Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article disappointed that Auer regarded the work as unplayable Later Auer changed his mind about the piece and thereafter the concerto occupied a prominent place in his extensive repertory He wrote Violin Playing As I Teach It (1921) and Violin Master Works and Their Interpretation (1925) The champagne corks must have popped recently in Bräuhausgasse in Vienna's 5th district VMware had just announced that various previously free components of vSphere and vCenter would have to be paid for separately by customers in future without there being any technical added value worth mentioning in return horror stories are piling up in the relevant online forums from companies that are suddenly having to pay 500 percent or more of the original amount for their virtualization This is more than just a reason for Proxmox to be happy: Proxmox is something of a logical alternative for those companies that need virtualization but don't have enough workload to justify building their own IaaS platform The people in Vienna probably sensed that Broadcom's decision had considerably improved the prospects for their own business – and have since been busy expanding their own partner network as well as Proxmox VE What is often overlooked in the anger about VMware and Broadcom is the fact that a migration from VMware to Proxmox is also a real upgrade in another respect: While VMware is a thoroughly proprietary product Proxmox is based on open source components such as KVM This also means that should Proxmox ever try to repeat VMware's stunt it would be easy for affected administrators to replace the product with alternatives basically any Linux distribution on which Qemu KVM and Libvirt are available would suffice This applies to almost all established Linux distributions Operation and administration would usually be less convenient than with Proxmox VE – but if the continued existence of your own company is at stake administrators will be happy to accept this My first professional stop in IT was the Viennese company Linbit in 2006 DRBD has been part of the Linux kernel for a long time It enables the construction of highly available storage systems Combined with other open source components such as Samba or one of the various iSCSI targets DRBD is a cheap replacement for SAN or NAS appliances on standard off-the-shelf hardware with hard disks that do not have to be paid for with unicorn powder This was precisely the core of Linbit's sales strategy at the time: that customers would not be dependent on a single provider for either hardware or software if they built their own central storage based on DRBD Open standards and open source were and are the guarantee that manufacturers running amok will not drag their customers down with them when they celebrate their own demise with relish People who have emerged from self-inflicted immaturity – one would be inclined to believe – would be aware of this fact even without further explanation; after all Fast-forward to 2024: NetApp is as popular as ever companies are facing bankruptcy because VMware is making a central component of their IT infrastructure unaffordable companies and even government institutions are making a pilgrimage to hyperscalers which have taken the principle of lock-in to a whole new level Because once you have migrated your own infrastructure to AWS you don't just move it back from the cloud to your own hardware or even migrate it to the hyperscaler competition Such projects require huge amounts of effort and money which many are unwilling – or unable to afford It is clear where this will lead: hyperscalers will gradually increase their prices and their customers will pay for lack of alternatives It makes you want to scream with rage when institutions such as the Federal Employment Agency proudly announce that they have successfully made the switch to Microsoft Teams. Or when German Chancellor Olaf Scholz personally intervenes in favor of the Delos cloud The fact that the head of government of the world's third largest economy is almost begging to be allowed to transfer even more money to Redmond via detours is an outrageous farce Especially for those who have to pay for the fun in the end It's not as if no one had warned those in politics and business representatives of the open source community have been repeating that only free software and open standards can provide a stable basis for infrastructure and Kurt Garloff has been promoting the Sovereign Cloud Stack which enables customers to choose freely between platforms from different providers and to migrate – or to operate a corresponding platform themselves There are proprietary products and various free alternatives for practically every basic component in today's data center which are often better and offer more functions it takes more effort to find and implement the right alternative from several free alternatives through testing than having a sales drone gently sprinkle you with PowerPoint slides for hours on end until you even believe that you had the idea to purchase the proprietary solution yourself the convenience of those responsible can no longer be a valid argument