La Dolce Vita on two wheels
Fortresses and castles meet wine and beer
Actually, you should take two or three days to get to know the area around Dresden when traveling by motorbike. Not only for enjoying regionally produced alcoholic drinks are over-night stays highly recommended. A variety of sights, including numerous fortresses and castles, are found along the way. And this of course includes breathtaking landscapes with mountains and valleys along with quite a few curves. …more
Distance approx. 230 km
Other routes
You will find other interesting routes here:
- La Dolce Vita on two wheels
- Endless curves with castles guaranteed
- Through the land of castles and palaces
Wood and coal
For those who do not wish to drive around Freital, a visit to Burgk Castle is highly recommended. The museum does not only show the history of Freital‘s black coal territory. It also displays an exquisite collection of approx. 500 paintings from Dresden artists out of the first half of the 20th century, including nine works by Otto Dix. A good way to stretch your legs is to walk up to the fortress ruins, located upon a rock in the middle of the nearby town, Tharandt, as well as the botanical forestry garden which belongs to the forestry academy, founded in 1811, with its 2,000 wood species from all over the world. The town is surrounded by the largest forest area in Saxony, the Tharandt Forest.
Secular and clerical power
Passing Wilsdruff you can reach Nossen, where the castle reigns over the Freiberg Mulde River. Close by, there is the Altzella Monastery Park. After the dissolving of the Cistercian monastery due to the Reformation, parts of the building were demolished and the remaining ruins were later integrated in the formation of a landscape park.
Bildansicht vergroessern- Altzella Monestary Park
The cradle of Saxony
The path towards Meissen continues parallel to the Triebisch Valley, which is worth a stop. Near the valley, kaolin also known as china clay is mined for porcelain production. In Meissen, it is worthwhile to park your motorbike and discover the city by foot.
During the time of the eastern colonization the German Emperor gave the order to build a fortress, which became the heart of the town of Meißen and the margraviate of the same name, out of which today‘s Saxony developed. The town is still dominated today by the huge hillside. The fortress was rebuilt into the Albrechtsburg Castle. Immediately nearby, the gothic dome with its priceless furnishings can be found, once praised by Goethe as being the ”most slender and beautiful of all buildings of its time that I know of“.
Bildansicht vergroessern- The Meissen Dome
Sea of red roofs
From the hillside you have a fantastic view over the red-roofed houses of the old town, which have existed in this form until today. For those interested in architecture, Meissen has a splendid ensemble of various architectural periods. As a centre for Saxony‘s wine growing, the city offers everything that can be produced from grape juice. It is especially cozy within the traditional restaurant Vincent Richter at the market square. At this location it is also possible to listen to the ring of the oldest glockenspiel made out of Meissen porcelain, which rings out from the neighboring Church of Our Lady and reminds us of the product that made Meissen world-famous. Not only is it a must for porcelain enthusiasts to visit the state porcelain factory, but for every visitor of Meissen.
From wine to beer
Along Saxony‘s wine route and with this along the Elbe River, we continue on to Diesbar-Seusslitz, where you can marvel at the Baroque glory of the Diesbar Castle, and then head on back to Meissen. Moritzburg Castle is just 20 kilometers to the east, with its beautiful scenery surrounded by numerous fish ponds. Take a tour around the grand castle pond and visit the Pheasant Castle by foot.
Bildansicht vergroessern- Moritzburg Castle
A visit to Saxony‘s regional stud is worthwhile, not only during the famous stallions‘ parades in September. In the restaurants around the area not only fish but also game out of the former royal forests is served. The next stop takes us to Radeberg, the town of beer, where you can visit the famous brewery. In the middle of the city another treasure can be discovered, Klippenstein Castle.
The royal residence
Along the border to the Oberlausitzer Bergland (Upper Lusatian Hill Land) you continue on until Stolpen. The Stolpen Castle owes its fame to Countess Cosel, who lived there as a prisoner for 49 years. The fortress honors its most famous inhabitant and displays the hardships and cruelties of past centuries.
Bildansicht vergroessern- Stolpen Castle
For all of those who favor the more mysterious, a visit to Schönfeld Castle is recommended. The magical castle near Dresden is a meeting place for international magicians. Within the city of Dresden itself, there are many opportunities open to the traveler.
The Zwinger, the residential palace with its museums and the Stableyard, Dresden Fortress, the Great Garden, the Elbe River Castles and Pillnitz Castle are just a few of the many sites in and around the city. A tour is not complete without a visit to one of the many restaurants in the old town or to a bar in the new town of Dresden. There you are always welcome; it doesn‘t matter if you prefer wine or beer.
Bildansicht vergroessern- Dresden nightlife
