The Best of Dresden Germany
I’d put Dresden on my list of must see places in Germany. Below are some of the things I love about Dresden.
- Beauty: If you like old, beautiful buildings, Dresden will be a amazing experience. The city is divided north and south into two zones called the old city and the new city. The old city is filled with all the good stuff. You’ll want to check out the main palace (my photo for this blog) and the surrounding building including the opera and museum. The city also has several castles on the edges (I actually didn’t make it to these my first trip and intend to return to see them).
- River bike ride: Want a nice ride along a beautiful river? The hostel I stayed at, Lollis, lets guests borrow bikes for touring. I rode a bike from Dresden to nearby Meissen which is know for its castle and porcelain factory. It was a long ride for me, but I’m told that the younger, healthy crowd find it “invigorating.” Check the distance before you go to make sure you are up for the ride!
- North Forest: Just on the north edge of new Dresden is a forest filled with paths and streams. I got an ice cream cone and walked up the main path, under a big bridge, and into the forest. People were jogging past and walking with families. It was so amazing to see this beautiful place in nature right next to the city. It was better than a local park and worth seeing if you just want to relax.
Saxon Switzerland National Park: Just a short distance outside of Dresden is an amazing national park with two main features. First is a stunning bridge that spans some unique rock formations which looks like something out of the Lord of the Rings. The second draw to the park are the big variety of unique rock formations which remind me of a brown version of Utah’s Moab or Arches Park. Indeed, there are some actual natural arches in this park. A river runs through it, so you can also choose to tour some of it by boat. Give yourself a day or two if you want to see it all!
