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Savoie

Savoie is in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes in southeastern France.

Cities

 * - site of the 1992 Winter Olympics
 * - site of the 1992 Winter Olympics

Other destinations

 * — a beautiful mountain area in the French Alps that is well-known for its large ski resorts
 * — a beautiful mountain area in the French Alps that is well-known for its large ski resorts
 * — a beautiful mountain area in the French Alps that is well-known for its large ski resorts
 * — a beautiful mountain area in the French Alps that is well-known for its large ski resorts
 * — a beautiful mountain area in the French Alps that is well-known for its large ski resorts

Get around
Chambéry Airport offers a multilingual travel service for visitors. Private taxis with drivers fluent in English, German and Spanish are available.

Do
Savoie is best known as one of the best places in France for Alpine Skiing in the winter time. There are numerous resorts within short driving distance from Chambery Airport. Espace Killy is a ski area in the Tarentaise Valley, Savoie in the French Alps, named after the skier Jean-Claude Killy. It covers the resorts of Val d'Isère and Tignes. There are 300 km of pistes: 22 green runs, 61 blues, 46 reds and 25 blacks, plus 44 km of cross country skiing, 2 terrain parks and 2 glaciers. The STGM company operates 90 ski lifts in the area.

Drink
The main wine appellations in the area are Vin de Savoie, Vin de Savoie Mousseux, crépy Roussette de Savoie, and Seyssel. Vin de Savoie, the area's main appellation, is for dry wines-white, red, and rosé. The grapes for red wines are gamay, mondeuse and pinot noir. Many wine aficionados prefer the Mondeuse-based wines. White wines make up 75 percent of the production. They're made primarily from jacquère but aligoté, altesse, chardonnay and chasselas are also used. The Vin de Savoie Mousseux AC is for sparkling wines made from Altesse, Molette, and Chardonnay.

Go next
Neighbouring departments:
 * Ain
 * Isère
 * Haute-Savoie

Cross-border:
 * Piedmont region of Italy

Savoie

title: Savoie


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Savona

Savona is a coastal city in Liguria, Northwest Italy, the capital of the Province of Savona. It is the third largest city in Liguria, after Genoa and La Spezia.

By car
Savona is easily accessible by car from Genoa. The journey takes just over half an hour, on the A10.

From the West, Savona is approximately an hour from San Remo and two hours from Nice. This scenic route largely follows the coast.

From Turin, taking the A6, the journey takes around 1 hour 40 minutes.

By train
Trenitalia runs regular services from Genoa to. It is most convenient to catch the train at Piazza Principe. Regional services, which take 40 minutes to an hour, are very frequent, and generally cost around €10 for a return ticket. Faster InterCity services take around half an hour but are less frequent and cost approximately €18 for a second class and €21 for a first class return.

By bus
Most of the larger villages and towns in the province of Savona have reliable bus services to the city, although departures may not be very frequent.

Get around
The historic centre of Savona is relatively small and easily explored on foot. Bus services may be useful for travelling out to the beach.

See

 * Promontorio del Priamar
 * Promontorio del Priamar

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: Savona


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Savonlinna

Savonlinna (Swedish: Nyslott) is a small city in South Savonia province, Eastern Finland, close to the Russian border. Savonlinna is one of the iconic tourism destinations of Finland with traditions of hospitality going back to the 19th century. The town has been attracting visitors with its spa, lake nature including two national parks. In summertime the town offers rich variety of lake cruises, many still operated with old lake steamers.

Understand
Savonlinna was founded as a city in 1639 when the Swedish King Gustav II Adolf granted it city rights. The city grew rapidly around Olavinlinna Castle, and it became an important trading hub on the Saimaa waterway.

By the late 1800s, Savonlinna was a thriving city known as a centre for culture and the arts. The city was a popular tourist destination, and many famous artists and writers, such as Jean Sibelius and Juhani Aho, visited and lived there.

During World War II, Savonlinna suffered significant damage when the Soviet Air Force bombed the city. Many buildings and infrastructure were destroyed during the bombings.

After the war, Savonlinna was rebuilt and has since thrived. The annual Savonlinna Opera Festival attracts about 65 000 visitors in July. Savonlinna is an important centre for leisure and culture in eastern Finland. It has about 32,000 inhabitants (2023).

Kerimäki, Punkaharju and Savonranta belong to Savonlinna since around 2010. They are handled in their own articles. Sääminki, which was merged in the 1970s, is handled here.

 * City tourism page
 * City tourism page

By plane
If you fly in from abroad, you probably fly to Helsinki and can continue by bus, train or plane. Lappeenranta also has some international flights, most of them operated by Ryanair.

By train
As of 2016, there are 3–4 trains daily from Parikkala (70 minutes) where they meet intercity trains from Helsinki (altogether 4¼ hours) and from Joensuu (altogether 2¼ hours).

For Punkaharju train stops, see listings for Punkaharju.

By bus
There are three daily direct coaches from Helsinki (4½–5½ hours) and five daily buses from Mikkeli (1½ hours) with connections from other destinations. There are directs routes also from Joensuu, Varkaus, Jyväskylä and Imatra. See Matkahuolto.

By car

Savonlinna is about equidistant (about 100 km) from each of Mikkeli, Varkaus and Imatra, and a little longer from Joensuu. No matter from which direction you're coming from, it's a beautiful drive through the lake landscape, especially in the summer. From Helsinki it's 335 km; about 4 hr of driving, depending on traffic and road conditions.

By boat
Lake Saimaa can be reached by yacht (height max 24 m) from the sea through the Saimaa Canal. Lake scenery can be appreciated in summertime on sightseeing cruises departing from the passenger harbour next to the market place.

Get around
Savonlinna is stretched out on a series of islands in the middle of Lake Saimaa. While you can cover the central parts on foot, you'll need to resort to buses (or rent a car) to access the suburbs. If you want to rent a car, there is a Hertz rental office at the waterfront, near Hotel Tott. Savonlinna is surrounded by lakes and you can also rent a canoe to paddle around town centre.

By bus
The town maintains information on local buses. There is a route planner for local transport trips. Routes and Tickets mobile app has an address based routing and also a ticket purchase option directly from the app. Local connections can also be searched on Google maps.

By taxi

 * Smartphone apps: Valopilkku, 02 Taksi
 * Smartphone apps: Valopilkku, 02 Taksi

See

Do

Events
Savonlinna offers a wide range of events all year round, especially music. The opera festival brings people from afar, but there are also numerous fringe events in the summer. In wintertime, the orchestra, choirs, clubs and event venues offer different kinds of concerts.

Eat
During the morning and afternoon, the best place to eat is the market square by the lake, where you can get Eastern Finnish delicacies. like lörtsy meat pies and freshly fried of smoked muikku (vendace, a type of freshwater whitefish). You can find these typical local products also in the supermarkets. Canned smoked vendace (savumuikku) is a nice gift to bring home. You can also buy Muhosen luomuruisleipä – organically farmed traditional sourdough rye bread.

Sleep
There are opportunities ranging from boutique hotels to steam boat cabins to hostels and rental cottages. During the opera festival in July, expect higher prices and reduced availability of accommodation in the centre.

Go next

 * Punkaharju — see the iconic Finnish national landscape
 * Kerimäki — see world's largest wooden church
 * Savonranta — idyllic village between Savonia and Karelia along Saimaa waterways
 * Enonkoski — a small municipality about 30 km north of Savonlinna
 * Rantasalmi — relax in the spa resort Järvisydän and enjoy the natural wonders of Linnansaari national park.
 * Sulkava — venue of an annual big rowing competition with traditional boats

title: Savonlinna


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Savoy

There is more than one place called Savoy:

France

 * Savoy (France) - an historical province in France.

United States of America

 * Savoy (Illinois) - A town in Champaign County, Illinois.
 * Savoy (Massachusetts) - A town in the Berkshires of Massachusetts.
 * Savoy (Texas) - A town in Fannin County, Texas.

title: Savoy


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Saxon Elbland

The Saxon Elbland is a region in the central part of Saxony. The region stretches along the Elbe river that forms diverse landscapes, ranging from rocks in Saxon Switzerland to meadows on highlands of Großenhainer and Lommatzscher Pflege. Saxon Elbland also comprises the Elbe valley and the city of Dresden, the main tourist destinations in Saxony.

Cities

 * – Saxony's state capital, its Baroque old town is a must-see
 * – medieval cathedral and residence of the Saxon dukes, famous for its porcelain
 * – site of a fairytale-like château surrounded by ponds and forests
 * – wine village turned well-off suburb of Dresden, home town of adventure novelist Karl May
 * – medium-sized industrial town, known for its sports traditions as well as for pasta. Grew as the Elbe-crossing along the Leipzig-Dresden railroad line and still sees ICE service
 * – medium-sized industrial town, known for its sports traditions as well as for pasta. Grew as the Elbe-crossing along the Leipzig-Dresden railroad line and still sees ICE service

Understand
Saxon Elbland contains the Elbe Valley (also known as the Dresden basin), which is in the central part of Saxony, in the foothills of the Erzgebirge and Lausitzer Gebirge mountain ranges. The valley here is several kilometers wide with flat riverbanks and steep surrounding hills. The typical elevation at the river is about 115 m above sea level, while the hills climb up to 250–300 m. On top of the hills are panoramic views of Dresden and surrounding towns; in clear weather, it is even possible to see the mountain peaks of Saxon Switzerland. These specific relief features bring a mild climate and facilitates intensive agriculture, including numerous vineyards (Saxony wine road) on the northern side of the valley.

Most of the tourist destinations are located on the banks of the Elbe river. Pirna is on the left bank close to the border of Saxon Switzerland. Down the river is Dresden and its suburb Pillnitz (right bank). Further downstream are Radebeul and Coswig, again on the right bank. Meißen and Weinböhla stand at the end of the valley, where the Elbe comes onto more flat land. Freital is a short detour on one of Elbe's tributaries.

The region is arguably the heartland of today's Saxony whose historical nucleus was the Margraviate of Meißen established in the mid-10th century after the area was conquered from the Slavs and colonised by Christian, German-speaking settlers. After the Margraves of Meißen inherited the title of Dukes and Prince-Electors of Saxony in the 15th-century, the erstwhile frontier area became one of the richest and most powerful feudal states in the Holy Roman Empire. The territory's seat of power shifted from Meißen to Dresden around 1500.

