Dresden, Germany

1. Canaletto’s View

Canaletto’s View preserves the view depicted in famed 18th-century painter Canaletto's masterpiece "Dresden from the Right Bank of the Elbe Below the Augustus Bridge," painted in 1748. The masterpiece is known for its gorgeous depiction of Dresden's skyline, immortalized by the landscape painter whose real name was Bernardo Bellotto. Visitors can reach the view by crossing the river Elbe at the Augustusbrücke and turning immediately left, where they will find a metal image frame depicting the spot of the painting's completion in front of the Hotel Bellevue. Several buildings depicted in the painting can be seen today, including the city's 1743 Frauenkirche and Katholische Hofkirche churches.

2. Dresden Castle

Dresden Castle, also known as the Dresden Royal Palace, is one of the city's oldest existing buildings, formerly serving as the home of the electors and kings of Saxony of the Albertine line between 1547 and 1918. It is believed to have been originally constructed in the 14th century and was reconstructed in 1701 by Augustus the Strong following its destruction by fire. Today, it is widely renowned for its blend of architectural styles, ranging from Baroque to Neo-Renaissance architecture. Ongoing restorations aim to return the castle to its historic state following bombings during World War II. Five museum sections are open to the public, including the Historic Green and New Green Vaults, the Collection of Prints, Drawings, and Photographs, the Numismatic Cabinet, and the Dresden Armory.

Taschenberg 2, 01067 Dresden, Germany, Phone: +49-351-49-14-20-00

3. International Dixieland Festival Dresden

International Dixieland Festival Dresden is Germany's oldest old-time jazz festival, originally founded in 1971. The event, which takes place over eight days and seven nights in late May each year, draws around half a million fans each year, known as a fixture on Europe's historic jazz scene. One of its most renowned highlights is the river Elbe's riverboat shuffle, which draws the world's oldest and largest fleet of paddle steamboats to the river and invites festivalgoers aboard its makeshift floating stage for live musical performances. Music is showcased throughout the city during the entire event, with a focus on old-time jazz performances. At the end of the event, the festival's famed Dixieland Parade concludes the festivities with a farewell jazz session.

4. Semperoper Dresden

Semperoper Dresden is the official opera house of Dresden's Saxon State Opera and Saxon State Orchestra, also serving as the official home of the Semperoper Ballett. The opera house was originally designed in 1841 by architect Gottfried Semper, reconstructed in 1878 following a fire in 1869 and featuring Renaissance, Baroque, and Greek Classical Revival-style elements that add to its reputation as one of Europe's most beautiful opera houses.. It overlooks the beautiful Elbe River within the city's historic city center, known for its extensive history of premieres of major works by composers such as Richard Strauss and Richard Wagner. Visitors can enjoy a full slate of seasonal performances or explore the opera house as part of guided architecture and history tours throughout the week.

Theaterplatz 2, 01067 Dresden, Germany

5. The Zwinger Palace

The Zwinger Palace is one of Dresden's most renowned landmarks, originally commissioned in the Baroque architectural style by Augustus the Strong and designed by architect Matthäus Daniel Pöppelmann. It is named for the German word for an enclosed killing ground and originally served as the orangery, festival arena, and exhibition gallery for the Dresden Court. Today, it is operated as a museum complex housing facilities such as the Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister Old Masters Picture Gallery, the Dresden Porcelain Collection, and the Mathematisch-Physikalischer Salon. Other historic features include the complex's Kronentor, or "Crown Gate," Baroque-style gate and its nearly-symmetrical Glockenspielpavilion.

Sophienstraße, 01067 Dresden, Germany, Phone: +49-351-49-14-20-00

6. The Albertinum

The Albertinum is one of Dresden's premiere modern art museums, housed within a beautiful Renaissance Revival-style building on Brühl's Terrace in the city's historic center. The museum, which is named in honor of historic ruler King Albert of Saxony, was erected between 1884 and 1887, designed by master builder Carl Adolf Canzler. It houses the official Sculpture Collection and New Masters Gallery of the Dresden State Art Collections, highlighting beautiful master paintings and sculptures from the Romantic period to the present day. Paintings and sculptures include recognizable pieces by Auguste Rodin, Caspar David Friedrich, and Ludwig Richter, displayed on three floors of exhibition galleries.

Tzschirnerpl. 2, 01067 Dresden, Germany, Phone: +49-351-49-14-20-00

7. The Striezelmarkt

The Striezelmarkt is one of Germany's oldest traditional Christmas markets, originally founded as a one-day event during the holiday season of 1434. As one of the world's oldest Christmas markets, the market has been in constant operation for nearly 600 years, attracting more than three million visitors each year. The market operates throughout the Advent season each year, named after the German strüzel cake variety and hosting 240 vendors selling holiday goods such as wooden ornaments, candle pyramids, schwibbogen candle holders, nutcrackers, and Räuchermann "smoking man" ornaments. Visitors can enjoy delicious food and drink specialties such as pflaumentoffel prunes, Pulsnitzer gingerbread cake, and glühwein mulled spiced wine. Activities hosted throughout the market include a puppet theater, a bakery, and a children's carousel.

01067 Dresden, Germany

8. The Grand Garden of Dresden

The Grand Garden of Dresden, known as the Großer Garden in German, is a gorgeous Baroque-style park in Dresden's city center, originally commissioned in 1676 by John George III, Elector of Saxony, and opened as a public garden space in 1814. The beautiful 1.8-kilometer park is known for its lovely symmetrical pathways and major attractions such as the Dresden Zoo and Dresden Botanical Garden. In the center of the park, visitors can view the beautiful Sommerpalais, which showcases Renaissance-style architecture. 1,5000 garden sculptures are showcased throughout the park, in landscaped sections such as a pheasant garden. Other attractions include Volkswagen's Transparent Factory and the miniature Parkeisenbahn, which operates from April through October.

Hauptallee 10, 01219 Dresden, Germany, Phone: +49-35-14-45-66-00

9. The Dresden Palace of Culture

The Dresden Palace of Culture, known as the Kulturpalast in German, is a modernist-style palace in Dresden that was opened in 1969 by the East German government. Since its reopening in 2017, it has been primarily used for presenting music performances throughout the year, serving as a new cultural center for the capital city. Excellent acoustics and beautiful distinctive architecture make the concert hall a first choice for regional orchestras and performers, including internationally-renowned artists. The popular Die Herkuleskeule cabaret is hosted at the Kulturpalast throughout the year, presenting lively, eclectic performances. Other attractions include a municipal central library which is open to the public, housing extensive literature collections.

Schloßstraße 2, 01067 Dresden, Germany, Phone: +49-35-14-86-68-66

10. The Bundeswehr Military History Museum

The Bundeswehr Military History Museum , known in German as the Militärhistorisches Museum der Bundeswehr, is one of Germany's premiere military history museums, serving as the official military museum for the German Armed Forces known as the Bundeswehr. It is housed within a former military arsenal in Albertstadt, which was originally constructed between 1873 and 1876 and opened to the public in 1897 as a museum. In 2011, the museum was fully renovated and reopened, showcasing all-new exhibits on the human aspects of war and the evolution of military technology use by German troops, striving to encourage visitors to reexamine the ways they think about the concept of war and honestly present its consequences and violence. Historically significant items on display include the bell from the SMS Schleswig-Holstein, which fired what are generally regarded as the first shots of World War II.

Antonstraße 2A, 01097 Dresden, Germany, Phone: +49-351-56-34-08-88