Self-guided Dresden, Germany
On this page are the following sections:
Entertainment & Eats
Shopping
Headline Concerts
Events & Festivals
Entertainment & Eats
Has it been awhile since you saw a movie? Do you crave buttery popcorn? Head over to the UFA-Palast off Prager Strasse to see whether there is an English-language movie playing tonight.
More formal and culturally unique, experience an opera at the Semperoper, a choral concert at the Frauenkirche, or the philharmonic at the Kulturpalast.
Just about every type of club and pub and cuisine (Thai to Saxon to döner kebaps) is cooking on the bohemian streets of New Town (Neustadt), approximately 130 establishments registered. Cruise the area around Louisen, Alaun and Görlitzer streets for the most choices. Restaurants typically display their menu outside, by front door.
Beer drinkers, start your evening with a premium taste of the Czech Republic in the below-listed Wenzel Prager Bierstuben. If it’s the weekend, march around the corner for a drink or two with live music and the Medicine Man at Mama Africa.
As alluded to in the above paragraph, some of the best restaurants in Dresden are in New Town. For your evening out, consider these three top choices: PlanWirtschaft, Wenzel Prager Bierstuben, and Mama Africa.
PlanWirtschaft, (reasonably priced, www.planwirtschaft.de, tel. 0351/801-3187, daily 9:30-01:00, Sat/Sun from 9:00, warm kitchen from 12:00). PlanWirtschaft takes its name from former East Germany’s “planned economy,” in which the people’s government predesigned the scale of production well in advance. Hence the reason for regular shortages and surpluses of basic goods. For example, the availability of warm clothing could be the same in June as in December, thus the shortage of jackets in winter when needed most. But enough about the economic practices of failed socialist governments; what you need to know is that the Saxon dishes served here at PlanWirtschaft are substantially delicious. The menu is in German so ask the waiter for his/her recommendation. I ordered the Liesker Bierfleisch (10.50€), juicy pork steaks marinated in beer from a bucolic brewery in the village of Lieske (near Polish border), coupled with potato dumplings and monster white beans. (Note: If the Bierfleisch is not on the menu when you arrive, have the waiter recommend another regional specialty to your liking.) To wash it down, the selection of on-tap and bottled provincial beers (Landbiere) from Saxony is commendable. If you’re partial to lager beer, like me, try the (bottled) Reichenbrand Helles from Chemnitz (half liter 2.60€). Since PlanWirtschaft doubles as a bar, umpteen adult beverages and blends are available. Additionally from the kitchen you have a variety of cuisine to choose from, e.g. salads, pastas, fish, soups, and vegetarian (locally Fleischlose Kost). Note: This is a popular restaurant, especially with 20-somethings, seating can be tight, and don’t be in a hurry…’cause it aint gonna happen! Good idea to reserve Fri/Sat night. Smokers, too, can enjoy the best GDR grub and atmosphere downstairs in the basement from 19:00. In summer, eat outdoors in a serene courtyard setting (but with smokers). To get there, PlanWirtschaft is located at Louisenstrasse 20, New Town, below the Louise 20 hostel—to get there, click here and follow directions to the hostel.
At the traditional Czech-Bohemian gasthaus Wenzel Prager Bierstuben (inexpensive, daily 11:00-24:00, www.wenzel-prager-bierstuben.de, tel. 0351/804-2010) a handful of salons and vaulted dining rooms surround a pleasant courtyard often fueled by live music. Savor a range of hearty Slavic meals (like crumbed pork schnitzel, beer goulash, dumplings and seasoned beef) from 8.50-14€ and thirst-quenching Bohemian beers on tap (2.45€/3.50€, .3l/.5l); buy the Prager Trio (3x.1l 3.20€) and sample their three Czech beers (light to dark) from the brewery Staropramen to taste-test your Prague preference. Groups consider the half/full meter of Staropramen (6x.3l 13.50€ / 12x.3l 25.50€ but on Friday a meter is discounted to 22.50€) or tap your favorite Staropramen directly from your table and pay for what you drink (6€/liter). Red and white wines, spirits and long drinks, are also ready to pour at the in-house bar. Every Tue-Thur consider the (price-worthy but sometimes bland-tasting) dinner special for 8.90€/*9.90€ (*Tue), including a (.3l) glass of pre-selected Staropramen to suit. Note: Be prepared for a full house on weekends as well as in peak summer. Menu in English. Consider having dessert at Mama Africa around the corner. To get there, Wenzel Prager Bierstuben is located at Königstrasse 1 in a beautifully Baroque quarter of New Town. If you’re coming from New Town, ask a local (or staff at your digs) for the best route from your location. By tram from the Old Town is a scenic jaunt; ride 4, 8, or 9 over the river and get off at the first stop, Neustädter Markt. Ramble straight past the Golden Rider, equestrian statue of Augustus the Strong, onto Hauptstrasse (ped shopping drag) then make the first left on (street) Obergraben and continue straight to Wenzel at the end.
