Planning to visit to Dresden for a few days in December before Christmas- likely 3-4 nights. We would visit the Christmas markets and some other sights in town, but I'm also interested in a daytrip to a market in a smaller town- any recommendations? Bautzen, Meissen, and Gorlitz look like pretty towns- has anyone been? We'll be driving to Poland after so any recommendations for stops between Dresden and Warsaw would also be welcome, both stretch-your-legs type of stops and overnights (besides Wroclaw). Saxon-Switzerland National Park is on my shortlist if the weather is decent but that's a big if in December!
Posted by
Schwerin
3986 posts
Have a look at Moritzburg Castle and its small lighthouse.
Remember shorter daylight period of December days.
Posted by
Vancouver, WA
561 posts
We visited this area in December 2023. Visited markets (and other sights) in all the towns you mentioned; of those Görlitz was our favorite. On the same trip we took a day trip to Boleslawiec, Poland and visited the pottery shops.
Posted by
Munich
892 posts
Saxon-Switzerland National Park is on my shortlist if the weather is decent
I can imagine it's very beautiful there, especially in winter. At least a stroll along the Bastei Bridge would definitely be worthwhile.
Friends have told me they really enjoyed this Christmas market in Saxon Switzerland: https://www.festung-koenigstein.de/en/historic-romantic-christmas-market-koenigstein-fortress.html
Posted by
Washington DC
29211 posts
I agree about Goerlitz; it's lovely. It's one of the places in Germany that escaped significant WWII damage--if you don't count being split between two countries when Poland's boundaries were shifted westward after the war. When I was last in the area (2018), the Polish part of town (Zgorzelec) still looked pretty bedraggled. In the immediate aftermath of reunification, the German side of town had a lot more money for restoration work. Perhaps things are looking up in Zgorzelec by now.
Posted by
Oberpfalz, Germany
1507 posts
Annaberg-Buchholz has a nice small market. Plenty of shops for Schwibbogen, Nussknacker, Räuchermann, Wichtel etc. from/in the Erzgebirge. Maybe you have luck and a little snow? Glückauf!
https://www.annaberg-buchholz.de/
Posted by
California
188 posts
A couple of years ago we did a day trip from Dresden to Seiffen. It was fantastic! It is called to toy village and is lined with shops selling the best quality hand made wooden Christmas items. It is where the nutcracker was invented, and you can see some being made. Having a car is best to get there however.
In Poland the Christmas market at Wrocław was one of our all times favorites, right up there with Dresden. Be sure to buy a Dresden stollen to take home and enjoy on Christmas! BTW we needed cash in Dresden and Wrocław, not every vendor would accept credit.
Posted by
100 posts
With only three nights you will NOT have enough time for a day trip. That's only two full days and you won't be able to see all the main sights plus some Christmas markets in Dresden alone.
Stay four nights and you could do a day trip - but the decision is hard to make. I am inclined to vote for Saxon Switzerland during the day and from the afternoon on Fortress Königstein (link see a previous post). However, the tickets for the latter are limited and must be booked in advance (since last year.)
If not Saxon Switzerland then Freiberg gets my vote if you want a nearby town (a half hour by train) and Annaberg-Buchholz or Seiffen or a combination of both if you get an early start and don't mind driving a couple of hours that day.
Görlitz would be perfect for a stopover between Dresden and Wroclaw.
Posted by
OP
67 posts
Off to research all the suggestions- thank you! I’m really intrigued by the Königstein Fortress and market there, that looks amazing. To clarify, we have 5 nights to play with, so I was unsure whether to allocate 3 to Dresden and the remaining 2 along the way to Poland, but I’m leaning towards 4 in Dresden and 1 in Gorlitz so that we can properly see Dresden and fit in one of these fantastic day trips!
Posted by
Washington DC
29211 posts
In Dresden itself, the Historic Green Vault should be booked a bit ahead of time if you're interested in seeing it.
Posted by
Germany
714 posts
Going to add that for a stop you might consider Bad Muskau (it's slightly out of the way, but it can be combined with a brief stop a the Rakotzbrücke, the one where the reflection makes the perfect circle). I've been in the summer, but I'd imagine Prince Pückler's castle is gussied up at Christmas.
Posted by
Munich
892 posts
Rakotzbrücke
Oh yes this is amazing. A photographer's dream.
Posted by
100 posts
Rakotzbrücke
Oh yes this is amazing. A photographer's dream.
Not in winter. You rarely get the reflection in the pond for the full circle.
The park and palace Bad Muskau would be a disappointment, too. Not worth the detour IMO.
Posted by
Munich
892 posts
Not in winter. You rarely get the reflection in the pond for the full circle.
Ah, see :-) Thanks
Posted by
Germany
714 posts
We were there in October, and both were stunning.
Posted by
100 posts
oh yeah, October is fantastic, especially with the foliage. December is a totally different story, though.