NEW! DRESDEN Advent in the heart of Saxony

6 days | £3195 per person with flights | 30 November - 5 December 2026

Advent in the heart of Saxony

After 30 years of tireless restoration and reconstruction, Dresden's baroque splendour has been resurrected. The art collections of the ‘Florence on the Elbe’ have always been world-class and worth a visit, but now they are once again on display in their original, restored rooms in the Royal Palace, the freshly restored Zwinger building and along Brühl's Terrace, famous from countless vedute painted by Canaletto. The modest Slavic settlement, founded in the 11th century, only rose to become the residence of the Wettin dukes and electors of Saxony 500 years later, with a mediaeval castle forming the core of today's palace. Augustus the Strong (1670-1733) had himself elected King of Poland in 1697, further enhancing Dresden's prestige. Dresden's outstanding art collection is largely due to his excessive passion for collecting. Dresden during the Christmas season offers an additional treat: the Striezelmarkt. This oldest documented Christmas market in Germany takes its name from the delicious Dresden Christmas stollen. Although this study trip to Dresden focuses on the city's major cultural highlights, from the Old Masters to the spectacular Kunstkammer and the Green Vault, we will also venture to Freiberg in the Ore Mountains where the House of Wettin had itself an opulent Mannerist tomb erected. Our second trip outside Dresden leads us to Meissen, famous for its porcelain but – albeit much lesser known – also for its spectacular late-Gothic castle, now reopened after extensive renovation, and the neighbouring cathedral.



Day to day Itinerary

Day 1

Fly from London to Berlin. Transfer by private coach to our hotel in Dresden. Take an introductory walk of the local area before enjoying a group dinner.

Day 2

Our first full day is devoted to the Royal Palace. We begin by exploring the building's architectural history and Dresden's rise to become the capital of the Electorate of Saxony before visiting the art treasures in the Historic and New Green Vault, including the largest green diamond ever found and Melchior Dinglinger's depiction of the birthday of the Great Mogul Aurangzeb, a piece of goldsmith's work decorated with no less than 5,120 diamonds, 160 rubies, 164 emeralds, one sapphire, 16 pearls and two cameos. The state rooms of Augustus the Strong bring the day to a close.

Day 3

In the morning, we will travel to Freiberg, a historic mining town. The cathedral has an art-historically significant, richly sculpted Romanesque portal known as the Golden Porch. The choir area was used as the ‘burial place of Saxony’ for some time. The predominantly Mannerist and early Baroque tombs were created by important German and Italian artists and will gain exclusive excess to this otherwise closed off part of the church. We end our tour to the sounds of the Freiberg Silbermann organ. Back in Dresden the afternoon is dedicated to the Old Masters Picture Gallery in the Zwinger.

Day 4

We return to the Royal Palace. The restored ‘Riesensaal’ (Great Hall), the former banquet hall, is appropriately dedicated to courtly festivities and tournaments. The section ‘Worldview and Knowledge around 1600’ provides a fascinating insight into the leisure activities of the princes of the late Renaissance. The neighbouring ‘Electoral Wardrobe’ presents clothing and accessories from the 16th and 17th centuries – a unique collection spectacularly presented. The rest of the day is free for your own explorations.

Day 5

We take the coach to neighbouring Meissen, the ‘cradle of Saxony’. It was here that King Henry I had his first castle built on a rock above the Elbe in 929. We visit its successor, the late Gothic-Renaissance Albrechtsburg Castle and the neighbouring cathedral with works by the Naumburg Master. A second focus is, of course, the history of Meissen porcelain. In the porcelain factory, the show workshop provides an insight into its production. The museum displays exhibits from 300 years of work by Europe's oldest porcelain manufacturer.

Steigenberger Hotel de Saxe

Located right next to the famous Frauenkirche, Steigenberger Hotel de Saxe in Dresden boasts an extremely convenient central position. Landmarks such as Semper Opera House, Zwinger and Royal Palace are within easy walking distance, each no more than seven to ten minutes away.

With Flights:  £3195

Join Direct:  £3045

Single Supp:  £375

Deposit: £450

Departure Dates:

30 November - 5 December 2026

Duration:

5 nights / 6 days

Your Holiday Includes:

• Return flights (Economy class) from London to Berlin
• Five nights’ bed and breakfast at the Steigenberger Hotel de Saxe
• Private coach transfers and excursions
• Two evening meals and one lunch
• Guided visits to the sites and monuments listed in the programme
• Services of the tour lecturer and a tour manager
• Detailed programme and study notes
• All entrance fees, taxes, and gratuities for coach drivers and serving staff
  

Tour Lecturers

Dr Ulrike Ziegler

Specialising in mediaeval art and the cultural politics of post-war Germany at the universities of Regensburg and Aberdeen, Dr Ulrike Ziegler is a well-respected member of Art Pursuits and has lectured at universities and for multiple cultural institutions, along with organising and leading many study tours in both Germany and Austria. Ulrike is now working on Art Pursuits' German programme.



Travel Information

The price does not include extras at the hotels or travel insurance.

Please note that Art Pursuits use hotels of character featuring a variety of rooms & styles.

Stamina

Please note that some of our tours can involve a fair amount of walking, sometimes across uneven ground. Please contact us if you would like more information.