for technical bungling Anyone who handles their IT job in this way will have to vacate their position "Nobody ever got fired for buying VMware" may be true but it is – once again – part of the problem there needs to be a widespread realization that open standards and free software are not an option but the only way forward for IT infrastructure in the long term Especially when it comes to public infrastructure that serves the general public Companies and institutions must be willing to get their hands dirty in the beginning in the interests of digital sustainability instead of just trusting the colorful brochures of the providers The fact that their salespeople in many places are downright pandering to IT managers should no longer obscure the fact that they are primarily concerned with their own bonus for signing a contract – and not with the sustainable success of a company And anyone who is still digesting the VMware disaster because they themselves are affected by it should urgently go in search of other Damocles hanging over their own set-up and tackle their elimination as soon as possible Dell-EMC and various other providers have also continuously tightened the price screw in recent years Anyone who purchased their last turnkey NAS five years ago will probably soon be in for the next unpleasant surprise This would have been both foreseeable and avoidable if free standards had been adhered to Numerous bridges and roads in Saxony's state capital are being renovated or replaced Work is also continuing on the Blaues Wunder after a long interruption In addition to the work on the partially collapsed Carola Bridge Dresden has numerous bridge and road projects on the agenda this year costing almost 60 million euros 38.3 million euros are available for investments in bridges and 9.6 million euros for road construction projects A further 11.2 million euros are earmarked for the maintenance of roads and bridges The funds are earmarked for various projects in the city area This does not yet include the Carola Bridge A decision on how to proceed with the replacement construction is still pending After a two-year interruption due to a legal dispute with a construction company the refurbishment of the famous Blaues Wunder bridge over the Elbe will resume in May Work will initially begin on the Loschwitz side followed by parallel renovation work on the Blasewitz side next year traffic will be able to flow across two lanes The work is scheduled to last until December 2029 There is still a question mark over the major campus line project in the south of Dresden which also includes the replacement of the badly damaged Nossen Bridge The funding commitment from the state is still pending as the preparatory measures for the planned start of the main construction work in summer 2026 are due to begin this fall The railroad bridge on Hamburger Straße will be replaced and the road itself and the tracks will be renovated from December until probably March 2029 work will also be carried out on the tracks several later detour routes are being renovated in preparation for the renovation of Königsbrücker Straße Süd Some major projects will be completed this year The slope stabilization of Staffelsteinstraße Work on Bautzener Straße and the new Prießnitzbrücke bridge is due to be completed in the summer The repair of the flood damage from 2013 in Wehlener Straße/Alttolkewitzer Straße/Österreicher Straße will be completed at the end of the year (total cost: 46.6 million euros) Mordgrundbrücke and Stauffenbergallee is also scheduled for completion later this year © 2009 - 2025 DieSachsen.de | Alle Rechte vorbehalten | Entwickelt mit publizer in Sachsen Ihre Daten sind uns wichtig, und wir würden gerne Cookies verwenden, um Ihr unglaubliches Erlebniss auf DieSachsen.de weiter verbessern zu können. You won’t be able to miss the city’s centrally located Altstadt and Neustadt districts since they hold most of the touristy sights and postcard motifs but if you venture a little further you might be able to find some lesser-known gems Check out our list of Dresden’s coolest neighbourhoods for some inspiration One of the quarter’s highlights are the stunning views of the Elbe and Dresden’s old town skyline on the other side hamburgmeinefreundin / Unsplash See Loschwitz A walk across Dresden’s most beautiful bridge takes you to Loschwitz the world’s oldest overhead railway and three palaces overlooking the Elbe – the Lingner The former two were commissioned by Prince Albert of Prussia and served as his residencies in the mid 19th century Tours of the two stately homes are available has been transformed into a luxury hotel and is only open to its guest Sign up to our newsletter to save up to $800 on our unique trips See privacy policy Veronika Klimchuk / Unsplash Hellerau or Dresden’s Garden City is a romantic and leafy district north of the city centre. Its roots date back to 1909 when, inspired by the first elaborate gardens in England, a local furniture maker started the initiative to create Germany’s first garden city. Before the First World War the area had developed into one of the city’s cultural hubs The old festival hall was renovated in 2006 and