Germany (Lonely Planet, 6th Edition) - Andrea Schulte-Peevers [147]
Buses 326 and 457 run to Moritzburg from in front of Dresden’s Neustadt train station (€3.50, 27 minutes). For a more atmospheric approach, first take the S1 train to Radebeul-Ost (€3.50, 13 minutes), then catch the 1884 narrow-gauge Lössnitzgrundbahn (€5.90, 30 minutes) to Moritzburg, from where it’s a short walk to the Schloss.
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Radebeul
Although a separate town, Radebeul serves as an upmarket bedroom community of Dresden, and has a couple of quirky museums. First up is the Karl-May-Museum ( 0351-8373 010; Karl-May-Strasse 5; adult/child €7/2.50; Tue-Sun 9am-6pm Mar-Oct, 10am-4pm Nov-Feb), essentially a tribute to Germany’s greatest adventure writer. Though virtually unknown in the English-speaking world, May’s rousing tales have sold over 100 million copies worldwide and for generations shaped the image of the American Wild West and the Near East in central European minds. Villa Shatterhand charts his life and work, while Villa Bärenfett has a highly rated exhibition on Native Americans.
Further west along Meissener Strasse, the oddly intriguing, and recently expanded, Zeitreise Lebensart DDR 1949–1989 ( 0351-8351 780; Wasastrasse 50; adult/concession €7.50/5.50; 10am-6pm Tue-Sun) provides a fascinating glimpse into daily life in the GDR. The four long floors are crammed with four decades’ worth of socialist-era flotsam and jetsam, including a fleet of Trabis, ingenious self-contained camping units, plus tonnes of toys, toasters, televisions and other nostalgia-inducing trinkets.
From Dresden, take the S1 train to Radebeul-Ost (€3.50, 13 minutes) or tram 4 from Postplatz to Wasastrasse (€3.50, 28 minutes).
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Schloss Weesenstein
A magnificent sight, high above the Müglitz River, Schloss Weesenstein ( 035027-6260; www.schloss-weesenstein.de; adult/concession €4.50/2.50; 9am-6pm Apr-Oct, 10am-5pm Nov-Mar) is one of the most undervisited and untouched palaces in Germany. In an amazing alchemy of styles, it blends its medieval roots with later Renaissance and baroque embellishments. This results in an architectural curiosity where the horse stables somehow ended up above a much younger residential tract.
Weesenstein owes much of its distinctive looks to the noble Bünau family, who were granted the palace by the Margrave of Meissen in 1406, and continued to live there for 12 generations until 1772. In the 19th century, it became the home of philosopher-king Johann of Saxony, who also took time off from his royal duties to translate Dante into German. Lavishly furnished and decorated rooms on the ground floor contain an exhibit about the man and life at court. This is accompanied by two or three annually changing exhibits.
There are several restaurants, including a cafe in the former palace prison, a traditional brewpub and the upmarket Königliche Schlossküche. After filling your belly, you can take a digestive saunter in the lovely baroque park.
Schloss Weesenstein is about 16km southeast of Dresden. Coming by train from Dresden requires a change in Heidenau (€5.30, 30 minutes). Weesenstein train station is about 500m south of the castle – follow the road up the hill. By car, take the A17 to Pirna, then head towards Glashütte and follow the signs to the Schloss.
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Pirna
En route to or from the Saxon Switzerland you’ll probably pass through Pirna, where the DDR Museum Pirna ( 03501-774 842; www.ddr-museum-pirna.de; Rottwerndorferstrasse 45; adult/concession €4/3; 10am-6pm Tue-Sun Apr-Oct, 10am-5pm Tue-Thu, Sat & Sun Nov-Mar) is the star attraction.
Though smaller than Radebeul’s Zeitreise