Dresden

Dresden's celebrated cityscape is a picturesque blend of green gardens and parks, crowned by the spires, domes and towers of its plentiful architectural marvels – many of which have been painstakingly restored in the wake of the Allied bombings in 1945. Among them there's the Baroque-style Frauenkirche, with its ornate interior, and the Zwinger, an opulent palace containing a treasure trove of artworks.

If art's your thing, masterpieces by old and new masters can be viewed in museums like the Albertinum and Staatliche Kunstsammlungen, while world-class opera can be enjoyed at the Semper Opera House. On the north bank of the Elbe River, Neustadt is a hub of hip nightlife.