Thanks to thriving trade and exploitation of the silver mines in the nearby Saxon Ore Mountains, it experienced its golden age in the late 17th and beginning 18th century under Augustus the Strong. He bribed his way to be "elected" as King of Poland but continued to reside in Dresden rather than moving to Warsaw. During his rule opulent Baroque palaces and other magnificent buildings were erected in Dresden and its surroundings for the king, his many children (allegedly more than 300), his spouse and several mistresses (think of the Countess of Cosel, who was not only the ruler's lover but also a shrewd and powerful politician). In 1708, Meißen was the first place in Europe to bake porcelain. Meissen porcelain, marked with a pair of crossing swords, still is a brand of international renown.

Talk
You will hear a lot of Saxon dialect in this area, which while less strong than in the Ore Mountains can take some getting used to. Unlike in West Germany, English proficiency is rather low, but the Technical University of Dresden does attract a lot of international students and researchers, so you might have more luck with younger people. The region has historically been close in more ways than just geography to the Czech Republic and cross-border tourism and migration means that many businesses will be able to carter to Czech-speakers. The regional word for "yes" ("nu") even arguably has Czech or Slavic routes (modern Czech for "yes" is "ano"). Russian is also widely spoken as it was taught during GDR times and wealthy Russians have long chosen Dresden and Meißen for their shopping trips in Germany - so much so that economic woes in Russia are acutely felt by some high-priced retailers in the region.

Get in
Dresden is the regional transport hub. If you are travelling from outside Saxony, it is advisable to come to Dresden first and to continue using local trains or buses. ICE trains from Frankfurt will also stop at Riesa (the region of Großenhainer and Lommatzscher Pflege), while EC trains from Prague stop at Bad Schandau (the region of Saxon Switzerland).

By public transport
In most parts of the Saxon Elbland, public transport is operated by companies which are members of VVO (Verkehrsverbund Oberelbe – Upper Elbe transport system). Their website (in German and English) provides complete and up-to-date information on routes, timetables, and fares. It also has an online route planner is also available (use the "Advanced search" option; the basic search menu requires you to specify the names of bus/train stops, which may be difficult to find out). Public transport in the region includes trains, buses, trams (in Dresden and surroundings), and Elbe ferries.

The VVO network is rather concentrated around Dresden. It is usually possible to reach any destination in the Saxon Elbland from Dresden within 1½–2 hours. The nearest destinations around Dresden are frequently served during the day and also 2–3 times during the night. In other parts of the region, travel at night is impossible. Most bus routes provide very limited service during weekends and public holidays: two-hour intervals on less popular routes and 2–3 buses per day or even no weekend service for local routes. Some services only run on evenings or weekends if they have been requested in advance by phone. (Anruf services.) Note remarks in the timetables (typically in German only). Trains have more stable and convenient schedule, which is basically the same for weekdays and weekends.

The fare system is based on zones. Each zone includes 1–2 towns and neighboring villages. The zones overlap, which means that you do not pay for a particular zone if your trip just "touches" it. Overlaps are marked by small arcs on bus/train lines on route maps. Ticket machines have complete destination lists and calculate prices automatically, so you usually don't have to worry about counting zones.

The following tickets are available: Notes:
 * Single-ride tickets: 1 zone (€2.30, valid for 1 hour), 2 zones (€4.10, 1½ hours), 3 zones (€6.20, 2 hours), whole VVO region (€8.20, 4 hours). You can also buy a 4 single-ride ticket for €5.50 and validate one or more single rides depending on the number of zones used.
 * Day ticket (valid till 04:00 of the next day): 1 zone (€6.00), 2 zones (€8.50), whole VVO region (€13.50).
 * Family ticket (valid till 04:00 of the next day, covers up to 6 people with max. 2 adults): 1 zone (€9.00), 2 zones (€13.00), whole VVO region (€19.00).
 * Small group ticket (valid till 04:00 of the next day, covers up to 5 people): €28.00 for the whole VVO region.
 * Night ticket (valid between 18:00 and 06:00 of the next day): €7.00 for the whole VVO region. A useful option for late travel.
 * Weekly ticket: 1 zone outside Dresden (€17), Dresden zone (€21), 2 zones (€31), 1 zone and all the surrounding zones (€46.50), whole VVO region (€61.50).
 * Reduced fares for children (6–14 years) and senior citizens are available.
 * You can also purchase combined day tickets (Tageskarte Elbe-Labe) valid for the VVO region and for the border region in the Czech Republic (Ústí nad Labem district): €14 for one person or €27.50 for the group of up to 5 people.
 * All the imaginable combinations of the above-listed tickets can be used. For example, if you have a day ticket for one zone, you can travel to any neighbouring zone with this day ticket + a single-ride ticket for one zone.
 * Ferries are more complicated. Some ferries have their own fare system and do not accept VVO tickets. Others are part of the VVO system and grant discounts if you already have a VVO ticket. (For example: €0.60 for a single ride on passenger ferries).

All the tickets have to be validated in stamping machines which are at stations and on board buses, trams, and ferries. Unstamped tickets are not valid. Boarding a train, bus, tram or ferry without a valid ticket can lead to a fine. On major lines, ticket inspectors ride nearly every train. Outside Dresden, bus drivers usually ask passengers to present the ticket upon entering the bus.

Tickets can be purchased in ticket machines at train stations (usually DB ticket machines) and at main train/bus stops. On minor railway lines, ticket machines can be on trains, but this never happens on major lines. Bus drivers and ferry operators also sell a variety of tickets. Ticket machines are easy to operate and have detailed instructions both in German and English. Route maps at train stations and bus stops usually include fare information with a complete English translation.

Special public transport (narrow-gauge railways, funicular and cable railways in Dresden, certain Elbe ferries) are not part of the VVO fare system and require additional tickets.

The main transport in the Elbe Valley is the S-bahn system of Dresden. It has three routes: The trains run every half an hour between 04:30 and 00:00.
 * S1: Meißen – Coswig – Radebeul – Dresden Neustadt – Dresden Hbf – Heidenau – Pirna – onwards to Saxon Switzerland (Rathen, Bad Schandau, Schöna). This route goes along the river through the whole valley
 * S2: Dresden airport – Dresden Neustadt – Dresden Hbf; on weekdays, onwards to Heidenau and Pirna.
 * S3: Dresden Hbf – Freital; onwards to Tharandt.

Other local trains make few stops within the region: usually, at Coswig if travelling north or west, at Freital if travelling south-west towards Chemnitz, and at Pirna when travelling east.

Buses are scarcely used by travellers due to infrequent service, especially on weekends. The main advantage of buses/trams is the night service on the following routes:
 * Tram 4: Dresden Postplatz – Radebeul – Coswig – Weinböhla (every half an hour during the day and every hour during the night)
 * Bus 411: Coswig – Meißen (during the night only; the schedule is connected to Tram 4)
 * Bus A: Dresden Löbtau – Freital (runs frequently during the day, a good alternative to S3)
 * Bus H/S: Dresden Pirnaischen Platz – Heidenau – Pirna (during the night only)

By car
The region has extensive road network. However, motorways are found near Dresden only. In other parts of Saxon Elbland, traffic is usually low.

By boat
While the Elbe river is a natural connection within the region, travelling by boat is rather uncommon. Regular tourist service using paddle-steamers is run between Seußlitz and Bad Schandau. The trips are slow, and the prices are high (see Elbe valley:By boat for details). Outside the Elbe valley and Saxon Switzerland regions, the river transport is restricted to occasional tourist trips.

Travelling by boat along the Elbe river is one of the main tourist activities in the region. The service is operated by a special company Sächsiche Dampfschiffahrt (Saxon steam shipping) that runs regular connections from Dresden up and down the river. The fleet includes eight historical paddle-steamers from late 19th century and several motor ships. The routes cover the whole Elbe Valley and even extend to Bad Schandau in Saxon Switzerland or Seußlitz in Großenhainer and Lommatzscher Pflege. However, the long-distance services are infrequent. Most of the ships depart from Dresden Terrasenufer (Dresden Terrace, near Augustusbrücke), every hour or even more often. Some of the ships do simple round journeys without intermediate stops, while others go either up or down the river on longer routes.

The active navigation period is from April to September. During winter time, the services are infrequent and restricted to Dresden area. Paddle-steamers and the focus on tourists make the Elbe boats a very slow and expensive way of travel. For instance, the trip from Dresden to Meißen takes at least 2 hours and costs €12 (compare to 40 minutes and €5.30 for the train, although the impressions are, of course, quite different). The fare system is pretty flexible: return tickets are a very good saver, day and family tickets are also available.

Elbe ferries are a more regular river service. Despite the large number of bridges, there are 7 ferries within the Elbe Valley. Those relevant for the travellers are in Dresden.

By bike
Except for the mountainous region of Saxon Switzerland, biking is simple and convenient. Elbe Radweg (Elbe bike path) runs along the Elbe river (on one or both banks) through all the parts of Saxon Elbland. This bike path is well-marked, paved, and avoids same-level crossings with other roads. It is a kind of "bike highway" in Saxony.

See
Most tourists will come to the Elbe valley to see the historical center of Dresden, the valley and the medieval town of Meißen with its world-known porcelain manufacture. While these attractions undoubtedly constitute the must-see list for the first-time visitor, there are more places to see:
 * Dresden architecture is diverse and not restricted to the historical center.
 * Medieval historical centre of Pirna is somewhat less-known (yet no less interesting) compared to Meißen.
 * The Japanese-style chateau in Pillnitz is very special compared to Saxony's typical baroque palaces.
 * Moritzburg Castle, Baroque palace on an artificial island amidst a lake, known as the fairytale castle of the East German/Czechoslovak Cinderella film
 * Numerous castles, châteaux, manors and gardens, including the Renaissance water castle of Schönfeld (11 km north of Radeburg), Zabeltitz Baroque palace and garden (9 km north of Großenhain), Seußlitz Baroque palace and garden, Großsedlitz Baroque garden (near Heidenau), Hirschstein castle on a rock overlooking the Elbe river

Itineraries

 * Elbe Radweg (Elbe cycle trail): Continued from Saxon Switzerland (Pirna) – Pillnitz Palace – Dresden – Radebeul – Coswig – Meißen – Elbe wine villages Diera-Zehren, Diesbar-Seußlitz and Nünchritz – Riesa – continuing to Torgau and Wittenberg

Do

 * Visit numerous museums in Dresden, including the famous Dresden art gallery, the historical Green Vault and the German Hygiene museum.
 * See a performance at Semperoper (Royal Opera House) in Dresden. This opera house is one of the world-known theater halls and the architectural landmark of the city.
 * Narrow-gauge railways in Freital and Radebeul are still operated by steam locomotives with authentic old cars. These railways are among the most easily accessible narrow-gauge railways in Germany.

