Dresden, a city once 90% destroyed during the bombing of Dresden in February 1945, shows few signs of its former ruins as it has been slowly rebuilt over the past 70 years. The city sits along the Elbe River and is close the Czech border, making it a nice day-trip from Prague.
One of the main bus companies (Eurolines) was offering a 2-for-1 ticket deal, with roundtrip tickets costing 425kc (~$16.50). So a group of us purchased tickets and our bus left Prague at 7am, making the 2 hour drive to the central station (Haúptbahnhof) in Dresden. After getting oriented, we walked to view one of the many old cathedrals, Kreuzkirche. Following the main road, we then went around to the main square (Neumarkt), where we saw Frauenkirche (Church of Our Lady). Originally from the 11th Century, it was rebuilt in 1743. Later, the church was absolutely demolished during the bombings, only to be completely restored in 2012.
We then walked by the Fürstenzug (Procession of Princes), the longest ceramic mural in the world, on the side of Dresden Castle. After roaming through the courtyard, we ate brunch outside Altmarkt area, enjoying the better-than-expected weather. With our stomachs full and thirst quenched, we toured Zwinger Palace. Originally part of the outer fortress wall protecting the city, it was later transformed into a museum complex. Most of the artwork collection was safely removed before the bombing and after being reconstructed, it opened back up in the mid-1960’s. While under some restoration work during our tour, it was still a beautiful site to view. There was even a wedding couple getting photos taken.
We then walked to the Semperoper (Opera House) before seeing the Dresden Cathedral as we walked over the Elbe River and toured the other side of the river. There was a beautiful pedestrian walkway lined with small shops and apartments. We spent a little time exploring the area before we decided it was time to visit a biergarten.
Crossing back over the bridge as the late afternoon set in, we strolled along the Brühlsche Terrasse towards the Kunstakademie. We eventually made our way to get some bratwurst and currywurst and then to a pub to grab some traditional German Weissbier. We departed Dresden at 5:30pm, but not before seeing a spectacle of police power as a seemingly endless row of police vans and officers dressed in riot gear were waiting at the train station for some potentially unruly fans returning from a soccer match that did not end up in their teams favor.
Essentially, our route around the city was a big circle, allowing us to view the major sites and buildings, sample some food and beer, and enjoy the springtime weather in Germany. It’s easily accomplished in 1 day without feeling rushed due to the compactness of the city center. Food and drink prices are reasonable for Germany, with beer costing between 3-4 euros, coffee around 3, and food anywhere from 2 for street food to 10 euro for a burger. We didn’t need to buy any public transportation pass. For history buffs, the restoration work that was done to bring back many of the war-torn structures is remarkable. Albeit quieter this time of year, it didn’t have the hustle and bustle of Berlin, making it a bit more enjoyable to walk around at any pace. A tip I’ve heard is to visit Dresden for the Christmas Markets in November and December.
Travelnues 