Around the corner from the Wenzel Prager Bierstuben awaits the wilds of Mama Africa steakhouse restaurant (at Wallgässchen 2, tolerably priced, daily 17:00-01:00 but Sat/Sun from 11:00, live African music with the Medicine Man every Fri/Sat evenings 19:00-23:00, www.mama-africa.de, tel. 0351/563-5656). You’ll embrace this African-themed restaurant with its convincing indigenous décor and life-like reproductions of untamed animals peering from walls and over tables. Even in the bathroom, relief comes with sounds from the savannah. Mama’s menu (available in English) puts Africa on the plate with distinctive dishes such as ostrich steak and pineapple (11€), zebra rump steak with lemon and garlic (16€), and crocodile steak doused in a secret sauce (17€). Sides of cheese-baked potatoes, coconut rice, zucchini, vegetables, among other choices can be added extra from 1.80€ each. Vegetarian and fish dishes are also on the menu. For dessert I enjoyed my banana milkshake (3.90€) but make sure whichever flavor you order it contains vanilla “eis” (meaning ice cream) unless you’re keen for flavored milk, shaken. Friday and Saturday evenings with live music and the Medicine Man are a complete sell-out, thus be sure to reserve your table in advance (via phone or their website). On Sunday consider Mama Africa’s exotic brunch 11:00-15:00, 15€/person, including a glass of bubbly. To get there, take the lane (Wallgässchen) running adjacent to Wenzel Prager Bierstuben to the end and Mama Africa.
For a few more euros, consider the Little Italian Village (Italienisches Dörfchen, pricey, www.italienisches-doerfchen.de, daily 10:00-24:00, tel. 0351/498-160) located on Theaterplatz in the Old Town. Its name refers to the crews of Italian workers who once occupied a colony of cottages here in the mid-18th century when their job consisted of constructing the next-door Hofkirche and other significant Saxon structures of the time. Even if you’re not famished it’s still worthwhile to wander through the Little Italian Village to admire each room’s sophisticated décor, suitable for royalty. There’s the salon-style Weinzimmer, an elegant restaurant applauded for its extensive wine list; the refined Caffee serving delicious cakes and strudel straight from the confectioner; in the rustic Biersaal patrons hoist jars of amber nectar beneath a marveling hand-painted ceiling (walk through the Biersaal to view the superior Princely Room); and stairs in the foyer climb to the upmarket Ristorante Bellotto (step outside onto their balcony for a sweeping view of Theaterplatz—see if you can reserve a table here for later).
In the Old Town, behind Altmarkt, the new pedestrianized Weisse Gasse quarter is arguably the hottest culinary court in Dresden. You have a world of restaurants, bars and cafés to get familiar with like Japanese Sushi, Tapas Bar Barcelona, Vietnamese Restaurant, Venezia Ice Cream, Mango Caribbean Restaurant & Cocktail Bar, Beck’s beer bistro, and German cuisine dished up at the restaurants Försters and Gänsedieb.
Touristier and almost equally as hot as the Weisse Gasse quarter is Münzgasse, offering the same caliber of fare but on a smaller scale. Münzgasse you’ll remember from our walking tour is the cobbled lane connecting the Frauenkirche with the Brühlsche Terrasse. A most unique cuisine can be found here at Ayers Rock (daily 11:00-03:00, tel. 0351/490-1188), an Australian-inspired restaurant specializing in kangaroo (15€), ostrich (13-17€), and crocodile (26€) steaks.
