Hotel Taschenbergpalais Kempinski
Why we like it: Five stars in the baroque Taschenberg palace, opposite the Royal Palace and a step from the Zwinger, reopened after a renovation, with a spa and several restaurants.
Duration2 nights
Best timeApril – October · Advent
Budget€220–420 pp
Getting thereDirect train from Berlin, under 2 h
The plan
The plan, hour by hour
Designed to leave Berlin on Friday afternoon and return on Sunday night, by train. Saturday is for the old town and the Neustadt; Sunday, for the river. As the Green Vault is closed on Tuesdays and the picture gallery on Mondays, the weekend is a good time.
Friday
- 119:30Arrival and the Frauenkirche at night
Drop your case and walk over to Neumarkt square: the illuminated Frauenkirche is the first photo. Dinner at the Pulverturm, in the vaults next door, which on Friday is open until midnight.
Saturday
- 110:00The Frauenkirche dome
174 steps and a spiral ramp up to the viewpoint, at 67 metres, to see the city and, if it is clear, Saxon Switzerland.
- 211:30Green Vault
The treasure of Augustus the Strong in the Royal Palace, with a time slot bought online. Afterwards, the Brühl Terrace and the Procession of Princes on Augustusstraße.
- 313:30Lunch at the Sophienkeller
In the vaults of the Taschenbergpalais, opposite the Royal Palace. Saxon cooking.
- 415:30The Neustadt
Cross the Augustus Bridge, climb to Albertplatz and wander along Alaunstraße to the courtyards of the Kunsthofpassage. For a snack, the Pfund dairy, covered in painted tiles, is open on Saturday until 18:00. Dinner in the Neustadt, which at night is the liveliest district.
Sunday
- 110:00The Zwinger and its picture gallery
The Baroque courtyard and, in the Semperbau, the Old Masters. Two hours.
- 213:00Lunch and a steamer on the Elbe
Eat in the old town and go down to the Terrassenufer: line 72 tours the city from the river in an hour and a half.
- 316:30Back to Berlin
Train from the main station or from Dresden-Neustadt.
Dresden is less than two hours by train from Berlin: you can see it in a day, but two nights change it completely. You see the Frauenkirche lit up, enter the two big museums without rushing, spend an afternoon in the Neustadt, the young district across the Elbe, and on Sunday you board a paddle steamer. If you have energy to spare, Saxon Switzerland, with its sandstone towers, is less than an hour away by S-Bahn.
How do you get there?
By direct train from Berlin Hauptbahnhof, between an hour and three quarters and two hours. Get off at Dresden-Neustadt if you are sleeping north of the river, or at the main station if you are sleeping in the old town. By car it is about 190 km on the A13, about two hours, but in Dresden the car is unnecessary. From Spain, you fly to Berlin and continue by train.
What do you pay for and what is free?
| What | Price | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Climb to the Frauenkirche dome | €12, families €24 | 1 h |
| Historic Green Vault | €18, timed | 1 h |
| Old Masters Picture Gallery | €18 on the State Art Collections website | 2 h |
| Steamer on the Elbe, line 72 | From €15.50 | 1 h 30 |
| Brühl Terrace, Procession of Princes, Neustadt | Free | 3 h |
Where to sleep
If you want the centre on your doorstep, the Hotel Taschenbergpalais Kempinski, a Baroque palace opposite the Royal Palace. For spending little and going out at night, the Hostel Mondpalast, in the Neustadt. For something special and quiet, the castle of Schloss Eckberg, above the river, about four kilometres away.
And if you change Sunday
Swap the Zwinger and the boat for Saxon Switzerland: the S-Bahn S1 from the main station drops you at Rathen or Bad Schandau in under an hour, with the sandstone towers and viewpoints over the Elbe. Steamer line 61 also reaches Bad Schandau, more slowly.
Map
The stops, in order
What to do
Eat
88 €Stay
Services
Plan the trip
Dresden, step by step
Each choice narrows the next: the season shapes how best to travel, and how you travel decides where you stay and where you eat.
