Even if you only have a weekend to spare in Leipzig, you can still take in everything from culinary spectacles and orchestras, to cycling tours and one of the largest indoor rainforests in the world. Here’s how.
Day 1: Morning
Day 1: Afternoon
Day 1: Evening
Day 2: Morning
Day 2: Afternoon
Day 2: Evening
Day 1: Morning
Either wake up in your hotel if you’ve flown in the night before, or arrive in Leipzig and get stuck into the city first thing in the morning. Here’s some hotel inspiration if you need it.
11:00 to 14:00
A great way to get to know the city of Leipzig is through your taste buds. Allerleipzig offers a couple of culinary walking tours in the city – one in the Südvorstadt area in the south of the city (around the popular ‘Karli’ neighbourhood) and one in the equally popular Plagwitz to the west. If you choose the Südvorstadt tour, you’ll start off in the city centre and gradually wander down through the music district, past the imposing Federal Court House and onwards into Karli. Over the course of three hours, you’ll taste a wide array of food from some of the most talented food producers in Leipzig.
Day 1: Afternoon
14:00 to 17:00
Do something totally different during your first afternoon in Leipzig and visit Leipzig Zoo, just to the north of the city centre. Found in an amazing location on the edge of Leipzig Riverside Forest, at Leipzig Zoo you can visit animals hailing from everywhere, from Africa to South America. With 850 species found over the 27-hectare site, there’s also the world’s second largest indoor rainforest hall in Gondwanaland and Pongoland, a huge complex where gorilla, chimpanzee, bonobo and orangutan live. In the unlikely event you’re hungry again after your morning culinary tour, stop off for a bite to eat at the Pond Café, have an African buffet at Kiwara Lodge or just have a drink on a jetty at the Bamboo Bar.
17:00 to 19:00
This is the perfect time of day to indulge in a drink in one of Leipzig’s many bars. Café Barbakane is the perfect place to soak up some history too, as it’s located in the old walls of Leipzig’s old fortifications at the Moritzbastei. Nowadays a performance and cultural venue, this is a mood-filled way to enjoy an early evening drink and some food.
If cocktails are more your thing, IMPERII is a bar that cannot be missed. With exceptionally innovative cocktails – some forgotten gems and other totally new inventions – this is a place to have a cocktail experience like you’ve never had before.
Day 1: Evening
19:00 to 23:00
After freshening up at your hotel, it’s time to hit the town for entertainment. See what’s on at the impressive Gewandhaus, Leipzig’s concert hall and home of the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra. Whatever your taste in music, you can’t fail to be impressed by the skill of the musicians and the elegance of the building’s interior. The exterior of the glass building is equally spellbinding.
If you like music venues a little smaller in scale, visit places popular with the locals, such as Horns Erben and Tanzcafé Ilses Erika.
Day 2: Morning
09:00 to 10:00
Enjoy a typical Leipziger breakfast on your second morning in the city by heading over to Café Puschkin in Karli. As soon as there’s any warmth in the air, locals love sitting outside on the pavement seating, so join them if the weather is warm enough. The varied breakfast menu here has something to suit all tastes for very reasonable prices – whether you’re looking for simple breakfast pastries and coffee, or fully cooked breakfasts with all the trimmings. For €9.90, there is even an indulgent breakfast for two people.
Other great breakfast spots in Leipzig include Café Hundertwasser (breakfast for €7 to €8,50) or in Café Cantona (breakfast for €6 to 10,50 €).
10:00 to 13:00
After breakfast, see Leipzig from a different angle by embarking on a cycling tour. Leipzigers love to cycle from A to B, so you’ll fit right in. lipzi tours offers a number of guided bike tours to discover different parts of the city. Choose a tour that takes you to places you haven’t already visited during your trip. It’s a great way to find out more about Leipzig’s old town before passing famous monuments – including the Bach monument – and the old industrial district in Schleussig, in between the popular Karli and Plagwitz neighbourhoods. Book a tour in advance and expect to pay around €15, plus €4 for a rental bike, for around a three-hour cycling cruise through the parks and districts of Leipzig.
13:00 to 15:00
Stop off at Bathels Hof for lunch – inside an old bank and trading house that dates back to the 18th century. The restaurant has various traditional German goodies on the menu, with a daily changing menu too. Other options include a high-end spot with unbeatable views at the Panorama Tower: Plate of Art restaurant, or the Chocolate bar, grill and dinner club.
Day 2: Afternoon
15:00 to 18:00
(Werke: Paule Hammer, Clemens Meyer, 2013, © Paule Hammer, Clemens Meyer; FAMED, Untitled (Ventilator), 2011, © FAMED)
Leipzig is a city of art and artists, so it’s impossible not to take this in during your visit. Stop off at the Museum of Fine Art for more than 70,000 objects under one roof. For just €5, it’s possible to stroll through the permanent exhibitions, including work by world-famous Neo Rauch – who hails from Leipzig and is one of the founding fathers of the New Leipzig School movement. For those who love finding out about people and culture, the GRASSI Museum of Ethnology is a must-visit.
Day 2: Evening
18:00 to 19:00
If you didn’t make it to the Panorama Tower for lunch, make sure you go to the viewing platform during the early evening. At 142 metres tall, this is the place to get an amazing overview of the Leipzig region, and point out all the places you’ve discovered on your trip. It costs just €3 to access the observation deck.
19:00 to 20:30
For your last evening in Leipzig, head down to the buzzing neighbourhood of Karli for food, drinks and a generally great atmosphere. There’s a restaurant, pub or cocktail bar to suit all tastes. The Löffelfamilie (‘spoons family’) is a popular spot for photos, while the venue hosts regular festivals too.
20:30 to 23:00
The nightlife in Leipzig goes on for as long as you want it to, so if you’re having fun, why stop now? Noel’s Ballroom is a popular nightspot for those who like it vibrant but not too crazy. An Irish pub and ballroom, expect to find a range of beers, Irish whiskeys, cocktails and American-style bar snacks. There’s also regular live music and pub quizzes in both German and English. JET is an alternative evening spot, with foosball tables and occasional karaoke.
48 hours in Leipzig will be an amazing whirlwind trip, leaving you ready to come back for more.
If you have any questions, please contact us!
Leipzig Tourismus und Marketing GmbH
Social Media Team
Tel: 0341/7014-340
Mail: social.media@ltm-leipzig.de