Dresden Holiday
The city of Dresden in east Germany has risen out of the ashes of a heavy bombing campaign during the war to hold its own as a beautiful tourist destination.
The German city of Dresden is a potent mix of traditional and modern set in the country's picturesque Elbe Valley.
Located in east Germany, close to the border with the Czech Republic and around two hours south of Berlin, Dresden is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site. The city is on the River Elbe in the region of Saxony, an area that has always been immensely proud of its German culture.
Bombed heavily in the war, with thousands of lives lost, much of Dresden was rebuilt and restored shortly afterwards and the city has managed to hold onto many of its finest architectural treasures.
Since German re-unification in 1990, Dresden has become a major economic and technological centre in east Germany. It is an increasingly cosmopolitan and vibrant city, but still retains a strong sense of tradition and of past glories.
There are a number of sites of interest to tourists wandering around the city, including the imposing Church of Our Lady, Theaterplatz square, the Residenz Palace and Old Market Square (Altmarket).
Dresden is home to some excellent museums, the best of which include the Old Masters Gallery and the baroque Zwinger Palace, the collection of former crown jewels at the castle's Green Vault, the New Masters Gallery, the Albertinum and the Electoral Art Chamber.
In the evenings, the city offers a variety of distractions, from its many excellent bars to the opulent Semper Opera House and the world-class Dresden Philharmonic Orchestra. Outer Neustadt is the main pub and club district, while there are some good jazz and live music venues located elsewhere in the city.
Dresden is particularly green and visitors should head to Dresden Heath, a large area of woodland, or the vast Grosser Garten, which has its own zoo and park railway, for greenery and tranquillity.
The countryside around Dresden is particularly beautiful, with lush meadows, green hills, cycle trails and a historical mountain railway. The nearby Pillnitz stately home and gardens, a former royal summer residence, can be visited by pleasure steamer.
Flights to Dresden are being offered by an increasing number of airlines, including budget carriers. With just over a million residents, most of the city is walkable, with the major tourist sights concentrated in a relatively small area.
Food and accommodation are plentiful and restaurants and hotels tend to be warm and welcoming. There are a number of stylish new eateries that have sprung up in the city serving a combination of nouvelle German cuisine and regional specialties.
Hotels range from small, homely family-run places to those owned by the major chains, including several located in impressive historic buildings.
Dresden tends to be warmer than most areas of east Germany because it is located in a valley. It is best visited during the spring and summer months when the flora of the city and the surrounding region is at its finest. However, Dresden is also home to one of the world's oldest Christmas markets, making it a good winter weekend destination.