stages theatre performances Art 10 Masterpieces You Can Only See in Munich Design The Most Beautiful Churches in Berlin Guides & Tips The Best European Cities to Visit in December See & Do The Best European Cities to Visit in October See & Do The Best European Cities to Visit in Autumn See & Do The Best European Cities to Visit in Summer See & Do A Guide to River Cruises in Germany: What to Know See & Do Germany's Most Beautiful Abbeys and Monasteries See & Do The Best Weekend Trips From Heidelberg Guides & Tips The Best European Cities to Visit in November See & Do The Best European Cities to Visit in September See & Do The Best European Cities to Visit in July US: +1 (678) 967 4965 | UK: +44 (0)1630 35000 tripssupport@theculturetrip.com © Copyright 2025 The Culture Trip Ltd After decades spent rebuilding from the rubble with beautifully reconstructed architecture a hip art district and rolling Riesling vineyards The Semperoper is the opera house of the Sächsische Staatsoper Dresden and the concert hall of the Staatskapelle Dresden.ByCharlotte Wigram-EvansPhotographs byUta GleiserSeptember 27 2022•15 min readThis article was adapted from National Geographic Traveller (UK).As sure as the River Elbe runs through Dresden so too does an undercurrent of dignity and stoicism Even without prior knowledge of the city’s history you can feel it like a physical force emanating from Dresdeners have plenty of reasons to be proud of their home the Saxon city was bombed to near-oblivion by Allied forces six months before the end of the Second World War Its baroque edifices were reduced to rubble and even more of the city was left to crumble and decay “We always say the Russians destroyed buildings more efficiently than any bombs,” says my guide Perhaps the most pertinent example is the Frauenkirche (Church of our Lady) a beguiling sandstone masterpiece softly glowing golden in the sunlight but in the aftermath of German reunification in 1990 Dresdeners appealed to the world for funds to help resurrect their beloved church “We picked up every stone and worked out where it would have been,” Susanne says “Like the world’s most difficult jigsaw puzzle.”  Britain donated the new cross that now stands proudly on its domed roof Among the team of craftsmen commissioned to create it was a goldsmith whose father had taken part in the air raids Hardship has seemingly bred not only determination but also a rebellious spirit and artistic vigour — and nowhere is this more evident than in Neustadt an area once so dilapidated it was destined to be bulldozed squatting in buildings and creating the street art for which the district has become known Neustadt is a bastion of independent bars and lunch spots with galleries such as Galerie Holger John hanging witty I climb the winding walkway to the Frauenkirche’s dome and look out over the rooftops most of it restored — a phoenix risen from the ashes this isn’t a city to stand still; both place and people are ready to fly in which hang celebrated artworks including Raphael’s Sistine Madonna; the Porzellansammlung (Porcelain Collection); and the Mathematisch-Physikalischer Salon which displays a curious collection of telescopes Procession of Princes: This 335ft-long mural presents Saxony’s rulers as a procession of riders The 24,000 porcelain tiles adorn the outside of the Stallhof and were among the only items in the vicinity to survive the bombing of February 1945 Porcelain can withstand temperatures of up to 1,000C 3. Kunsthofpassage: After the Berlin Wall came down was taken under the wing of a group of artists The result: a series of refreshingly original street art The most famous features interlinked drainpipes twisting and turning against a turquoise backdrop; when rain trickles through them Another building is adorned with a giant relief of a giraffe plus monkeys swinging from window to window Murals and art can be found all around the area and a walking tour with guides like Susanne Reichelt offers an insider’s perspective paths are overhung with horse chestnut trees and a small train chugs around the border a flower festival sees its rooms filled with plants while each winter a local theatre company performs A Christmas Carol — Ein Weihnachtslied by candlelight 5. German Hygiene Museum: This museum was founded by Karl Lingner best known for manufacturing the mouthwash Odol the purpose of the space was to examine trends in science and culture and recent exhibitions have included a thought-provoking look at the future of food The eye-catching interior of Pfunds Molkerei dairy shop is the perfect surroundings for sampling delicious dairy treats.Where to go shopping in Dresden1. Pfunds Molkerei: Hand-painted tiles featuring dancing angels cows and woodland creatures adorn this dairy shop from floor to ceiling head to the upstairs cafe for a lactose-laden snack (the cheesecake is particularly good) and a spot of people-watching Cheese and wine (or milk) tastings are available as are tours of the dairy — just be sure to book in advance cafes and a supermarket with an excellent confectionery section 3. Markets: Most famous for its Christmas markets (including Striezelmarkt, the country’s oldest), Dresden