Editor in chief at IamExpat Media
The state of Saxony might not be high up the list of tourist destinations in Germany, but popular travel guide Lonely Planet is encouraging people to think again: its state capital city of Dresden has just been named one of the top destinations for 2023.
Every year, Lonely Planet brings out its Best in Travel Awards, a list of 30 destinations around the world that have been pinpointed by local experts as the places that will be buzzing in the year to come.
This can safely be said about the eastern German city, which next year will reopen its newly-revamped, accessible and climate-conscious Altmarkt district. Describing it as a “city of awakening”, Lonely Planet highlighted Dresden’s twin centres: the reconstructed old town, full of famous sights and attractions, and the new urban development on the other side of the Elbe River, where visitors can find artisan beer, international and German cuisine, and great street art, all within easy reach by train of the Elbe Mountains.
This is the 18th time that Lonely Planet has released its list of recommended travel destinations, but for the first time this year, it has not published it as a book, nor presented it as a top 10 list. Instead, destinations have been listed in no particular order under five categories such as “Eat” and “Relax”. Editor-in-chief Nitya Chambers said the list is all about leaving the crowds behind and getting to “experience the true heart of the destination.”
Dreden is joined in the “Learn” category of Lonely Planet’s list by other destinations including New Mexico in the US, Marseille in France, Manchester in the UK, El Salvador and Southern Scotland.
Last year, the city of Freiburg im Breisgau was named the guide’s third-best destination for 2022. In 2021, due to the coronavirus pandemic, the company decided to highlight inspiring people, travel destinations and projects in an online campaign, including a tour guide in Berlin, and in 2019 the city of Bonn was named the fifth top destination of the year.