than those in the Altstadt, but not as nice as some of the others we found later in the trip.
We were tired of the rain, and had some time before our scheduled arrival at the Green Vault, so DH went to the Armory, while I wrote in my journal.
Per advice found on Fodor’s, we arrived at the Green Vault a half hour prior to our scheduled entry time to check our bags, coats, umbrellas, etc., and see the pre-room. It was more than enough time for us and we ended up entering the Green Vault early.
We were very disappointed with the Historic Green Vault, but I still recommend visiting. Perhaps, our expectations were too high, but we felt somewhat cheated. It was a big relief to have so few people in the same space after feeling so crowded in the New Green vault. But, the lighting is poor and many of the objects are difficult to see. Most discouraging for us was very few of the objects are described on the audio guide. Many interesting items are included, but it seemed all the objects that attracted our attention weren’t included on the guide and there was no placard to give any information. It happened in every room, more than once. Even some of the items you see in the museum advertising are not described. I also got tired of hearing “…once stood here, but was moved to the New Green Vault…”
We ended our day in a nice little bistro/bar in the Weisse Gasse. After our huge breakfast and lunch we weren’t very hungry, so the soup, salad bar(!), and Paulaner were perfect. OK it wasn’t a local beer, but we weren’t complaining.
Another first for us - today the city was full of Polizei. They were on guard in Frauenplatz and directed us around barricades in from the Hilton. They were on foot, motorbikes, and all types of vehicles throughout the Altstadt and Neustadt, throughout the day.
Last night’s rain continued. It was chilly and rainy all day. A perfect day for museums.
Today we were in line for Green Vault tickets at 0850. There were already a dozen people ahead of us. By the time we were let in, the line was out to the street. We recognized our fellow Americans dressed in Michigan, Texas A&M, and various other school clothing.
The Historic Green Vault has an interesting electronic tally board that shows how many tickets are available for each time period. As the tickets are sold, the board reflects the changes. So while you are waiting to get to the cashier, you can adjust accordingly. The Historic Green Vault is the only state museum NOT covered by the Dresden Card.
Although we had a choice, we got tickets for 1700, the last time available for the day. We did this on purpose. We wanted to separate the New Green Vault and Historical Green Vault and we wanted to stretch our sightseeing day.
Since we were already there, we started our day with the New Green Vault. Since it was raining, many others thought the same thing. The museum was crowded and noisy, sometimes to the point of having to raise the volume on the audio guide. Tour guides thought nothing of corralling their charges and pushing you out of the way if you were standing in front of the item they wanted to describe. We’ve never had that uncomfortable experience before.
Even with the distractions, the New Green Vault is absolutely amazing. We have seen many curiosities in our travels through Europe, but nothing like what this museum holds. We thoroughly enjoyed every minute there. It was by far, our favorite museum in Dresden. Yes, we think it’s better than the much acclaimed Historic Green Vault; more on that later. By the time we left, all the Historic Green Vault tickets for the day were sold.
It was lunch time. We walked in the rain across the Augustus Bridge to the Watzke brewery. It’s a huge place, but it is separated into smaller dining areas and it has a nice cozy feel. We got a spot with a great view of the “Golden Rider” and if it were a nicer day, the Altstadt. DH caused a quite a stir when his grilled meat dish arrived on a huge sword-like knife stuck into a wooden board. I wouldn’t have order goulash if we’d known his plate could have easily fed two! We enjoyed the house made unfiltered beers. We really enjoyed our meal here – inexpensive, delicious, a mix of locals and tourists, terrific beer and service.
It was still raining, but we wandered through the arts and crafts passages filled with interesting boutiques, small art galleries, cafes, wines bars, etc., just down the street from Watzke. It would have been fabulous on a sunny day…for today a better option was the dry and warm restored Markthalle. This is a great place for souvenirs. There are lots of interesting shops, including one that specializes in Russian products. There is a huge pottery shop filled the German-made version of what most American’s would call Polish pottery. The toy shop had imaginative, inexpensive gifts. We tasted the rum balls from the bakery.