Cheap eats: In the City Center Passage behind the main train station, across the street from track 1 (exit Ausgang 4 or 5), you can find a smorgasbord of cheap eats to mull. In front of the Rewe supermarket is the deli Täubrich dishing up tasty meals from 11:00 until sold out (about 18:00) Mon-Fri for only 3-5€/plate. Even cheaper, at the Rewe canteen in the back of the supermarket, budget travelers can sink their teeth into the daily specials (called Tagesgericht) served Mon-Fri 11:00-13:30 for 2.90-3.30€/plate. There are usually 4 or 5 specials to choose from per day; the menu is posted behind the counter as well as typically printed on flyers stacked on the counter for you to study. (If you’re unsure of what to order, spy the plates of others to see what looks good.) When ordering, you’ll be asked whether you want the food to go (zum mitnehmen) or eat here (hier essen). If you eat here, slide over to an available place at one of the standing tables and greet the others already enjoying their meal with a friendly smile and say, “mahlzeit” or “guten appetit.” You’ll be accepted like a local. Lastly, drinks are not sold at the canteen. Thus it’s recommended by Rewe staff that you pluck your preferred drink from the shelf (beverage section left of canteen) and whatever else you desire (bread roll, dessert) and pay for these items first at the cashier up front. Swing back through the store to the canteen to order your meal and show your receipt as proof of purchase.
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Dresdner Stollen
Germany’s oldest Christmas market is named after stollen, originally called “striezel” (see below). The ingredients of this moist, festive fruitcake are strictly adhered to, comprising dough, yeast, candied lemon and orange peel, raisins, almonds and loads of butter and sugar. 
The squat, pudgy shape of Dresdner Stollen is symbolic of Baby Jesus lying in the manger, and the thick coating of powdered sugar his clothing. And unlike other regional fruitcakes, Dresdner Stollen is a registered trademark, maintained by the 150-member Dresden Stollen Guild (Stollenschutzverband). The guild’s oversight committee guarantees that its stollen is made within Greater Dresden by certified bakers who follow traditional guidelines and use only the highest quality ingredients. Accordingly, these bakers are the only ones with the exclusive right to call their product original Dresdner Stollen, which is authenticated on the packaging by the (Stollenschutzverband’s) golden seal of quality featuring Augustus the Strong on horseback. In preparation of Advent, some bakers begin making Dresdner Stollen as early as August. From mid-Sept thru Jan, stop in for a sample at Emil Reimann’s cake shop on the bottom floor of the QF Passage shopping mall, adjacent to the Frauenkirche, or drop by The Transparent Bakery (Die Gläserne Backstube) in New Town. (Pictured is Enrico holding a Dresden Stollen that he baked and I, for the sake of research, ate.)
Shopping
Altmarkt Galerie, (Mon-Sat 9:30-21:00). Located downtown adjacent to Altmarkt, or Old Market Square, this spiffy three-level shopping mall is a popular choice with Dresdners, and me (I prefer it to the newly opened Centrum Gallery on Prager Strasse and the QF Passage shopping mall). Toilets and lockers are situated on the bottom floor; bring small change. Also on the lower level are a pair of grocery stores, Aldi and Rewe (see Grocery Stores). Walk through bountiful Rewe then no-frills Aldi and you’ll believe socialism never left this corner of Dresden. Marxist ideology aside, my favorite (Haribo) gummi bears are a much better buy at Aldi!
Dresden’s main shopping street, Prager Strasse, connects the Old Town with the Hauptbahnhof, a 10-min walk between the two. Urbanized in the 1960s and ’70s during the city’s uninspiring socialist era, the open-air pedestrian thoroughfare was home to state-run stores fronted by uniform signs offering milk, bread, butter. Also for sale were the same manufactured clothes available throughout the urban centers of the GDR. In the 1990s, however, colorful neon signs replaced the former status quo to smarten the newly established department stores, fashion boutiques, banks, hotel chains (ibis and Pullman), an ultramodern cinema, and the equally futuristic Centrum-Gallery shopping mall (since Sept 2009). Harkening back to the gray days of East German communism, long lines returned to Prager Strasse when Dresden’s very first Starbucks coffee shop opened at the entrance of the latter mall. But my guess is the youthful faces forming the queue had no interest for nostalgia on Prager Strasse, instead anxious for the latest trends and the mint mocha chip Frappuccino.
QF Passage shopping mall, (Mon-Sat 9:30-20:00). Simply put, since the fall of the Wall in 1990, the economic progress and structural transformation of Dresden has been astounding! Case in point, another upmarket shopping mall opened in the city and is ringing up big sales. With a lucrative location adjacent to the Frauenkirche (Church of Our Lady) and opposite the Hilton hotel, Quarter of the Frauenkirche (QF) is guaranteed success. On the bottom floor sample Dresden’s famous (Christmas Stollen) fruitcake at Emil Reimann’s, or Italian ice cream at Gelateria Bellagio, or shop Meissen porcelain at their second-quality “Outlet” boasting discounts of up to 50% off (Mon-Sat 10:00-19:00).
Courtyard of Art: Consumers looking for something unique such as a handmade gift can find it here among the groovy galleries and artsy boutiques at the Kunsthofpassage. Time your visit to coincide with the Regenwasserspiel.