Eat
Saxon food specialties are widely available throughout the Elbe Valley. Additionally, there is a variety of local pastries, which originate from Dresden baking traditions and are now sold throughout the region. The most known specialties are Dresdner Christstollen (Dresden Christmas Cake), Dominostein (small sweets with pastry, jelly, and marzipan, covered with thin layer of dark chocolate), and Dresdner Eierscheke (a cake with a layer of egg and 'quark'). The meat specialty of the region is Dresdner Sauerbraten (roasted marinated beef). Meißen is also known for Meißner Fummel (a light bread roll, hollow on the inside) and for the local pork. Further information can be found in the Eat sections for the cities in question.

Wine
The Elbe Valley is one of thirteen Quality wine regions in Germany (this region is usually referred as Sachsen). Therefore, wine is definitely the drink of choice here. Despite its very northern location (among the northernmost wine regions in the world), Elbe valley produces excellent white wine. The most common varieties of the grape are Riesling, Müller-Thurgau, and Weißburgunder. Red grape constitutes about 10% of the total production, and the red wine is rather uncommon for the region.

The wine region spreads along the right bank of the Elbe river from Pirna to Pillnitz, interrupts in the city of Dresden, and starts again from Radebeul to Weinböhla, Meißen, and further to Seußlitz. The connections between these towns are known as Sächsische Weinstraße (Saxon Wine Road) and Sächsischer Weinwanderweg (Saxon Wine Path). The road runs at the base of the hills through the vineyards, while the path meanders up and down the hills, offering a perfect hiking trail with panoramic views of the valley. Of course, the path and the road pass by numerous cafes, restaurants, and guest houses, where local wine can be tasted. One also finds information tables that describe sorts of grape and the wine production. Note however that the road and the path are not very well marked. At some points, one has to find the way using the map.

Events in the Saxon wine region:
 * Tage des offenen Weingutes (open access to wine cellars) – last weekend of August
 * Herbst- und Weinfest (Autumn wine festival) – September, Radebeul
 * Sächsische Winzerfest (Saxon wine festival) – July, Dresden

The best way to try and to buy local wine is to visit one of the so-called vinotheks('wine merchants'), which are found throughout the region: Prices range from €5 to €25 for a bottle of 2-3 years aged wine. Exclusive wines are aged for 7-10 years and cost up to €100. Local wine is also available in regular supermarkets, but the choice is usually limited.
 * Dresden:
 * Meißen:
 * Meißen:
 * Radebeul:
 * Radebeul:

Apart from the regular wine, the region produces champagne and spirits (strong fruit liqueurs). Both are usually available in wine shops. The liqueurs are sold in fancy souvenir bottles and are quite expensive.

Beer
In addition to extensive wine production, the Elbe valley also has a long tradition of brewing beer. Breweries are located in Dresden and in Meißen. The best known Dresden brands are Feldschlößchen, Dresden Felsenkeller, Coschützer Pils, and Schwarzer Steiger. Meißen produces Meissner Schwerter. Dresden and Radebeul also have small breweries attached to restaurants, where you can try local beer. Dresden's Neustadt also has Viervogelpils and the Neustädter Hausbrauerei, which is available in most local bars. While many of the former have been bought up by major conglomerates, the latter two are still independent.

Stay safe

 * Elbe Valley is generally a very safe region. During the night-time, care should be taken in the Neustadt district of Dresden because of the active night life. Other parts of the region require basic safety measures only.
 * While the region has a long tradition of welcoming international guests, in the mid-2010s it became a main field of far-right activities. Hostilities against people looking "foreign" or somehow "different" are sadly more than just singular incidents, but xenopohobes are still a minority and non-whites or adherents of alternative subcultures do not have to feel unsafe in general.
 * Floods are possible, especially during the spring. Although these floods cause no threat to travellers, the regular life of the region may be disturbed. The roads along the Elbe banks (including the bike path) may be covered with water and inaccessible. Normally, public transport and tourist attractions are not affected. However, more serious and disastrous floods are also possible (the last event took place in 2002). One finds the levels of high water (Hochwasser) on the buildings in Dresden and other cities of the region.

Go next

 * Saxon Switzerland, upstream the River Elbe, low mountain range with bizarre sandstone rock formations and picturesque river valleys, popular for hiking, climbing (from beginner to extremely difficult levels), camping under the open sky; Rathen open-air theatre with mountainview; biggest town and gateway to the region is Pirna (20 km southeast of Dresden; 20 minutes by train)

title: Saxon Elbland


text:
Saxon Ore Mountains

The Saxon Ore Mountains, called Erzgebirge in German or Krušné hory in Czech, is a mountain range in the south of Saxony in Germany. It is known for its craftwork. The mountains have formed a natural border between Saxony and Bohemia for many centuries.

Understand
As the name implies, the Ore Mountains are a mineral-rich mountain range, located in the southern part of Saxony bordering Bohemia. Nearly 900 years of mining has dominated the region with several phases of Klondike-like goldrushes, "Berggeschrey" in medieval German, after new finds of mainly silver ores around Freiberg, Schneeberg and Annaberg. The rich silver mines created the base of the wealth of the Saxon kings and the cultural heritage of the Saxon capital Dresden. The last mining in the area occurred during GDR times when a company of the deceptive name Wismut (Bismuth) extracted Uranium for military use in the USSR. While those mines were shut down upon reunification, the area still struggles with the damage this decidedly "dirty" business did to workers and environment alike. Nowadays, as most of the mining has shut down, there are plenty of industrial heritage sites open to visitors. However by no means all there is in the mountains is gone and when prices for several commodities rose in the mid 2000s, talk of yet another "Berggeschrey" could be heard. Since the prices have come down however, the only people making any money off mining are those at the Bergakademie in Freiberg, one of the oldest universities of its kind.

Following miners tradition, the region has developed a diverse culture of wood-carving and Christmas decoration as candle-lit decoration was the only light the miners saw for several months during winter. Annaberg and Seiffen are famous, but not the only places, for the traditional handicraft and Christmas markets.

The Ore Mountains are the most snow reliable region in Germany outside the Alps with plenty opportunities for downhill and nordic skiing around the Fichtelberg and Oberwiesenthal areas. Compared to the Alps, skiing areas are smaller but cheaper and the effects of mass tourism are not that notable, owing in part to the fact that even cheaper slopes on the Czech side aren't far away.

Talk
Truth be told, the local dialect can be hard to decipher even to German native speakers. If you can't make out what people are telling you, try to extricate yourself from the conversation and try asking someone else. While general foreign language fluency is below average, Czech and Russian may work better than in other parts of Germany. This is especially true for Czech in border towns.

By car
From the north (Berlin via Dresden) use the Autobahn A13 and A4, as well as the A14 (from Magdeburg). Enter via the Autobahn A4, when coming from the west. The A9 (from Nuremberg) and the A72 (from Munich and Hof) will lead you to the Erzgebirge when coming from the south.

By train
If you are coming from further away you will most likely arrive via Dresden or Leipzig. Regional trains also run from other surrounding regions, like Franconia. The most important line is the Dresden - Freiberg - Chemnitz - Zwickau - Hof -line with hourly regional service in either direction. From there there are branch lines to Annaberg-Buchholz and Stollberg (from Chemnitz), Johanngeorgenstadt and Klingenthal from Zwickau. During the skiing season special trains can get you to the snow sports hotspots.

By plane
The only major airport with scheduled flights is in Dresden. However, even that airport doesn't offer all that many connections. Some areas of the Erzgebirge may be easier to reach from Prague or Karlovy Vary in the Czech Republic. There are a number of airports in the region that can be used with business and private aircraft.

Get around
Many railways run through the Erzgebirge, although not as many as there once was. The Fichtelbergbahn runs a heritage steam service on 750mm gauge from Cranzahl to Oberwiesenthal.

Do
The Erzgebirge national park provides many opportunities for outdoor sports and sightseeing. In the summer, many paths exist through the forest for Hiking, Cycling and rock climbing, while in winter the paths are used for cross country skiing and snowshoeing. Oberwiesenthal was once the premier alpine ski resort in East Germany, and still exists as a relatively undiscovered, quiet area for skiing.

Stay safe
On the whole this area experiences little crime. (Though low level drug smuggling across the border does occur). As it is not as high up as the Alps, mountain safety rules apply but less so. Still you should be prepared for fast changes in weather as well as storm and heavy snow in the winter - even if no snow can be seen in the lowlands.

Go next

 * Visit Dresden,
 * Plauen a nice city in the Vogtland,
 * across the border to Bohemia

title: Saxon Ore Mountains


text:
Saxon Switzerland

Saxon Switzerland (German: Sächsische Schweiz) is a national park in Saxony, Germany, so named after its picturesque upland scenery.

About 30 km (18 mi) upward the Elbe River from Dresden, this is a mountain area made of sandstone. Bizarre stone formations and spectacular views are only a few characteristics of this region that is ideal for hiking or climbing, but also for a relaxed day out. For those who like nature, it is surely the most beautiful landscape in Saxony. It can get crowded along the river at summer weekends, if you don't like this, try the colder days. From late autumn to early spring, when snow dusts some of the peaks, you will nearly be alone outside the villages. There are also many rock castles and caves within the region, most worth a visit. Further upstream along the Elbe/Labe one enters the Czech Republic. However, the rock formations and the natural splendor continue and this region is known historically as the Bohemian Switzerland or "Böhmische Schweiz" in German.

Cities

 * — a bigger historically industrial town, called the gate to Saxon Switzerland
 * — a well-known cure spa close to Saxon Switzerland
 * — on the river within Saxon Switzerland
 * — former chemical industrial town between Dresden and Pirna
 * — home to the one of the largest mountain fortresses in Europe
 * — Bastei rock formation and Open-air-arena Felsenbühne
 * — bigger Saxon province town in Saxon Switzerland

Other destinations

 * — bizarre rock formation and spectacular view from a 19th-century stone bridge
 * — site of the castle of Stolpen (Burg Stolpen)
 * — site of the castle Weesenstein

Understand
The mountain range was formed after the sea retreated and left (Cretaceous era, roughly contemporary with T-Rex) sandstone as the remains. It was once a wild area, known for robbers and hard to conquer strongholds. Many of those still remain and can be visited. The most impressive is certainly the fortress of Königstein that was used for centuries as a jail for high-ranking prisoners.

