I love a city like Dresden: full of world class museums, with a top-notch venue for live performances (a ballet, in my case,) a compact and very walkable Old Town, interesting options for day trips, and during my visit in early October, not over-crowded, with lovely fall weather – not so hot that you melt, not so cold that you shiver, just right! Among tourists, I heard very little English – I heard/noticed mostly German and Asian visitors.
My girlfriend who I met decades ago when I lived in London joined me on Day 2 in Dresden. A very well-traveled person, she wondered why I would want to go there. As Allies, our countries had bombed the heck out of the place. She imagined it still in ruins, as much of it had been for decades during Communist Rule. Instead we saw the beautiful restorations of the Frauenkirche, which had been in ruins until after the fall of communism; the palaces and museums of the Old Town and the Semperoper, the amazing churches and the beautiful Neumarkt historic area, which had been finished as recently as 2018.
Near the end of our trip she said she was sorry to leave, and was surprised how lovely Dresden is! As was I, on both counts. I spent 3.5 days in Dresden and just saw the highlights, plus a day trip to Schloss Pillnitz. I could easily have spent another few days. I didn't even make it to the New Town across the river, except for a dinner one evening.