Dresden hostels youthhostel youth hostel in Dresden Neustadt cheap

Christmas City- a Christmas Markets Overview

There are at least (I believe there are more) 10 different Christmas Markets in town. You can literally walk from the New Town straight to the Old Town until the Main Station, without really leaving the Christmas Markets (1 hour of walking), so you will be really drunk if you reach the Main Station if you drink a „Glühwine“ at every Market (we Germans always drink a Glühwine: Drink Drank Drunk!). Dresden calls itself to be the “Christmas City” and for outsiders this can be a bit confusing, nobody knows, where a market ends and the other starts. So I made a guide for you guys with all the Christmas Markets worth seeing in Dresden.

 Happy Christmas time!

©Stefan Böhlig

„Neustädter Gelichter“ in front of the Scheune Restaurant in the Neustadt area (Alaunstrasse). Open daily from 30.11. – 23.12. from 4pm to 10pm during week days and weekends from 2pm to 10pm.

pro: it is very small, it is just 5 minutes from Lollis Homestay Hostel,  German „Kräppelchen“ for only 2,50€ – our special Lollis- recommendation!, Glühwein and Feuerzangenbowle for 2,50 € only- it is the cheapest hot wine in whole of Dresden and it is good, local handicrafts, open fire place, the most alternative Christmas Market in Dresden in the most alternative part of town. Dresdeners go there, if they are annoyed by the “standart” Christmas Markets

con: it is very small, but who cares, it is the coolest underground christmas market! They have a self costructed wooden bench which is heated- awesome and there is a roof in case of rain!

special events:

30.11. at 4pm- Grand Opening with „Stollen“ and „Glühwein“, 6pm famous „Kneipen- Choir concert“

1.12. Eze Wendtoin Concert at 7:30pm

2.12. Korean Karaoke Night at 8pm

5.12. Mens Quartett at 7pm

8.12. Public Choir Concert at 5:30pm

9.12. T- Shirt Festival at 1pm

10.12. T- Shirt Festival at noon and Hutzenabend at 7pm (Story Telling/ get together- typical traditional evening in „Erzgebirge“ style)

15.12. concert with Enna Miau at 7pm

19.12. Dresdens famous „Kneipen- Choir concert“ at 8pm

20.12. Open a Advent- Window (German Tradition) – the living Christmas Calendar at 6pm

21.12. Short Movie Night at 19:00

23.12. Public Choir Concert at 5:30pm

©Neustadt Geflüster

„Nikolaus Market“ inside the „Kunsthof“ in the Neustadt area. It is a very small but beautiful market organised by the arty shops there. Only open from 8.12. until 10.12. / 4pm until 8pm

pro: meet locals, arty, small

con: small and only for 3 days

Special events:

daily: Clown Lulu, Tarot Reading (fortune telling), fire place,…

8.12. live concert, traditional christmas songs at 4:30pm

9.12. Mens Quartett at 4pm, Choir at 4pm and 5pm

10.12. live concert at 11am- 6pm

„Augustusmarkt“ Dresdens’ international Christmas Market at Hauptstrasse (next to the old Baroque Quarter) open daily from 30.11. until 23.12. from 11am to 9pm

pro: second biggest Christmas Market in Dresden, all kind of European Christmas beverages and food like: Danish Glögg, Swedish Julskinha or Italian Pandoro. You pass it, when you wanna get to the more alternative markets in the Neustadt area. So use I use this market to heat up with a “Glühwine” again.

con: very kitschy and blink blink…crowded and sometimes just too much (especially the blue crystal- tree…but you may like it) and no special events as far as I know.

