Dresden

We’ve just spent a day and a bit in Dresden, and all of it within about two square kilometres, so much is there to see here.

Dresden was a home base of the thousand-year Wettin dynasty and the seat of the Electors and, later, Kings, of Saxony. In particular, under Elector Augustus II the Strong in the early 1700’s, it grew into a city full of Baroque splendour. Augustus was kept busy in other ways, too, apparently fathering 360 children.

Then, in February 1945, it all came tumbling down, as Allied bombing, and the ensuing firestorm, flattened most of it. 25,000 people died.

The effort involved in turning Dresden from rubble back to the incredibly beautiful city it is must have been stupendous and never-ending. These are some of the bits we saw.

The Furstenzug commemorates 800 years of those Wettins, with a 102-metre wall depicting 35 of them, all on 23,000 porcelain tiles.

The Dresden Zwinger, a palatial garden lined on all sides with pavilions topped by an ample supply of bare-bottomed cherubs, was fabulous in the fine early morning. Very popular with tourists groups, too, it must be said.

The Royal Palace was excellent, too, as the superlatives run out. We visited the royal quarters, which were quite good, then went to the Old Green Vault.

With treasures of every conceivable description, starting with amber, then the rather distasteful ivory, then carved ostrich eggs, nautilus shells and rock crystal, and gems of every colour and size set into all manner of objects, each room in the complex was a feast for the senses.

It was a feast for someone else, too, in 2019, when a whole lot of it was stolen. To date, only about 70 per cent of the missing items have been recovered.

Bruhl’s Terrace, a pathway high above the shore of the River Elbe and dating originally from 1547, is a fantastic place to promenade in the evening before dinner, for which there are about a thousand options within the two square kilometres.

There were more delights: the Opera House, two historic churches (the Cathedral St Trinitatis - connected by bridge to the Royal Palace for use by the Elector - and the Frauenkirche - begun in 1726, flattened in 1945, re-consecrated in 2005) and platzes aplenty for eating and drinking. There was even a festival in the Neumarkt each evening we were there.

We barely touched the sides of this beautiful city, but we must move on, as Berlin is calling. We just hope the trains are running on time.Read more