also has plenty of year-round offerings. Elbeflohmarkt (open on Saturdays sells everything from antique furniture to retro posters while music fans could spend days rifling through records at Schallplattenbörse Kulturwirtschaft is a disused factory-turned-cultural hub that specialises in decadence. Where to eat in Dresden1. Oswaldz: This is a cafe that takes pride in its coffee. Compact, cosy and with a courtyard looking out across the Elbe, Oswaldz stocks several blends from local roastery Phoenix Come for the flat white and stay for the pastrami sandwiches and raspberry-and-beetroot cheesecake But be prepared to wait — it’s a popular place and queues regularly snake down the street Kulturwirtschaft: Opened last year in Kraftwerk Mitte Kulturwirtschaft does decadence better than any other restaurant in Dresden If you can tear your eyes away from the chandeliers velvet armchairs and two grand pianos for long enough to peruse the menu (German with a nod to wider Europe) try the beef roulades with red cabbage and dumplings or the goat’s cheese tart with roasted vegetables 3. Restaurant Atelier Sanssouci: Michelin-starred Restaurant Atelier Sanssouci serves classic French cuisine in a neoclassical villa surrounded by two acres of manicured gardens as the restaurant belongs to the Hotel Villa Sorgenfrei consider splashing out on an overnight stay and saying yes to that second bottle only a 30-minute tram ride from the centre 2. Feinbäckerei Rebs: At this popular bakery, local favourites include bauernbrot bread, glazed pastries and stollen. The latter is said to have originated in Dresden in 1329 and now has PGI (protected geographical indication) status. Only a select number of bakeries, including Feinbäckerei Rebs which beat any supermarket imitations hands down Elbe Valley: Head downstream from the Loschwitz Bridge towards the sleepy meadows of the Elbe and suddenly the thrum of the city fades away Crowned by Pillnitz Castle and lined with centuries-old villas this sprawl of grassland is a prized dog-walking The view across the Elbe to the Dresden Academy of Fine Arts and the Frauenkirche is spectacular.Where to go in the evening1 this local gem plays live jazz into the early hours to an enthralled crowd Bands range from small-time outfits to national and even international artists Arrive around 8pm to bag a choice seat by the bar 2. Bautzner Tor: On entering this pub you’ll be forgiven for wondering if you’ve accidentally walked into a museum as its large central room is stuffed full of defunct East German gadgets this is the official brewery tap of craft beer company Neustädter Hausbrauerei 3. Frauenkirche: The Frauenkirche’s cavernous domed ceiling makes for compelling acoustics and the church regularly holds evening concerts playing moving renditions of works by world-famous German composers like Bach and Beethoven 1. Am Schillerplatz Bed and Breakfast: This B&B has spotless rooms in the characterful environs of a 400-year-old home also known as the ‘Blaues Wunder’ (‘Blue Wonder’) a sky-hued steel structure connecting the districts of Blasewitz and Loschwitz Don’t miss the farmers’ market that sets up outside on Tuesdays 2. Penck Hotel Dresden: Local painter and sculptor A R Penck gained international recognition for his neo-expressionist pieces This design hotel houses countless artworks by the artist including a gigantic sculpture rising from its rooftop and the location is ideal for inner-city wandering located just five minutes from the old town 3. Schloss Eckberg: As the country with the greatest number of castles nowhere does sleeping in a fairytale tower seem more apt than in Germany bringing a whole new meaning to ‘local wine’ as well as offering discounted entry into some museums When to go The ideal time to visit Dresden is in winter when bars sell steaming glasses of mulled wine the smell of stollen wafts from bakeries and Christmas markets spring up across the city but it’s normally held towards the end of the month How to do itKirker Holidays offers three nights at the Bülow Palais hotel Best in Travel is here! Discover 2025’s destinations The 30 best countries, cities and regions to visit in 2025 Plan your trip with Elsewhere, by Lonely Planet See where a Lonely Planet Membership takes you Subscribe to our weekly newsletters to get the latest travel news, expert advice, and insider recommendations Explore the world with our detailed, insightful guidebooks Stay ahead of the curve with our guidebooks Uncover exciting new ways to explore iconic destinations Every month, we release new books into the wild Search Search Close search menu Explore Best in Travel 2024 Africa Close menu Countries Antarctica Antarctica Close menu Regions Asia Asia Close menu Countries Australia & the Pacific Australia & the Pacific Close menu Countries The Caribbean The Caribbean Close menu Countries Central America Central America Close menu Countries Europe Europe Close menu Countries Middle East Middle East Close menu Countries North America North America Close menu Countries South America South America Close menu Countries Visitors look out from Bastei near Dresden © Elizaveta Kovaleva/Lonely Planet Dresden has a history and