„Striezelmarkt“ on the Altmarkt in the centre of the Altstadt. Open daily from 29.11. until 24.12. from 10am to 9pm (on the 29.11. from 4pm on / closes on the 24.12. at 2pm)

pro: one of the oldest Christmas Market in whole of Germany (583 years old!!), it is the typical Christmas Market which tourists really like to see. It is very beautiful at nights. Also lots of entertainment and concerts, puppet theatre, and traditional and free events aaand the biggest Christmas Tree in town!

con: very crowded, especially on weekends – see all kinds of visitors at their worst behaviors, if you do not like too many people, we recommend a visit during day time (but then you miss the lights- atmosphere), the „Glühwine“ is very expensive and sometimes it is too much water inside, you also pay a big deposit for the cups, bring a lot of cash if you wanna drink and eat! Pickpocketing- watch your values!

special events:

– aytime and recommended: climb the tower (92 meter) of the „Kreuzkirche Church- Church of the Holy Cross“ next to the market (open from Mon to Sat from 10am to 6pm, Sun from 12am next to the market and have an awesome photo-view on the Old Market square and the famous Church of our Lady (only 4 €)!

– from 1.12. until 24.12. „der Weihnachtsmann“ (Santa Claus) opens the Advents Calendar daily at 4:15pm on the main stage

1.12. „Trombone Night“, starts at 6pm, 7pm and 8pm

2.12. „Advents Calendar Day“- 6pm: Dancing, 7pm: concert, 8pm: King August the Strong visits the Christmas Market

3.12. „Pfefferkuchen Day“ – eat the typical local and traditional cake: the Pfefferkuchen. Meet the Pfefferkuchen Princess at 2:30pm, free Organ concert at „Kreuzkirche“ Church at Old Market at 5pm, concerts at 6pm and 7pm and 8pm: King August the Strong visits the Christmas Market

8.12. „Pitmen Day“ concerts with traditional Pitmen songs at 6pm, 7pm and 8pm

9.12. „Stollenfest“ (try the world famous Dresden Stollen- Christmas Cake) – see the biggest Stollen in the world at 10:30am! Stollen Parade at 11am, noon: arrival of the Big Stollen, 12:25pm: buy a piece of the biggest Stollen in the world! At 5pm: live concert of the famous 800 years old „Choir of the Cross“, diverse programme from 6pm until 9pm

10.12. „Pflaumentoffelfest“, At 5pm live concert at Church of our Cross with the famous 800 years old „Choir of the Cross“, live concerts at 6pm and 7pm on the Old Market

16.12. „Pyramid Day“ celebrate the biggest pyramid from the „Erzgebirge“ in the whole world, day of the handycrafts and toy producers, Christmas Concerts at 6pm and 7pm and Singing Competition at 2pm and live concert at Church of our Cross, next to the Old Market at 5pm: Johann Sebastian Bach

17.12. „Schwippbogen“ Fest: celebration of the handycrafts and also typical dancing as well as a brass instrument concert (6pm and 7pm), At 5pm live concert at Church of our Cross: music from Johann Sebastian Bach

22.12. Gospel Night, live concerts at 6pm, 7pm and 8pm

„Romantic Christmas Market anno 1900“ in front of the Church of our Lady at Neumarkt

29.11. until the 24.12. from 10am to 10pm, on the 24.12. until 2pm

pro: probably one of Dresdens most beautiful Christmas Markets, everybody is dressed like people from 1820 to 1900, the whole market is designed after historical pictures from local artists, who draw the Christmas Markets decades ago, only traditional food and handycrafts here: book printing, Bell Smith, Gold Schmith, woodcraft, handwriting painter, gilders, most less crowded Christmas Market in the Old Town, living animals you can pet- be nice to them!

con: it is not very known nor famous

special events:

live music, nativity play, production of handycrafts like bell founder, engraver,…

„Middle Age Christmas Market“ One of the oldest stables in Germany from our Saxon kings inside the castle in the Old Town, on Schlossstrasse (there is a little door inside the tunnel, this is the entrance)

open from 23.11. until 23.12. from 11am to 9:30pm, entrance fee of 3 € (events and live music) on Fridays and Saturdays, but worth it.

pro: small and very beautiful in a original Renaissance flair, feel like a person who lived 500 years ago. Cool programme on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays (stilt walkers, different live bands, fire-breather, hot bath tub, different handycrafts, live music: Brass Quintett from St. Petersburg every day

con: entrance fee (3€) on Fridays and Saturdays, but they offer a special programme with live music, theatre and more.

