Why go?

One-time home of Goethe, Bach, Mendelssohn and Schuman; site of Napoleon’s 1813 Battle of Nations; cradle of East Germany’s 1989 peaceful revolution – Leipzig is not short on history. But a glorious past doesn’t make this 18th-century hub over-the-hill; a mix of modern architecture and a recently restored centre give this city a youthful, optimistic vibe. Historic coffee houses bustle with life, classical music pours from concert halls, and a growing restaurant scene makes Leipzig one of Germany’s most unique – and most appealing – cities.

What to do

The heart of the rejuvenated old centre is the spacious Markt, a grand rectangular meeting area home to the Renaissance Altes Rathaus (Old City Hall). It is in this square that you’ll find the annual Christmas market, with hundreds of stalls selling stollen, mulled wine and traditional handcrafts. To the north, peaking over the Markt’s aged buildings, the Museum of Fine Arts (mdbk.de) is a giant glass cube containing German masterpieces. Head east along the cobblestones to the Museum for Musical instruments (mfm.unileipzig.de), part of the GRASSI complex, and admire the collection of centuries-old instruments. Nearby is Schumann-Haus (schumannhaus.de), the 1840 home of composer Robert Schumann, but more interesting is the final home of Felix Mendelssohn (mendelssohnhaus.de), who died in Leipzig in 1847. Don’t miss the intimate Sunday morning concerts here, though book early; afterwards you can explore the space and view the composer’s belongings – plus his death mask. St Nicholas church made the headlines as the starting place of the 1989 peaceful revolution, but it is also worth visiting for its remarkable classical French-style interior, which is painted in candy-floss pink, mint green and cream hues. To the west, in stark contrast, austere St Thomas is home to the renowned boys’ choir of the same name. Catch a Friday or Sunday performance, then pay your respects at the grave of Johann Sebastian Bach, who was the choirmaster here from 1723 to 1750. Next door the fantastic new Bach Museum (bachleipzig.de) displays the musical great’s manuscripts.

Where to stay

Slip under the fluffy white duvets at Hotel Fürstenhof (00 49 341 1400, hotelfuerstenhofleipzig.com), the city’s most luxurious offering. The 18th-century private home-turned-hotel has a wine bar and excellent French-Mediterranean restaurant, Villiers. Art’otel Leipzig (00 49 341 303 840, accorhotels.com) has sleek, minimalist rooms at good rates.

Where to eat and drink

Join in the centuries-old Leipziger tradition of afternoon coffee and cake at one of the city’s historic coffee houses; Zum Arabischen Coffe Baum (coffebaum.de) was a favourite of Robert Schumann, and serves good milky coffees and thick wedges of creamed cake. Riquet (riquethaus.de) has a restored art deco interior, and on a chilly day is a cosy place to sample the city’s signature sweet, Leipziger Lerche (a marzipan and jam-filled tart, similar to the Bakewell). It is said that if you haven’t been to Auerbachs Keller (auerbachskellerleipzig.de), you haven’t seen Leipzig, so head to this five-century-old cellar restaurant, made famous by a scene from Goethe’s Faust. Feast on beef roulade and gravy-smothered Saxon dumplings in the cavernous Grosse Keller, or dine in the historic wine cellar for a more refined experience. Weinstock (restaurantweinstockleipzig.de) serves an excellent selection of local wines from its prime spot on the edge of the Markt. Come for a crisp glass of Müller-Thurgau and Leipziger Allerlei, a fresh vegetable and crayfish dish; stay for their quarkkeulchen (a curd cheese-filled sweet pancake). Two Michelin-starred Falco (falcoleipzig.de), as its rating would suggest, offers superb, seriously innovative combinations from chef Peter Maria Schnurrs.

Time running out?

The city’s best Leipziger Lerche to take away can be bought at Cafe Kandler, next to St Thomas church.

Travel Information

Travel Information

Currency is the euro. Leipzig is one hour ahead of GMT and a ninety-minute flight from London, followed by a one-hour bus transfer.

Getting There

(ryanair.com) has daily flights from Stansted to Altenburg airport. From Altenburg, a bus runs direct to the train station in Leipzig city centre.

Resources

Leipzig Tourism (leipzig.de) has an office on Katharinenstrasse. German National Tourist Board (germany.travel) provides information on planning a visit.