Talk
Like in most other parts of Germany, English is generally well understood by people, in this area especially by people under 50. Some know Russian and some also Czech. As this region is close to the border some signs will be in Czech and/or Polish.

By train
Probably the most comfortable way to get in, even faster than car due to a direct line along the river Elbe. Eurocity trains from Prague (1:45 hours) and Berlin (2½ hours) call in Bad Schandau every two hours. Additionally, the European Sleeper line runs multiple times per week from Belgium, through the Netherlands and Germany to Prague and back, and hits Bad Schandau on the way. Otherwise you may take an intercity or high-speed train to Dresden and connect to the half-hourly running suburban train line S1 to Bad Schandau. Stops in several towns of the area (incl. Pirna, Rathen, Königstein), taking between 20 and 45 minutes from Dresden main station. Every other S1 train (i.e. hourly) continues until Schöna on the Czech border (55 minutes from Dresden).

By car
It may be a little tricky to find the roads out of the city Dresden if you're not used to it. Follow the signs to Czech Republic (Dečin) or Bad Schandau.

If you wish to directly access the national park at the northern side of the river, the only possible bridge crossings are at Pirna or Bad Schandau. There are ferries in between, but these are only for passenger or bicycle transfers.

Be aware of traffic jams at hot summer weekends. A good bench mark is the Elbe River. Simply follow it to the east (i.e. upstream).

By boat
If you have some time, try this. Old beautiful steam ships (there are modern diesel too, so take care when you buy tickets) bring you up the river through the beautiful Elbtal. Relaxing trip. You will have a good look to the engines! Before 1990 they were fired with coal, now oil is used, but it's still a steam engine.

By bicycle
There is a good bicycle way along the Elbe River, take the right river (northern) side if you go up.

Get around
Best option is a car, although there is public transport (question is not if you get there, but when).

See
To get a good overview over all destinations, visit the site of the regional management (available in German, English and Czech).

Itineraries

 * Elbe Radweg (cycle trail): (Dresden –) Pirna – Wehlen – Rathen – Königstein – Bad Schandau – Schöna (– Děčín)

Do

 * Hiking: great network of well-maintained and signposted hiking trails. While some are suitable for casual walkers, others are rather challenging and require some stamina.
 * Cycling and mountainbiking: The Elbe Radweg (Dresden–Bad Schandau: 54 km) is totally suitable even for average bikers without mountain training. While riding downhill may be less strenous, the opposite direction rewards with the mountain view always in front of you. There are a few other, more demanding trails.
 * Enjoy the beauty of nature
 * Watch a performance at the Felsenbühne Rathen. Open-air arena for nearly 2,000 spectators. Classical concerts, musicals, theatre amidst the scenery of sandstone rocks piling up 100 m above your heads.
 * A regional tradition is Boofen, meaning bivouacking without a tent but under a rock shelter. The National Park administration keeps a list and map of possible bivouacking sites. You should absolutely bring a bedroll as it can get cold during the night, even in Summer. Camp fires are prohibited within the National Park, except at nine specified campfire sites. In any case, please take along your waste in order to leave the place as untouched as possible to other visitors.

Eat
There are a number of inns along the hiking trails and small restaurants in every town.

Stay safe
It is a very safe region and there should not be any problems (you still have to lock your car). If you've read in a newspaper about the election results of extreme right wing parties in this area, yes, they are true, but in touristic areas they won't do anything to you. If you are visibly or audibly "foreign", it might be wise to exercise caution at night or when alone as violent incidents with Neo-Nazis are rare but do happen and have happened here as well.

Go next

 * Saxon Elbland around Dresden, downstream the Elbe river
 * As this region is right next to the Czech-German border, Bohemian Switzerland is a natural next step

title: Saxon Switzerland


text:
Saxony

Saxony (Sachsen) is a federal state in the east of Germany. It contains the two largest and most important cities in eastern Germany other than Berlin: Leipzig and Dresden. The state has a long history of independence as a kingdom (much like Bavaria), and as a result has a strong sense of self-identity. It is home to many historic towns and cities and also the eastern German mountain range, the Ore Mountains or "Erzgebirge" which it shares with the Czech Republic to the south. It also shares international borders with Poland and the region of Silesia to the east. Görlitz, a town divided by World War II along the Oder-Neiße line is also the easternmost point of Germany.

Regions
Saxony is divided into six historical, cultural and geographic regions:

Cities

 * — must-see state capital with old baroque city centre
 * — “capital city“ of Upper Lusatia and cultural centre of the Sorbs
 * – industrial and arts city, formerly known as Karl-Marx-Stadt
 * – one of the best preserved medieval old towns, centre of mining, engineering and science.
 * — well-preserved historic city on the border of Poland and Silesia; easternmost point of Germany
 * — old banking, trade-fair and publishing city famous for its ties to Bach
 * — medieval cathedral and famous for its Meissen (Chinese) porcelain, medieval residence of the Saxon dukes
 * — famous for its lace industry
 * – one of the early centers of Germany's automobile industry prior to the Second World War

Other destinations

 * Lusatian Lake District (shared with neighbouring Brandenburg)
 * Central German Lake District (shared with neighbouring Saxony-Anhalt and Thüringen)

Middle Ages
During the early Middle Ages, most of today's Saxony was populated with Slavs. Many place names are of Slavic origin (including the names of the major cities Dresden, Leipzig and Chemnitz), typically ending in -itz or clustering sibilants like 'z' and 'sch' in a way that is difficult to pronounce even for Germans from other regions (one of the most extreme examples may be Zitzschewig). A Slavic population has survived in the ethnic group of the Sorbs, consisting of some 20,000 people native to the Upper Lusatia region of Eastern Saxony who proudly maintain their own language and traditions. Most Slavs however either moved east or were assimilated by the German-speaking majority since the 12th-century German "East Colonisation".

The population of Saxony is mostly unrelated to the ancient tribe of the Saxons, native to Northern Germany, who were one of the roots of England's Anglo-Saxon population. The name Saxony was only conferred to this territory for dynastic reasons in the 15th century. Until then, it had been known as the Margravate of Meissen, named after its capital Meißen which is the oldest cathedral city in Saxony.

Early Modern Age

At a time when each of the German tribes spoke its own dialect that was barely mutually intelligible with any other, and most written texts were in Latin, the idiom of the Meissen administrators was considered the exemplary variant of Germany's native language. When Martin Luther translated the Bible into German, he was strongly guided by this language, thus modern Standard German has its roots in Saxony. Until the 18th century upper-class parents from other regions sent their sons to schools in Saxony in order to learn "proper" German. Ironically, the Saxon dialect nowadays is one of the most unpopular ones, being considered very unattractive and derided by most Germans from other regions.

Saxony was the first among German states to officially adopt the Protestant teachings of Martin Luther and is therefore considered the "motherland" of Protestant Reformation. According to the rule of cuius regio, eius religio ("Whose realm, his religion") all inhabitants had to convert to Protestantism, too (or emigrate). Since that time, the rulers of Saxony were considered first among equals in the Lutheran (Protestant) camp. However, the princes and kings of Saxony managed to be on the wrong side of almost every war since the 16th century and therefore gradually lost territory and influence.

Still, productive silver mining in the Saxon Ore Mountains, fertile farmland in the central hills and lowlands, and thriving trade (Leipzig holding one of the prime trade fairs in Central Europe) made Saxony one of the richest regions in Germany. Thus you will barely find the "typically German" half-timbered houses in Saxony's old towns, as they were once a sign of poverty, while most Saxon burghers could afford costly stone houses. Many towns, even smaller ones, boast imposing Renaissance town halls and large market squares, that are hard to find in Northern or Western German towns of that size.

The golden age of Saxony's glory was the Baroque period of the late-17th and early-18th century, when Saxon elector August der Starke ("Augustus the Strong") bribed his way to be elected King of Poland (converting to Catholicism to be eligible for this crown, while his Saxon subjects were allowed to keep their Protestant faith, this time). He spent enormous sums to realise his dream of Dresden being one of the most glamorous capitals of Europe, building magnificent churches, an opera house and whole new quarters in the Baroque style, as well as numerous châteaux and mansions across the state (also for his several mistresses and many children). He also collected art treasures in his picture gallery and china collection, in addition to staggering creations of jewellery in his "Green Vault". This reckless spending was far more than even the relatively affluent state of Saxony could afford. At that time, Meißen was the first manufacture of porcelain in Europe, which used to be imported from China.

Modern history and economy

Saxony is notable as the first industrial centre of Germany. Leipzig and Dresden were the first mainland European cities to be connected by a long distance railway in the 1830s, while Zwickau and Chemnitz were among the cradles of the German automobile industry before World War II. Thus, the late-19th century Gründerzeit was another boom period of Saxon cities with whole quarters of multi-family houses and villas surviving from that time (mostly renovated during the 1990s and 2000s). Naturally, the war hit those industrial centres and transport hubs particularly hard and after the war, the Soviets dismantled a lot of industrial infrastructure and shipped the parts to the USSR, which together with a "brain drain" of East Germany in its first decade and questionable economic policies hit the area hard.

During communist rule in East Germany (GDR), Saxony was culturally and economically dominant in the new state and people from the "west" (the old Federal Republic of Germany) think of a Saxon accent if they want to portray a stereotypical "easterner" (Ossi). The Messe (trade fair) in Leipzig was for a long time the pride of the regime and Saxony's window to the world, as it attracted many visitors from "capitalist" countries. Although the war and the incredibly bland GDR architecture have destroyed a lot of what used to be beautiful in cities like Dresden, Leipzig and Chemnitz (renamed Karl-Marx-Stadt during GDR-times), happenstance, ideology and lack of funds also preserved many things that were lost in western Germany such as many scenic narrow gauge railways or tramways that are among the most extensive and reliable in Germany.