continued rebirth that landed it on our Best in Travel list of places to learn but there is so much to learn about the city and the surrounding area suggested this four-day expanded tour to those who might have more time to enjoy Dresden Dresden bewitched me the moment I saw the sun rise over its domes and baroque skyline on a magical morning in 2009 fleeing from a deep personal crisis in order to take time off to consider my future when Dresden’s legendary rising-from-the-ashes story resonated with my own – and set me off on my new career as a licensed guide (Or as my mother called it: a psychohistorian!) More than a decade later I know every one of Dresden’s graceful facets To show guests my Dresden in a manner that is entertaining informative and engaging is my personal credo 9am – Kick off your Dresden adventure with a leisurely breakfast Alex offers a reasonable and satisfying buffet spread; Elbsalon in Neustadt (New Town) serves up pancakes with fresh fruit 10:30am – Hit the cobbled streets and historic squares of the Old Town on a two-hour walking tour, and learn how this one-time “Florence on the Elbe” was destroyed in WWII, then painstakingly reconstructed. Afterward, on your own, discover the Zwinger a sumptuous open-air party pavilion near the palace built by the colorful ruler Augustus the Strong sit down for a glass of wine (we recommend a locally produced Goldriesling) and admire this folly’s baroque flourishes 12:30pm – After your interactive history lesson Restaurant Pulverturm offers such hearty Saxon fare as soured beef roast crispy schnitzel and a classic German roulade – thinly cut and rolled beef stuffed with onions served with red cabbage or potato dumplings Anna im Schloss at the Royal Palace might tempt you with Eierschecke a unique Saxon cheesecake; and Quarkkäulchen small pancakes made from potatoes served with quark eat light – as you will want all your wits about you as you encounter the splendor of Dresden’s State Art Collections dresses and jewelry from the 16th to 18th centuries weapons and other personal objects fashioned out of precious metals and stones Numerous group tours and package deals are available to get the most out of these world-class institutions; allow up to three hours to visit both If museums aren’t your thing, fret not. Take a tram and bus to the Panometer a former gas-storage tank transformed by the artist Yadegar Assisi into a gigantic gallery 360° panorama of baroque Dresden alternates with a second showing the smoldering ruins of the city after the 1945 firestorm Whichever painting is on display at the time of your visit From the Panometer, stroll back through the Grosser Garten (Great Garden), a mile-wide park laid out in the baroque style of a symmetrical grid. Next comes one of the most unusual car factories in the world: Volkswagen’s so-called Transparent Factory Walk into the lobby and check out some of the interactive displays take a test drive of a late-model e-car or just sample some excellent curry sausage in the bistro while taking in the high-tech ambience 5pm – Tram number 12 takes you from the Transparent Manufactory to Schillerplatz in under 20 minutes Stroll to the Elbe and on onto the 19th-century Loschwitz Bridge find a table under the old trees of Schiller Garden a centuries-old pub and beer garden where locals gather for specialty brews with fresh pretzels and hefty portions of German food (the knuckle of pork is easily their best seller) take tram 12 for the 20-minute journey from Schillerplatz back to the Altstadt and walk to Brühl’s Terrace and the restaurants along the old fortification ramparts Café Vis-à-vis and Radeberger Spezialausschank both offer a view of the Elbe together with steins of beer. see if there’s a market happening in Altmarkt In addition to the famous Christmas market smaller markets take place to mark transitions in seasons offering a collection of quaint stalls with regional street food Now It’s time to discover the other face of Dresden: grungy Take a tram or simply walk across Augustus Bridge which depicts the conquering Saxon king August the Strong confidently riding out in the direction of Poland Follow Hauptstrasse – a once wide baroque alley that was destroyed in the war and recreated as a boulevard in the 1970s in typical East German style – to Albertplatz and its two gigantic fountains adorned with mermaids and mermen Veer right in the direction of the 19th-century Gothic Revival Martin Luther Kirche and take in some of Dresden’s only remaining Wilhelminian-style architecture which features luxe stucco facade decorations wander through small side streets and stumble across charming courtyards such as Roskolnikoff a small restaurant that seems to have never been informed of East Germany’s fall once-abandoned courtyards transformed by artists into whimsical streetscapes dotted with small boutiques 7:30pm – There are more than 200 bars and restaurants in Neustadt’s square mile some so small that they fit barely five guests at a time potent Erdbeerbowle – a punch made with fresh strawberries (when in season) or settle down in one of Neustadt’s many shisha bars (Habibi on the corner of Louisenstrasse and Martin Luther