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What to do in Dresden during winter season Part II

Last week we published the first Part. In the meantime we did some brainstorming to come up with more. So today we want to give you some more ideas of what you could do during the winter season.

Relaxing Walks through the nearby Dresdner Heide

There is a huge forest – the so called Dresdner Heide – just around the corner from the hostel. The entrance is about 5min away from us.

Checkout this website for some tour suggestions.
For example there is a nice tour to a gravel-pit with a fantastic view, or a longer but nice one to the Heidemühle.

Towers of Dresden

Visit one of the many towers of Dresden and get a fantastic wide view from above.
Visit the Kreuzkirche (platform at 54m),  the Church of our ladies (platform at 67m), castle / Hausmannsturm (viewing platform at 38,62m), Rathausturm (platform at 68m), Dreikönigskirche (platform at 45m), or you can go and have a coffee at the highest beer garden in the Yenidze Kuppelrestaurant.

Wintertime is Part-time
Checkout our daily suggestion or banq for parties around the corner.

Barhopping
Pretty uptodate is the website Kneipensurfer! Have a look and ask us at the reception for more information.

Flea market @ Neustädter Markthalle
Each Saturday between 9.00am and 4pm you can wander through trash & treasures :)
Find the latest news & updates on Facebook
Checkout the interactive 3D walk through the hall.

(By Hajotthu (Own work) [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons)

There is also a junk shop on Stetzscher Straße inside an old factory hall. You’ll find it on the USE-IT Map Dresden (No 38). You’ll find everything starting from wedding dresses, to furniture, books or records. Have fun haggling.

Botanic Garden
If it’s too cold outside and you are hanging for some tropic flair, you should visit the botanic garden. Btw: free entry

Garden City of Hellerau
Hellerau is also known for its beautiful gardens and as the first garden city in Germany. It has it’s own center of arts. See the plan for shows and theatre acts. Sometimes you can see the dancers of the Palucca university.

(Foto Ehrenreich)

Famous “Kreuzchor” choir @ Kreuzkirche
If you want to listen to the famous choir you can attend the vespers each Saturday at 5pm. (entry 2€, 1h duration)

City Tour by tram 11
If you buy yourself a single trip ticket for 2,30€ you can take a ride through Dresden for 1h and visit most of the areas from Bühlau to Zschertnitz. here is the timetable with all stops.

Dresden Fortress
Visit the Dresden fortress and discover old subterranean vaults. Learn something about the defense strategy of Dresden’s bastioned fortification.

Technische Sammlungen Dresden
It’s all about testing and experiencing science. There are all kinds of sections like math, science fiction, physics, astronautics all kinds of experimental science or computer gaming. Visit their website for more information.

(By Dr. Bernd Gross (Own work) [CC BY-SA 4.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)], via Wikimedia Commons)

Free tours & walking tours Dresden
And of course there are different “free” tours. The tour itself is for free, but at the end you tip the guide what ever you valued the tour. There is freetoursdresden or you can have a look at DresdenWalks. Of course you can contact Danilo directly for his Nightwalk Dresden, his Kurt Vonnegut tour or his Street Art Tour

What to do during winter season?

Christmas holiday season is over, you survived the new years hang over, made your resolutions for the upcoming year and now what … ?
When you picture yourself winter, you might see a deep blue sky and shiny white snow. Well – IF there is snow! But be prepared for grey, wet and cold weather.
So here are our suggestions what to do for the next 2 month:

Saxon Switzerland – Bastei:

The Bastei bridge might be one of the most well known destinations of the Saxon Switzerland. You don’t have to face a long hike and climbing passages. It’s easy to go there, no special hiking equipment necessary, impressive view and you can pretty much see everything that area stands for.

Catch the train S1 from Neustadt station and get off in Kurort Rathen. From there it’s a nice easy walk to the Bastei bridge. Ask the receptionist for some details.

During winter season you might be lucky to get free access to the rock castle, which gives you a nice panorama view from another side.

Overall it’s impressive also when it’s grey and cold. BUT DON’T forget windproof clothes :)

Militärhistorische Museum der Bundeswehr:

The museum of military history Dresden is one of the best modern museums in town. It consists of an arsenal that was built in 1877 and a new extension designed by U.S. architect Daniel Libeskind.

You can walk through the history of war beginning in the Late Middle Ages to 1914 (ground floor), the Age of World Wars (first floor, west wing), and 1945 to the Present first floor, east wing).

The path through the ages is marked by ten main showcases that highlight critical turning points in German history: the Thirty Years’ War, the beginning and end of World War II, and the division and reunification of Germany.

The exhibition confronts you with your own potential for aggression and shows violence as a historical, cultural, and anthropological phenomenon.

Also there is are a huge numbers of large vehicles as tanks, airplanes and ships displayed outside the museum.
=> Take a quick walk there to get a first impression (you don’t have to pay entry for that :))

Opening Hours Admission fees
Monday: 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.                           Regular admission: 5,00€
Tuesday: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.                           Reduced admission: 3,00€
Wednesday: closed
Thursday: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Friday: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Saturday: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Sunday: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Historic Green Vault

The Historic Green Vault is the treasure chamber of the dukes of Saxony. There are about 3,000 masterpieces of the jeweller’s and the goldsmith’s art, as well as precious objects made of amber and ivory, gemstone vessels and elegant bronze statuettes are presented without showcases in front of ornate mirrored display walls.

The visit of the Historical Green Vault is only possible with a timed ticket. You can buy them online or inside the castle.

Special advise: Check this page out. Here you can find a panorama tour through the museum.

Semper Opera

Ask at the entrance for reduced tickets about 30min before the show starts. Sometimes they reduce prices for unsold tickets shortly before the show starts. You might be lucky to get a ticket for 15€ instead of 70€ and more :) Best chances are on weekdays when they aren’t busy. Fingers crossed ;)

Checkout their shows on this website.

Nordbad 

The Nordbad is one of the oldest public swimming pools in town. You might have heard of bathhouses … thats one of them. There is a swimming pool and also a very nice sauna area.

It was first opened in 1859 and back than they had different sessions for men and women.

See these 2 websites for prices and opening times.

Special event: On 5th February and 4th March you can enjoy life to the fullest between 6pm and 10pm. You can relaxe with candles and special illumination and chill out sounds. We’d say there is nothing better when it’s cold outside.

(Bild http://www.nordbad-dresden.de)

Cinema

If you wanna see a movie, we suggest to have a look here on this website.
There is a list of all movies in original language (OF) and original language with subtitle (OmU).

Deutsches Hygiene Museum Dresden

There is a new exhibition which you can visit until 3rd of July.

It’s about “Fast Fashion”, which is fascinating and enchanting, which seduces those we mix with and flatters our ego. It’s an essential expression of our personal lifestyles. But this fashion industry with all of it’s shiny side has also a very dark side of manufacturing.

You’ll be guided through different areas like consumption, economy, ecology and slow fashion.

Checkout their website for more information.

(Bild: DHMD)