Day 1 in Leipzig
Welcome to Leipzig!
Upon arrival, you will go through customs and
immigration. Should you opt to purchase a transfer to your hotel; a
representative will be waiting for you as you exit immigration. Arrive at your
hotel, check in and do not give in to jet lag! There is so much for you to see
and do!
Begin the afternoon by exploring the beautiful City
Center. The best way get your
bearings is to take the elevator up to the top of the 400 feet high Leipzig
Panorama Tower on the Augustusplatz, the city`s tallest building, for a
stunning 360º view of the city center and the outlying area. If all that height
makes you hungry, grab a quick bite at one of the the Panorama
Restaurant `Plate of Art,` which features four dining
areas that look out over different sections of the city. Then descend to the
ground level to begin your sightseeing tour. You may consider taking a guided walking tour that
highlights the main spots and provides insight into the city`s history. Another
great options is an optional Hop-on
Hop-off Bus Tour.
It`s fun to just wander around the historic city center on foot,
taking in the classic buildings, cozy cafes and funky street mimes. Take time
to enjoy the Altes Rathaus (Old
City Hall), a beautiful Renaissance building dating from the
mid-1500s. Inside you`ll find a fascinating museum of the city`s history,
including the Luther Room, with artifacts relating to the great religious
reformer of the 1500`s, who visited Leipzig several times. Also make sure to
check out the St. Nichols
Church. Built in 1165, rebuilt in the 16th-century,
but gained modern
fame as the meeting place for the large demonstration that swept the Communist
government out in 1989. Also worth a visit is the St. Thomas Church, home of
the world-famous St. Thomas
Boys` Choir.
Finish off your day
at Mädlerpassage and Naschmarkt, one of the charming old shopping
arcades that tunnel through buildings in the heart of the old city. It leads to
two other passages, Königshofpassage and
Messehofpassage. Originally
connecting merchants` houses and shops in the trade fair days, these covered
alleyways protected tradesmen from weather, and gradually they became the
elegant arcades they are today. These covered streets are worth exploring for
the shops, cafes, and restaurants they hide, and their fascinating décor. At
several points they open out into covered courtyards, and elsewhere smaller
passages intersect. In the Mädlerpassage, check out Auerbach`s
Keller,
one of the most popular restaurants in Leipzig and where Goethe set the
infamous cellar scene (Goethe was a frequent guest of the keller, as was Martin
Luther). Stop in for dinner before heading back to your hotel for a restful
night sleep.
Day 2 in Leipzig
Grab a quick bite to eat at one of the
many bakeries in town and start your day. You may want to try Zum Arabischen Coffe Baum, the
most famous coffee house in the city, once a meeting point for poets, composers
and philosophers. Start off your day exploring a museum of your choice. Art
fans can either head to the Applied
Arts Museum or browse the Museum der Bildenden Künste, which houses
the fine art works by the likes of Caspar David Friedrich, Munch and Monet. The Bach Museum is dedicated to city`s favorite composer,
while the Grassi Museum
has three individual museums under its roof, including an impressive collection
of historical musical instruments.
In the afternoon, rent a bike and make your way
towards the hip quarter of Plagwitz.
Graffiti and street art decorate many housefronts along the way to the Leipziger Baumwollspinnerei. The former
factory site has been converted into a vast complex of art galleries,
workshops, exhibition spaces and studios. Eigen+Art is considered one of
Germany`s most influential art galleries these days, and Leipzig owes much of
the hype around the New Leipzig School art movement to its owner Gerd Harry
Lybke. In total, more than 100 local and international artists have settled
here, alongside restaurants and shops. Plan for a good few hours to explore the
grounds, have some lunch and soak up the creative atmosphere.
From here, grab your bike and cycle
towards some of Leipzig`s prettiest green areas, the Clara-Zetkin and the Johanna
park. Continue to the Bayerischer
Bahnhof Pub in south Leipzig. Set in a historical, reconstructed train
station and known for the home-brew called Gose, a slightly sour-salty-tasting
and top-fermented beer.
As evening approaches, take your pick of one of
Leipzig`s many restaurants for your dinner plans. And if time and energy allow
after dinner, take in some of Leipzig`s lively nightlife scene. The
multicultural Karl-Liebknecht-Straße, or `Karli, in the Südvorstadt
district, is a perfect area to go!
Day 3 in Leipzig
Rise and shine! Start by
fueling your day with a traditional German breakfast. Afterward, head out for a
tour of Germany`s second-oldest campus, Leipzig
University. This university was founded in 1409 and has been thriving with
over 28,000 students. As you walk through the halls, you will witness the clash
of old and modern architecture. If you`re intrigued with the beauty of the
central building, a visit to the university`s libraries is recommended as well.
Once you`ve gotten a
fill of the school, head over to Leipzig Markt
square where you`ll find the best markets for some local shopping.
Depending on the day (and time of year) there are different themes of markets. Of
course, there is the annual German
tradition of the Weihnachtsmarkt where you can enjoy the holiday season
with local food and handicrafts. The summer season brings farmer`s markets
where you can sample the delicious fresh produce of the region. The first
weekend of every month is the time for flea markets, while the last weekend you
can catch an antique fair. And if you`re visiting in September, be sure to
check out the Book Fair and the Market Days. This is also a great spot to enjoy
an afternoon lunch.
After lunch, head
outside the city center to check out the massive Monument to the Battle of the Nations. One of the largest monuments
in Europe, it commemorates Napoleon`s defeat here in 1813, in a decisive battle
fought by 600,000 soldiers from all over Europe. A walk around the base of the monument
is free and gives you a nice view of the city, but inside is not to be missed. Climb
to the top of the tower for beautiful views of the city. After, take a hike up
the Fockeberg hill. Amazingly, this
`hill` didn`t exist until after WWII. Fockeberg is a resule of rubble piled up
following the bombings that the city endured.
Spend the rest of your
afternoon unwinding at one (or a few) of the many local beer gardens
or pubs in the city. The local beer specialty is Leipziger Gose, a top-fermented brew with characteristic, slightly
sour flavor, that originated from Goslar but was immensely popular in Leipzig
during past centuries. It has however become rather rare and is only servied in
a few specialized breweries and pubs of the city.
Enjoy your
last evening taking in the atmosphere around the alleyways of Fleischergasse, Barfussgässchen and Klostergasse is a block-long
pedestrian street of restaurants and sidewalk cafes to enjoy taking in the city
at night.
Additional Days in Leipzig
Should you be able to spend additional days in Leipzig, take a day trip to Torgau. About an hour from Leipzig, the hilltop town of Torgau is one of the major sites connected with Martin Luther and the Reformation. It was the political center of the Reformation, where Luther wrote some of his most significant works. The first Protestant songbook was published here, and it was where the Protestant rulers signed the Torgau League of Princes. The town is dominated by the early Renaissance Hartenfels Castle, and it was in its wing that the world`s first Protestant church was built, according to Luther`s ideas, and consecrated by him in 1544.
Your Last Day in Leipzig
Depart your hotel for the airport for your return home. We recommend that you purchase a private transfer, if so a representative will meet you at the hotel, in time to take you to the airport for your flight out.