Flea Market, (Sat 7:00-15:00, April thru mid-Oct till 16:00, and typically every third Sunday of the month). Be in Dresden on a Saturday for one of Germany’s best flea markets. Here you’ll find vendors from Dresden and the surrounding communities who have seemingly cleaned the old wares from their attics to sell. Arrive early; allow at least an hour to browse, and bring the maximum amount of money you can afford to spend. Space in your suitcase won’t be a problem because you packed light, right? Suggestion: If you find a good price on an item you’re interested in, buy it—you’ll regret it if you don’t! GPS: N51 03.361 E13 45.362. To get there, the market is set up along the south (left) bank of the Elbe River, adjacent to the old stone Albert (brücke) bridge. Ride tram 6 or 13 to Sachsenallee then walk to the river.
1€ Shop: Yowza; the $1 craze has hit Germany and landed in Dresden! Not only for penny pinchers, this pocket-friendly outlet is also hot stuff for well-heeled shoppers (because not everything is priced at 1€ at the Old Town branch). Hopefully they’ll still have some of those colorful five-toed socks when you arrive. To get there, the Old Town 1€ shop (Mon-Sat 9:30-20:00) is located across the street from McDonald’s on Altmarkt, a few-min walk from the Frauenkirche. A second 1€ store (Mon-Fri 9:30-19:00, Sat 9:30-16:00, in which everything is priced at 1€) is positioned in New Town on the corner of Louisenstrasse and Königsbrücker Strasse.
Headline Concerts, Dresden 2011
(Note: Prices, dates, concerts may have changed or been added; double check latest details with TI.)
Bon Jovi: June 10, 18:00 at Messe Dresden. Price, 66-112€.
Jeff Beck: June 20, 19:30 at the Freilichtbühne (open-air theater) Großer Garten Junge Garde. Price, 56€.
Michael Bolton: June 24, 20:00 at the Kulturpalast. Price, 36-71€.
Chicago: July 1, 19:30 at the Freilichtbühne (open-air theater) Großer Garten Junge Garde. Price, 51€.
James Blunt: July 12, 19:30 at the Freilichtbühne (open-air theater) Großer Garten Junge Garde. Price, 49€.
Joe Cocker: August 12, 20:00 at the Filmnächte am Elbufer (on riverbank of New Town). Price, 58€.
Kevin Costner & Modern West: September 16, 20:00 at the Kulturpalast. Price, 44-93€.
Chris de Burgh: October 3, 20:00 at Kulturpalast. Price, 40-80€.
The Dubliners: November 8, 20:00 at Kulturpalast. Price, 33-50€.
Erasure: November 14, 20:30 at the Alter Schlachthof. Price, 40€.
Yes: November 29, 20:00 at Kulturpalast. Price, 36-56€.
2012
Chris Rea: March 8, 2012, 20:00 at Kulturpalast. Price, 49-77€.
Abba Mania (musical): March 12, 2012, 20:00 at the Kulturpalast. Price, 40-52€.
DJ BoBo (is a Swiss-born techno, Euro-dance sensation, selling more than 14 records worldwide and having 8 top-10 singles on the German music chart since 1992): May 31, 2012, 20:00 at the sports Arena Dresden. Price, 47-63€.
Herbert Grönemeyer: June 2, 2012, 20:00 at Messe Dresden (convention center). Price, 56€. (FYI: If you find yourself in Dresden at the beginning of June with an open mind and schedule, this singer-songwriter is worthwhile to see. No other artist in German music history has more gold and platinum records than Grönemeyer, over 13.5 million sold.)
Die Ärtze (is Germany's most succesful pop-punk band, founded in the early 80s, and worthwhile to see if you're looking for an alternative evening): August 10-11, 2012,19:30 at the Filmnächte am Elbufer (film festival on riverbank of New Town). Price, 55-66€.
Events & Festivals, 2011
Steamboat Parade, May 1 (Sun). This traditional procession does not march on land but water. The steamboat armada, a floating spectacle not to be missed, shoves off from their moorings in front of the Brühlsche Terrasse at 10:00 (returning approx 13:30). Consider renting a bike and following the armada upstream to the Blue Wonder bridge.
Dixieland Festival, (www.dixieland.de), May 17-22 (Tue-Sun). In May of each year Europe’s oldest and largest jazz festival (second only to New Orleans) kicks off here, in Dresden. Numerous bands and performers from Europe and North America will belt out swing, Dixie, jazz and ragtime to the delight of thousands of music fans during the 6-day event. Highlights include the Dixieland parade through town (Sunday afternoon) and the New Orleans-style steamboat cruises on the Elbe River (Wednesday evening). For most performances there will be an admission charge but many events will be free, too (like on Sat/Sun).
