Strehla

Strehla combines scenic impressions in the city park with animal experiences at the small animal zoo. In the park, wooded slopes and Elbe terraces meet an orchard meadow; the zoo offers a different highlight with pygmy goats, ponies and alpacas. These varied attractions give you practical starting points for planning your trip.

City park between the Elbe Valley and industrial heritage

Strehla City Park occupies the site of the former palace gardens and brings together several types of landscape: wooded steep slopes, Elbe terraces, an orchard meadow and erosion gullies. From there, you can look out across the Elbe Valley. The contrast between wooded areas and more open spaces makes the park landscape varied; the meadow and gullies add their own distinctive touches. There is more than one scenic impression to discover in the park.

The city park’s industrial heritage includes a hydraulic ram, which recalls a model from around 300 years ago. You can view it from the Elbe Cycle Route. This brings two different themes together in the park: the landscape and its views of the Elbe Valley, and an industrial monument that makes a distinctive focal point.

Animal experiences at the small animal zoo

At Strehla’s small animal zoo, feeding and petting pygmy goats are among the hands-on animal experiences. There are also ponies and alpacas. A playground, a pond and an adjoining park round out the facilities. If you want to make animal encounters a focus of your trip, you’ll find a different emphasis here than in the city park. The animals kept there may change over time.

When looking for accommodation in Strehla, a simple question about your interests can help: would you mainly like to experience the park landscape, plan animal encounters, or combine both? These preferences give you a practical way to decide whether Strehla fits the themes of your trip.

Culture, history and food in Meißen

In the town of Meißen, porcelain, local history and historic architecture take centre stage. At the visitor centre of the State Porcelain Manufactory Meissen, you can see how Meissen porcelain is shaped and painted. Albrechtsburg Castle offers its own highlights: its exhibition uses virtual displays and interactive media stations to bring the castle’s history to life. The history of the Wettin princely dynasty is also presented there. The HistoPad enhances your visit with augmented reality and 3D displays; nine time gates take you back as far as the 15th century. Exhibition displays may change, so check what is currently on offer before your visit.

The Meißen City Museum is housed in the former Franciscan monastery in the heart of the old town. Historical models illustrate the town’s development; large exhibits explore viticulture, fishing on the Elbe and shipping on the Elbe. The museum also displays typical Meissen porcelain and ceramic products. In addition to the permanent exhibition, there are special exhibitions that change twice a year. A single museum visit lets you explore local history, economic themes and craftsmanship side by side.

The routes through the old town also focus on different themes. The “Cradle of Saxony” tour passes Renaissance townhouses and old cathedral canons’ courtyards before reaching Cathedral Square, with Albrechtsburg Castle and the cathedral. The heritage trail focuses on architecture shaped by Gothic and Renaissance styles and takes in 25 historic buildings, including the Late Gothic town hall, the Renaissance portal and the Bishop’s Castle. If you’re interested in porcelain and the castle, you’ll find different themes here than on a walk focused on the town’s historic buildings.

At the “Heilig Kreuz” monastery ruins, the Hahnemann Centre preserves Samuel Hahnemann’s legacy with seminars, exhibitions and talks. Concerts and theatre performances are also held there several times a year; the traditional Rose Festival is among the events listed. Meißen’s culinary offerings include wine tastings in the town and in the surrounding Elbe wine villages. From spring to autumn, the wine pavilion on the market square invites visitors to taste Saxon wines daily. A culinary city tour combines savoury and sweet samples with Meissen wine and locally brewed beer.

Discover more destinations: Triebischtal, Lommatzsch, Lampertswalde, Röderaue, Thiendorf, Großenhain, Meißen, Moritzburg.

Go to the main travel overview: Meißen.