Leipzig

Day 1: Bach, coffeehouse culture, and Leipzig’s historic heart

Ease into Leipzig with its musical soul and elegant passages. Today blends living history (you’ll hear Bach where he worked) with café culture and a classic concert to set the tone.

• Morning: Start at Thomaskirche to see Bach’s grave and, if it’s Fri (18:00) or Sat (15:00), catch the Thomanerchor motet (arrive 30–45 mins early). Step across to the Bach Museum, then continue on the Notenspur (Music Trail) towards the city’s coffee heritage with a pause at Zum Arabischen Coffe Baum.
• Midday: Wander the arcades (Mädler Passage, Specks Hof) and peek into Auerbachs Keller (Faust lore included); grab lunch nearby (traditional Saxon or a lighter modern spot). If you plan an evening concert, swing by the Gewandhaus box office on Augustusplatz—students often snag last‑minute reduced tickets.
• Afternoon: Choose one composer’s home for a deeper dive: Mendelssohn‑Haus (Sunday salon concerts) or Schumann‑Haus. If the weather’s fine, stroll the Rosental and climb the gently swaying observation tower for citywide views.
• Evening: Take your seat at the Gewandhaus or Oper Leipzig (smart‑casual; don’t clap between movements). Post‑concert, toast Leipzig with a tart Leipziger Gose at Bayerischer Bahnhof; in December, swap this for mulled wine at the Weihnachtsmarkt, and in summer look for free Klassik airleben open‑airs in the Rosental.

Day 2: Post‑industrial art, canals, and underground nights

Head west for red‑brick factories reborn as art hubs and canal‑side cafés. As night falls, experience a nightlife scene that prizes music, community, and safer‑space culture over showiness.

• Morning: Tram or cycle to Plagwitz; coffee along Karl‑Heine‑Straße, then a canal stroll. In summer, rent a kayak for the Karl‑Heine‑Kanal; year‑round, browse studios and street art at Westwerk.
• Midday: Explore the Spinnerei complex—galleries, working studios, and a solid on‑site café (time your visit for the twice‑yearly Rundgang if possible). If you’re into immersive media, detour to Kunstkraftwerk for digital art in a former power plant.
• Afternoon: Linger around Täubchenthal’s courtyard or return via Clara‑Zetkin‑Park; at sunset the Sachsenbrücke turns into an open‑air living room (grab a Wegbier from a Späti—return your Pfand bottles). Tip: Leipzig is best by bike; Nextbike docks are plentiful.
• Evening: For techno/electronic, head late (after 00:30) to Institut für Zukunft or Elipamanoke—small groups, no photos, cash handy, and read the event blurb (Awareness Teams are there to help). Prefer a mixed crowd? Moritzbastei runs indie gigs and parties in historic vaults; Nightliner trams run all weekend.

Day 3: Green south, radical south

Today balances Leipzig’s wild riparian forest and lakes with the city’s most overtly political neighbourhood. Engage with care and curiosity—this isn’t a theme park but a lived community.

• Morning: Cycle through Clara‑Zetkin‑Park into the Auenwald and on to Cospudener See (about 45–60 mins from the centre). Summer: swim and sun (FKK areas are normal—no photos); winter: swap for a contemplative loop through Friedenspark or Lene‑Voigt‑Park and a cosy café.
• Midday: Continue to Connewitz via the Connewitzer Kreuz; lunch at a vegan/vegetarian spot and admire UT Connewitz’s glorious 1912 cinema interior if open. Protocol: don’t photograph residents, banners, or housefronts; it’s a residential area with a strong political identity.
• Afternoon: For a different “alternative”, tram east to Eisenbahnstraße for multicultural grocers, bakeries and strong coffee (it’s lively; stay street‑aware as in any big city). If it’s a weekend, Werk 2 often hosts markets, record fairs or hands‑on workshops back towards the south.
• Evening: Check Conne Island or Werk 2 for gigs (punk, hip‑hop, electronic; many shows are affordable, sometimes cash‑only). If you want it mellow instead, circle back for Saxon comfort food and a final Gose; around Whitsun the whole city transforms for Wave‑Gotik‑Treffen—book early and expect late nights and citywide events.

By Air

• Leipzig/Halle Airport (LEJ): ~18 km NW of the city. S‑Bahn S5/S5X to Leipzig Hauptbahnhof takes about 14–18 minutes (every ~30 minutes); ~25 minutes by taxi/car.
• Berlin Brandenburg (BER): typically 1 h 15–1 h 45 to Leipzig by direct ICE/IC or via Berlin Südkreuz; ~2 h 15–2 h 45 by car.
• Dresden (DRS): around 1 h 20–1 h 40 by train (via Dresden Hbf to Leipzig Hbf); ~1 h 20 by car.
• Frankfurt (FRA): frequent direct ICE services to Leipzig in ~3–3.5 hours; ~3.5–4 hours by car.

By Train

• Main station: Leipzig Hauptbahnhof (Hbf), a major ICE/IC hub with extensive regional links.
• Typical direct ICE/IC times:
  • Berlin: ~1 hour
  • Dresden: ~1 hour
  • Erfurt: ~50–60 minutes
  • Frankfurt (Main): ~3–3.5 hours
  • Munich: ~3.5–4 hours
  • Hamburg: ~3–3.5 hours
  • Cologne: ~4.5–5 hours
• Key regional links: Halle (Saale) ~25–35 minutes; Jena ~1 h 15–1 h 30; Chemnitz ~1–1.5 hours.

By Coach/Bus

• Long‑distance coaches (e.g., FlixBus) use the central bus stops at the east side of Leipzig Hbf (ZOB/Ostseite).
• Indicative journey times: Berlin 2–3 hours; Dresden 1.5–2 hours; Prague 4–5 hours; Munich 6–7 hours.

By Car

• Motorways: A9 (Berlin–Munich) passes west of Leipzig; A14 (Dresden–Magdeburg) north/east; A38 south.
• Approximate drive times: Berlin 2–2.5 hours (A9); Dresden 1.25–1.5 hours (A14); Munich 4–4.5 hours (A9); Frankfurt 3.5–4 hours.
• Note: The inner city has a low‑emission zone (Umweltzone); vehicles require a green emissions sticker. Park‑and‑ride sites are available on the outskirts with tram/S‑Bahn access.