Plauen, Leipzig and Dresden were among the origins of the 1989 Peaceful Revolution that led to the end of communist rule and the reunification of Germany. Once deeply "red" (i.e. socialist), Saxony has been governed by the conservatives uninterruptedly since 1990. The sudden introduction of market economy led to an almost complete collapse of Saxony's industries with hundreds of thousands losing their jobs at the same time. On the other hand, Saxony recovered from the economic transformation faster than the other "New states", now hosting state-of-the-art plants of renowned automotive (Volkswagen, BMW, Porsche) and high-tech producers (GlobalFoundries, Infineon). New jobs in management, cultural and creative industries even attract well-educated "immigrants" from the western states. However, there is a substantial gap between booming cities like Leipzig and Dresden and left-behind rural areas, giving rise to far-right parties and movements.

Today
Almost forgotten until the wall came down, Saxony now attracts travellers from all over the world, looking for beautiful historic (many of them rebuilt) buildings, the breathtaking scenery of Saxon Switzerland or just to buy a hand-carved nutcracker in the Saxon Ore mountains. While it certainly is not a budget destination, it is notably cheaper than western Germany with lower wages, and lines for attractions shorter than in Bavaria.

Tourist information

 * Saxony tourism website

Talk
The language of communication is naturally German, but the Sorbs in the Oberlausitz also speak their own language. Sorbian is a sister language of Polish and Czech. The Saxon accent is quite strange for most other Germans and therefore often ridiculed and used in comedy. Regardless, the Saxons are very proud of it and it remains a strong part of the region's identity.

Thanks to an actually quite good education system and growing international trade, English is widely spoken by those in the service industry and those born after reunification. Furthermore, many people, especially young people, have a decent knowledge of other foreign languages, like French, Spanish or Italian. Russian tends to be mostly known and understood by the middle-aged and older Saxons; but with a large and growing Russian-German community, you might even find a native speaker of the language. In regions close to the borders with the Czech Republic and Poland you will find some signage in Czech or Polish, with people in those areas possessing a vague knowledge of those languages. In tourist-oriented hotels and some shops you might also encounter signage or people speaking Russian, as there is a lot of Russian shopping-tourism, especially to Dresden.

By plane
Saxony has two mid-sized airports used for scheduled passenger flights in Leipzig/Halle and Dresden. Both see mostly domestic connections in addition to flights catering to package tourists from Saxony going to holiday destinations around the Mediterranean Sea. Direct connections from/to major European cities are few. Both have frequent inexpensive (around €2–3 one way) direct S-Bahn service to the centrally located Hauptbahnhof (main station) of their respective cities, from where you may transfer to other parts of Saxony. Leipzig airport station is even served by intercity trains at a two-hourly interval, linking it directly with Riesa and Dresden. Car rentals are available at both airports.

An alternative is to fly to Berlin Brandenburg Airport that sees a lot more connections and from where it takes less than two hours to Dresden or Leipzig by public transportation or by car.

From Frankfurt airport —Germany's main international hub—there are two-hourly direct ICE connections, taking 3 hr 20 min to Leipzig and 4½ hours to Dresden. Flying to Prague may be a feasible option for some travellers thanks to good road connections with Dresden (less than two hours by car), but not so much if you are dependant on public transportation or going to the northern or western parts of Saxony. Flying to Wrocław is only a serious option if your destination is in the eastern part of Saxony (Upper Lusatia) and you rent a car, otherwise the transfer will be tedious.

By train
The main hubs for rail travel are Dresden and Leipzig, served by the high-speed lines Hamburg–Berlin–Leipzig–Nuremberg–Munich and (Stuttgart–)Frankfurt–Leipzig–Dresden, each at an hourly or two-hourly interval. By ICE high-speed train, Leipzig is 1 hr 15 min from Berlin and just over three hours from Frankfurt, Hamburg or Munich. Leipzig boasts one of the biggest train stations in Germany with a wide variety of shops and free Wifi. The third place with ICE and intercity service is the central Saxon town of Riesa (halfway between Leipzig and Dresden); while Chemnitz is Germany's biggest city that never sees a long-distance train.

Another main intercity line serving the state is the hourly connection Hanover–Leipzig–Dresden, with every other train coming from either Bremen or Cologne and Dortmund. The two-hourly Eurocity Hamburg–Berlin–Prague stops in Dresden and Bad Schandau (Saxon Switzerland), Dresden being just over two hours from either Berlin or Prague.

Entering from Poland, the link between Wrocław and Dresden was suspended. The trip now requires a change of trains in Węgliniec near the German-Polish border (as the Polish half of the route is electrified while the German one is not) and takes about 3 hr 15 min, while the quickest connection from Wrocław to Görlitz takes just over two hours.

From the neighbouring states you may also enter Saxony with regional express (RE) trains (i.e. local trains that do not stop at every station), namely from Hof, Bamberg and even Nuremberg in Franconia (the RE takes twice as long as the ICE, but may be worth considering for travellers on a shoe string and groups, thanks to special offer tickets); Cottbus in Brandenburg; Dessau, Naumburg or Wittenberg in Saxony-Anhalt; Gera, Jena or Weimar in Thuringia. There are also some cross-border connections with local trains from neighbouring regions in the Czech Republic (North Bohemia), including Cheb, Děčín and Liberec. There are also local trains from Karlovy Vary in the West Bohemian Spa Triangle to Johanngeorgenstadt.

Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia Ländertickets are valid on regional trains and buses in all three states. In the vicinity of the Czech-German-Polish border triangle, you may profit from the unified fare of the ZVON transport system ("Euro-Neisse" ticket), valid for regional transport in all three countries. Between the Dresden area and the Ústí region in Northern Czechia, including the Saxon Switzerland and Bohemian Switzerland regions, you may use the cross-border "Elbe-Labe" ticket.

By bus
Saxony's major (and some of the minor) cities are all served to varying degrees by domestic and international long distance buses. Berlin is particularly well served because of the bad railway connection between Dresden and Berlin and (historically) Leipzig and Berlin

Get around
Public transport is for the most part good, fast and reliable. If you plan to do a day trip the Sachsen-Ticket might just be what you are looking for. It costs €23 for one person plus €5 for each additional member of your group up to five and covers all regional trains in Saxony, Saxony Anhalt and Thüringen plus public transport in Leipzig, Zwickau, Görlitz, Halle, Erfurt, Gera, Jena and Dresden. It is valid from 09:00 on working days (all day on weekends) until 03:00 the following morning.

For single travelers, there is the Regio120 ticket up to 120 km, Regio 120 plus up to 150 km in Saxony, Thuringia and Saxony-Anhalt as well as selected routes in Brandenburg, Berlin, Bavaria, Hesse and Lower Saxony for €17 and €22.50 respectively. These tickets are only valid on regional/local trains on weekdays from 09:00 or all day on Sa Su. With the Regio 120 ticket, you can travel, for example, from Leipzig to Dresden or Zwickau or from Chemnitz to Dresden or Hof; with the Regio 120plus, you can even travel from Leipzig or Dresden to Berlin.

A Hopperticket (flat rate for journeys of less than 50 km) analogous to Thuringia or Saxony-Anhalt is only available in Saxony in the tariff area of the MDV and there only as a cell phone ticket for €9.50 (round trip up to a maximum of 6 zones).

Saxony has bucked the general German trend towards improved local train service: some routes were cancelled in the 2010s, while others are acutely threatened with cancellation.

There are several narrow gauge heritage railways, especially in the Ore mountains. As most of them are privately run (some not-for-profit) the Sachsen Ticket usually isn't valid on them.

In some areas of the countryside, buses run only once a day.

See
Saxony features two current and one former UNESCO World Heritage site. The park of Bad Muskau on the German-Polish border is one of the largest and most beautiful English-style landscape gardens in continental Europe. The Ore Mountain Mining Region is a transnational Czech-German cultural area; several of the former mines can be visited in guided tours. The cultural landscape of the Dresden Elbe Valley, including Dresden's old town, Baroque churches, palace, châteaux and mansions, art collections and music traditions, used to hold the World Heritage title as well. But it was retracted from the list due to the construction of a new bridge which the UNESCO committee did not approve of. That does not however make Dresden and its surroundings any less worth visiting.

Other natural sights are found in the mountain landscape of Saxon Switzerland with bizarre and pictorial sandstone rock formations (like the Pfaffenstein and Barberine), steep river valleys and picturesque views, e.g. at the Bastei bridge near Kurort Rathen. The Saxon Ore Mountains have their distinctive rock formations as well, e.g. the granitic Greifensteine near Ehrenfriedersdorf.

When it comes to man-made sights, Saxony is mostly known for its castles, ranging from medieval fortresses on hilltops to fairytale Renaissance castles, Baroque residences and hunting châteaux. Most of them are found in the regions of Leipzig Lowlands-Central Hills (e.g. Colditz Castle, Kriebstein, Schloss Hartenfels in Torgau) and Saxon Elbland (e.g. Meißen castle, Moritzburg, and the numerous palaces in and around Dresden).

Churches and monasteries are no less prominent, including the cathedrals of Meißen, Freiberg and Bautzen, the Romanesque Wechselburg basilica, Dresden's Frauenkirche (Church of Our Lady) and Catholic court chapel or the Baroque monastery of St. Marienthal in Upper Lusatia, close to the Polish border. Visitors interested in religious history may go to Herrnhut, being the place of origin of Moravian Church (Unitas Fratrum) which now has followers around the world. Those with affinity to the LDS Church may take interest in the Freiberg Germany Temple which at the time of its dedication in 1985 was the only Mormon temple in the whole Eastern Bloc.

In general, Saxony has a large number of lovely old towns. While Dresden – at the time an important railway hub and close to the advancing Eastern Front – is one of the saddest examples of carpet bombing during World War II, many of the smaller and mid-sized towns have survived the war almost unscathed. The best example may be Görlitz which is pretty much a real-life picture book of German architectural history with examples from almost every period from medieval via Renaissance, Baroque and Neoclassical to Art Nouveau. This is the reason why scenes for many period films have been shot here, including the international blockbusters Inglourious Basterds and The Grand Budapest Hotel, earning the town its nickname "Görliwood". There are special guided tours to the filming locations. Another prominent example is the old town of Bautzen with its many medieval towers.

