Walking tour through Dresden Neustadt

Want to explore the Neustadt? You've come to the right place. We've picked out a few places worth seeing and put together a tour for you. Further down on the page you'll also find a map showing the places and the route.

We start in front of the hostel and walk to the right on Louisenstraße to the next intersection:

This intersection is known in Dresden as the Asi-Eck. It's an inconspicuous intersection by day, but in the evening it's really busy! People sit on the windowsills, sidewalks and the curb - get a drink from one of the late-night stores and watch what happens. Sometimes the street gets barricaded, sometimes you become a spectator to a spontaneous live concert and sometimes you just drink your beer. Remember this corner for the evening.

We will turn right on to Görlitzer Straße.

If you continue along the street to the end, you will come to Alaunpark, THE place to chill out in Neustadt. This is where people meet to barbecue, play games, and hang out. Several times a week, there is a small weekly market here with lots of regional products on offer. Opposite is a small shop where you can buy drinks at reasonable prices (for the authentic Neustadt vibe, try a Sterni or a Club-Mate). And there's soft ice cream from Café Komisch, which is easy to find: just look for the long line. By the way, you can borrow a picnic blanket for free from our reception desk.

For our tour, however, we turn into the Kunsthofpassage, marked by a sign with a yellow cow on a blue background. Use the Tiki Eiscafé as your guide (and feel free to take a break with a delicious ice cream...), and turn left there.

Hidden away in the backyards is one of Dresden's most interesting art projects. Here you will find five artistically designed courtyards and many cute little shops and restaurants/cafes.
https://kunsthof-dresden.de/

Once you cross through Kunsthofpassage, you will come out on Alaunstraße.

Can you see the buildings around Timaeusstrasse? They look different from the other buildings in the neighborhood. Today, there is no trace of them, but in 1823, the Jordan & Timaeus chicory factory was built here. Around 1850, the factory employed 200 workers, making it one of the largest factories in Dresden at the time. In addition to chocolate, coffee substitutes, cocoa, confectionery, gingerbread, and candied lemon peel were also produced here. On May 23, 1839, earlier than Swiss companies, which are generally considered the inventors of milk chocolate, the factory advertised milk chocolate “for 1 thaler per pound” in newspapers for the first time. The factory was demolished in the 1930s.

We now walk down the street, at the end of Alaunstraße we enter Albertplatz.

There is a lot to see on Albertplatz:

Here, in memory of the writer Erich Kästner, who lived and worked in Dresden, here in Neustadt, there is a monument and a museum. https://www.kaestnerhaus-literatur.de/en

(By the way, another well-known author from the region is Karl May. In Radebeul (only 10 minutes by S-Bahn), there is the Karl May Museum in his former home. https://www.karl-may-museum.de/en/)

Diagonally opposite the Kästner Museum is the Artesian Well. The (former) well house stands in front of the Simmel Center. But the real highlight is a simple tap from which water flows continuously. The water from the 243.25-meter-deep well comes to the surface through natural pressure. Feel free to refill your water bottles here. Many Neustadt residents fill up canisters with water here because it is said to be particularly healthy and clean.

There are two fountains in the middle of Albertplatz. The twin fountains represent contrasting forces of nature: The “Stilles Wasser” (calm waters) and the “Stürmische Wogen” (stormy waves) are considered the most beautiful fountain complexes in Dresden.

From here, we walk along the main street via Jorge-Gomodai-Platz.

On the right, you will pass the Dreikönigskirche (Church of the Three Kings). This is where Dresden's first state parliament met after reunification in 1990. For a panoramic view, you can climb the tower (closed Mon, Tue, 248 steps, no elevator, €5), which is significantly cheaper than the tower of the Dresden Frauenkirche.
On the other side of the main street, on the left opposite the Dreikönigskirche, you will find the Neustädter Markthalle. Feel free to go inside. The market hall was opened in 1899 and has an architecture that is well worth seeing. Inside are several small shops, perfect for a tasty snack or a nice souvenir.

At the end of the main street is the Neustädter Markt, where the “Goldener Reiter” (golden rider) stands. This is a statue of the Saxon Elector and King of Poland, Augustus the Strong. The gilded statue is a symbol of Dresden and represents the wealth and beauty of Dresden's Baroque architecture.

From here there are several options to continue your tour:

1. Turn right to the Japanese Palace - a Baroque mansion where Augustus the Strong used to keep his porcelain collection. Today, it serves as a museum and is used for various art projects and temporary exhibitions. There is also a café. The park surrounding the house is a great place to sit and relax when the weather is nice. At the lower end, you have a beautiful view of the Elbe River and the old town.

2. Turn left toward the Rosengarten (rose garden)—as its name suggests, this listed garden is notable for its wide variety of roses. There are also a few sculptures and a café here. It is not a tourist attraction, but it is a beautiful place to relax and end a day of sightseeing.

3. or continue straight across the Augustus Bridge towards the Old Town - on the other side of the Elbe you will find Dresden's historic center - definitely a must-see for anyone visiting Dresden. You can find our tour through the old town here.

One more idea for the Neustadt:

Not far from the hostel is Pfunds Molkerei. But the main reason to visit is to marvel at the truly unique design. There are also many delicious regional milk and cheese specialties, but the selection is rather touristy and too expensive.