48 hours in...

Meissen

Meissen on the banks of the Elbe is simply enchanting, known for its historic town centre, magnificent religious buildings, impressive cultural institutions, the majestic Albrechtsburg Castle and great restaurants. Plus, you can peek behind the scenes to see how the finest "white gold" is made in Meissen’s world-famous porcelain factory. Your weekend will definitely not be boring!

Day 1 in Meissen: Friday

After checking in at your accommodation and stopping over at the tourist information on the market square, take a look at the city museum. Later, a guided evening tour with a twist is followed by a relaxed dinner.

Known as “the cradle of Saxony”, Meissen is a popular destination and offer as wide range of accommodation options, including stylish star-rated romantic hotels, cosy B&Bs, guesthouses in the midst of the vineyards or tasteful private rooms in the historic old town. Once you've arrived, it's just a matter of freshening up and then you’re off to explore.

The tourist information on Meissen's historic market square opposite Frauenkirche (Church of Our Lady) is your first stop. Open every day (limited on weekends in winter), the town’s friendly experts will help you with all kinds of information, including guided tour bookings and tickets for events – and you can even shop some souvenirs there.

The “Stadtmuseum” is only a three minutes' walk from the tourist information, housed in the 16-metre-high hall church of a Franciscan monastery and showcasing many unusual exhibits. You can admire the largest hand-operated wine press, dating back to 1788, an eleven-metre-long Elbe fishing boat and huge paintings. There are also great special exhibitions, often at Christmas.

Interested in learning more about the history of Meissen? Then join a romantic evening tour guided by a local lady dressed in historic costume who, every Friday, takes visitors through the old town’s quaint alleys, telling interesting stories and anecdotes. And at the end, there will be a little surprise for you…

Meissen offers a wide selection of rustic inns and stylish restaurants to choose from. How about a delicious meal in the town’s romantic centre, or in a restaurant on the Burgberg hill above the roofs of the city? Just pick and choose!

Day 2 in Meissen: Saturday

Today, it’s first shopping and then a scenic river cruise on the Elbe on a historic paddle steamer! Later, you can take the panoramic lift up to the cathedral and Albrechtsburg Castle, and after a nice dinner, you’re off to the theatre.

Meissen’s old town is full of small, independent shops ready to be discovered by you. Maybe to get a nice souvenir? If you are looking for something really special, try the Keralind studio on Kleinmarkt square for great pottery or the workshop of pewter designer Jörg Mann in Neugasse, where you can find high-quality accessories.

Nearby Dresden is home to the world’s largest and oldest fleet of paddle steamers, going back to 1836, and you can board one of the historic vessels in Meissen for an enchantingly scenic trip to Diesbar-Seusslitz, one of the region’s wine villages. On the way back, there’s time for delicious snacks on board.

Once back in Meissen, step in the town’s panoramic lift, which will take you up 33 metres in 40 seconds to Meissen Cathedral and Albrechtsburg Castle, located next to each other above town. The lift entrance is close to the Elbe river quay, and you’ll be taken right to the square in front of the cathedral.

The late Gothic Albrechtsburg Castle, with roots going back to 929, is Germany’s first castle built for residential purposes and considered the cradle of Saxony. Inside, interactive exhibits, augmented reality formats and 3D productions bring the history of the region and the castle back to life.

Meissen Cathedral rises right next to Albrechtsburg Castle, its distinctive towers dominating the town’s skyline. Its hall is considered a standout example of High Gothic architecture, and the west towers give you a sense of the spirit of the Middle Ages. There is also an interactive museum that is well worth seeing, vividly telling the story of how the cathedral came to be.

Wine plays an important role in Meissen and local vineyards go back to the 12th century. For your dinner, pick and choose from the many wine taverns and restaurants on offer. And should you prefer beer, that’s not a problem either as Meissen is home to Saxony's oldest private brewery!

Day 3 in Meissen: Sunday

Climb up the tower of Church of Our Lady for farewell views. Visiting the “House of Meissen” is another highlight on your last day!

Meissen’s Church of Our Lady opposite the tourist information on the market square is a three-nave late Gothic hall church, built from the 15th century onwards. Its special feature: the first playable glockenspiel made of Meissen porcelain, which rings out six times a day. Climb up the 193 steps of the church tower for great views!

See how the world-famous Meissen porcelain is made by hand in the “House of Meissen” workshop and museum with exhibits from 1710 to today. The guided tours are highly recommended! And you can also buy one of the exquisite pieces for yourself.

What could be more fitting than to dine in style from Meissen plates? The on-site restaurant at “House of Meissen” serves classics of Saxon cuisine such as winegrower's ham and cheese from the Elbe Valley, paired with local wine.

Should you still have time before your departure, visit one of the shops of the local winegrowers in the vineyards around town – for a last cheers surrounded by vines and with a view of the Elbe river.

48 hours in...

2 pm: CHECK-IN

3 pm: TOURIST INFORMATION

3.15 pm: MEISSEN CITY MUSEUM

5 pm: GUIDED TOUR OF THE OLD TOWN

7 pm: DINNER

10 am: SHOPPING

12 pm: PADDLE STEAMER TRIP

3 pm: PANOMARIC LIFT

3.30 pm: ALBRECHTSBURG CASTLE

5 pm: MEISSEN CATHEDRAL

6.30 pm: DINNER

10 am: CHURCH OF OUR LADY

11 am: HOUSE OF MEISSEN

1 pm: LUNCH

2 pm: WINE SHOP

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Saxony is looking forward to welcoming you!