Across the way is the Dreikönigskirche, one of the most interesting churches we have ever seen. It didn’t look or feel like a church of any denomination. It felt very commercial, perhaps because of the shop with non-religious items, the café and the business-like feel to the area where services are held. The interesting altar is worth seeing.
Still dodging raindrops, we walked along Königstrasse and looked at the Baroque buildings and peeked in the upscale stores and restaurants. There’s a nice shop with Erzgebirge wooden items; nicer than those in the Altstadt, but not as nice as some of the others we found later in the trip.
We were tired of the rain, and had some time before our scheduled arrival at the Green Vault, so DH went to the Armory, while I wrote in my journal.
Per advice found on Fodor’s, we arrived at the Green Vault a half hour prior to our scheduled entry time to check our bags, coats, umbrellas, etc., and see the pre-room. It was more than enough time for us and we ended up entering the Green Vault early.
We were very disappointed with the Historic Green Vault, but I still recommend visiting. Perhaps, our expectations were too high, but we felt somewhat cheated. It was a big relief to have so few people in the same space after feeling so crowded in the New Green vault. But, the lighting is poor and many of the objects are difficult to see. Most discouraging for us was very few of the objects are described on the audio guide. Many interesting items are included, but it seemed all the objects that attracted our attention weren’t included on the guide and there was no placard to give any information. It happened in every room, more than once. Even some of the items you see in the museum advertising are not described. I also got tired of hearing “…once stood here, but was moved to the New Green Vault…”
We ended our day in a nice little bistro/bar in the Weisse Gasse. After our huge breakfast and lunch we weren’t very hungry, so the soup, salad bar(!), and Paulaner were perfect. OK it wasn’t a local beer, but we weren’t complaining.
Another first for us - today the city was full of Polizei. They were on guard in Frauenplatz and directed us around barricades in from the Hilton. They were on foot, motorbikes, and all types of vehicles throughout the Altstadt and Neustadt, throughout the day.
Nov 4th, 2008, 02:08 AM
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Thanks for your detailed report wanderfrau, it's a pleasure reading. I've been to Dresden recently myself and feel like I'm walking the city again with you...
I'm glad to hear that I'm not the only one who was unhappy with the audioguide at the Historical Green Vault.
I'm glad to hear that I'm not the only one who was unhappy with the audioguide at the Historical Green Vault.
Nov 4th, 2008, 10:04 AM
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Good one, Bird ;-)
Thanks again, Wanderfrau. Enjoy your report very much. Cannot comment on the audio guide in the Historic GV since I never used one.
Watzke beer, ehem ... I told you that I am not quite the beer drinker, eh? LOL
I recall the bad weather that day very well. Awful. Oh, and the Polizei was there because of the Prime Ministers of the German states (Bundesländer). Mrs. Merkel had already left for China (she was in the Dresden on that Tuesday).
Keep it coming!
I.
Thanks again, Wanderfrau. Enjoy your report very much. Cannot comment on the audio guide in the Historic GV since I never used one.
Watzke beer, ehem ... I told you that I am not quite the beer drinker, eh? LOL
I recall the bad weather that day very well. Awful. Oh, and the Polizei was there because of the Prime Ministers of the German states (Bundesländer). Mrs. Merkel had already left for China (she was in the Dresden on that Tuesday).
Keep it coming!
I.
Nov 4th, 2008, 04:04 PM
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Thanks everyone for your comments.
Bird - I agree - Ingo the MVP!
quokka - your comment makes us feel better. We're not the only ones.
Ingo - thanks for the polizei explanation. Look for more polizei in my report!
DAX - be patient Goerlitz is the second to last day....
More of my report coming soon.
Bird - I agree - Ingo the MVP!
quokka - your comment makes us feel better. We're not the only ones.
Ingo - thanks for the polizei explanation. Look for more polizei in my report!
DAX - be patient Goerlitz is the second to last day....
More of my report coming soon.
Nov 4th, 2008, 04:44 PM
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Day Eight: Saxon Switzerland
Today we made use of the “regio” portion of the Dresden card and went to Saxon Switzerland. Unfortunately the weather didn’t cooperate. It was chilly, damp and foggy. We weren’t concerned about the cold, but, we hoped the fog would burn off.