The festival for sustainability, the Umundu Festival already takes place since 2009 in Dresden.

what to do there?

• market (In the Japanese Palace- “Japanisches Palais” on the 22. October 2017, 12:00 until 16:00)/ free entrance
• You can also see the exhibition on the market: »1%: Privilege in a time of global inequality«
• vegan and organic food and drinks are available on the market
• see the exhibitors ideas how to contribute to the global changes
• symposium (In the Japanese Palace- “Japanisches Palais” from 20. to 22. October) with discussions and lectures
• exhibition “Excessocenus”: until 28. October 2017 in the Centrum Galerie (shopping mall), Dresden
• from 23. until 28. October you can also visit different workshops of local initiatives: see concrete examples of sustainability and get active yourself!

when?

20. until 28. October 2017

programme

how to get there?

Japanisches Palais: tram 9 or 4, stop “Palaisplatz”

Centrum Galerie: tram 8 or 9, stop Doktor-Külz-Ring

does it cost something?

You are free to give whatever you can give (between 0€ and 50€) if you wanna join the symposium. Everything else is free.

Twitter: #umundu2017, #arm&reich

2ND EDITION: THE FIRST BRA IN THE WORLD

Did you know that Christine Hardt from Dresden applied for the first patent for a bra in the year 1899? She wanted to free woman from the corset, so she tied up some tissues and a men brace and voilá: “the first bra in the world” was invented! This bra was even adjustable. Back then the usual corset weighted around 5 kilogramme which was really not comfortable nor healthy (it caused unconsciousness, miscarriage and organ bruises). This new bra was worn above the shirt as old sketches show.

At nearly the same time (also in 1899)  Herminie Cadolle from France invented a similar more delicate bra. Till this point of time it is not quite sure who invented the bra first.

We know for sure that the idea to form and hold the womans breast was not new, woman also used leather tape for example to look more manly during sport competitions, like in the ancient Greece in Sparta.

Also the Romans invented some kind of sports wear for woman, which look pretty much like a bra already.

Roman mosaic in the Villa Romana del Casale in Sicily.

FIRST EDITION: DRESDEN MILK CHOCOLATE

I am delighted to share my local Dresden- knowlege with you!

Did you know that the world’s first milk chocolate was invented in Dresden in 1839, even before the Swiss invented it (30 years before the Swiss invention)? Maybe this seems weird today, but Jordan&Timaeus used donkey milk for their chocolate creations, which were famous around the world (they even expanded to Vienna, Prague and Budapest).

Jordan und Timaeus (the two inventors) produced the milk chocolate with a steam-engine first. The factory was just around the corner from Lollis Homestay Hostel, unfortunately does it not exist anymore today.

Today only the two street names: “Jordanstrasse” and “Timaeusstrasse” remind of the factory. Although you can still visit the Timaeus villa in the backyard of Alaunstraße 71b (it was the manufacturer residence).

The old chocolate factory. Today the area looks completely different.

For the 29th time “The International Short Film Festival” presents short films between the 4. April and the 9. April 2017 including an International Competition and a National Competition. Since 1989, shortly after the reunification of the German West and East, this Festival takes place in Dresden, growing ever since. By now it is one of the highest decorated film festivals in Europe. Short Films will be presented in noted Dresden- venues like Filmtheater Schauburg Dresden (local Cinema in the Neustadt area) , Filmgalerie Phase IV (alternative video rental), Hochschule für Bildende Künste (University for Fine Arts) or “Gedenkstätte Bautzner Straße” (museum, former GDR- prison) and much more. All films will be shown in original language with German subtitles.

Eine Villa mit Pinien

Single Ticket 7,50 €, 5 Ticket Block 30 €, Opening & Award Ceremony each 7,50 €

2016 was awful! Truth must be said! We should be grateful that this year is finally over! Good bye right propaganda, good bye Brexit, good bye war, good bye Trump and good bye David Bowie (there are many more things to say good bye to). 2017, you MUST be better! Nevertheless we all should make it better!

