Saxony: Where culture and nature merge

Did you know? With around 1,000 palaces, castles, fortresses, parks and gardens, Saxony offers a wealth of attractions for lovers of magnificent architecture and beautiful landscaping. Whether medieval, baroque or Renaissance, these charming locations offer a wide range of styles. Many of them date back to the famous ruler Augustus the Strong. Many Saxon palaces and castles house museums and exhibitions full of cultural treasures, some also have restaurants, cafés and accommodation. The historic buildings and parks often serve as enchanting venues for concerts, theatre performances, medieval festivals, romantic weddings, corporate events or Christmas markets.

Saxony's natural wonders are every bit as impressive as its artistic treasures. Four low mountain ranges and picturesque river, pond and lake landscapes invite visitors to go hiking, cycling and mountain biking: active nature lovers can explore Saxon Switzerland National Park, the Zittau Mountains, the Ore Mountains and the Vogtland region, as well as the banks of the Elbe, Mulde, Spree and Neisse rivers. Exploring by bike is particularly appealing. Well-developed and discovery-rich routes lead along rivers, through mountains and towns – whether by touring bike, e-bike or gravel bike. Those who prefer to go hiking in Saxony will be rewarded with beautiful trails offering fantastic views and inspiring encounters.

Three sites that have been awarded UNESCO World Heritage status impressively underpin Saxony's reputation as Germany's number one cultural destination:  the Muskauer Park/Park Mużakowski as a joint Polish-German site, the Ore Mountains/Krušnohoří Mining Region as a German-Czech cultural heritage site, and the Moravian Church Settlements in Herrnhut together with those in the USA and Northern Ireland. These sites have one more thing in common: they transcend national borders.

Saxony stands for craftsmanship and industry that enjoys a global reputation – and is constantly reinventing itself. Centuries-old techniques meet fresh ideas in workshops, studios and factories. Smoking men, candle arches, nutcrackers, Meissen porcelain, textile traditions and industrial innovations are expressions of this diversity. Behind it all is the passion of the makers: carving, turning, firing, weaving, forging and producing are done with dedication – Saxony thrives on creativity, quality and innovative spirit.

Saxony and music: it's a long and exciting love story. 1,000 years of liturgical music, more than 500 years of princely ensembles, almost 300 years of high culture among the educated middle classes and a glorious tradition of instrument making: all of this still resonates in the Free State today. The Sächsische Staatskapelle Dresden, Kreuzchor Dresden, Gewandhausorchester Leipzig and Thomanerchor Leipzig are among the most famous ensembles in the world. And with Heinrich Schütz, Johann Sebastian Bach, Carl Maria von Weber, Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy, Robert Schumann and Richard Wagner, some of the world's most famous figures in music history spent their most productive years in Saxony.

Saxony is renowned for its cuisine, as the Saxons have always been connoisseurs. Regional specialities made from local produce are always to be found on the menus. Excellent wines and sparkling wines from the Saxon Wine Route and regional beers are also part of Saxony's culinary reputation. For over 850 years, wine has been grown in the Elbe Valley on around 450 hectares of mainly steep slopes and pressed in numerous large and small wineries.