Strasse is a restaurant cafe and shisha bar with great ambiance.) The day’s grand finale will take place at Franks Bar on Alaunstrasse spent the pandemic year experimenting with ingredients to create his masterpiece: a Black Forest Cake in liquid (and alcohol-heavy) form his fresh-fruit daiquiris go down perfectly on a hot summer evening Cruise eastward down the Elbe on a historic steamboat in the direction of Pillnitz This harmony of landscape and architecture has earned the Elbe Valley a Unesco designation (Make sure you book the first of three daily departures At Pillnitz Castle, spend the next hour exploring the castle grounds and landscaped gardens: this summer playground of the Saxon kings was modeled after Versailles make sure to pay your respects to the Grand Dame of Pillnitz a Japanese camellia tree that has been protected and nurtured in this climate for 230 years running through an ingenious bit of engineering that has to be seen to be believed Have lunch at either the castle restaurant or at Wipplers a small cafe that’s been operated by the same family for 100 years Finish with a bang with a German-style dessert concoction one with three or four scoops of ice cream piled with fresh fruit Take the next boat back to town – or catch the 63 bus to wind through the small villages and charming old villas found between Pillnitz and Dresden Loschwitz is an old fishing village that’s become an affluent residential area where you can catch a suspended railway (the world’s oldest) or funicular to the top of the hill for sweeping valley views walk through the Weisser Hirsch neighborhood and its art nouveau villas then catch tram 11 at Platteleite to Elbschlösser Walk through the gardens to Lingner Terrace at Lingnerschloss where a restaurant and beer garden overlooking the river offers fabulous sunset views head back to Altstadt or Neustadt and take your pick from their many bars and restaurants Today, we head to the “Cradle of Saxony”: the medieval city of Meissen. En route, consider a stop at the fairy tale–like Moritzburg Castle Built in 1542 on an artificial island in the middle of an artificial lake this edifice was once the venue for hunting feasting and recreated sea battles during the reign of Augustus the Strong and was the last residence of the Saxon royal family before their 1945 abdication (The family reportedly buried their treasures in nearby forests; while many hunts have taken place over the years the Russian army long ago recovered all these valuables.) Today including one of the most important collections of hunting trophies in Europe ornate gold-leather wallpapers and a bed and canopy decorated with millions of colored feathers Budget 90 minutes for the visit of the castle and its grounds then catch the direct onward bus to Meissen If bypassing Moritzburg, catch the S-Bahn for the 35-minute ride to Meissen Triebischtal. Be sure to get a seat on the right side of the car, which will give you a clear view of Albrechtsburg Palace and the Gothic spires of Meissen Cathedral as the train crosses the Elbe The centerpiece of your visit is the Meissen Manufaktur, where European hard-paste porcelain – invented in Dresden – is manufactured by hand to this day. Take an audio-guide tour of the demonstration workshops to see how painstakingly every piece is created, then walk through the museum which showcases the stunning designs manufactured over 300 years Top off your visit with a coffee and cake (we love the house cake with marzipan icing) at the cafe – all served on genuine Meissen porcelain A ride on the small city bus takes you through the town to the top of Castle Hill Enjoy lunch on the terraces of the Domkeller (550 years old) or Burgkeller Next, take a tour of Germany’s oldest residential castle, Albrechtsburg, built in 1471. The “HistoPad” offers interactive enhancements, recreating, for example, 15th-century table settings and costumes in the historic rooms. Next, stop into the adjacent Dom to marvel at the accomplishments of Gothic architects. Walk down the hill to Altmarkt, and pay a visit to the Frauenkirche whose carillion is made from Meissen porcelain with quaint homes largely dating from the Renaissance sit down to an early dinner at the romantic Vincenz Richter a family-run restaurant that serves wine from its own vineyards nearby request seating in the small courtyard – and ask to take a quick peep into the former dungeon It’s off to so-called “Saxon Switzerland,” a spectacular landscape of sandstone cliffs gorge and rock formations that look like stone spires Along almost 750 miles (1200km) of marked hiking trails and 27,000 climbing routes of all grades of difficulty you can look out on magnificent vistas formed over millions of years From here it’s just a few minutes to several lookout points over the cliffs and the Elbe Valley; several hiking trails also begin or end here take the stone steps down to Bastei Bridge created with manmade stone supports connecting naturally occurring rock formations Further down is the entrance to the ruins of Neurathen Castle a series of caves carved in the Middle Ages and connected today by shaky wooden bridges Return to the top for lunch at the Panorama Restaurant