Leipzig is referred to as the booming city in the East. Leipzig is currently the fastest growing city in Germany. This trendy destination, located 145 km south of Berlin, is the largest city in Saxony. It has been renewing itself since the 2000s by rehabilitating its industrial wastelands into living spaces, homes and artists' studios. Here are some tips to enjoy this cultural, green and ecological city which is very natural, citizen and innovative.
A city to discover by forgetting your car
Forget your car and come by train! Leipzig is a city on a human scale and can be discovered and explored on foot and by juggling with public transport. Enjoy the peaceful atmosphere of the pedestrian streets, pedal on the bicycle paths... Practical: on the LeipzigMOVE app
you have all the options: bus, train, streetcar, bike...Leipzig, bike friendly city and pedaling region
It'seasy and convenient to get around Leipzig by bike. Residents like to cycle at weekends in and around the parks, but they also use their bikes on a daily basis to get to work, to go to a show, to a restaurant or to visit friends. Leipzig is committed to environmental protection and is developing its bicycle paths. There are 5 beautiful bicycle routes in the region. With more than 1,500 km of bike lanes and 12 charging stations for electric bikes, two-wheelers are in for a treat! Moreover, Velocity 2023, the world bicycle summit, will take place in Leipzig from May 9 to 12.
Acity of water, Leipzig can also be discovered by paddle.
Itis a delight to paddle the canals of Germany's little Venice and discover its districts and monuments along
the water.Leipzig has more bridges than Venice. 457 in total! In addition, the surrounding rivers and waterways invite you to canoe and take bucolic strolls along the banks. In the west of the city, the Karl-Heine-Canal, which connects the Lindenau harbor to the white Elster River, is a favorite. It is 3.3 km long.
Romantic and musical green spaces
Leipzig is also distinguished by its greenery. Cycle through the Johanna Park, a jewel built in 1881. You can take selfies on the beautiful wooden bridges and the duck pond, which can be enjoyed with your partner or your family. Then follow the small Edvard Grieg alley to reach the Clara-Zetkin park where the oldest trees in the city stand. Its charm also lies in the bandstand where free concerts are held. Here you can sit on a chair and drink a beer for a relaxing moment. Nearby, take a break at the Sachsen Brücke (Saxon Bridge), known for its street music and friendly, festive atmosphere.
Outdooractivities in the Neuseenland
No less than 20 lakes await you in this peripheral district, which was completely rehabilitated for outdoor recreation at the end of the last century. You can swim, dive, sail, surf, go white water rafting and much more. How about a boat trip on a lake with snacks, or canoeing on one of Leipzig's many rivers? Even more fun: join a stand-up paddle station. Unusual? Take a ride on a Venetian gondola!
It's a nice paradox that Leipzig has a very old tradition: the oldest café in the country has been serving Saxon coffee since 1711, considered the local favorite. While a few other establishments are the guardians of tradition, Leipzig has modern, trendy bars where you can enjoy organic, fair-trade coffee in a friendly atmosphere where the baristas are at work. Among the most famous are Café Bigoti, Franz Morish, Bohemian Kids, Dankbar Kaffee and Espresso Zack Zack.
A city that values its peripheral districts
The peripheral district of Plagwitz, in the west of the city, was one of the most important industrial districts in Germany in the 19th century and during the GDR. The upheavals of 1989, after the fall of the Wall, put a strain on industry and other economic sectors in Leipzig. Many factories had to close and people left the city, leaving huge industrial wastelands. With the new millennium, Leipzig began to rehabilitate these disused spaces in a way that has set a trend. The Baumwollspinnerei, for example, which had become Europe's most important cotton mill with its workers' housing estate, was closed in 1993. Nowadays, it is a popular area for art galleries and alternative cafés.
Taste contemporary art at the Spinnerei art center
In the heart of the Baumwollspinnerei, Hall 14, a municipal center for contemporary art, houses a modern exhibition space that showcases the city's emerging
artists.Neo Rauch, a pioneer of the New School of Leipzig, was one of the first to set up his studio here. Some wastelands remain where talented street artists express themselves. Stop by the Café Mule, famous for its artisanal pastries.
Leipzig's farmers' markets
The Saxon metropolis is known for its 15 weekly food markets with many local producers. The most popular is the one held every Tuesday and Friday at the aptly named Marktplatz, the epicenter of the historic city. This charming market on a square lined with baroque buildings becomes especially magical at the end of the year when the Christmas market lights up. Plan your lunch at one of the neighborhood's restaurants that work with local ingredients, including Barthels Hof, Lerchennest, Macis, Max Enk, Panorama Tower, Ratskeller Leipzig or Weinstock.
Lights on the city of peace
Like Lyon, but in a very different context, Leipzig has its Festival of Lights! On October 9, 1989, 70,000 demonstrators marched through the streets of Leipzig for democracy, shouting their anger against the communist regime: Wir sind das Volk!
(We are the people!). This event was considered the prelude to the fall of the Berlin Wall and the GDR. Since then, residents and visitors are invited to commemorate this pacifist revolution with a great Prayer for Peace and candlelight. Every year, new light installations are created by teams of European artists - this year, a French art project is also participating. The Festival of Light in Leipzig on October 9, 2022 does not forget the memories and the most important message of 1989: For freedom and democracy, courage is needed.
