We stayed at the Relais Chateau Hotel Bulow , which didn't meet our expectations compared to the Andaz Prague. It was somewhat disappointing, as we've previously enjoyed other Relais Chateau hotels, but this one could use a bit of refreshing. We discovered a fantastic bakery just half a block from the hotel called Elias . The bread and pastries were excellent. Starting the day with a sourdough baguette, serrano ham, arugula, and a double shot cappuccino was perfect! Scotty, h

Another day trip to consider is to the Meissen Factory to see how their porcelain is created and decorated. I now understand why they charge what they charge, because it is labor intensive, and all done by hand. Remarkably, we came away from the museum store with nothing but pictures and no tzotchkes. From there we went to Maritzburg, an old hunting palace built by none other than August II. It is known for its many mounted stag heads (no comment), a bed that was decorated by

If you desire to get out of town and see the country, this is a nice day trip. We took the train to an area they refer to as Not Switzerland Saxony where they have rock formations out of sandstone which reminded me of Sedona but surrounded by verdant forests instead of desert. When we got back into town, we visited their main concert hall, the Palace of Culture , which was built under the communists and was surprisingly beautiful in a mid-century modern way. The murals inside

If you haven't seen any WWII films, Dresden was completely destroyed by the Allies in 1945. Known as the jewel of Germany, it wasn't particularly significant from a military standpoint, but I believe it was targeted to pressure Germany into surrendering and to prevent leaving an undamaged Dresden for the Russians. Our guide, who grew up in the GDR (East Germany) under communism, wasn't overly critical of it but appreciates now having six parties to vote for now, compared to j

The artwork from the Old Masters Gallery was relocated to safety during the war and returned afterward. The collection is extensive, but their centerpiece is Raphael’s famous Sistine Madonna, known for the little angels at the bottom that we've all seen countless times on holiday cards. Below are just a few of the many paintings we viewed including works by Rafael, Vermeer, Rembrandt, Correggio, and Tizian. SISTINE MADONNA BY RAFAEL We also visited the Albertinum which houses