Are you looking for a day trip from Berlin or Dresden? Look no further. Meissen is a charming town to visit on a day trip. Keep reading to find out what you can see and do in this town in Saxony.
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I visited Meissen on a weekend trip from Berlin when I was living there. During the roughly nine months I spent in the German capital, I went on many day and weekend trips, so I got to know north-eastern Germany fairly well. Meissen was a total novelty for me. I’d only found out about it when researching day trips from Dresden, and it looked nice, so I didn’t think twice and planned my trip.
Getting to Meissen
Meissen, spelled Meißen in German, is a small town around 25 kilometers away from Dresden, in the free state of Saxony. It is easily reachable within a 30-minute train ride from most stations in Dresden, which makes it perfect for a city break. The train station is less than 10 minutes from the old town, and everything from there is within walking distance.
As for Dresden, you can easily reach it by bus from many other German cities. I traveled there from Berlin with Flixbus, which took just over two hours and was really affordable. I often use Flixbus for low-cost travel around Europe, and I highly recommend it!
Why visit Meissen, Germany
If you’re looking for lesser-known places to visit in Germany, Meissen is definitely one of them. This quaint little town doesn’t draw nearly as many visitors as the bigger cities in the region, so it’s the perfect escape if you don’t love crowded places.
The main landmarks are the Late Gothic castle of Albrechtsburg and the Gothic Meissen Cathedral. Furthermore, Meissen is the home of Meissen porcelain, famous all over the world. You would know if you were into this kind of stuff. I had no idea until I visited. I just wanted to visit a quiet and picturesque place for half a day, and Meissen seemed to fit the bill.
It was a hot summer day, the cobblestone streets flooded in sunlight, colorful flowers in bloom everywhere, and a cloudless blue sky. The atmosphere was quite relaxed, and I immediately got amazing vibes in this sleepy town.
Meissen Marktplatz
Walking from the train station to the city center, the first place to check out is Marktplatz. This is a lovely square with colorful buildings, restaurants, and bars all around. It’s also where markets take place and the location of the Tourist Information office.
The big white building taking up one side of the square is Meissen Town Hall. In the south corner of the square, you will find the Church of Our Lady, or Frauenkirche in German. You can climb the church tower for a view of Meissen from above.
From Marktplatz, feel free to wander around the small streets of the old town, check out the shops and cafés, and discover tiny squares and colorful buildings. Check out Kleinmarkt, Heinrichsplatz, and Burgstrasse. The latter leads towards the castle and is lined with shops and restaurants.
Keep walking up the street, then continue onto Hohlweg and over the bridge (Schlossbrücke) up to Torhaus. This is the gateway to Domplatz, the Cathedral Square. Torhaus also hosts a great collection of porcelain.
As previously mentioned, Meissen is famous for the production of porcelain. The first European porcelain was manufactured here back in 1710. For this reason, the town attracted many artists and artisans back in the 18th century. The logo of Meissen porcelain, two crossed swords, is one of the oldest trademarks in existence, dating back to 1720.
Albrechtsburg and Meissen Cathedral
Now, you have reached the historical center of Meissen, with the cathedral and the castle. Meissen Cathedral will rise in front of you as soon as you pass Torhaus, imposing and magnificent. The Gothic cathedral is located right next to the castle. Together, they make up an iconic view of Meissen from the valley below. Although it was built between 1260 and 1410, the two 81-meter-high Neo-Gothic towers were only built between 1903 and 1909.
The cathedral is no longer in use for church services, except on special occasions, but you can visit it for a fee. You can choose between multiple access types, from the cathedral visit and tower access, to special entries to listen to organ music. You can find all the fees here. As for the opening hours, they may differ depending on the season, so make sure to check them here. You can also get a combined ticket for the cathedral and the castle.
Albrechtsburg is a Late Gothic castle developed from a fortified military camp built on a hill along the Elbe River in 919, following the orders of King Heinrich I. The last major renovation, giving it its actual look, took place in 1471. Nowadays, Albrechtsburg is a museum featuring a range of murals from the 19th century illustrating events from the castle and Saxony history, as well as a permanent exhibition of Meissen porcelain and medieval Saxon sculpture. In addition, you can at times find temporary exhibitions. Find out more information and admission prices on the Albrechtsburg official website.
If you want to learn more about Meissen, you can join this Guided Walking Tour. An expert guide will take you on a beautiful tour of Meissen and share interesting facts about the main landmarks.
The view from the valley
Walk down from the castle hill and can cross the bridge (Altstadtbrücke) for a great view of Meissen. You can enjoy a walk along the riverside and check out how Albrechtsburg and Meissen Cathedral dominate the “skyline” of Meissen, with small, colorful houses gathering around at the feet of the castle hill. It’s quite an impressive view.
Where to eat in Meissen
If you have enough time to include a meal on your city break in Meissen, there are several restaurants where you can either have a typical German meal or various other specialties. For a German lunch, check out Grüner Humpen zu Meissen or Schnitzelhaus Zum Domblick.
Alternatively, you can try Greek specialties at Goldener Ring, Vietnamese at Asia Mekong in Kleinmarkt, and many other places. For a tasty ice cream, try Eiscafé Venezia in Heinrichsplatz.
Staying in Meissen
If you choose to spend the night in Meissen, I recommend checking Booking.com for accommodation. I didn’t spend the night there myself, but I always use Booking.com to find hotels and homestays. Check out some options below:
I’d say one full day is enough to visit the main places in Meissen, or even half a day if you are not planning to join the castle and cathedral tours.
If you are visiting Meissen as part of your trip to Dresden, make sure to check my detailed article on this beautiful baroque city here. You can easily fit these two places into a weekend trip. Whatever you choose, I hope you’ll enjoy your Meissen day trip!
Travel Resources
Here are more travel resources I always recommend for planning an amazing trip, from finding the right accommodation to getting great travel insurance.
| Website/App | Category | Description | Book Here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Booking.com | Accommodation | My favorite website for great accommodations for different budgets. | Find a Place |
| Kiwi.com | Flights | My new favorite platform for finding affordable flights. | Find Flights |
| Omio | Transportation | You can book everything from buses and trains to ferry rides. | Transportation |
| SafetyWing | Insurance | One of the best travel medical insurances for frequent travelers. | Get Insured |
| Manawa | Activities | A great platform to book activities and adventures with local hosts. | Find Activities |
| GetYourGuide | Activities | My go-to platform for tours and experiences with lots of options. | Experiences |
| Viator | Activities | A great alternative for activities all over the world. | Experiences |
| GuruWalk | Free tours | A great platform for free walking tours (tipping is recommended). | Book a tour |
| DiscoverCars | Car rental | My go-to platform for car rental anywhere in the world. | Rent a Car |
| Airalo | eSIM | My favorite app for buying digital SIM cards when traveling abroad. | Get an eSIM |
| Saily | eSIM | A great alternative to Airalo, with cheaper plans in some destinations. | Get an eSIM |
| Xe | Currency | A currency converter showing real-time rates. Website or app. | Get Xe App |
| Maps.me | Navigation | My favorite navigation app for hiking trails and remote areas. | Get Maps |
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