Do

 * Saxon Switzerland is an excellent hiking and climbing area, for both beginners and advanced climbers.
 * The man-made lake districts around Leipzig and in Lusatia boast "the longest sand beaches between Baltic Sea and Adria" and offer a range of watersports, including sailing, windsurfing, kitesurfing, and jet-ski.
 * Canoeing on smaller and medium-sized rivers (e.g. Mulde in the Central Hills, Neisse and Spree in Upper Lusatia) and lakes. In Leipzig you may even do a kayak tour within the city, thanks to many river branches and canals.
 * Cycling tours, e.g. along the well-developed and signposted Elbe, Oder-Neisse or Muldental bike trails.
 * Winter sports in the Saxon Ore Mountains and Zittau mountains, especially cross-country and downhill skiing. Due to climate change, the amount of snow varies from year to year. Only Oberwiesenthal (914 m above sea level) is considered "snowsure" all winter long.
 * Visit an opera performance at the Semperoper in Dresden or a classical concert of the Gewandhaus orchestra in Leipzig.

Eat
Saxon cuisine is usually described as hearty and savoury, not unlike in neighboring Thuringia, Bohemia (Czech Republic), Franconia or Bavaria. Like in most regions of Germany, main dishes typically consist of meat (usually pork or beef, but also poultry or venison), potatoes in any form (be it boiled, peeled or in the skin, fried, mashed, or as dumplings), vegetables (typically carrots, peas, green beans, sauerkraut, red cabbage or mushrooms), and gravy.

Typical Saxon dishes include potato soup, sauerbraten (a marinated pot roast) or meatloaf (locally known as Wiegebraten or falscher Hase, literally "faux rabbit"). Sausages that are only eaten as spread in other German states, like liverwurst or Grützwurst (a kind of pudding containing meat and groats), may be served as a main dish in Saxony, served with potatoes, sauerkraut, and mustard (preferably from Bautzen). Hot Grützwurst, freed from its skin and therefore runny, is called Tote Oma—"dead granny"—and is considered unappetizing even to some locals, while those who have grown up with this tradition love it.

Fish dishes typically include trout and carp, that may be draught in local rivers or ponds. Wermsdorf in Central Saxony is a stronghold of fish farming, celebrating the Horstseefischen festival at the end of each year's carp fishing season in October. Trout is most commonly served as Forelle Müllerin Art ("trout meunière"), i.e. fried and served with browned butter. If carp is on the menu, it is usually Karpfen blau, meaning the fish is poached until its skin gets a bluish shade.

Each sub-region has its own local cooking traditions and specialities, most notably a variety of different potato fritters in the Saxon Ore Mountains, linseed oil in Upper Lusatia, and Leipziger Allerlei (mixed vegetable including carrots, peas, asparagus, morels and, at least in the original version, crayfish).

Being one of Germany's easternmost regions as well as politically and culturally connected to the USSR during GDR times, Saxony boasts a lot of Slavic influences in its cuisine, notable in dishes like cabbage rolls, dumplings or Soljanka (a soup with various pieces of sausage, meat and vegetables, traditionally eaten with sour cream and lemon juice).

On the other hand, Saxons are also known for having a sweet tooth. Many locals, especially the elderly, consider their afternoon coffee and cake (Gaffee und Guchn in the local dialect) not just a snack, but a full meal. A local cake specialty that is unknown outside Saxony or Thuringia ("to the detriment of mankind", as Dresden-born Erich Kästner wrote) is Eierschecke, consisting of three layers: a preferably very thin base of yeast dough, a curd-and-blancmange cream in the middle and fluffy yolk cream on top. A typical Saxon dessert is Quarkkäulchen, little balls of mashed potatoes, quark (curd), egg and raisins, fried in a pan, sprinkled with sugar and cinnamon.

As in all states of former East Germany, ethnic restaurants and diners are less common than in the Western states, due to the smaller percentage of immigrants. "Asian" (i.e. Vietnamese) diners and food trucks are more widespread than Turkish or Arabic ones. The typical Turkish-German Döner kebab shops exist in Leipzig, Dresden and other bigger towns, but they are usually not up to par with those in Berlin or the Western states.

Drink
The Elbe valley between Dresden and Meissen is the easternmost wine area in Germany and on the northeastern edge of wine-growing in Europe. Riesling, Pinot and Traminer are the main varieties grown. High-quality sparkling wine (Sekt) is produced using traditional methods, like champagne. There are plenty of wineries in the hills to the northeast of the Elbe downriver from Dresden, along the "Sächsische Weinstraße" (Saxon Wine Route).

Outside this small region, Saxony is more of a beer-drinking territory. Each sub-region has its own breweries. Many have been bought up by big national or international groups and produce mainstream Pilsner that is hard to distinguish from other brands. However, there are quite a number of smaller breweries producing craft beer or traditional, local beer types.

Saxons are known for drinking a lot of coffee and thus nicknamed Kaffeesachsen. Leipzig boasts one of the first coffeehouses in Central Europe (which is still in operation). The great quantity consumed is not necessarily reflected in a high quality of the coffee. In Leipzig and Dresden you will find cafes selling freshly-roasted single origins coffees.

Saxony also cultivates fruit, mostly apples. So, try some unfiltered, not-from-concentrate apple juice from local meadow orchards that is much more aromatic than the industrial juice from the supermarket.

Nightlife is concentrated in Leipzig, Dresden and Chemnitz (in descending order). Outside these cities you will hardly find anything but pubs closing around midnight (at the latest!) or a village disco.

Stay safe
Yes, there are Neo-Nazis and xenophobes in Saxony: until 2014 the far-right NPD was represented in its state Parliament, anti-Islam movement Pegida could draw large crowds in Dresden while failing to become big anywhere else in Germany and the right-wing AfD was the strongest party in Saxony in the last elections for the German parliament. Aggressive or even violent actions against refugees happen more often than in other places in Germany. So far, they hardly targeted tourists and were mostly present in run down neighbourhoods of the big cities (Dresden-Gorbitz, Dresden-Prohlis, parts of Hoyerswerda and Leipzig) or some rural communities in Saxonian Switzerland. However, protests against refugees organized by the far-right party AfD, anti-Islam Pegida and more radical groups are particularly frequent in Saxony and turn increasingly radical incl. exhibitions of violence against journalists and foreigners such as in Freital, Heidenau, Chemnitz.

Otherwise the security situation in Saxony isn't any worse than in most other parts of Germany (which is to say, very good when compared to almost all populated parts of the world), but the usual cautions in big crowds (pickpocketing), run down neighborhoods and alone at night can't do any harm.

Go next

 * Poland via Görlitz (just cross the river et voila you're in Poland)
 * The Czech Republic via a scenic (albeit slow) train connection in the valley of the Elbe, as well as the Elbe Radweg
 * Franconia via Hof and Nürnberg
 * Brandenburg and the lakes of the Lausitzer Neuseenland (former open pit lignite mines now converted to tourist friendly lakes)
 * Saxony-Anhalt and Thüringen with the Sachsen Ticket (valid in all three regions on all regional trains)

title: Saxony


text:
Saxony-Anhalt

Saxony-Anhalt (Sachsen-Anhalt) is a state of Germany. Located in the central part of Germany it is one of the five German states that used to belong to former East Germany. It is bordered by the states of Brandenburg to the north and east, Saxony to the south-east, Thuringia to the south and Lower Saxony to the west. Pretty centrally located within Germany, the region is rich in historical and cultural monuments, especially from the Middle Ages, boasting the highest density in World Cultural Heritage sites among German states.

Cities
Major cities are:
 * , state capital on the river Elbe, huge early Gothic cathedral and one of Germany's most important Romanesque monasteries; most of the once glorious old town was however destroyed during World War II
 * , centre of the Dessau-Wörlitz Garden Realm, seat of the 1920s Bauhaus art school, capital of classical modern architecture
 * , the state's most populous city, rich in history, interesting old town, birth place of George Frideric Handel (born Georg Friedrich Händel)

Minor cities and towns:
 * , birthplace of Martin Luther
 * , site of a major battle during the Thirty Years War
 * , more than thousand-year-old town with interesting old centre, Romanesque/Gothic cathedral and Renaissance palace
 * , late-Romanesque cathedral with remarkable medieval sculptures, one of Germany's oldest boarding schools, home town of Friedrich Nietzsche, several romantic ruined castles in the vicinity
 * , remarkably well-preserved medieval old town
 * , capital of the Altmark region, well-preserved medieval old town
 * , important city during the late Middle Age and Renaissance, origin of Martin Luther's Protestant Reformation
 * , remarkably well-preserved medieval old town
 * , capital of the Altmark region, well-preserved medieval old town
 * , important city during the late Middle Age and Renaissance, origin of Martin Luther's Protestant Reformation
 * , important city during the late Middle Age and Renaissance, origin of Martin Luther's Protestant Reformation
 * , important city during the late Middle Age and Renaissance, origin of Martin Luther's Protestant Reformation
 * , important city during the late Middle Age and Renaissance, origin of Martin Luther's Protestant Reformation

Other destinations

 * – "base camp" for visits of the Brocken, the state's highest mountain

Understand
The state of Saxony-Anhalt is quite young as a territory, but deeply rooted in history. It was created in 1945 by the merger of some former Prussian territories around Magdeburg in the northern and western parts, the former Duchy of Anhalt in the central part, and old Saxon territories, which came to Prussia as a result of the Vienna Congress in 1815, around Halle and Wittenberg in the eastern and southern parts. Therefore Saxony-Anhalt lacks a centralised structure and many important sites are scattered around the state.

Saxony-Anhalt was a very early centre of settled civilization owing mostly to its very fertile loess soils as can be seen through archeological discoveries such as the neolithic Goseck circle (that probably served as an early solar observatory) and the Nebra sky disk, an astronomical masterpiece of the Bronze Age.

During the age of migrations, the Germanic inhabitants of the area went westward leaving space for Slavic settlers as evidenced by some place names. However, starting from Magdeburg, German colonisation of the East started in the Early and High Middle Ages. During that time impressive feats of architecture like the Romanesque cathedrals in Magdeburg, Naumburg, Merseburg and Halberstadt, the city of Quedlinburg, the castle of Querfurt and numerous monasteries were built in what was a centre of the Ottonian dynasty. Otto I, first holder of the title of (West) Roman emperor since the end of the Carolingian dynasty and widely considered by later generations as one of the first "German" rulers, was buried in Magdeburg.

