adrienne

<< Which day trips from Dresden have you planned? >>

Hi Ingo - I haven't planned any day trips from Dresden, I didn't get farther than getting information on sights in town so none of those other towns have been considered (yet). I'll be at the libraries today and tomorrow and will pick up some Germany guides. I've downloaded info from this site (postings and info under destinations) and from Let's Go. I'll take a look at the towns you mention, above.

The National Park looks very pretty but also something I'd need a car to get to and I'm not renting a car on this trip. Probably no overnights either as it would be too much moving around in 2 weeks.

PalenQ

Saxon Switzerland to me is one of Europe's most beautiful river valleys - reddish sandstone cliffs topped by old forts - the Basteii, etc. You can take a boat there from Dresden in tourist season or easily take a train along the east side of the gorge - Bad Schnadau is a famous resort town near the Czech border - easy as a day trip from Dresden - at southern end of Saxon Switzerland - an antique tram rumbles from there up thru forests.

adrienne

<< Bad Schnadau >>

Do you mean Bad Schandau?

It is a short ride - 45 minutes by train. The boat would probably take hours.

adrienne

What's a good map for Dresden and Potsdam or don't I need to buy one. I've ordered a Streetwise for Berlin but Streetwise doesn't make maps for Dresden and Potsdam.

PalenQ

Yes Bad Schandau and its famous 5-mile tram that goes thru forests to a famous waterfall.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kirnitzschtal_Tramway

Ingo

You don't really need a map for Dresden. Pick up a free one from the tourist info or from one of the guys selling tickets for the city tours by bus.

Don't want to talk you into something you're not really comfortable with - but you saw yourself that there are trains and buses going frequently to Saxon Switzerland. The most popular spots like Bastei viewpoint or Fortress Königstein are accessible by train/bus combination. A steamboat ride is recommended between, say, Pirna and Kurort Rathen or Königstein. Everything else is too long. Bad Schandau is the 'hub' for the rear part of Saxon Switzerland, but you must hop on another bus or the tram to get to the mountains, and then it's walking/hiking ...

PalenQ

. Bad Schandau is the 'hub' for the rear part of Saxon Switzerland, but you must hop on another bus or the tram to get to the mountains, and then it's walking/hiking>

Yup that would be one whole nice day - I did not get a chance to do it and is on my bucket list - I would go just to the Bastei or Konigstein areas in the middle of Saxon Switzerland.

tom18

Don't forget Leipzig when you're thinking about day trips from Dresden.

PalenQ

Meissen and its great castle on a hill and famous Meissen ceramics works were to me really nice though not all reviews on Fodor's have been positive - but if interested in Meissen ceramics then tour the factory and extensive museum and chance to buy firsts and seconds. Just a short train ride from Dresden.

annhig

if you can get to Leipzig on a saturday afternoon, you can listen to the choir in the Thomaskirche [Bach's church] - here's the 2014 list of concerts:

http://www.thomaskirche.org/f-Pdf-d-...r=2014&lang=en

We so enjoyed this, particularly when we found that we were able to join in part of the singing.

Halle is also worth a trip if you can get there - the Haendel-Haus [Handel's place of birth] was fascinating.

http://handel-house.com/en/

adrienne

Too bad - I won't be able to get to Leipzig for the concert as I'm arriving on a Saturday and won't have the energy to get on a train and be at the church by 3:00. Nice thought though.

PalenQ

Weimar is a really nice city that is just outside of Leipzig - see Mozart's (Beethoven's) cottage in a park. Was one of the very nicest cities in old East Germany - center of Bauhaus architecture - really neat town for low-key day trip. Nearby Erfurt and Naumburg are gems too - on another trip that area would make a great base for a few days - Eisenach of course having Wartburg Castle where ink still stains the walls of the little room Martin Luther was hiding out in when one day he saw the Devil and threw his ink bottle at him, just hitting the walls.

adrienne

Thanks, Pal!

Mainhattengirl

I will also be in Potsdam and Dresden in July, both for 2 days. Looking for a good walking tour in each city. Any recommendations? Have looked a bit on Trip Advisor, but would like to hear from the Fodor folks. Not into biking, so walking is better for me. Anything historical is perfect.

adrienne

I plan on taking the Old Town Dresden Walk.

http://www.dresdenwalks.com/

Ingo

Dresdenwalks.com is pretty good.

For anyone speaking German (Mainhattengirl, you do, right?) I'd highly recommend Igeltour. They have the usual walks in the old town etc. but also themed walks in other districts. The guides are very knowledgeable, (art) historians aside, other guides are also architects, doctors, actors, musicians ... for every theme the right one.

http://www.igeltour-dresden.de

Pal - Weimar is really quite far from Dresden and Berlin. Not exactly a day trip.

Adrienne - instead of the Thomanerchor in Leipzig you can easily attend a concert of the Kreuzchor boys choir in Dresden's Kreuzkirche. Almost as long tradition, and although J S Bach was never cantor here, the consensus is they are actually better these days. Kreuzchorvesper every Saturday at 5 or 6 pm.

http://www.kreuzkirche-dresden.de

adrienne

Ingo - I see Kreuzkirche has Vespers on Saturdays. This is a Protestant church - what are the Vespers like? Are they choral? Does the boys' choir perform at every Vespers? I'd love to hear that. I'm very fond of a cappella singing and hope they have a concert while I'm in Dresden. This would be a highlight!

PalenQ

Pal - Weimar is really quite far from Dresden and Berlin. Not exactly a day trip>

Yes I only said this because someone was talking about doing a day trip from Dresden to Leipzig - only a bit more than an hour by train and Weimar and the other towns are only a short train ride from Leipzig - Leipzig never excited me that much - not into classical museum and though well if Leipzig is reachable so is Weimar et al.

But agree from Berlin at least a long way.

Ingo

The Vespers in the Kreuzkirche are with much music: a cappella, organ, sometimes even other musicians, almost always the Kreuzchor boys - except when they are on tour, but in September they should be there.

Here are a few examples on youtube (crappy amateur recordings, though):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JKscP-zCx8g
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YIDJ6o_HTP8 (fast forward to 2:40)
And here's a live recording in a different church (Lüneburg, northern Germany):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=roP6M...&feature=share

adrienne

I'm definitely going!