Things to do in

Meissen

Explore the picturesque Saxon Wine Route on a boat trip from Dresden to Meissen and back. On board the boat you can discover interesting facts about the cathedral town, the cozy wine taverns, and the wine villages in the region. Set off on the paddle steamer in the morning and reach Meissen at midday for a break of 3 hrs. Even from a distance you can discover the silhouette of the town characterized by its castle hill and surrounded by the hills in the Elbe Valley. In the town itself, you can visit the Albrechtsburg with its cathedral. Heading from the pier, simply take a right turn down under the bridge and you'll reach the castle after a 10-minute walk or by using the lift. Take a stroll through the town with its historical wall and visit the town museum or the porcelain factory. Meissen's Frauenkirche is also worth a visit. The church, built in the 15th century, is located in the center of the town, a few minutes walk from the Albrechtsburg. Ride on the paddle steamer back to Dresden and reach the city in the evening.

Explore the fascinating world of the famous MEISSEN porcelain factory and discover the various steps of porcelain production. Over centuries, the human hand has remained the main tool at the porcelain factory. The demonstration workshops invite you to experience how the famous MEISSEN porcelain takes shape before your very eyes. See close-up how cups are made and how many individual pieces make up a typical figurine. Observe the principal stages of the manufacturing process: molding and throwing, the crafting of figurines (“repairing”), and both underglaze and overglaze decorations.  The tour of the demonstration workshops is accompanied by an audio guide. The Museum of MEISSEN Art takes you on an enticing journey through 300 years of porcelain history. Numerous pieces from the year 1710 to the present day, drawn from the manufactory’s vast stocks, are displayed chronologically to illustrate design developments throughout the ages.

Experience a city tour through the lovingly restored old town of Meißen. Passing magnificent Renaissance town houses and old canons' courts, the route leads up to the Burgberg hill with the ensemble of Albrechtsburg Castle and Cathedral that can be seen from afar. History and stories are told personally and you get to know many hidden streets and corners. All guided tours also take place in bad weather. Appropriate clothing must be worn.

Discover the Saxon Wine Route on a Paddle Steamer boat tour. Start the tour in Dresden's old town and travel through the heart of the famous Saxon wine-growing region on the River Elbe. Travel past Radebeul and Meissen and see the famous Meissen Cathedral and the grand Albrechtsburg Castle. Around noon reach the charming wine villages of Diesbar and Seusslitz. After a short stop in each village, the steamer will return to Dresden.

Discover the vineyards of Saxony from the water after a day in Meissen. Take in the famous Saxon Wine Route as you sail by paddle boat to Dresden, with a stop in Radebeul, a town well-known for its viticulture. Enjoy a one-way trip that lets you explore more of Saxony during your vacation. After exploring Meissen, head to the pier to board the steamboat. Indulge in a relaxing trip along the Elbe River. Travel along the Saxon Wine Route, discovering the vineyards growing the grapes for famous Saxon wines. Listen to the onboard audio commentary as you sail to get more from your trip. Stop in Radebeul, where you can admire beautiful vineyards and half-timbered houses. Climb back on board to continue to Dresden. As you approach the city, marvel at the unique silhouette in the evening glow and the famous Canaletto view. On arrival, disembark to explore the Old Town.

Begin your tour at the Ratskeller Meißen, near the Altstadtbrücke. Meißen is famous for being the frist place in Europe where porcelain produced. So who better to show you around then the man who invented European hard porcelain, the alchemist, J.F. Böttger. Walk with your prestigious guide through Meißen, a town with a rich 1000-year old history. Stroll down the romantic streets. Climb to the top of the Cathedral. Enjoy phenomenal views of the city while you sip delicious local wine. As you explore the city, you’ll stop to taste 2 different wines. Return to Meißen’s old town and sit down for a 2-course meal at the Ratskeller restaurant. As you enjoy your food chat with “J.F. Böttger,” and ask him any questions you have about Meißen or his wonderful porcelain.

