The Art and History of Dresden, Leipzig and Meiβen

Day 1

We meet at Heathrow Airport for our direct scheduled British Airways flight to Berlin. On arrival in Berlin we are met by our guide and transfer by coach to the centrally located 4* Maritim Hotel in Dresden for a five night stay. Dinner is included in our hotel the first and second evenings, and at a carefully selected restaurant on the last night. The remaining two evenings are on bed and breakfast basis.

Day 2

This morning we enjoy a guided walking tour of Dresden, taking in sights such as the Semper Opera House and the Cathedral. During our guided tour we visit the Frauenkirche, an outstanding example of Protestant sacred architecture and featuring one of the largest domes in Europe. Destroyed during the bombing of Dresden in World War II, the church was rebuilt after the reunification of Dresden. This afternoon we walk to the Zwinger Palace, the old fortress of Dresden. A guided tour of the Old Masters Picture Gallery in the Palace introduces us to works by Rubens, Canaletto, Raphael, Titian, Rembrandt and Vermeer, as well as a wonderful Meiβen porcelain gallery.

Day 3

We visit Pillnitz Castle and Gardens for a morning guided tour. One of the area’s finest summer palaces, the Castle lies picturesquely on the banks of the River Elbe. With its flying buttresses and chimneys ornamented with crowns, this is the only Chinese style castle of its size in Europe. Here we visit the Museum of Decorative Arts. The museum focuses on Saxon and European arts and crafts of the 17th and 18th century. This afternoon we travel to Königstein, a town located by the banks of the River Elbe. We then take an included memorable paddle steamer cruise along the River Elbe from Königstein to Pirna to view the splendour of the Saxony Alps.

Day 4

This morning we visit the Royal Palace and visit the Old Green Vault with its collection of fine silver and jewellery followed by the New Green Vault highlighting some of the central pieces from the collection in their original setting including the celebrated Dresden Green Diamond. We then visit the New Green Vault. The rest of the day is at leisure in Dresden.

Day 5

Our guided walking tour of Leipzig this morning takes in sights such as the Opera House and the Nikolaikirche. We also visit the magnificent late-Gothic Tomaskirche, where Bach was the choirmaster from 1723. This afternoon we enjoy a guided tour at the Museum der Bildenden Künste, home to a fine collection of paintings by German masters from the late Middle Ages to the present day. Included are Lucas Cranach, Martin Schongauer, Caspar David Friedrich, Arnold Böcklin, Max Lieberman and Max Klinger. A farewell dinner is included at a carefully selected restaurant in Dresden this evening.

Day 6

A guided tour of the Meißen Porcelain Museum this morning gives an insight into the production process at this world renowned manufacturer. We return to Berlin Airport for our direct scheduled British Airways flight back Lacock to Heathrow. Abbey