48 hours in...

Bautzen

Welcome to an enchanting town with a 1000-year history! Travel east of Dresden to discover Bautzen, or Budyšin in Sorbian, wits its historic centre full of medieval flair, quaint pubs in narrow streets, great views and unique Sorbian traditions. Be inspired to spend a weekend in this hidden gem!

Day 1 in Bautzen: Friday

Once you have checked into your cosy accommodation and stopped by the tourist information, take a stroll through the romantic old town followed in the evening by a delicious meal.

Historische Gebaeude der Altstadt in Bautzen

Bautzen offers a range of accommodation options, including beautiful holiday flats, cosy B&Bs, hotels or even a historic tower. Once you have checked into the accommodation of your choice, visit the tourist information office on the main market square for information, tickets, souvenirs and more.

Get a first impression of Bautzen on a leisurely walk taking in the old town fortifications and offering splendid views, for example of Ortenburg Castle, the Nicolai Tower and the ruins of Nicolai Church. While on your way, you can already look forward to a delicious dinner!

Bautzen’s town centre alone centre offers around 40 restaurants, pubs and bars. The choice of culinary options is wide, and foodies will be able to discover something new with traditional Saxon dishes or Sorbian cuisine on the menus (there's good pizza, too, of course). Get a directory at the tourist office and enjoy your meal!

After dinner, we’d suggest another leisurely stroll through the medieval alleys where warm lights shimmer from the windows of historic buildings. The view from Friedensbrücke bridge of the romantically lit up town centre is particularly enchanting!

Day 2 in Bautzen: Saturday

Today, you’ll learn more about Bautzen, for example in one of the great museums in town and on a guided tour through the historic old town. Later, you’re off into the beautiful countryside surrounding Bautzen.

Pick and choose from the town’s great museums: Museum Bautzen is perfect for a deep dive into the town’s 1000 years of history, featuring around 400,000 exhibits. If you want to learn more about the culture of the Slavic minority, head to the Sorbian Museum. The local Mustard Museum, St. Peter's Cathedral Treasury and the “Alte Wasserkunst” tower are further options.

Pärchen wird von einer Stadtfuehrerin in einem historische Gewand begleitet

On a guided city tour, you will learn more about the history of Bautzen with its more than 1000 historic buildings and monuments. Themed tours with "Monk Eusebius" or "Executioner Hans" offer very special insights, or you can set off by yourself, using an audio-video guide.

Ein Pärchen sitzt freudestrahlend in einem Restaurant auf einer Couch

Bautzen's old town centre features plenty of cosy little places where you can recharge your batteries, such as Café Goliath, which owes its name to a one-metre-high espresso machine and serves great coffee as well as delicacies such as crispy tarte flambée from the stone oven, which will easily keep you going until dinner.

Zwei Personen beim Stand-Up-Paddling auf einem See

Clear water, golden sand – yes, that’s exactly what you’ll find outside Bautzen’s historic walls. Bautzen Dam can easily reached by bike for a relaxing afternoon swimming, boating or a round of crazy golf. And how does a drink in the local Ocean Beach Bar sound?

Essen wird in einem Restaurant serviert in traditioneller sorbischer Tracht

Tonight is all about local culinary specialities, such as some freshly caught Lusatian fish or Sorbian food as served at the historic Wjelbik restaurant where you can choose from hearty dishes including corn-fed chicken sausage or ox fillet. Adventurous foodies can order a very special cocktail, prepared with the famous local mustard made in Bautzen!

Day 3 Bautzen: Sunday

Soon your Bautzen weekend will be over and it's time to say goodbye. But before, take a look at the beautiful historic old town from above!

Bautzen’s skyline with a multitude of medieval towers is unmistakable even from a distance. Several of them are open to visitors and are often included in guided tours. Tip: The views from the "Alte Wasserkunst" tower and the "Reichenturm" tower, the latter known as the "Leaning Tower of Bautzen" due to its slope, over town and the surrounding Upper Lusatian Mountains are particularly stunning. And we hope that they’ll make you want to come back!

48 hours in...

3 pm: CHECK-IN AND TOURIST INFORMATION

4 pm: TAKE A WALK AROUND TOWN

6 pm: DINNER

8 pm: AFTER DINNER WALK

10 am: MUSEUM VISIT

12 pm: GUIDED CITY TOUR

1.30 pm: LUNCH BREAK

3 pm: UHR: BAUTZEN DAM

6.30 pm: SPECIALITY RESTAURANT

10 am: BAUTZEN’S MEDIEVAL TOWERS

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Saxony is looking forward to welcoming you!