Perhaps the most famous resident of what is now Saxony Anhalt was Martin Luther. A native of Eisleben, he studied law at first, but wound up in a monastery, and became embroiled in a theological dispute over the sale of indulgences on which Luther (by then a fairly well known professor of theology at the university in Wittenberg) famously published 95 theses written in Latin in 1517, which he may or may not have nailed to the door of the Schlosskirche in Wittenberg as well. Regardless, the conflict - with both sides making ample use of the printing press – ultimately got out of hand and what started as a minor theological debate ultimately split Christianity in twain (Protestant Reformation), with Saxony Anhalt a largely Lutheran area well into GDR times when state-mandated secularism took over. Regardless of religion, many people are proud of the reformatory heritage and both Eisleben and Wittenberg have officially added "Lutherstadt" (Luther city) to their long form names.

Starting from the era of reformation, Magdeburg became a proud city largely independent of any other power and could openly flaunt the emperor who wanted to impose both Catholicism and taxation upon the city. In the Thirty Years War the Catholic side brutally sacked the city in May 1631 and reduced the once proud city of 30,000 to barely a hamlet of a few hundred. Magdeburg never fully recovered and only reached similar population figures during industrialisation. The atrocities of the sack were so bad that even many contemporary Catholics were horrified and magdeburgisieren ("Magdeburg-ify") briefly entered the lexicon as a term for a particularly brutal siege and sack. In 1632, Lützen in southern Saxony-Anhalt was the site of a major battle. It was a pyrrhic victory for Sweden at the cost of thousands of soldiers killed in action and both the Swedish king Gustavus Adolphus and the imperial general Pappenheim mortally wounded. After the war, the mayor of Magdeburg Otto von Guericke became a household name for his experiments with vacuums and the Magdeburg university today bears his name.

The ruling family of the Duchy of Anhalt, formerly an independent territory within Germany, did their share of networking to European monarchies. Roots of the Dutch kings are at Oranienbaum; a princess from Zerbst married to the Russian court and became the Russian tsarina Catharine the Great. Later the city of Dessau and its surroundings emerged as a major hotspot of European enlightenment under Prince Leopold III Frederick Franz, who created the Dessau-Wörlitz Garden realm. The area around Mansfeld has several hundred years of continuous history of mining of copper and other metals.

The region was in the geographic centre of the German Empire (before Germany lost its eastern territories and its centre of gravity shifted to the west). It was one of Germany's granaries and industrial power houses, especially regarding chemical industries. Major industrial inventions include the metal airplane by Hugo Junkers (1915) and the colour film at the Agfa-works in Wolfen (1932). Given Germany's lack of oil and gas, both Nazi and Communist leaders encouraged the synthesis of chemicals based on lignite, which was also East Germany's main source of energy. Some areas in the south of the state were therefore transformed into "moonscapes" by the shovels of giant strip-mining excavators digging for brown coal. These open-cast mines have been recultivated and converted into lakes and parks.

Saxony-Anhalt's population has experienced a massive decline as a result of the economic changes in East Germany since unification, leaving suburbs in many cities derelict. Handling shrinking cities is a challenge in urban planning. However, this particularly hits small cities and rural areas whereas major cities like Halle have bounced back from heavy losses in the early 1990s and now experience a minor growth in population again.

Generally, the state massively undersells its historic and touristic potential, which gives room for many discoveries of hidden treasures.

Tourist information

 * Saxony-Anhalt tourism website

Talk
The language of communication is, not surprisingly, German. Though not as strong as in Saxony or in Bavaria, regional dialects do occur. When meeting visitors from outside their region, most people will make an effort to speak standard German.

As learning English was not compulsory in communist East Germany, do not expect people who went to school before 1990 to speak or understand English, whereas younger people should at least understand some basics. Russian, French, Spanish and other languages are also commonly taught as second foreign languages (after English) in high-schools though results vary dramatically. As Magdeburg and Halle (Saale) are university towns, you may have more luck with various foreign languages there, especially among young people. Your best bet after German would still be English in almost all instances and locals will usually try halting English once they notice you are not a German native speaker. Insist on German (politely but firmly) if you wish and they will usually oblige.

By plane
The Leipzig-Halle Airport, just across the border in Saxony, offers connections to most other German and some European destinations. LEJ has a direct train connection to Halle, Köthen and Magdeburg, with interchanges to nearly all areas of the state from there.

Also within reasonable distance (approx. 2 hours) are the airports of Hanover  and the new Berlin Brandenburg Airport which has the widest choice of international destinations.

The main hubs in Germany, Frankfurt airport and Munich airport, are about four to five hours away.

By train
ICE high-speed trains on their way from Berlin and Hamburg to Frankfurt or Munich (and back) stop in Halle once or twice an hour. Halle is therefore this state's main rail hub. The trip from Berlin to Halle takes about 1 hr 10 min. Some trains on this route additionally stop in Bitterfeld. The other ICE line (Berlin–Hanover–Cologne), passing through northern Saxony-Anhalt, is usually served without a stop in this state, bypassing the capital Magdeburg.

The second main line accessing Saxony-Anhalt is the intercity route Dresden–Leipzig–Hanover that is served hourly (every other train coming from either Dortmund and Cologne or Bremen) with stops in Halle, Köthen and Magdeburg. Moreover, intercity trains of the Berlin–Hanover–Amsterdam route stop in Stendal in the state's far north at two-hourly intervals.

The privately-owned Harz-Berlin-Express (HBX) runs only on the weekends, linking Berlin with Magdeburg and the Harz mountain region (Halberstadt, Wernigerode, Quedlinburg, Thale). Fares are much cheaper than the regular Deutsche Bahn tickets.

Travelling to other places requires a transfer to regional trains that connect all notable towns at hourly or two-hourly intervals.

By bus
As of 2014, only a few long distance buses serve Saxony-Anhalt. There are some buses calling at Magdeburg en route from Ruhr Area - Hanover to Berlin, at Halle (Berlin - Munich or Dresden - Kassel). Flixbus serves some smaller places with services Berlin - Halle - Merseburg - Weissenfels - Zeitz (-Gera) and Berlin - Magdeburg - Bernburg - Aschersleben - Wernigerode (-Goslar/Göttingen). Most bus services run once a day only, some even fewer. For more information on the very volatile market see domestic bus travel in Germany

By car
Likewise, Saxony-Anhalt is well connected to the German Autobahn-grid. Nearly every traveller to Berlin passes through Saxony-Anhalt. Main Motorway east-west is the A 2 (Berlin–Hanover and beyond), which serves the north. Further south is B 6n, dual-carriageway from Bernburg to Goslar and beyond, extension from Bernburg to Köthen being under construction and the A 38 Halle–Göttingen. In the north-south-direction there is the A 9 (Berlin–Munich), which cuts the eastern and southern parts of Saxony-Anhalt (Dessau, Wittenberg, Halle, Naumburg). The A 14 (Dresden–Magdeburg) runs through central parts of Saxony-Anhalt and the A 71 (Sangerhausen– (Erfurt)–Schweinfurt), once completed, will connect to Thuringia and northern Bavaria, the last 20 km between Sangerhausen and Erfurt still missing.

Of course, there are plenty of minor roads connecting to any direction.

By boat
There are no scheduled boat transfers to Saxony-Anhalt. However, some river cruises use the Elbe when cruising Hamburg–Dresden or Potsdam–Prague, usually stopping at Magdeburg, Dessau and Wittenberg.

By car
There is a dense grid of (mostly) well maintained roads, which serve every spot of the state. Next to the motorways (see get in) are trunk roads ("Bundesstraßen", named B xxx). Standard for trunk roads is single carriageway, though there are also some dual carriageway like the newly built B 6n, Bernburg–Ilsenburg and beyond to Goslar, which has motorway-standard. Other trunk roads like B 81 from the A 2 near Magdeburg towards the Harz, the B 100 from the A 9 near Bitterfeld to Halle and continuing eastwards as B 80 and southwards as B 91 are dual carriageway, but not grade separated and not necessarily bypassing villages. Newly built trunk roads are bypassing at least smaller places.

Some minor roads may still have cobblestone surface or even dirt shoulders. Also there still can be surfaces of slag pavers. Be careful, those can become very slippery, when wet.

There are not many bridges crossing the Elbe river (only at Wittenberg, Dessau, Schönebeck, Magdeburg and Tangermünde) and the Saale downriver from Halle, but ferries roughly every 20 km of river length. Ferries may not operate during high water levels, some shut down in winter and they do not have 24/7 service. Usual operating times are from 06:00 to 20:00 weekdays, with shorter times (or even no service) on weekends and holidays. Some ferries are on diesel, others are reaction ferries with a cable firmly attached in the river bed and using the current of the river for movement. The reaction ferries, making no noise but the water bubbling underneath them, are a sight by their own right. However, plan carefully, as there might be a long detour waiting, if they are out of operation.

By train
There are train services throughout the state to most places of interest. Regional trains operate on an hourly (sometimes two-hourly) basis from approx 05:00 to approx 22:00, sometimes midnight. There are special tariffs for journeys under 50 km on regional trains ("Hopper ticket") for €4.50 flat fare single and €7.50 return. Also there is the Länder-Ticket Sachsen-Anhalt at €22 for one person plus €4 for any additional person up to five. It is valid on any regional and local train plus buses and tramways, which run under an integrated transport authority (like Magdeburg and Halle regions). Saxony-Anhalt-ticket is also valid in Thuringia and Saxony and vice-versa, Saxony-ticket or Thuringia-ticket in Saxony-Anhalt.

By bus
In addition to the trains, a bus network is part of the "state network" throughout the country. The lines run at least every two hours during the day on weekdays. All bus lines that run on the state network are identified in timetables by the  seal. Local fares apply, but rail offers such as Sachsen-Anhalt-Ticket, Schönes-Wochenend-Ticket are recognized in the state network. Holders of BahnCards can travel at reduced rates for children.

In the city of Halle, the Saale district and the Burgenland district, there is the Mitteldeutscher Verkehrsverbund (MDV), and in Magdeburg and the surrounding districts of Jerichower Land, Börde and Salzlandkreis, there is the marego network, in which regional trains, suburban trains, buses and streetcars can all be used with a single ticket. In Dessau-Roßlau and the districts of Wittenberg and Anhalt-Bitterfeld, the MDV fare is only valid on regional trains and commuter trains. In the other regions, there is a confusion of fares that is sometimes not easy to understand.

By bike
Some long-distance cycling tracks run through Saxonxy-Anhalt like the R 1 or the track along the rivers Elbe, Mulde and Saale. Carrying a bike is free on all local trains and most of the other public transport within Saxony-Anhalt (though not in neighbouring states, so watch out on trains, which cross).

