Where to Stay in Dresden? Best Areas Guide

Where to stay in Dresden? In this post we will analyze the best areas to stay in Dresden, one of the most picturesque cities in the Eastern part of Germany

Are you travelling to the Eastern part of Germany? Check the best areas to stay in Dresden, a city with one of the most beautiful old towns in Central Europe, and relatively low travel costs for German standards.

where to stay in dresden
Gottfried Semper Statue. Photo by Dennis Jarvis.

Let’s learn more about Dresden, a rather picturesque German city on the banks of the River Elbe. This guide features not only where to stay in the city, but also a cost of travel analysis and when to visit the capital of Saxony.

If you are travelling by bus in Europe, book your tickets using Flixbus and GoEuro. If you are flying, compare and book tickets using Jetradar. For those using the train, buy train tickets on Trainline.

Tourism in Dresden: Overview

Dresden is one of the most interesting cities in Germany, even if its number of visitors is not too high. Despite its turbulent past, Dresden manage to restructure itself to become a beautiful liveable city.

This city was severely bombed during the Second World War, destroying most of its unique architecture. After the end of the war, Dresden became a city of East Germany, under heavy Soviet influence. Since the 1990’s and the reunification, Dresden is improving in all senses, and today is one of the fastest growing German cities.

The city might be an excellent stop if you are traveling from Prague to Berlin or vice versa. All trains and most buses along this route stop in Dresden. If you are driving, you will also pass near Dresden in the Berlin – Prague route.

Best Areas to Stay in Dresden

The best areas to stay in Dresden are the Inner Altstadt (Neumarkt included) and the area around the Main Railway Station. Alternatively, you might want to consider the Innere Neustadt area, on the north bank of the Elbe. This area might offer some more affordable accommodation options.

Innere Altstadt and Neumarkt

The Innere Altstadt and the Neumarkt are the best areas to stay in Dresden. Innere Altstadt stands for Inner Old Town and this part gathers most of Dresden’s attractions. The Neumarkt area is a part of the Innere Altstadt in Dresden.

The Dresden Neumarkt is the most central and renowned area of the city, famous for its history and relatively recent reconstruction. It is also where the Dresden Frauenkirche is located, and the best place to stay in Dresden for sightseeing.

The Neumarkt area was almost entirely wiped out during the Second World War bombings, and suffered a period of oblivion in the years of Soviet influence (East Germany). After the reunification of Germany the reconstruction of the Neumarkt area took place.

Today, this area offers a good variety of hotels and also restaurants. The scenic views of the Frauenkirche and the Elbe River are one of the main drivers of the tourism in the city.

Main Railway Station (Dresden Hauptbahnnof)

The area of the train station is convenient for a number of reasons. Since most visitors arrive in the city by land transport, this area is quite appealing, especially if you are using trains or buses.

The only downside of this area is that it lacks a lot of variety in terms of accommodation options.

Budget Accommodation in Dresden – €

ibis budget Dresden City –  an affordable hotel in the old town.

Reasonably Priced Accommodation in Dresden – €€

Hotel Am Terrassenufer – a reasonably priced accommodation option, just a 10-minute walk to the Frauenkirche church.

IntercityHotel Dresden – a modern option right next to the Main Railway Station.

Luxurious Hotels in Dresden – €€€

Hyperion Hotel Dresden Am Schloss – a luxurious option in the old town.

Hotel Taschenbergpalais Kempinski – a splendid hotel in the old town, just a short walk to the Frauenkirche.

Cost of Travel in Dresden

Despite its rich culture and beautiful architecture, Dresden is considerably cheaper than most cities in Germany. The fact that Dresden used to be part of the East Germany (DDR) is one of the main reasons for this.

Photo by Javier Vieras.

Even if the city already had a few decades to catch up, there are much less business and companies based in Dresden than in Western parts of Germany. Dresden is however catching up, and prices are becoming more similar to the average in other Germans cities.

The cost of travel in Dresden depends on the season you are visiting the city. However, you can expect an average daily cost between 80 to 150 euros per day per person. That includes costs with accommodation, food and entertainment.

Best Months to Visit Germany

As Dresden has a more central location in the European continent, its weather is less influenced by the Atlantic Ocean. That means the temperature amplitudes in Dresden are higher than in most cities in the Western part of Germany, such as Cologne, Frankfurt or Düsseldorf. That means in other words, that seasons are very defined in Dresden.

Like in most cities in Central Europe, the best time of the year to visit this part of Germany is spring and (early) autumn. These seasons offer pleasant temperatures for sightseeing and excellent sunlight, especially during spring.

Winter can be pretty harsh in Central Europe, but it also offers its beauty to those who face the lower temperatures. The Dresdner Striezelmarkt is one of the oldest Christmas Markets in Europe, and is also a quite big one.

Other Resources for Traveling in Germany and Central Europe

If you are traveling in Germany and Central Europe beyond Dresden, you might want to check some of our guides to the region. Check where to stay in Munich and the best places to stay in Prague.

You might also want to check our guide on how to get from Dresden to Prague.