The Best Weekend Trips From Meissen Germany

Whether you are holidaying in Meissen or lucky enough to live in this beautiful town, to make your time in Meissen even more fun, you might want to spend your weekends visiting nearby exciting destinations in Germany or across the border in Czech Republic. Take your pick from gorgeous cityscapes, medieval mountain towns, relaxing spa cities and historic cities.

Dresden

Dresden welcomes a few million visitors every year, and its popularity is certainly not unfounded. Dresden, perched by the River Elbe, promises a unique ensemble of jaw-dropping architecture like the Frauenkirche, Zwinger, Semper Opera House and several other historic buildings and monuments. Additionally, over 50 museums and 30 theaters take care of the culture and entertainment fix of travelers.

Distance from Meissen: 19 mi / 31 Km

Leipzig promises a delightful weekend to travelers, especially to those interested in history and architecture. Though the city can keep you happily occupied for days, a weekend is ample time to visit its highlights, including Old Stock Exchange, Panometer, Augustusplatz, Federal Court, Gohlis Palace, City Hall, Russian Memorial Church, and St. Thomas Church and the Monument to the Battle of the Nations.

Distance from Meissen: 163 mi64 mi / 104 Km

Harz Mountains

How about spending the weekend at the land of fairy tales? The Harz Mountains are so magical that the Brothers Grimm drew inspiration from here for many of their legendary fairy tales. The most significant towns in the Harz Mountains include medieval Wernigerode, the ancient mining town of Goslar, the dazzling green mountain town Thale, the 9th century quaint town of Quedlinburg, winter sports heaven Braunlage and several rejuvenating spa towns. When in the region, don’t miss a panoramic train ride to Brocken, the highest peak of the Harz.

Distance from Meissen: 163 mi / 263 Km

Prague

Cross the border to the captivating city of Prague, Czech Republic. Prague’s ancient skyline incorporates Prague Castle, Charles Bridge, the Astronomical Clock, St Vitus Cathedral and the Municipal House. The city is easy to navigate and many of its highlights are concentrated around the old town, which ensures that you can cover a lot of ground over a weekend. Do allow yourself time to get lost in its romantic cobbled lanes and to stroll its beautiful river promenade.

Distance from Meissen: 109 mi / 175 Km

Karlovy Vary

Treat yourself to a luxurious spa weekend at the Jewel of the West Bohemian Spa Triangle – Karlovy Vary. A couple of rejuvenating mineral baths, massages and wellness treatments are sure to make you feel as good as new. With the newfound energy, you might want to visit the town’s famous glass factory (Moser Visitor Centre) or the horse races (Hipodrom Holubek).

Distance from Meissen: 102 mi / 165 Km

Ore Mountains

The Ore Mountain range sprawls over 99 mi (160 Km) across the Germany-Czech border, and offers unique activities to fill weeks. With only a weekend at your disposal, you must take your pick from the cradle of wooden toy-making – Seiffen, winter sports destination Fichtelberg, the ore mines of the health resort and sports town of Altenburg, the very charming Annaberg-Buchholz and several castles.

Distance from Meissen: 74 mi / 120 Km

Ore Mountains are famous for beautiful Christmas decorations

Schwerin

How about spending a weekend in the midst of the twelve beautiful lakes of Schwerin? The jaw-dropping Schwerin Palace, sitting proud on Lake Schwerin, is sure to provide an unbeatable backdrop for your holiday photos. A weekend would allow plenty of time to visit the other significant landmarks in Schwerin, like Schwerin Cathedral, Mecklenburg State Theater and the monument of Henry The Lion.

Distance from Meissen: 252 mi / 406 Km

Potsdam

Head to Potsdam to see some of the most ornate architecture in all of Europe. We have worked out a self-guided tour of Potsdam for you that, in a day, takes you to several highlights of Potsdam, including the St. Nicolas Church, Old City Hall, Potsdam Film Museum, Platz der Einheit, St. Peter and Paul Kirche, Dutch Quarter, Nauener Tor, Jägertor, Brandenburg Gate and Sanssouci Palace. The second day of your visit can be utilized to explore the other wonders of Potsdam, like the Biosphäre, Film Park Babelsberg, Schloss Cecilienhof and the many pristine green spaces of the city.

Distance from Meissen: 129 mi / 208 Km

Berlin

Whether you want to learn more about the history of Second World War, delve deep in world culture, gape at spectacular architecture, mingle with an international crowd, see some of the most famous art in Europe or simply want to enjoy a fun weekend with family, Berlin has something awesome to offer you. To help you cover as much ground as possible in a short time, we have chalked out this walking-tour for you.

Distance from Meissen: 127 mi / 205 Km

Hanover

Visit Hanover for its world-famous Herrenhausen Palace and Gardens, stay for its vast expanse of forestland. Also, make time to visit the splendid New Town Hall, Lower Saxony State Museum (an inspiring sight and home to an admirable art collection) and ruins of the magnificent Aegidienkirche. For a completely different perspective of Hanover, climb to the 93.5 meter (307 feet) high observation deck of the New Town Hall.

Distance from Meissen: 222 mi / 357 Km

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.