which has an almost 360° view of the landscape We’ll carry on along the Elbe via the S-1 and shuttle buses to the invincible Königstein Fortress built in the 13th century and one of the largest hilltop fortifications in Europe Walk along the walls of the “Kings Rock” to take in the ever-changing views then use the audio guide to learn about the fortress’ history and famous prisoners Sit down to a simple German wurst and beer at the well-hidden Napoleon’s Kitchen a mini beer garden that can be reached by walking southward along the ramparts or sample typical German food at Zum Musketier historic inn looking out over the parade square in front of the citadel It is time to head back to Dresden after a satisfying day of exploration with a 40-minute train journey that runs along the Elbe and through its scenic valley walk to the middle of Carola Bridge to enjoy a splendid night-time view of Dresden Only have a day in Dresden? Check out Seema's one-day itinerary for learning about Dresden. turquoise-colored carving from ancient Egypt has been returned to a Berlin museum more than 70 years after it was thought to have been lost during World War II announced that the stone slab fragment had been found in the Kelsey Museum of Archaeology at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor currently a visiting scholar at Leiden University matched this object in a historical photo from Berlin's Neues Museum with a new photo from the Kelsey Museum Staring informed the curators of both institutions of his discovery the Kelsey Museum decided to return the stone object to Berlin where it will go on display beginning in mid-June Hermann Parzinger, president of the Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation, said in the statement that the return was a "noble gesture." it will once again take its place in the permanent exhibition," Parzinger added The Neues Museum was badly damaged by Allied air raids during World War II the building was left in ruin in the former Soviet-occupied section of Berlin Get the world’s most fascinating discoveries delivered straight to your inbox When the museum was closed at the beginning of World War II this Egyptian stone slab —which had been bought from an English collection in 1910 —was left hidden inside a sarcophagus Strangely enough, the artifact had been given to the Kelsey Museum by Samuel Abraham Goudsmit, a Dutch-American physicist (and antiquities collector) who worked on the Manhattan Project Goudsmit was in charge of the Alsos Mission project to investigate enemy scientific developments during World War II specifically focused on the Germans' nuclear weapons program Goudsmit had acquired the carving from a private collector in Germany in 1945 according to the Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation Original article on Live Science. Ancient Egyptians drew the Milky Way on coffins and tombs, linking them to sky goddess, study finds 'Propaganda' praising Ramesses II discovered on famous ancient Egyptian obelisk in Paris, Egyptologist claims May's full 'Flower Moon' will be a micromoon. Here's how to watch it rise. Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker and the city doesn’t stop at fine art galleries independently run bookshops that invite you in for a browse and a cup of coffee Here’s a list of the places that offer a hand-selected collection of all-time classics and the latest page-turners © Courtesy of Büchers Best You’ll find Büchers Best in the Kunsthofpassage complex at the heart of Dresden’s trendiest quarter The cosy bookshop has a living room feel to it which may be partly due to the Burmese cat called Myamoto Musashi that calls the shop home you’ll find the best of literature piled up on the shelves whether you’re looking to buy romance novels recent publications and audiobooks on the shelves Buchhandlung Leselust, Louisenstraße 24, Dresden, Germany Buchlese 29 Buchlese 29 is far off the mainstream path The small bookstore in Dresden Löbtau is all about the love of literature Shop owner Steffi Peschel puts a lot of effort in creating a cosy atmosphere and hand-selects the books ranging from the latest fiction and non-fiction publications to children’s books Buchlese 29, Reisewitzer Straße 29, Dresden, Germany | © Ikaika / Pixabay Buchhandlung Pusteblume Pusteblume has specialised in literature for women and children and has hit a nerve. The shelves are filled with children’s books fiction literature and how-to books on parenting and education A play area keeps the kids busy while their mums browse the selection over a cup of coffee Buchhandlung Pusteblume, Pulsnitzer Straße 1, Dresden, Germany The BuchHaus Loschwitz bookshop opened its doors back in 1995 and since then has brought mostly fiction, art books and literature revolving around Saxony to locals Regular events play an equally important role art exhibitions and panel discussions with novelists in the building next door BuchHaus Loschwitz, Friedrich-Wieck-Straße 6, Dresden, Germany | © maryignatiadi / Pixabay If you click on a link in this story All recommendations have been independently sourced by Culture Trip Read Next See & Do The Best European Cities to Visit in Summer