We joined large groups of pensioners with backpacks and hiking poles on the S1 to Königstein. Some even got off the train with us and we followed them to the town center. The plan was to save some time and not walk to the fortress. Instead we would take the “courtesy” (according to the website) shuttle instead. “Courtesy” meant 4€ each, roundtrip. We figured it was worth it.
Well, the shuttle only takes you to the park and ride, where you have to transfer to a touristy tram-like vehicle to take you to the top. Both portions of the ride are included in the one ticket. We were told the tram and shuttle ran continuously….that’s what we thought we were told. The truth is the tram portion ran semi-continuously, and the shuttle only ran twice an hour, or so.
We were up at the fortress by 1000. It was still extremely foggy. The sun tried to come out and it only made for very harsh glare. We were hopeful. We decided we’d tour the fortress even if we’d miss the views. We were told entrance to the fortress was included in the Dresden card – that’s what I thought I read on the website and what the TI person told us. In reality it was a discount of only 10%. We decided to skip it and it became the best decision of the day.
This is when we learned how the tram and shuttle actually worked. We ended up waiting nearly an hour to get down to town and missing our planned train to Pirna. Had we toured the fortress and then had to wait, we would have likely missed the opportunity to see Bastei, one of the highlights of our trip.
It had been a frustrating morning. We felt better once we were on the train to Pirna and the fog began to lift. In Pirna, the first task was to find the bus station so we knew where to be for our trip to Bastei. We didn’t need to look far; it’s right next to the train station, and it’s beautiful!
It’s about a 10 minute walk from the bus/train station to the Altstadt. We found a great little spot on the markt for a quick lunch of soup, hot chocolate and apple strudel. I don’t remember the name, but it had gorgeous wood paneling, lovely linens and matching fine china, excellent, inexpensive food and packed full of locals.
We had enough to time wander around and see some of the town highlights before catching the bus to Bastei. We loved the Rathaus with its interesting clock and sundial. There were also lots of interesting shops. We liked it here.
We caught the #237 bus all the way to parking lot nearest the Bastei bridge and the four star Burg Hotel. From there it was a short walk to see the rocks, the gorge and the bridge. We weren’t exactly sure what to expect. It was absolutely breathtaking!! The best description we could come up with was the “Grand Canyon of Germany.” OK, not exactly, but it is so beautiful it deserves to be marketed that way. By now the sun was shining and it was a perfect day to be wandering the trails. We stayed about an hour and took the first bus back to Pirna.
Although we would have liked to spend more time in Pirna, we decided to take the first train back to Dresden while it was still light so we could see some of the countryside we missed in the fog. Beautiful.
It was time for a beer. So, we did what all good beer lovers do, and went to another brewery, Brauhaus am Waldschlössen in Neustadt. Tram 11 stops right out front. Even if you are not a beer drinker, it is worth the trip just for the view of the city, and they have excellent, inexpensive food. It was so lovely we stood outside in the cold watching the sun set. It would be a perfect place to sit on the terrace on a warm summer evening!
This is a very interesting place; an odd mix of Bavarian atmosphere, Saxon/Bavarian food and live American-style music. And, very popular. Most of the tables were reserved and we were lucky to find one available that we shared with a German couple. We spent a very enjoyable evening here.
If you go and rely on the English translation of the menu, here’s something we noticed. They translate “kummel” as “cumin” instead of “caraway.”
Nov 5th, 2008, 05:34 AM
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Enjoyed your recap wanderfrau, we skipped the Koenigstein for the same time constraint and toured Pirna for about an hour instead. Thanks to Ingo's good tip, we also took the bus to the Burg hotel (what a nice place, didn't you wished you had the time to stay) and walked to Bastei and hiked all the way down to the Elbe ferry. I'm waiting for your Goerlitz section.
