A Quick Weekend to Germany: Dresden

Almost five years ago when on a train from Berlin to Prague, I passed through the German-Czech Repulbic border through a German city called Dresden. I looked it up online, remembered the cities view all of these years, and put it on my list to eventually go.

I decided to go on an 8 hour train ride from Paris for an evening in Dresden, as I hadn’t been to Germany in over three years this point since I went to Munich before Covid.

View of Schlossplatz in Dresden

View of Schlossplatz in Dresden, Germany; October 2022

Where Should You Stay in Dresden?

Choosing a hotel in the city-center of Dresden will make it easier for you to take advantage of aimlessly wandering the cute, cobblestone streets in the city center. I opted for the Hilton Dresden as it wasn’t too expensive and was only a 5 minute walk away from the main tourist attractions.

I picked a hotel in the center of all the main activities to do in Dresden, but mostly – I just enjoyed wandering around this cute German city in the pique of autumn.

View of Frauenkirche Dresden, Germany; October 2022

street view of dresden

Definetely the smallest German city I’ve been to, and parts of it reminded me of Bern in Swizterland.

Augustus Bridge

I walked by to the bridge, and crossed over the water for more exploring while kicking autumn leaves between my feet.

Augustus Bridge in Dresden

Views of Dresden near the Bridge and small river in the city; October 2022

View of Dresden on past the Augustus Bridge

View of Dresden on past the Augustus Bridge; October 2022

Is Dresden Less Busy And Does It Have Fewer Tourists?

Don’t be fooled by it’s small size, as Dresden still gets a lot of tourists – even during off season travel months such as the fall or spring.

I was in Dresden on a Saturday night, and even a visit during a shoulder season as I did in October warrants the need to make some reservations. I walked by a cute, vegan restaurant – that was supposed to have vegan schnitzel for me to try, was completely booked without a reservation.

Steffenhagen; exterior of a popular vegan restaurant in Dresden, Germany

Steffenhagen; exterior of a popular vegan restaurant in Dresden, Germany; October 2022.

It’s okay, I went walking until I found a BioMarkt to buy my favorite German vegan goodies I hadn’t seen in years: like this vegan caramel sauce and chocolate bar.

Rapunzel vegan chocolate bars;

Rapunzel vegan chocolate bars; October 2022

autumn foliage in park in germany

Dresden in the pique of fall!

Empty outdoor patio in the fall in Dresden

Empty outdoor patio in the fall in Dresden; October 2022

yellow tram in Germany

I enjoyed seeing German trams, again – so unique to Germany.

quiet street in dresden with leaves falling autumn colors

Straying away from the toursity parts of Dresden; October 2022.

clock tower in dresden

Lots of beautiful clock towers, in Dresden!

I loved the architecture in Dresden; very classic to Germany but also lots of colorful influences from places like Spain and Portugal.

Colorful streets in Dresden, Germany

Colorful streets in Dresden, Germany; October 2022

Yellow building in Dresden, Germany

Yellow building in Dresden, Germany; October 2022

Is There Good Food in Dresden?

Yes, Dresden has any and all kind of cuisine you could want – from European, Asian, and vegan places to try.

For such a small city: any kind of cuisine you wanted was there. I saw Tapas, Indian food, Asian food… and Dresden has some particularly cute outdoor seating arrangements.

white and pink outdoor patio chairs cafe

Dresden had some really cute outdoor cafes, and I live in Paris – so that’s saying something!

Alaunpark

I walked all the way to this big, local park – covered in burnt orange foliage…

bike and leaves falling in Alaunpark in Dresden

Leaves falling in Alaunpark in Dresden; October 2022

View of Artesischer Brunnen in the fall foliage in Dresden

View of Artesischer Brunnen in the fall foliage in Dresden; October 2022

And then walked to a grocery store, grabbed some vegan stuff from the grocery store for a light snacky dinner as the sun started to set – so I could enjoy this view.

view of dresden city lighting up at night from park

View of Dresden lighting up at night from park; October 2022

After watching Dresden light up at night, walking by a lit up Ferris wheel and artists singing on the bridge – I went back to my nice hotel room to enjoy a bath, my chocolate bar, and a good night sleep before heading home to Paris the next day.

Want to see my trip to Dresden and many other European cities in action? Check out my YouTube Channel!

Looking for more things to do in Germany? Click here!

Last updated: June 30, 2025