'Happiness is the only good. The time to be happy is now. The place to be happy is here. The way to be happy is to make others so. These are the immortal words of Robert Ingersoll, perhaps the finest American orator who has ever lived and who was also, incidentally, born in Dresden, Germany. Dresden is a city of warriors and poets, kings and paupers, fighters and lovers, music virtuosos and scientific geniuses “ it is a true symbol of what Saxon culture has stood for. Based on the banks of river Elbe, the city is today best known for its mild weather, beautifully gothic architecture, famous town houses, museums, the beautiful Garden City of Hellerau, and of course, those picturesque bridges.
Budget Choices in Dresden
There are thousands of tourists who visit Dresden every year to visit the historic city that was instrumental in the ending of the World War II. There are many war memorials in Dresden, to which millions of people have bitter memories attached with. For those who are going to visit Dresden to understand and get a keener insight into the realities of that epoch making event, affordable accommodation is the key. In that respect, there are more than 70 budget hotels in Dresden that will help you put up a good stay with quality services at affordable prices. While staying at such a budget hotel, you should, however, not expect to be provided with in-house spas and private parking spots in prime locations. That said, most such establishments do provide tourists with amenities that are far better than satisfactory.
The World of Luxury
At the other end of the spectrum, tourists and visitors will also have great luck if it is a luxury hotel that they are after. There are, presently, over 20 high profile luxury hotels in Dresden that will not only let you feel like a royalty but also assist you in every way possible so that your stay with them is a lot more than just pleasant.
To name a few, NH Hotel Group, Steigenberger, Swissotel, Hilton and Suitess zu Dresden are some of the poshest Dresden hotels and perhaps, among the finest in all of Europe.
These establishments will bring you the best of everything, from king size beds to lavish bathrooms and panoramic balconies to rooftop dance floors. Dresden can be a whole new experience for you if you decide to stay at such a luxury hotel, and it would not be too difficult to guess that once you get a hang of life like this, you will find it tough enough to check out!
Boutique and Independent Hotel Options
Apart from regular budget and luxury Dresden hotels, there is a totally different class of establishments that will make you feel at home without making you reach deeper in your pockets. If you are looking for an affordable boutique and independent hotel in Dresden, you will realize that there are far too many options that you can possibly sift through.
Many people who have large villas and chateaus from olden days have now put rooms and floors in them for holiday rentals, summer rentals and Christmas rentals. Hiring one of such cheap hotels will definitely be the best attainable middle ground “ especially if you want to stay for periods of 14 days or more, since most establishments in Europe get more expensive if the period of stay exceeds the standard limit of 14 days.
What Should I Know Before Sightseeing in Dresden?
If you are traveler and you just landed in Dresden, you should sit back, relax a little in lush Dresden gardens, visit a few authentic German cafes and street side bars before actually going out on a sightseeing tour.
This is important because sightseeing in Dresden is as much of an exercise to your brain as it will be to your legs and your eyes. You surely wouldn't want to be that tourist who visits historical museums but doesn't later on remember what was actually on display. Hence, to avoid this, you must know at least rudimentary details of Dresden art, culture and history.
Dresden is best famous as an adopted city of composer maestro Wagner. Hence, you will certainly get to see renditions of one of his famous works without fail in Dresden. To enjoy those, however, you need to be a little versed in operas and theatre.
Similarly, various museums in Dresden “ most notably Grünes Gewölbe and Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister museums “ will keep art lovers occupied for at least two full days. So, planning your sightseeing journey while keeping in mind your interests will be the preparation.
Transportation in Dresden
There is adequate public and private transportation in and around Dresden. It is an important air base in Germany and connects with direct flights to most of the important cities in Europe. Many other cities in the rest of the world also connect aerially with Dresden. Dresden is well connected with an extensive network of roads to all parts of Germany and neighbouring countries that allow tourists unobstructed entry on the Schengen visa.
Germany is well famous for their trains and their efficiency. Tourists can experience this efficiency of train network first hand in Dresden as it is a very important train junction in Germany and is duly connected via all year round railway fixtures.
The fact of the matter is, it doesn't really matter where you put up in Dresden “ luxury and cheap hotels all provide their patrons with very timely, punctual and round the clock private taxi services. There are also various smartphone apps like Uber that can help you find a taxi for your sightseeing outings within 2 minutes.
To make the most of your trip to Dresden, and Germany in general, you need to be sincere in your efforts as Germany has a lot to offer to those who have open minds and cerebral curiosity to absorb various cultures.