My plan for my brief return to the city was to visit a few of the parts of the city which tourists do not venture into.
The first of those was Prießnitzgrund. It is a small wooded valley through which a stream (the Prießnitz) flows towards the River Elbe a couple of kilometres downstream. The local Parkrun took me there, and I chose my hotel (the mightyTwice on Königsbrückerstraße) for its proximity.
It is a lovely Parkrun course even in the middle of winter, and I can imagine it would be even more delightful in summer and autumn. I ran well, which helps cement its credentials in my Parkrunner mindset.
The second was the Blaues Wunder bridge over the Elbe. It offers great views of the river and the city’s suburbs, as well as being a significant structure in itself.
Next came the Schwebebahn. It is just a 5 minute journey up the side of the Loschwitz hills, but fascinating none the less.
€2.50 well spent (I got a discount because I had a day ticket for local public transport). The views from the observation balcony at the top were fantastic.
Last but not least comes the football at Dynamo Dresden’s stadium.
It was a Sunday lunchtime (13.30) match, and that felt strange. I thoroughly enjoyed the match, and the atmosphere, and the result (3-2 win for Viktoria Koln 1904).
What else?
I ate a wonderful pizza. I ate lahmacun. I ate a schnitzelbrötchen at the football. I drank a couple of beers. I enjoyed relaxing over coffee and cake. I loved the tram services – cheap, frequent, and ideal for people watching.
All good for a long weekend away.
ⓒ iain taylor, 2025
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