Full of lavish architecture, a beautiful riverside and some of Europe’s best museums. This city has been dubbed another Florence, but with much fewer tourists.

The stunning city of Dresden, in Germany, known for its ‘sparkle’ is often nicknamed “Florence on the Elbe” because of the city’s baroque architecture.

What makes the city so great is that various styles, including Historicism, Modernism and Postmodernism influence its architecture.

A large part of Dresden was destroyed during WWII, which has left many of the landmarks looking old due to being darkened by sandstone oxidation. 

Of its beautiful buildings, Dresden is home to three huge landmarks – the Zwinger Palace, Semperoper Opera House and the Church of Our Lady.

The Zwinger is Dresden’s most famous architectural monument. It was built in 1709 as an orangery and garden. Today, the building houses parts of the Dresden State Art Collections and is located two minutes away from another famous sight—the Semperoper.

The culture-packed city is also renowned for its music. Hosting international festivals and enchanting theatre and dance productions all year round, there’s no way of ever getting bored of Dresden.

With the festive season, why not discover one of Germany’s oldest Christmas markets? The Striezelmarkt has been around since 1434 and is regularly voted the best Christmas market in German-speaking countries. 

Its historic Ferris wheel takes visitors back in time while glazing over the sparkling huts across the beautiful market.

Despite being often compared to Florence, the city saw just over 2 million visitors, whereas Florence saw over six times the number of visitors at 12.7 million.

Dresden is not only home to outstanding architecture but is also one of Europe’s greenest, with 62% of its area being green areas and forests. 

It boasts four nature reserves, ten protected landscapes, 138 natural monuments, and more.

The Grosser Garten Park is two square kilometres of green space in the heart of Dresden. The site also has a zoo, an open-air stage and a boating lake making it a great spot to take in the dazzling city whilst admiring its picturesque nature.