See
Saxony-Anhalt is Germany's state with the highest density of UNESCO World heritage sites:
 * the medieval town of Quedlinburg. More than one thousand half-timbered houses.
 * Naumburg Cathedral from the 13th century, at the passage from late-Romanesque to early-Gothic style. The twelve donor figures by the anonymous Naumburg Master are among the most well-made pieces of medieval sculpture.
 * the Luther sites at Wittenberg and Eisleben. Protestant reformer Martin Luther was born and died in Eisleben, where his birthplace and death house stand. At the university town of Wittenberg, Luther spent most of his time and (supposedly) nailed his 95 theses at the door of the castle church.
 * the Dessau-Wörlitz Garden Realm. Created in the second half of the 18th century, it consists of several landscaped parks.
 * the Bauhaus sites at Dessau (and Weimar) from the 1920s, pioneers of classical modern architecture that later became the "International Style" of the 20th century. Dessau has the Bauhaus building, the masters’ houses and several other Bauhaus buildings.

Other sights include:
 * medieval cathredrals at Magdeburg, Halberstadt, Quedlinburg, Merseburg; well preserved castles at Falkenstein, Querfurt.
 * Europe-Rosarium at Sangerhausen, world’s largest collection of roses.
 * The Harz mountains with the highest mountain of northern Germany, the 1141-m Brocken, the Bode canyon and the Rappbode reservoir with the highest dam in Germany.
 * the Elbe floodplains, Unesco biosphere reserve.
 * two of the northernmost vine-growing areas in Germany around Naumburg and the Süsser See near Halle.
 * industrial history like the Röhrigschacht mine near Sangerhausen (mine allowing access down 200 m), the film museum at Wolfen, birth place of the colour film, or the city of iron, Ferropolis near Gräfenhainichen.

Itineraries

 * The Elbe Radweg, one of Europe's most popular cycle routes passes through Saxony-Anhalt: Wittenberg – Wörlitz – Dessau – Magdeburg – Tangermünde – Havelberg
 * Romanesque Road, links the many Romanesque cultural monuments (mostly churches, abbeys, and a few castles) all over this state: Magdeburg – Salzwedel – Arendsee – Havelberg – Jerichow – Genthin – Burg – Wanzleben – Oschersleben – Halberstadt – Osterwieck – Ilsenburg – Blankenburg – Qudlinburg – Gernrode – Ballenstedt – Falkenstein/Ermsleben – Eisleben – Sangerhausen – Querfurt – Naumburg – Zeitz – Freyburg – Merseburg – Halle – Landsberg – Petersberg – Bernburg
 * Himmelswege ("sky paths") linking places of protohistoric astronomy/astrology: Nebra Ark Visitor Centre (where the Nebra sky disk dating from 1600 BC was discovered) – Halle Museum of Prehistory (where the sky disk is exhibited now) – Goseck solar observatory (49th-century BC neolithic circular enclosure) – megalithic tomb Langeneichstätt

Do

 * cycle along the Elbe.
 * cruise the Romanesque Road, a holiday route, which connects more than 80 places of romanesque origin (churches, monasteries, castles), including world class buildings like the Magdeburg or Naumburg cathedrals, but also hardly known village churches.
 * ride the narrow-gauge steam trains from Wernigerode up the Brocken or in the Selketal.
 * attend one of the numerous music festivals of classical (Handel festival in Halle in June, Johann Sebastian Bach festival in Köthen, Kurt Weill festival in Dessau in February) or modern music (Melt! festival in Ferropolis in July)

Drink
At the banks of the Saale and Unstrut near Naumburg and Freyburg there are some of the northernmost wine-producing areas in Germany. As for the continental climate with rainfall under and sunshine above the German average and a tendency to poor soils on carbonate rocks, wines tend to become quite intense in taste and alcohol-rich. Rotkäppchen, a producer of budget (yet drinkable) champagne and one of the best known brands of East Germany, has its cellars in this region. Mostly white vines are growing. Outside that area Saxony-Anhalt is mostly beer drinking territory with a large brewery (Hasseröder) near Wernigerode and some smaller ones scattered around.

Sleep
There is plenty of accommodation across the whole range from hostels to top-class hotels. There might be some busier times regionally, but in general there are enough hotel beds to meet the demand. Reservations are only necessary, if you want a specific hotel on a specific date.Price level is moderate, from around €30 per person per night in standard accommodations to €80/100 per person per night in top-class hotels.

As special hotels there are to mention a hotel on top of the Brocken (highest mountain), a hostel in the original Bauhaus-building in Dessau, All across the region you will find hotels in former manor houses or castles like Meisdorf House, Schloss Altenhausen, Schloss Storkau or Wasserburg Westerburg.

Go next
Saxony Anhalt is more or less Centrally located and thus hops across the state line take you almost anywhere in Germany

 * Thuringia, here your Sachsen-Anhalt-Ticket is valid as well for all regional trains
 * Saxony historically both Länder share a lot of common heritage, and big chunks of Saxony-Anhalt were once part of Saxony, before the kings and electors lost one too many wars (they had a propensity for almost always choosing the wrong side). Halle-Leipzig in particular serve as one big metropolis with two cores in some ways, even sharing an airport in Schkeuditz.
 * Lower Saxony, the most natural next step if you are interested in medieval history (and not yet tired of castles, cathedrals, monasteries and half-timbered houses)

title: Saxony-Anhalt


text:
Sayabouly

Sayabouly ((ໄຊຍະບູລີ)) is a city in Northern Laos.

Orientation
The traffic roundabout is on Hwy 4. From there you can easily find all you need. If you go north, just after the gas station is SantiPhab Guesthouse, after that is the market, and in the end you will get to Thana bus station. South is the Internet cafe, and if you keep going you will find the South bus station. 1–2 km west is the monument and a few restaurants. East will bring you to the town "centre", the ATM, and the bridge over the Nam Houng.

 * Town map - There are free town maps at most guesthouses.

By road
Hwy 4 connects Sayabouly to Luang Prabang in the north and goes south to the Thai border (Nam Heung) via Pak Lay.

Most of Hwy 4 is not sealed, and in the rainy season there could be parts that are flooded and closed. There is no bridge over the Mekong, so the crossing is on a ferry. (price included in the bus ticket from Luang Prabang).

There are two bus stations - north (Thana bus station) and south. Each a little bit out of town (5–8 km), which serve different directions. Tickets can be bought at the bus station, or when boarding the bus (if there's space). Just plan to arrive at the bus station between 30-45 min before your departure, and you should have plenty of time to make purchases before your bus leaves.

Luang Prabang - the bus departs Luang Prabang at 09:00, and costs 60,000 kip. The ride takes 5 hours, and most of it is not sealed. The bus will drop you at the north bus station. From there you can take a tuk-tuk (don't pay more than 5,000 kip), walk, or just hitchhike to the centre of town.

Buy

 * ATM- A BCEL ATM is in the centre (near the post office).
 * The morning market is north on Hwy 4 and has the standard stuff like most Lao markets, fresh food, Chinese junk.

Eat
Evenings, there are a few places near the bridge that sell local food: sticky rice, ping kai, and all the usual stuff.

Connect
An Internet cafe is one minute walking south from the roundabout. The only English sign says "Computer Training". The owner used to live in the US and speaks English. 5,000 kip per hr.

Go next

 * Hongsa
 * Luang Prabang
 * Pak Lay

Thailand
Border crossing are at Muang Ngeun and Nam Hueng

title: Sayabouly


text:
Sayaxché

Sayaxché is a city in the Peten department of the Northern Lowlands of Guatemala. Sayaxché is an excellent base of operations for visiting Maya ruins in western Petén, usually by river.

Get in
Most tourists visiting Sayaxche are simply changing microbuses while travelling between Coban and Flores. Microbuses from Coban drop you in the central part of the town at the ferry dock. Microbuses to Flores depart from the parking lot on the far shore. Small ferries (Q2 (quetzales)) shuttle people across the river.

Getting to Sayaxche is not particularly difficult. If coming from Guatemala City, catch a bus to Coban then change to a bus or a microbus to Sayaxche. You may need to change microbuses at Raxruja.

Get around
Walk, boat, bus.

By ferry
A ferry takes vehicles from one side of the river to the other.

Buy
Traditional Mayan Clothing

Eat
Frijoles, Huevos, Pollo

Go next

 * Cobán
 * Flores and Tikal.
 * Mexico - by river to Chiapas

title: Sayaxché


text:
Sayram Lake

Sayram Lake is in Bortala prefecture, north-west of Xinjiang, China.

Understand
Sayram, a high-altitude lake at 2,070 m above sea level, is close to the border with Kazakhstan. Kazakh pastoralists live around the lake with their sheep and horses. Some hotels are under construction, but only in one location, so even when they are built, this will still be a good place to camp and enjoy a relatively undeveloped area.

Climate
It is fairly cold year-round but much nicer from June to September, which is when local families are on site and not spending the low season in Yili Town, making it difficult to find a place to spend the night.

Get in
The lake is by the G30 expressway and the old G312 national highway that connects Urumqi with Khorgos border crossing with Kazakhstan.

Urumqi to Sayram takes 7-9 hours. Yining to Sayram takes 2 hours.

Get around
If you don't have your own car there is a bus (July, 2018) that leaves from the entrance gate every half hour until 6pm Beijing time. It's a type of hop-on hop-off bus that loops around the lake and stops at about fifteen different locations. Just wave your hand when it approaches and it will stop for you.

Do
Enjoy holidays on the beach of always cold but clean Sayram lake and wonderful surrounding, herd sheep with locals, learn from them how to survive. Travel to Yining also Yili Town (about 150 km) or other neighbouring cities. Visit local shops and ride horses.

Eat
Share with locals what you have and they will share everything with you as well.

Sleep
Camp anywhere you like in the park, or stay in the tent of some locals.

Go next
Kazakhstan or other locations in Xinjiang.

title: Sayram Lake


text:
Sayre

There is more than one place called Sayre

United States of America

 * Sayre (Pennsylvania) in the state of Pennsylvania.
 * Sayre (Oklahoma) in the state of Oklahoma.

title: Sayre


text:
Sayre (Oklahoma)

Sayre is a city of 4,400 people (2010) in the Great Plains Country region of southwest Oklahoma. Its economy has been based on agriculture and the production of oil and gas.

title: Sayre (Oklahoma)