Nov 5th, 2008, 08:54 AM
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Oh no, DAX. Can't take credit for your trip to Bastei - if I recall correctly you were pretty certain you wanted to see/do that. And I am sure you'd have been able to find out yourself about bus #237 ;-)
Wanderfrau, thanks again for this very interesting report. I need to do some research on the Region Card. It sounds quite confusing and like something's wrong there. You know I am not in the tourism business, but I'll investigate,
I am glad you liked the trip to Bastei - I still have to find someone who doesn't. It's indeed very scenic. But honestly (psst, don't tell!) - there are more scenic places in more remote parts of the National Park. Bastei is the easiest accessible of those fabulous places, though.
By incident I was in Pirna today. Love that town! About 90% of the old town must be restored by now. The money coming in after the huge flood in 2002 helped a lot.
Looking forward to more!
I.
Wanderfrau, thanks again for this very interesting report. I need to do some research on the Region Card. It sounds quite confusing and like something's wrong there. You know I am not in the tourism business, but I'll investigate,
I am glad you liked the trip to Bastei - I still have to find someone who doesn't. It's indeed very scenic. But honestly (psst, don't tell!) - there are more scenic places in more remote parts of the National Park. Bastei is the easiest accessible of those fabulous places, though.
By incident I was in Pirna today. Love that town! About 90% of the old town must be restored by now. The money coming in after the huge flood in 2002 helped a lot.
Looking forward to more!
I.
Nov 5th, 2008, 12:16 PM
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I checked the websites for the REGIO CARD (both German and English) and also had a look at the card brochure and they both mention reductions on admission fees outside Dresden. So it was apparently the TI worker who gave you the wrong info. I'd blame it to their bad English ... it would be a major problem if they wouldn't know the details of the REGIO CARD. However, I am very sorry about that problem - but it seems you made the best out of it.
Nov 5th, 2008, 02:44 PM
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DAX - I think a few days at the Burg hotel with some hiking in the park would be a fabulous vacation. Although I also think Bad Schona (sp?) would be interesting, too. Be patient, the Goerlitz portion is coming, I promise.
Ingo - I really don't blame anyone but myself for the mix up with the regio card. I just want people who read this to double check the information so they are not disappointed. I think the brochure TI hands outs with the card has the most reliable and current information, but, with these cards, everything is subject to change.
Ingo - I really don't blame anyone but myself for the mix up with the regio card. I just want people who read this to double check the information so they are not disappointed. I think the brochure TI hands outs with the card has the most reliable and current information, but, with these cards, everything is subject to change.
Nov 6th, 2008, 12:59 PM
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Day Nine: Pillnitz
Today was sunny, yet very windy and chilly. Although the Dresden ticket brochure says you get a discount on the Elbe boats, the ticket seller who spoke excellent English told us that was not ture.
We caught the first boat (not a paddle steamer) to Pillnitz. Be sure to read the schedule carefully if you are in Dresden in the shoulder or off season. The boats run, but not as frequently as in the summer.
The boat was nowhere near full. The large tour group that joined us (or did we join them?) was very polite and fun. I thought it was much too cold to sit outside, but there were a few hearty folks who did.
The boat cruised very slowly. We saw joggers and bicyclers who passed us. That made it easy to take pictures of the beautiful villas, green meadows, the Blue Wonder bridge, the vineyards, and the gorgeous vistas. The tour group was going all the way to Königstein. I was ready to get off at Pillnitz.
The boat docks just steps from the palace. We hoped to get the 1100 tour of the palace and palace grounds. We could have, but it was in German only. We bought a self-guided tour map of the grounds instead and did not go into the palace. An audio guide is available.
We snuck in one more freebee, the Arts and Crafts Museum, before our Dresden ticket expired. It’s not large, but it has some very interesting pieces. We liked the Yellow tea room with its interesting Oriental stucco work and the huge medieval door locks.
We went into the small town for lunch and found a place that had just killed a pig and was offering fresh pork specials. They also served Freiberger beer, one we hadn’t yet tried. We couldn’t resist. A warm, wood paneled alcove welcomed us. It was another opportunity to try something new and find out later what we ate. It was delicious!
Even with the trees turning colors and most of the gardens no longer blooming, the palace grounds are beautiful. The famous Camellia was tucked into its expensive glass house for the winter.
