Things to Do in Dresden 2026: Frauenkirche, Zwinger & the Striezelmarkt
Dresden's Baroque old town earned it the nickname 'Elbflorenz' (Florence on the Elbe) before WWII bombing destroyed most of it — the city's painstaking postwar reconstruction, completed decades later, makes the rebuilt Frauenkirche and Zwinger Palace two of Germany's most striking historic set-pieces today.
On this page
Quick answer
In December, Dresden's Striezelmarkt — first recorded in 1434 — is generally credited as Germany's oldest Christmas market, filling the Altmarkt square with stalls and the city's famous Stollen fruitcake.
Below is what to see in Dresden alongside the events we track — confirm times and ticketing on the official organiser page before you travel.
What to see in Dresden — top sights
- Frauenkirche — the Baroque church destroyed in WWII and rebuilt from surviving stones, reconsecrated in 2005; climb the dome for old-town views.
- Zwinger Palace — a Baroque palace complex housing several museums, including Old Masters paintings and a porcelain collection.
- Semperoper — Dresden's historic opera house on the Theaterplatz, one of Germany's finest opera venues.
- Brühl's Terrace — the elevated promenade along the Elbe known as "the balcony of Europe".
- Fürstenzug — a 101-metre porcelain-tile mural of Saxon rulers on horseback, on the outer wall of the Royal Palace.
- Striezelmarkt — Germany's oldest Christmas market (dating to 1434), held each December in the Altmarkt.
Why visit Dresden
Dresden's rebuilt Baroque core packs an outsized amount of history and architecture into a compact, walkable old town along the Elbe, with a museum and opera scene that rivals much larger German cities — and, in December, the country's oldest Christmas market.
FAQ
- What is there to do in Dresden?
- The Frauenkirche, Zwinger Palace, Semperoper opera house and Brühl's Terrace are Dresden's main year-round draws; December brings the Striezelmarkt Christmas market.
- Was Dresden rebuilt after WWII?
- Yes — most of Dresden's historic centre, including the Frauenkirche, was destroyed by Allied bombing in February 1945. Reconstruction of the Frauenkirche using surviving original stones was completed in 2005, decades after the Zwinger Palace was first rebuilt.
- What is the Striezelmarkt?
- The Striezelmarkt is Dresden's Christmas market, first documented in 1434 and generally credited as Germany's oldest. It runs through December in the Altmarkt square and is known for the city's Dresdner Stollen fruitcake.
Partner links
Things to do in Dresden
Tours, activities and skip-the-line options in Dresden from our travel partners.
Opens partner sites for live prices.
Upcoming events
SEHEN - HÖREN - STAUNEN - Faszination Frauenkirche
🎟️ Desde 14 €
Monty Python’s "Spamalot"
🎟️ Desde 23 €
Sommer-Kabarett: 9m² - 800 kalt
🎟️ Desde 26 €
geführter Kuppelaufstieg
🎟️ Desde 17 €
Bares, Rares - und weg war es! - Eine Kriminalkomödie
🎟️ Desde 23 €
SEHEN - HÖREN - STAUNEN - Faszination Frauenkirche
🎟️ Desde 14 €
Vorhang Auf! - Deutsche Erstaufführung
🎟️ Desde 23 €
DAS SONNTAGSKONZERT - IM DIALOG – Zwischen den Stilen
🎟️ Desde 16 €
Was ihr wollt (nach Shakespeare) - Komödie von Shakespeare
🎟️ Desde 23 €
YOUNG ARTIST - Das Cello als Gesangssolist
🎟️ Desde 13 €
Clown meets Cello - Tom Quaas & Ekaterina Gorynina
🎟️ Desde 23 €
Thalia Dresden (157135621) - Der Literarische Feierabend
🎟️ Desde 12 €
Das Bildnis des Dorian Gray - Tom Quaas - Theaterzirkus
🎟️ Desde 23 €
KLANGBRÜCKEN - Deutsch-polnische Dialoge
🎟️ Desde 14 €
BOCK OF OSTROCK - Zeugen Amigas
🎟️ Desde 26 €
Sonderkonzert Jazztage Dresden - Alpin Drums | Der Berg groovt! Ein alpines Drum-Spektakel
🎟️ Desde 24 €
Teuflische Göttinnen - (Musikkomödie)
🎟️ Desde 23 €
KLANGBRÜCKEN - Orgel – Musik aus dem Augenblick II
🎟️ Desde 24 €
Moritzburg Festival 2026 - Orchesterkonzert "Alles im Fluss"
🎟️ Desde 29 €
Katrin Weber - Nicht zu fassen!
🎟️ Desde 41 €
Die Guitarreros - Temperamente
🎟️ Desde 21 €
Quaster & friends
🎟️ Desde 38 €
DAS SONNTAGSKONZERT - BAROCKER GLANZ
🎟️ Desde 16 €
Eine Benefizveranstaltung für das Römische Bad - "Ach, wenn ich mich doch selbst in dieses Couvert legen könnte ..."
🎟️ Desde 25 €
30 JAHRE OHNE WORTE – BEST OF
🎟️ Desde 30 €
Thalia Dresden (157135621) - Krankheitsbild Demenz: Demenz-Schulung
Olaf Schubert und seine Freunde – Jetzt oder now! - Open Air
🎟️ Desde 48 €
The Birds
🎟️ Desde 29 €
Endlich allein - Komödie von Lawrence Roman
🎟️ Desde 23 €
The Birds
🎟️ Desde 29 €
Vicente Patiz - Konzert
🎟️ Desde 18 €
Sonderkonzert Jazztage Dresden - Forster Family | Summertime - Pop, Soul, Jazz & More
🎟️ Desde 14 €
Einzeltermine - Klangwogen
🎟️ Desde 20 €
The Birds
🎟️ Desde 29 €
BLUEWATER Rock'n Blues Band - Konzert
🎟️ Desde 20 €
Dresden Bigband - Jazz- & Swingkonzert
🎟️ Desde 29 €
Trio Kö66 - Analog ist sexy – ein Konzert aus der Zukunft
🎟️ Desde 26 €
Thalia Dresden (157135621) - Healing Fiction aus Korea: Ein Briefladen-Themenabend mit Hörbuchsprecherin Josephine Hochbruck
🎟️ Desde 18 €
Schwarze Grütze - Das Besteste
🎟️ Desde 26 €
13 Tongues
🎟️ Desde 29 €
Herbst 2026 - ŃOKO (pol)
🎟️ Desde 25 €
The Sound of Bronkow Music Festival
🎟️ Desde 33 €
Leipziger Pfeffermühle - Urlaub vom Gehirn
🎟️ Desde 29 €
Cobario meets Vivaldi - Strings on Fire
🎟️ Desde 40 €
Herzenstrost und Seelenheil - Barocke Kantaten aus Mitteldeutschland
🎟️ Desde 25 €
Einzeltermine - Julia Lezhneva | Kammerorchester Basel
🎟️ Desde 22 €
Masud Akbarzadeh - Playlist
🎟️ Desde 31 €
What's on near you
Planning a trip around this?
Combine these events with flights, stays and a day-by-day plan in the trip planner.
Plan your trip