Riverside Festival, locally Elbhangfest, June 24-26 (Fri-Sun). Dresden’s longest festival stretches 7 km along the Saxon Wine Road from the Blue Wonder to Pillnitz. Also unique to the Elbhangfest are its scheduled parades and performances, myriad stands selling arts and crafts, food and wine. This is the perfect excuse to rent a bike and get the blood pumping.
City Festival, locally Stadtfest, August 19-21 (Fri-Sun). This year, 2011, Dresden celebrates its 805-year birthday, and the whole inner city will become a stage for festivities. Wear your party hat!
Marathon, (42 km, 26 mi). Runners have two opportunities this year (2011) to compete in Dresden: May 8 and October 23, both are Sundays and both also offer the 10 km as well as the half marathon. On May 8 (www.oberelbe-marathon.de) marathon participants begin in Königstein (Saxon Switzerland National Park) and jog a scenic route along the Elbe River to Dresden; various points en route are easily accessible via train or steamboat. On October 23 (www.dresden-marathon.de) the starting blocks are moved to Dresden for the city marathon that will see some 10,000 recreational athletes and long-distance specialists orbit the Old Town.
Christmas Markets: Advent is the time of year when the nose knows the unmistakable aroma of hot-spiced wine, roasted chestnuts, baked apples and gingerbread wafting through the streets of Dresden. The Christmas mile begins with the market on Prager Strasse, continues through the Old Town and concludes on the opposite bank of the Elbe in the New Town (Neustadt) with the market on Hauptstrasse. Most impressive are the two markets in the Old Town: the Advent Spektakel in the Stallhof (Dresdner Schloss courtyard), and the Striezelmarkt on Altmarkt (Old Market Square). Ice skaters looking for a rink will typically find one here on the periphery of the square or in the courtyard of the Kempinski Hotel Taschenberg Palais (across from Theaterplatz). An additional Christmas market to consider, with the opportunity to add another Glühwein mug to your collection, is the one in the quaint porcelain town of Meissen neatly unwrapped on its market square.
Advent Spektakel (Nov 24 thru Dec 22, daily 11:00-21:30, free entry Mon-Fri but Sat/Sun adult 3€, student 2€, www.mittelalter-weihnacht.de) is a must-see historical market where visitors experience Christmas as it existed during the Renaissance era; expect handmade products, wood-fired cuisine and performers in period costume.
The Striezelmarkt (Nov 25 till Dec 24, daily 10:00-21:00, Dec 24 10:00-14:00) is Germany’s oldest Christmas market, founded in 1434. During the four-week event more than 2 million visitors will converge on Altmarkt, where 220 vendors surround a glimmering 70-foot Christmas tree and the world’s tallest (14m/46ft) Christmas pyramid, carved out of wood from the Erzgebirge (Ore Mountains). Miniature pyramids and other traditional handmade Christmas decorations will be for sale at the market booths. Another Striezelmarkt highlight is the appetizing Stollenfest (sponsored by the Dresden Stollen Guild Sat Dec 3, 2011, www.stollenfest.de), when more than 100,000 spectators are expected to view the world’s largest sugar-dusted fruitcake, or Stollen (originally Striezel), weighing in at around 7,800 lbs (3.6 tons), 15ft long and 6ft wide. The fruitcake is so large that it has to be prepared by over 60 bakers and cut with a specially made knife 5 feet long weighing 26 lbs. Some ingredients used are 3,300 lbs (about 1.5 tons) of flour, approx 10 gal of rum, 1,000 lbs of sugar and 1,750 lbs of butter. That’s some fruitcake! And you can share in the sweetness for 4€ a piece after the cake-cutting ceremony at 12:00. The Stollenfest kicks off at 10:30 on Schlossplatz next to the Hofkirche, followed by the unveiling of the giant Stollen at 11:00 and the parade at 11:15 (procession of pastry chefs, flag twirlers, marching bands, horse-drawn carriages, and the Stollen Maiden), which ends at the Striezelmarkt about 12:00. A short time later the Stollen is cut and the gluttony begins. Note: If you can’t make the Stollenfest, visit the stand run by the Dresden Stollen Guild who have set up a model bakery to show you how original Christmas Stollen is made. Watch, sample, enjoy!
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(This page was last updated June 2011)
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