A nice surprise was what I’ll call “The Shops at the Palace,” a small group of boutiques near the south side of the palace. There were lots of unique, handcrafted items at reasonable prices. The Erzgebirge wooden items were some of the nicest we found.
On Ingo’s recommendation, we took the bus to Körnerplatz and Café Wippler to try some eierschanke. I was nearly heartbroken when the server told us they were all out! The best she could offer was eierschanke with johannisbeern. I took it. Yummy! This is a great little café and deserves a visit if you’re in the area.
We walked down to the river and poked around the shops (more expensive than Pillnitz). It was very windy! We walked across the Blue Wonder bridge to Schillerplatz which we found a bit dreary. The Schiller Garten looked inviting, so we decided to try the Feldschlossen beer on tap. It is only served at this location. We were hoping for a table with a view, but they were all reserved! In fact about 90% of the tables were reserved.
This is another great spot, (thank you, Ingo) lovingly restored and brought back to its former glory. The menu is a bit more imaginative than the other breweries. We stayed for dinner – feldsalat with prawns and waldpilzen (chanterelles) with mashed potatoes. We enjoyed our evening here.
Back at the pension, we continued our “tour.” On TV there was a schmaltzy folk music show set in the areas around Dresden. We got to see some of the places we missed in person.
Today was sunny, yet very windy and chilly. Although the Dresden ticket brochure says you get a discount on the Elbe boats, the ticket seller who spoke excellent English told us that was not ture.
We caught the first boat (not a paddle steamer) to Pillnitz. Be sure to read the schedule carefully if you are in Dresden in the shoulder or off season. The boats run, but not as frequently as in the summer.
The boat was nowhere near full. The large tour group that joined us (or did we join them?) was very polite and fun. I thought it was much too cold to sit outside, but there were a few hearty folks who did.
The boat cruised very slowly. We saw joggers and bicyclers who passed us. That made it easy to take pictures of the beautiful villas, green meadows, the Blue Wonder bridge, the vineyards, and the gorgeous vistas. The tour group was going all the way to Königstein. I was ready to get off at Pillnitz.
The boat docks just steps from the palace. We hoped to get the 1100 tour of the palace and palace grounds. We could have, but it was in German only. We bought a self-guided tour map of the grounds instead and did not go into the palace. An audio guide is available.
We snuck in one more freebee, the Arts and Crafts Museum, before our Dresden ticket expired. It’s not large, but it has some very interesting pieces. We liked the Yellow tea room with its interesting Oriental stucco work and the huge medieval door locks.
We went into the small town for lunch and found a place that had just killed a pig and was offering fresh pork specials. They also served Freiberger beer, one we hadn’t yet tried. We couldn’t resist. A warm, wood paneled alcove welcomed us. It was another opportunity to try something new and find out later what we ate. It was delicious!
Even with the trees turning colors and most of the gardens no longer blooming, the palace grounds are beautiful. The famous Camellia was tucked into its expensive glass house for the winter.
A nice surprise was what I’ll call “The Shops at the Palace,” a small group of boutiques near the south side of the palace. There were lots of unique, handcrafted items at reasonable prices. The Erzgebirge wooden items were some of the nicest we found.
On Ingo’s recommendation, we took the bus to Körnerplatz and Café Wippler to try some eierschanke. I was nearly heartbroken when the server told us they were all out! The best she could offer was eierschanke with johannisbeern. I took it. Yummy! This is a great little café and deserves a visit if you’re in the area.
We walked down to the river and poked around the shops (more expensive than Pillnitz). It was very windy! We walked across the Blue Wonder bridge to Schillerplatz which we found a bit dreary. The Schiller Garten looked inviting, so we decided to try the Feldschlossen beer on tap. It is only served at this location. We were hoping for a table with a view, but they were all reserved! In fact about 90% of the tables were reserved.
This is another great spot, (thank you, Ingo) lovingly restored and brought back to its former glory. The menu is a bit more imaginative than the other breweries. We stayed for dinner – feldsalat with prawns and waldpilzen (chanterelles) with mashed potatoes. We enjoyed our evening here.
