Do yourself a favor and stay at the Villatoro Hotel, just over the bridge in Zgorzelec ("score-zelig"). It's a gorgeous stone villa with marble floors and floor-to-ceiling windows and massive modern marble bathrooms with all the creature comforts. There are grounds and balconies and a spacious dining areas with coves and a grand piano. In addition, the breakfast is nothing short of extraordinary. (When the chef is in residence, you can eat a gourmet evening meal there, too.) All of this for about US $85. Anywhere else in the world, you'd easily pay 4 times that amount. As pointed out elsewhere in this forum, there is no border control there. Just stroll across the Stadtpark bridge from Germany to Poland, take the first right onto Wolnosci Street and walk one block. The hotel is opposite a modest city park. Staff speaks English (and German and Polish). And while you're there, ask for directions to Deliszys Restaurant--two blocks away.
Posted by
Southeast US
4046 posts
Thanks for the recommendation! Görlitz is on my list of places to visit, and when I make it there, I will look into this hotel.
Posted by
Columbus, OH, USA
2090 posts
We really enjoyed our day trip from Dresden and found prices much cheaper on the Polish side. I’m not a film buff but many movies were shot in the town; FilmFanTravel.com describes a walking tour you might enjoy. I did see the comedy-drama The Grand Budapest Hotel which I thought was very good. Safe travels.
Posted by
WA State
3961 posts
Thanks for sharing your wonderful experience at the hotel & restaurant across the bridge. An area yet to explore! In addition to the filming of Grand Budapest Hotel, I understand the 1978 film “Glorious Bastards” and 2013 “The Book Thief” sequences were also filmed there.
Posted by
Columbus, OH, USA
2090 posts
Yes Janis, those films were some of the movies shot in what is now referred to as Görliwood…in 2017 the town was named European Film Location of the Decade, pretty cool and a testament to its architectural variety and beauty. And if that’s not enough, it’s also just about 50km east of Bautzen, the mustard capital of Germany.
Posted by
Washington DC
28128 posts
The Silesian Pottery Market, which I believe in normal times is an annual event in Goerlitz, will be held July 16-17 next year (2022). I made a side-trip to Goerlitz in 2018 to attend that year's market, which I really enjoyed. The market was held outdoors. It appeared to cause a run on local hotel rooms.
Goerlitz has a very, very large number of lovely buildings. It's worth at least one night if you enjoy architecture.
Posted by
WA State
3961 posts
Thanks Denny- appreciate your reference to the nearby “Mustard capital of the world!”
Acraven- The pottery market sounds great as well. Thanks.
Edited I enjoy architecture and saw a photo of the Art Deco Synagogue.
Edited
https://www.jta.org/2021/07/13/global/in-a-german-city-with-30-jews-a-restored-art-deco-synagogue-will-house-interfaith-efforts/amp
Posted by
Germany
1117 posts
And if that’s not enough, it’s also just about 50km east of Bautzen,
the mustard capital of Germany.
Interesting you should say that. The different perspectives on places keep fascinating me. When we hear "Bautzen", we hear "prison".
Posted by
Columbus, OH, USA
2090 posts
Anna, that is indeed fascinating. I had no idea. Interesting that whatever source it was, I learned something about mustard but not a word of its infamous past.
Posted by
Germany
1117 posts
Yeah, for us the name of that town is virtually synonymous with the prison.
Not that the Bautzeners will be happy about that fact.