Dresden

Dresden is one of Germany's most beautiful cities — and one of the most poignant. The Baroque capital of Saxony was almost completely destroyed by Allied firebombing in February 1945, and the city has spent the decades since in a remarkable and ongoing process of reconstruction, rebuilding its historic monuments with extraordinary precision and craftsmanship. The Zwinger Palace, a Baroque masterpiece of curved galleries and pavilions, houses several world-class museums including the Old Masters Picture Gallery (with Raphael's Sistine Madonna) and the Dresden Porcelain Collection. The Frauenkirche (Church of Our Lady), reduced to a pile of rubble by the bombing and then reconstructed from the original stones in the 1990s and 2000s, is the city's most powerful symbol of reconciliation and rebirth. The Semper Opera House is one of the finest in Europe. The Brühlsche Terrasse, the elevated promenade above the Elbe, offers spectacular views of the city's Baroque skyline. The Neustadt quarter across the Elbe is a contrast in every way — a bohemian neighbourhood of independent bars, street art, vintage shops and alternative culture that provides a counterpoint to the grandeur of the old town. Dresden is the gateway to Saxon Switzerland, a dramatically beautiful area of sandstone rock formations on the Czech border, excellent for hiking. The Christmas market on the Striezelmarkt, one of Germany's oldest, is exceptional.