Back at the pension, we continued our “tour.” On TV there was a schmaltzy folk music show set in the areas around Dresden. We got to see some of the places we missed in person.
Nov 7th, 2008, 03:23 PM
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Day Ten: Leipzig
It’s about 2 hours and 27€ (with a Lander ticket) to get to Leipzig. We had a difficult time choosing between Leipzig and Meissen and against Frau Käubler’s recommendation, we chose Leipzig. I must admit, it was because of the beer.
We were disappointed with the Leipzig train station. It’s huge and a perfect place to go shopping if you’re looking for every major store in one place. Other than that, it’s just a train station, except the Polizei here wear riot gear! And there seemed to be more Polizei in the station than in the whole city of Dresden…
The Coffe Baum was the other disappointment. Coffee, cake, surroundings and service were all mediocre. Stop by and see the free museum, but go to Café Riquet for ambience and cake.
It’s easy to find your way around in Leipzig. A map from TI helps, but isn’t mandatory. Before we left, I printed a “walking tour” from the Leipzig website and we followed that to see the major sites.
We tried three times to get into the famous St Thomas church and were never successful.
The shopping passages (Specks Hof, Mädler) reminded us of Brussels. They are extremely interesting, even if you don’t want to shop.
We liked the Markt, with the Rathaus and other historic buildings.
Augustusplatz is very lively and full of contrasts. The buildings that tell the history of the city. We searched for the “Aufbruch” sculpture with Karl Marx on the university building and found it no longer exists. The city is rebuilding the Paulinkirche that once stood there before the Communists blew it up.
We also were very interested in seeing St Nicholas church, both for the architecture and its historic role.
We were fascinated by the Stasi Museum. We only had time to walk through, but an English audio guide is available.
For us the highlight was the beer, specifically gose beer. It’s an endangered species and a very untypical German beer. I won’t bore you with details, but please ask if you are interested. You’ll find freshly brewed gose (along with a number of other choices) at the Bayriches Bahnhof Brewery, named for the restored train station where it is made and served. Go for the beer, go for the trains, but don’t go for the food.
The Polizei were in the train station to say good-bye.
It’s about 2 hours and 27€ (with a Lander ticket) to get to Leipzig. We had a difficult time choosing between Leipzig and Meissen and against Frau Käubler’s recommendation, we chose Leipzig. I must admit, it was because of the beer.
We were disappointed with the Leipzig train station. It’s huge and a perfect place to go shopping if you’re looking for every major store in one place. Other than that, it’s just a train station, except the Polizei here wear riot gear! And there seemed to be more Polizei in the station than in the whole city of Dresden…
The Coffe Baum was the other disappointment. Coffee, cake, surroundings and service were all mediocre. Stop by and see the free museum, but go to Café Riquet for ambience and cake.
It’s easy to find your way around in Leipzig. A map from TI helps, but isn’t mandatory. Before we left, I printed a “walking tour” from the Leipzig website and we followed that to see the major sites.
We tried three times to get into the famous St Thomas church and were never successful.
The shopping passages (Specks Hof, Mädler) reminded us of Brussels. They are extremely interesting, even if you don’t want to shop.
We liked the Markt, with the Rathaus and other historic buildings.
Augustusplatz is very lively and full of contrasts. The buildings that tell the history of the city. We searched for the “Aufbruch” sculpture with Karl Marx on the university building and found it no longer exists. The city is rebuilding the Paulinkirche that once stood there before the Communists blew it up.
We also were very interested in seeing St Nicholas church, both for the architecture and its historic role.
We were fascinated by the Stasi Museum. We only had time to walk through, but an English audio guide is available.
For us the highlight was the beer, specifically gose beer. It’s an endangered species and a very untypical German beer. I won’t bore you with details, but please ask if you are interested. You’ll find freshly brewed gose (along with a number of other choices) at the Bayriches Bahnhof Brewery, named for the restored train station where it is made and served. Go for the beer, go for the trains, but don’t go for the food.
The Polizei were in the train station to say good-bye.