I know you expected to read something about New Years Activities in Dresden now… sorry…here it comes:

View points to see the crazy fireworks of the Germans:

“Schwebebahn” in Dresden Loschwitz. The overhead railway, connects the “Körnerplatz” and the Dresden quarter Loschwitz on 273,8 meter since 1901. You can get a two way ticket at the entrance on “Körnerplatz” for 5 €. Up there, you have a really good view over Dresden (the Blue Wonder Bridge, the Old Town, the Elbe valley…at least till the smoke of thousands of firecrackers raises up). The “Schwebebahn” runs from 10 am to 1 am on the 31st.

Augustus Bridge in the Old Town. Like many other locals and tourists you could just walk to the old bridge which connects the New Town with the Old town. You won’t have a good view up on a hill (you are in the valley of the river), but you are in the middle of everything and you can see us going crazy. And you may also see some of the professional firework of the City of Dresden (which starts actually on “Theaterplatz”, where you can expect th official party organised of the city from 6pm to 1am…there is an entrance fee).

A secret tip is definitely the “Hellerberg” This hill, quite close to the New Town (20 minutes walk), was once a garbage hill, now covered with grassland and some walkways. It is a little hard to find, but worth the walk, you have an 360 degree overview over the whole city, the hill is very high, you will see everything, promise! And the best is, it is free. Only locals will be there. But bring a hat and a big sweater and your own drinks (there is literally nothing, no bar, no house, only you at the edge of the city…and the other few hundrets), because it will be damn cold after a while.

After you saw the fireworks, you should literally run to one of the New Year Parties in the Neustadt area

(they will be crowded and you may not get in anymore, if you come too late):

“Shuffle your feet” in the Groovestation, Downtown and the Loft House (3 clubs for one ticket)- the Groovestation is one of the favourite clubs of the locals. All 3 clubs are in one backyard, so it will be easy to switch the dancefloors. Party with Electro and Indie music starts at 10pm.

The small Sabotage Club is really small with one dance floor only (cellar club). But it is a good alternative if you like Drum’n’Bass and Jungle music. Expect strobe lights and good local schnaps and many locals. The party starts at 11pm.

The TBA Club in the cellar of the Neustadt train station will be going on till the morning hours. There is no curfew. And it is the one and only Techno club in Dresden with a huge dancefloor (for Dresden standarts). Start is midnight.

The Scheune is the oldest Club in the New Town. There will be a Hip Hop/ Rap, Indie, Soul and Funk Party starting at midnight.

The Altes Wettbüro is on your way to the TBA Club. They will play Disco music and Electro and there will be a surprice live act as well. The party starts at midnight and costs 6€ entrance fee.

The Sektor Evolution is a little outside the New Town. You can walk there from the New Town in about 25 minutes or you take the night tram No. 7 to the “Industriegelände” station. From there it is a 10 minutes walk again, through the old industrial area (follow the crowd or google the place before, it is not easy to find). It is definitely the hugest club on 3 dancefoors. One of it is outside in a circus tent. They play Electro, HardTek and Techno sarting at midnight.

The biggest line up has the Puschkin Club, also outside the New Town (walkable in 25 minutes on foot from there). They’ll play Drum’n’Bass / Jungle and Techno on two floors for 8€ starting at midnight.

The New Town also offers you the biggest choice of bars in whole of Germany within 10 walking minutes in every direction from its centre (200 restaurants and bars).

So have fun and happy New Years to you all!

our reception during christmas time

It gets dark early, the Christmas Markets are ready to open, the first mulled wine bottle is opened already,…it is Christmas time (soon)!

Usually the 24., 25. and the 26. December are not the common days to go out on a party and all museums are closed as well? Not quite! There is plenty of things to do in Dresden!

