Day stop in Leipzig...questions...

In 2013 we did a day trip to Leipzig from Berlin and really enoyed it. We took in St. Thomas Church, Bach Museum, St. Nikolas Church, Mendelssohn's house, and the market square. Since there was a festival going on, we too in about 1-1/2 hours of folk music and dancing. If I had known that Schumann's house was there, I'd have done that, too. Everything is within walking distance. Looking forward to returning and staying a night or two.

Living in So Cal all my life, I feel much safer in Berlin than many parts of greater L.A. Last summer went to a dinner and concert at Charlottenburg Palace and had a wonderful time. There's so much to see and do in Berlin . . .have a blast!

Have a look at Leipziger Notenspur/Leipzig Music trail https://www.notenspur-leipzig.de/en.html
At Berlin Hauptbahnhof (main station) take any S-Bahn (green S) going eastwards via Alexanderplatz. No matter what the terminus of the S-Bahn is Alexanderplatz will be indicated. Alexanderplatz is the 3rd stop.
Change there to the U 8 (subway) in the direction of Wittenau. Rosenthaler Platz is the 2nd stop.
Any big US city is more dangerous than Berlin. But beware of pickpockets especially when standing in front of a ticket machine.

All the places in Leipzig are in walking distance, and taxis might be not much use since much of the city centre is pedestrianised.

I did something very similar last summer (although all a day trip to and from Berlin, where I was staying). It's totally worth it. Everything you're listing is doable. I will say that as a fellow musician, there's not much to see at the Schumann house, and it's a bit of a schlep. Also, I found the Bach museum to be a bit of a let down, since it's mostly focused on the musical novice, and basically everything that was in the museum was common knowledge to any Classical musician. It makes sense that it would be that way, but just a heads up. I would buy tickets now to lock in the price. Arriving at that time in Berlin should be no problem. There will be tons of people around. Have fun!!

Hi,

Taking a day trip from Dresden is logistically very doable, take the ICE. Leipzig is gem for satisfying one's music interest, the houses/museums of Bach, Lizst, Wagner, Mendelsohn, and Schumann are there.

If you want to take a day trip to Dresden, the house of Carl Maria von Weber, Beethoven's contemporary and of "Der Freischütz" fame is located in Dresden-Holsterwitz.

On Rosenthaler Straße (beyond Berlin-Alexanderplatz) is the place of importance if you're into Prussian history, the Prussian military cemetery is located there, one of the very oldest in Berlin, tracked it down especially a few years ago. The graves and plaques go back to the 18th century....enlightening. .

Getting back to Berlin Hbf at 20:30 is fine, the station is patrolled by both police and "DB Sicherheit" personal. I 've been there numerous times solo at that time, usually taking the S-Bahn going west.

Thanks everybody!
@Fred, I keep seeing you list Wagner and Liszt's homes/museums but I can't find anything in Leipzig for these two. Do you have any links? Thanks much!

There is a ton to see in Leipzig. If you are sticking with the music sites, they are nearly all within walking distance. Leipzig's contribution to the fall of the DDR creates some interesting places to see, too. An excellent guide for the city is Gisa Schönfeld, listed in the Leipzig section of Rick's Germany guide. She is an enthusiastic native who proudly shows off her city. Some friends and I spent 5 hours with her one day and really enjoyed it. We asked her to show us a few things related to the Monday Demonstrations and to show us "what's cool about your city." She did not disappoint. She knows the city well and would be able to construct any type of tour you might want.

@ Linda...I thought I had read in Rough Guide or Let's Go a reference made to Leipzig that connected Liszt and Wagner to that city, I checked and it wasn't there, can't recall where I read that, if at all, and I just may be wrong in associating Leipzig with these two composers, unless I find evidence to the contrary. Sorry for the misinformation.

About "missing anything else major in Leipzig": There is an important historical site, should you have any spare time and the keen desire to see this place, ie, the giant Prussian monument dedicated to the defeat of Napoleon when four Allied armies converged on Leipzig in 1813 to face Napoleon and inflicted after three days a decisive defeat on him.

This is the Völkerschlachtdenkmal, the monument the Germans called the Battle of the Nations, which in anglophone historiography is known as the "Battle of Leipzig." A museum is close by showing the realia, a panorama of the battle, and on display the famous painting showing the meeting of the three victorious Allied monarchs; the same painting you can see in Vienna and Berlin too.
.

...am I missing anything else major in Leipzig (I'm sure I am!)?

Well, yes, but you don't have enough time anyway... ;-)
The zoo is very good, and there is Auerbachs Keller, connected to Goethe and Faust.

am I missing anything else major in Leipzig (I'm sure I am!)?

The Stasi Museum -- See the Stasi headquarters. It's a chilling & absolutely fascinating experience you won't forget.

I've never been to Berlin (or any of the other above) and am from Los
Angeles, so it's not going to be weird arriving at the Berlin main
train station at 8:30 pm, right? I've traveled all over Europe by
myself but don't know Berlin. I assume it's fine, ja? I'm staying near
Rosenthaler Platz, if that helps...

I've traveled to Berlin solo and LOVED it. Make time to see Berlin.

It's hard to plan this in advance (but try their German website), but we were lucky enough to be in the Thomaskirche during a daytime choral rehearsal, which I think was of a Bach cantata. The fall of the DDR and music overlap, in the late (NY Philharmonic's) conductor Kurt Masur's activities, centered on the St. Nicholas' church in Leipzig. We found a tourist tour of the Gewandhaus, but very limited hour and day choices. If you know anything about classical music, you don't care what language the tour is in. We were glad we ate at the (previously mentioned) Keller restaurant. You can do your Stasi duty in many other cities, it doesn't have to be Leipzig with limited time. Or watch "The Lives of Others".

I would say that one of the values of the Bach museum is the manuscripts. It would seem a little dull to those not in awe of the Bach family. Leipzig has a superb art museum, with a big collection of the New Leipzig School, an appealing Social Magical Realism idea that's under-represented in America. But I think a Neo Rauch exhibition is coming up in the U.S. . Do you have time for Weimar? It's worth an overnight, and crosses the path of Bach, as well as Bauhaus and Goethe.

Berlin is a bustling city at all hours. I wouldn't worry about railroad safety at any hour. Lost in maze of nightclubs, well maybe, but I don't stay out that late. And such a maze would also be bustling. So if you can stand up without help, you'll be fine.