Dresden off the beaten path: unique tips outside the Old Town

The main highlights of Dresden are located in the Altstadt. That is why many visitors stay mainly in this part of the city. If you cross the Elbe, you enter a completely different world: the Neustadt.

At the end of the GDR, a large part of this district was in poor condition. Many historic houses were neglected, and there were plans to demolish large sections of the neighborhood and replace them with new construction. In 1989, residents decided to oppose this. They founded a citizens' initiative and ultimately managed to prevent the character of the neighborhood from disappearing.

After German reunification, the Neustadt slowly began to change. Old buildings were renovated, and artists, students, and creative entrepreneurs moved to the district. This is still reflected in the streetscape today. When you wander around this part of Dresden, you notice a completely different atmosphere than in the historic center.

One of the most striking features of the Neustadt is the street art.. Entire facades have been painted, and colorful murals are popping up in many streets. Some artworks have been part of the streetscape for years, while others disappear and make way for new work.

Don't just walk along the main streets, but turn into a side street every now and then. It is precisely there that you often find the most remarkable works, such as the Kunsthofpassage. The street art gives the neighborhood a creative and alternative vibe that contrasts sharply with the Baroque Old Town.

If you would like more background on the artworks, you can join a street art tour through the Neustadt. During such a walk, you will receive explanations about the artists and the stories behind the murals. Of course, you can also easily go exploring on your own. You can find maps on various websites showing many of the most famous artworks.

Incidentally, the Neustadt is not the only place in Dresden where you can see street art. You regularly come across colorful murals and graffiti in other parts of the city as well.

In the Neustadt you will find unique shops. One of the most striking is without a doubt Pfunds Molkerei. This dairy shop was opened in 1892 by the Pfund brothers and has since grown into a popular attraction. Pfunds Molkerei is even listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the most beautiful dairy shop in the world. As soon as you step inside, you immediately understand why. The entire interior is clad in hand-painted tiles by Villeroy & Boch. The tiles feature all kinds of decorative and fairytale motifs, making the shop feel almost like a small museum.

Nevertheless, Pfunds Molkerei is still a regular shop where locals buy their products. You can also go there for a glass of fresh milk, buttermilk, a cheese platter, or other delicacies. If you want to quietly enjoy the interior, order something. That will give you plenty of time to fully appreciate the surroundings. And if you want to take photos, please ask the staff for permission and be considerate of other visitors.

If you are interested in the history of the GDR, then a visit to Gedenkstätte Bautzner Straße An impressive experience. For years, the Stasi maintained a prison in this building where people who opposed the regime or were suspected of doing so were detained.

During a visit to the prison, you walk through original cells, interrogation rooms, and corridors where prisoners were held and interrogated under harsh conditions. Many people were imprisoned here for months or even years. Psychological pressure played a major role in this. For example, the Stasi tried to keep prisoners awake as long as possible or to pressure them by endangering their families and jobs.

When I visited the former prison, I was given a tour by a former prisoner who had been incarcerated here for years himself. It is through his personal story that you truly get a picture of what took place in this building.

It is not a cheerful place to visit, but it is one of the most impressive places in Dresden if you want to understand more about GDR history.

It is a special place Panometer Dresden. From the outside, it looks like a large, round industrial hall, but inside, an impressive art installation awaits. The Panometer is housed in a former gas holder and is used for gigantic panoramic artworks by the artist. Yadegar Asisi.

The concept is unique. In the enormous circular space hangs a panoramic image that wraps completely around you. Through light, sound, and small details, it seems as if the scene slowly comes to life. You literally stand in the middle of the artwork and look 360 degrees around you.

The exhibition changes regularly. When I was here, you could see a panorama of Dresden before the destruction of the Second World War. It gave an impressive picture of what the city once looked like. At the time of writing, you can view a panorama of the Amazon region here, and an exhibition about the Great Barrier Reef is planned for later this year.

What makes the Panometer so special is the scale. The panoramas are tens of meters high and contain thousands of small details. That is why it is nice to linger here a little longer.

If you want to escape the hustle and bustle of the city for a while, you can go to the outskirts of Dresden in the Dresden Heath. Despite the name, this is not a heathland as we know it in the Netherlands, but a vast forest. The Dresdner Heide lies north of the city and is one of the largest urban forests in Europe. Dozens of walking and cycling paths run through the area, making it easy to wander around here for a few hours without noticing the city at all.

During a walk, you pass clearings, small streams, and long avenues that were once laid out for hunting by the Saxon princes. Occasionally, you pass an old hunting lodge or a small forest inn where you can have a drink.

On the banks of the Elbe, on the east side of Dresden, lies Pillnitz Castle. This former summer palace of the Saxon electors and kings is located about ten kilometers from the center and makes for one of the most beautiful excursions in the area surrounding the city.

The palace was expanded in the 18th century by Elector Augustus the Strong. He had the complex converted into a summer residence where the court could stay and where grand parties and receptions were organized. The unique feature of Schloss Pillnitz is its architecture. The buildings combine Baroque elements with Asian influences, which was very fashionable at the time.

Surrounding the palace is a large park with various gardens and avenues. Here you can take a peaceful stroll along the Elbe, through the formal gardens, or past the historic buildings. The park also features a special botanical attraction: a Japanese camellia which is already more than 250 years old. This tree usually blooms between February and April and attracts many visitors during that period.

Pillnitz Castle is much quieter than the Old Town. Therefore, it is a nice place to escape the hustle and bustle of the city for a while and at the same time get a taste of Saxon history.