When to go
When to go to Dresden
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Best timeGood timeLow season
How you travel
The same break, your way
The plan stays the same. What changes is where you sleep, how you get there and how much you spend.
Dresden without a Car
Dresden can be done entirely without a car: the train from Berlin drops you 15 minutes' walk from the old town, and everything worth seeing is on foot, by tram or by boat. For Saxon Switzerland, the S1 S-Bahn.
70–220 €per person per day, approximate
- Where to sleepHotel Taschenbergpalais Kempinski, in the…
- Getting aroundDirect train from Berlin, less…
- Where to eatPulverturm, next to the Frauenkirche…
- ServicesDresden Hauptbahnhof
Where to sleep
- Hotel Taschenbergpalais Kempinski, in the old town
- Hostel Mondpalast, in the Neustadt
Getting around
- Direct train from Berlin, less than two hours
- Trams and a walk across Augustus Bridge between the two banks
- Paddle steamer on the Elbe
Where to eat
- Pulverturm, next to the Frauenkirche, every day except Wednesday
- Sophienkeller, beneath the Taschenbergpalais
- Pfunds Molkerei, in the Neustadt
Services
- Dresden Hauptbahnhof
- Dresden-Neustadt station
Fly to Berlin and Take the Train to Dresden
For Dresden the usual way is to fly to Berlin, with direct flights from Madrid, Barcelona and other Spanish cities, and continue by train: from Berlin Hauptbahnhof there are direct trains that take between an hour and three quarters and two hours. Dresden has its own airport, but with far fewer connections with Spain.
- Getting thereBerlin Brandenburg Airport (BER): FEX…
- Getting aroundOn foot through the old…
- Where to sleepHotel Taschenbergpalais Kempinski, opposite the…
- ServicesDresden Hauptbahnhof
Getting there
- Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER): FEX to Berlin Hauptbahnhof and a direct train to Dresden
- Get off at Dresden-Neustadt if you sleep north of the river, or at the main station if you sleep in the old town
Getting around
- On foot through the old town and the Neustadt
- Trams throughout the city
- Steamer on the Elbe and the S1 S-Bahn to Saxon Switzerland
Where to sleep
- Hotel Taschenbergpalais Kempinski, opposite the Royal Palace
- Hostel Mondpalast, in the Neustadt
Services
- Dresden Hauptbahnhof
- Dresden-Neustadt station
How much does it cost?
People2
Nights2
Where to stay
Where to stay without a carif you're flying
We show you what suits the way you travel.Change how you travel
Hotel Schloss Eckberg
Why we like it: A hotel in a small neo-Gothic castle on the Elbe slope, with a park, a terrace and a restaurant, on the outskirts of the Neustadt.
Hostel Mondpalast
Why we like it: A hostel in the Neustadt, Dresden's bar district, with rooms for one to ten beds decorated with zodiac signs, its own bar and made beds.
Services for this trip
Where to eat
Where to eat in Dresden
Pulverturm an der Frauenkirche
What to order: a Saxon dish from the menu in one of the vaulted rooms
Sophienkeller im Taschenbergpalais
What to order: a Saxon dish from the menu
Pfunds Molkerei
What to order: a cheese board with the buttermilk and mango shake
Tips
Worth knowing first
Local tip
Buy the timed Green Vault ticket online beforehand: it is the only thing that sells out.
We'd skip it
Monday-to-Tuesday getaways: the picture gallery is closed on Monday and the Green Vault on Tuesday.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take from Berlin to Dresden?
Between an hour and three quarters and two hours by direct train; about two hours by car on the A13.
Do I need to book anything?
The Green Vault, with a time slot. The rest is bought on arrival.
Is it worth sleeping in Dresden?
Yes: you see the city lit up, enter the two big museums unhurried and have an afternoon for the Neustadt.
Can I add Saxon Switzerland?
Yes, by changing Sunday: the S-Bahn S1 gets there in under an hour.