The 24. December is a normal work day, although most shops, supermarkets and restaurants will close a bit earlier (8:00 till max. 18:00), because on the evening on the 24th, we locals get our presents and we are celebrating with our families.
The 25. December is a public holiday and everything is closed as same as on the 26. December (supermarkets, shops, etc.), although many restaurants will be still open, because we like to go out for good food on this day. There is also a supermarket near by (Lidl Supermarket at the Train Station Neustadt, 10 minutes on foot from the hostel), which will be definitely open on these two days (till max. 16:00).

Why Lollis Homestay Hostel during Christmas?

Lollis Homestay Hostel provides you with a self cooking kitchen and free tea and coffee all day long, so that’ll be easy for you to stash some of your own food during these days. Our receptionist, who is on duty on the evening of the 24th, will prepare some typical potato salad and german sausages, as we eat it traditionally in the evening of the 24th. Of course, this will be for free for all our guests!

We also have free WiFi, everywhere (inside the rooms, kitchen, common room), to greet and chat with your family or friends. Or just meet other fellow travellers here!

typical German potato salad and Wiener Sausages

Hike or go out for a walk!

You have a hat and a good warm sweater? Dresden is always good for a city walk (from the Hostel to the Old Town: 20 minutes on foot) or a hike in the National Park even during the winter (Saxon Switzerland National Park is reachable by train in 1 hour. We have free tours, which we print out for free as well as proper hike- maps, just ask your receptionist).

Or visit one of the castles near by (Meissen, Pillnitz, Moritzburg, appr. 1 hour with the train or bus from here).

Moritzburg Castle

The beautiful Elbe River meadows are always nice for a walk as well (15 minutes on foot from our hostel). It was once World Heritage (till the city of Dresden built the huge Waldschlösschen- bridge), because of the Elbe Rivers’ natural unique (in Europe) stream.

Dresden is famous for its biggest treasure chamber in Europe!

So visiting a museum is a must do, especially during the winter time. There is a huge variety of pretty cool museums in Dresden (also with english audio guides).

museums open on the 24. December
Historical Green Vault in the castle (10am to 2pm)
museum for Saxon Folk art/ puppet museum (10am to 2pm)

Don’t forget to party! There will be definitely some partys in the Neustadt Quarter (the alternative- and nightlife area of Dresden, where Lollis Hostel is situated) as well, since many young people wanna get rid of their christmas money now (“TBA Club” at Neustadt Train Station, Techno party on 1 floor starting at 23:00 to open end for 6 € or “Sektor Evolution”, 3 tram stops from here or walkable in 20 minutes on foot with Hardteck and Techno on 2 floors). There are plenty of good bars and comfy cafes near by.

and on the 25. December:
the complete castle with the Green Vaults, turkish chamber and more (10am to 6pm)
New Masters Gallery (10am to 6pm… we recommend the art of the famous German “Brücke” artists, typical Expressionism from Dresden)
Old Masters Gallery (10am to 6pm… see art of Tizian, Vermeer, Dürer or Raffael)
mathematical/phsysical salon (10am to 6pm… one of the world’s most important museums of historical scientific instruments)
porcelain collection (Meissen and Chinese) (10am to 6pm…The Dresden collection is the most exquisite, and also the largest, specialist ceramics collection in the world)

Furthermore we recommend the alternative christmas party at the Club Sabotage (10 minutes from here) with some  DJ’s starting at midnight (free entrance or 3 € maximum): „Tropicaliente – Local Tribe & Black Lights“ or the Techno Party at “TBA Club” again for 6 € starting at 23:00.

on the 26. December:

(see opening times of the museums like on 25. December)

A must is also the “Hygiene Museum”…it is not a museum about toilet paper, but about humanity in general. It’s interactive exhibitions are stunning and definitely worth a visit (audio guides in English are inclusive, open 10:00 to 18:00, 7 € entrance)!

source: Deutsches Hygiene Museum

The “Sabotage Club” celebrates 6th anniversary of Green Planet: starting from 23:00 again you can expect a cool Drum’n’Bass / Jungle, Techno Party for 6 € again.

During these days it is of course more quiet than usually, but if you know where to go specifically, you can definitely make something out of your holiday here in Dresden.