Dresden is the city of the Elbe sandstone. Many of the filigree sculptures and magnificent structures are made from the rock of the nearby mountains. The soft and malleable material gives the works of art their unique soul. Dresden is famous for this as well as for its countless museums with outstanding art treasures and the idyllic location on the banks of the Elbe. Because of its beauty and relaxed flair, the residents of Dresden affectionately call their Dresden Florence on the Elbe.

It is a real pleasure to stroll through the alleys and small streets of the city center. The historical buildings are lined up closely, each with a unique charm. The residential palace is elegant. It is the center of the state art collections and world-famous for its baroque treasury, the “Grüne Gewölbe”. A frenzy of curved lines and lush shapes awaits the visitor in the Zwinger. The magnificent building complex houses the unique collection of “Old Masters” paintings. The traditional Semper Opera House is within sight. Not only the house itself is outstanding but also the opera and ballet pieces listed. Past the Fürstenzug or via the Brühlsche Terrasse you get to the Frauenkirche. With its mighty stone dome, it is one of the largest sandstone buildings in the world.

On the opposite side of the Elbe, the most beautiful contrast to the old town awaits the visitor. The flair of the nightlife district of Dresden is characterized by pubs, clubs and bars, small shops and colorful houses. The creative industries work in Dresden’s Neustadt and the people of Dresden live more colorfully here than elsewhere in the city. Tall Wilhelminian-style buildings dominate the streetscape and there is a lot of street art to see. A highlight is the Kunsthofpassage, whose thematically designed inner courtyards are home to a wide variety of tradespeople, boutiques and shops. You should definitely pay a visit to the Pfunds dairy. The “most beautiful milk shop in the world” not only offers selected milk specialties. Its interior design with hand-painted tiles is extraordinary.

The Loschwitz district of Dresden is tranquil, but no less spectacular. The center of the quarter around Körnerplatz is the village-like core of Alt-Loschwitz with its half-timbered houses and small shops. A bold bridge construction connects the district with the opposite bank of Blasewitz. The so-called “Blue Wonder” was inaugurated in 1893 and at that time was one of the longest suspension bridges made of metal. The funicular from 1895 and the suspension railway from 1901 are further impressive examples of Wilhelminian engineering in Loschwitz.

If you are drawn to nature, you will quickly find what you are looking for. Dresden is one of the greenest cities in Europe. Numerous gardens and green spaces run through the entire city area. The Great Garden is particularly impressive. The park, of baroque origin, covers 147 hectares and combines French garden art with English landscaping. The Dresdner Heide, formerly the electoral hunting area, extends over more than 50 square kilometers and is therefore one of the largest urban forests in Germany. Also incomparable are the Dresden Elbe meadows, which run like a green ribbon through the city and on which there is a colorful hustle and bustle in the warmer seasons. The often wooded slopes of the Elbe line the river as gentle hills and make wild and romantic hikes possible.