Explore the capital of Saxony the easy way with the Dresden Regio Card. Experience the culture and leisure, concerts and restaurants of the city. Take advantage of free travel on local buses, trams, and trains in Dresden and the surrounding area as well as discounts at museums and other tourist attractions such as bus tours, walking tours, concerts, theatre, gastronomy, and shopping. Choose between the Dresden Regio Card and the Regio Card Plus for individuals or families. Examples of discounts: Museums and exhibitions Dresden Transport Museum (- €1) Dresden City Museum (- €1) Carl-Maria-von-Weber-Museum (- €1) Schiller Pavilion (free) Asisi Panometer Dresden (-€1.50) Many more City tours Bus tour with 22 stops (- €2) Comedy Tour Dresden (- €7) Tour of the Semperoper Dresden (- €1.00) Tasty Dresden – Culinary Guided Tour (- €1) Walking tour of the Dresden Information (- €2) Concerts and theatre Herkuleskeule (-10%) Staatsschauspiel (-10%) Dresden Frauenkirche (-20%) Many more Leisure activities in Dresden Dresden Zoo (- €1) Dresden Suspension Railway (- €1.50) Dresden Frauenkirche Tower (- €2) Many more Leisure activities in the region Karl-May-Museum Radebeul (- €0.50) Wackerbarth Castle wine tour (-10%) Guided tour of Meissen (- €1.50) Radebeul–Radeburg railway (-50%) Kirnitzschtal tramway (-50%) Lessing Museum Kamenz (- €1.50) Many more You also receive discounts on dining options. You can also purchase the Dresden Regio Card Plus for 2 days. This includes additional discounts for the Dresden State Art Collections. Dresden Regio Card Plus Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister (- €10) Dresden Porcelain Collection (- €6) Royal Cabinet of Mathematical and Physical Instruments (- €6) New Green Vault (- €12) Turkish Chamber (- €12) Dresden Armory (- €12) Coin Cabinet (- €12) Collection of Prints, Drawings and Photographs (- €12) Hausmannsturm (- €12) Galerie Neue Meister (- €10) Sculpture Collection (- €10) Exhibition hall of the Lipsiusbau (- €5) Dresden Museum of Ethnology (free) Museum of Saxon Folk Art and Puppet Theatre Collection (- €5) Wine Experience World Meissen (-10%)

The City Game Box contains 11 sealed and numbered envelopes with puzzles that need to be solved. Guided by clear directions, make your way on foot through the porcelain city of Meissen. Solve the puzzles and let the clues lead you to the next destination. Each solved puzzle will yield a number that will tell you which envelope to open next. You will not know in advance what order the scavenger hunt city envelopes need to be opened in. The envelopes will also contain detailed background information of each attraction - its history, its current use and much more. Decide for yourself when to start your Scavenger Hunt City Tour and how much time to spend at each location. Embark on an enigmatic and extraordinary tour and take a break from your City Game whenever you feel like it, or even continue your scavenger hunt on a different day – it’s completely up to you. The game will take you first to the romantic Old Town of Meissen with its many beautifully restored buildings. From Heinrichsplatz with its former Franciscan church, move on to the Market Square. The main attractions here will be the Meissen City Hall, the Bennohaus and the Bahrmann brewery. Climb to the top the tower of Meissen Frauenkirche, from where you will be able to enjoy wonderful views over Meissen and the Elbe Valley. On your tour through Meissen, you will also discover the Burgberg (Castle Hill) with the cathedral and Albrechtsburg Castle. If you have some spare time on your hands, these sights are definitely worth visiting inside. Not to be missed on your tour through Meissen will be the Meissen Porcelain Manufactory, where the famous porcelain is still produced today. A tour of the manufactory is much recommended. You will also have the opportunity to purchase porcelain here. No need to schedule your Scavenger Hunt City Tour for a certain date, simply order the City Game Box and have it delivered to your home, or make an appointment to pick it up in Dresden within the opening hours and you’re good to go.

Discover Meissen, the small Saxon town that’s barely changed in the last 500 years. On this walking tour, you’ll see the Old Town which was founded by Germans in 929, and many of its historical landmarks including Albrechtsburg Castle, the gothic-style Meissen Cathedral, and Torhaus (Castle Gate). You’ll start this tour in Marktplatz, the renaissance Market Square. As you walk down its narrow alleys and laneways, you’ll get a feeling for what life must have been like throughout the centuries. There’s a bit of a climb up to the castle, but the view over the Elbe River and surrounding valley is worth every step! After taking in the magnificent cathedral and castle, you’ll go down Afrastufen (Afra Steps) and Frauenstufen (Women’s Steps) and back into Historische Altstadt (the historical Old Town). There, I’ll show you the 16th-century Franciscan Monastery, today the Stadtmuseum Meissein (City Museum). I’ll also tell you all about Meissen porcelain, why it’’s so famous and what makes it so expensive. Along the way, you’ll have a chance to: • Climb up and down the town’s hills using 1,000-year old steps • Hear the story of how drunken postal carriers led to the invention of Meissen’s famous Fummel Cake, and find out where in Fummelplatz (Fummel Square) you can try one! • Find out how the Germans expanded their territory by crossing the Elbe River right here in the early 10th century • Cross over Schloßbrücke, a stone bridge that’s even older than Prague’s famous Charles Bridge • Discover the best spots for taking great pictures (and having an iced coffee at the same time) • Take in Germany’s first fairy tale castle • Slide through the castle’s halls in felt slippers • See where and how knights used to live during the middle ages • Bite into local fare at one of Germany’s oldest restaurants, the 15th century Ratskeller By the end of this 60-minute tour of Meissen, you’ll feel like you’ve stepped back in time, and have plenty of pictures to remember the experience.

Dressed in historic bourgeois garb, the so called Bürgerfrau (bourgeois lady) takes you through the city centre’s romantic laneways, recounting interesting facts and amusing anecdotes from Meissen’s past. As such, you’ll experience first-hand all the laneway gossip, history and, of course, stories. Get ready, because the Bürgerfrau will have a few surprises in store for you. This tour is particularly delightful when taken in the evening, though it can also run at any other time of the day. Start: Tourist-Information at the market End: Castle hill