A special activity in Dresden is attending a match of Dynamo Dresden. During the GDR era, Dynamo Dresden was an absolute top club. After German reunification, the club faced financial problems and was relegated to the Regionalliga. The club played in the Bundesliga for the last time in 1995. Nowadays, Dynamo Dresden regularly alternates between the 2. Liga and the 3. Liga.

Despite those sporting fluctuations, the club has a particularly loyal and fanatical fanbase. The stadium is full for almost every home game, and supporters regularly devise impressive displays of support. The K-Block, in particular, is known as the most fanatical part of the stadium. The atmosphere created there is impressive and unlike that of many other stadiums.

I have personally attended two Dynamo Dresden matches by now. Even if you are not a big football fan, it is worth having this experience.

Try to plan your visit to Dresden so that a home game is being played. You can buy tickets online in advance. On the match day itself, tickets are sometimes still available at the stadium, but it is common for matches to be sold out.

A special way to see Dresden from above is a ride on the Dresden Suspension Railway. This historic cable car is located in the neighborhood Loschwitz, on the east side of Dresden. Nearby you will also find the famous Standseilbahn, a cable car that also goes up the hill.

The Schwebebahn takes you up to the higher districts in a few minutes. The system was built in the early 20th century and is one of the oldest suspension railways in the world. Once at the top, you have a beautiful view of the Elbe and the famous bridge. Blue wonder. From here, you can also take a walk through the quiet villa districts on the slopes above the river. In this neighborhood, there are many old houses and gardens that show how popular this area once was among the wealthy inhabitants of Dresden.

A ride on the Schwebebahn doesn't take too long, but it is a fun way to discover a lesser-known part of the city.

It might be somewhat unusual to suggest a cemetery as a tip, but the Johannisfriedhof is a special place to visit. This cemetery is located in the neighborhood Tolkewitz and was once even declared the most beautiful cemetery in Germany.

The Johannisfriedhof was laid out in 1881 and covers an area of ​​approximately 28 hectares, making it one of the largest cemeteries in Dresden. The grounds contain more than 40.000 graves. During a walk through the cemetery, you see impressive historical grave monuments, mausoleums, and old family tombs that are often richly decorated. The wide avenues, old trees, and carefully maintained burial grounds create a peaceful and almost park-like atmosphere. Some monuments look more like small works of art than gravestones.

Even if you wouldn't normally visit a cemetery, Johannisfriedhof is an interesting place to wander around. It offers a completely different perspective on the city's history and shows how wealthy the bourgeoisie of Dresden was at the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century.

Every time I go to Dresden, my mother asks if I also Haselbauer Ice go eat. She lived in Dresden and still remembers the ice cream from her childhood.

Haselbauer Eis has a long history. The Haselbauer family was already making ice cream and pastries in Leipzig in the 19th century. After the Second World War, the ice cream also came to Dresden. The Haselbauer family sold their ice cream especially at the Vogelwiese, a large folk festival at the zoo. It quickly became popular among the city's inhabitants. Many residents still remember the long lines for an ice cream made according to an old family recipe. The ice cream was known for its creamy texture and was often described as “Eis wie Sahne” (ice cream like cream). You can compare it a bit to soft serve, but firmer.

Nowadays, the ice cream is still made according to traditional recipes by a new generation of the family. Until 2025, you could get the ice cream in the Altstadt, but today the Original Eisbar has moved to the Zwinglistraße in the Gruna district.

Dresden is a city where you can go in any culinary direction. From traditional Saxon dishes to international cuisines. The city now boasts four Michelin-starred restaurants, and it is highly likely that more will follow in the future. Dresden is therefore also an interesting destination for lovers of good food.

Personally, I get most happy from simple, traditional dishes. No complicated fine dining, but food like my grandmother used to make it. For dishes like that, you can go to Oma's Inn, a restaurant on Cossebauder Straße.

The menu features classic German and East German dishes such as macaroni with goulash, Grützwurst with sauerkraut, fried liver, Königsberger Klopse, or a schnitzel. For dessert, you can choose Kalter Hund or Quarkkeulchen, for example—dishes that many people still remember from the GDR era. The atmosphere also fits the concept perfectly. It feels like you are sitting at a table in someone's home. The interior is furnished with furniture and objects from bygone eras, including an old television and other nostalgic details.

Gaststätte Oma is not a tourist hotspot, but primarily a place where locals come to eat. The portions are generous and the prices are very reasonable. If you are looking for traditional German cuisine without frills, you have come to the right place.

There is much to discover not only in the city itself. There are also several interesting places in the area surrounding Dresden that you can easily visit as a day trip. A few great examples are:

• Castle Moritzburg – a Baroque hunting lodge in the middle of a pond landscape that became famous through the fairy tale film Drei Haselnüsse für Aschenbrödel.
• Castle Wackerbarth – a historic wine estate where you can taste Saxon wine and Sekt among the vineyards.
• Königstein Fortress – an impressive fort high above the Elbe in the Sächsische Schweiz National Park.
• meissen – a charming town on the Elbe that is known worldwide for its porcelain and medieval center.
• Pirna – a small town with a beautiful historic market square and a perfect base for the Saxon Switzerland.

Dresden's Old Town is undoubtedly impressive. But anyone who gets to know the city a little soon realizes that there is much more to discover. Just outside the historic center, you come across places that reveal a completely different side of Dresden. And that is precisely why I love returning there time and again.

Are you visiting Dresden for the first time? In my comprehensive guide with tips for a city trip to Dresden, you will find all the important sights, practical tips, and experiences for a visit to the city.