Sustainability in Leipzig and its surrounding region

Green Leipzig

Leipzig is one of the most popular major cities in Germany. But what makes Leipzig such a lovable place to live?

One third of the city is made up of parks, green spaces and the floodplain forest. The Leipzig floodplain forest is the largest inner-city contiguous forest area of its kind in Europe. So it is not without reason that Leipzig is classified as one of the greenest cities in Germany. Thanks to the good connections and the large range of transport options, such as e-bikes, car sharing, etc., you will find it easy to get around and will never be far away from the adventures that await you in the city. Leipzig also has a large selection of shops offering fair-trade fashion and regional products as well as organic markets and packaging-free shops. What's more, your taste buds will certainly enjoy a visit to Leipzig. Countless cafés, restaurants and markets cater to all tastes and have much to offer, especially in terms of sustainability.

On this page you will find inspiration on how to maximise your experience while minimising your ecological footprint when exploring Leipzig.

Leipzig News

Unter freiem Himmel genießen Besucher das Konzert des Gewandhausorchesters.

Music festivals are essential in bringing people together and creating unforgettable experiences. A diverse variety of festivals takes place in Leipzig every year, celebrating everything from classical music to goth culture and jazz. However, their environmental footprint requires that festivals take responsibility and implement sustainable practices. Leipzig Tourismus und Marketing GmbH initiated a study on the sustainability of major festivals around the world. Using data from over 75 sources, it took into account the average number of visitors, the travelling implications of visitors and artists and the running costs of music festivals. The following conclusion was interesting…

Leipzig’s Positive Steps

Annalinde-Leipzig-Community-Garden-Nature-Vegetables-Philipp-Kirschner-leipzig-travel

The ANNALINDE community garden in the West of Leipzig permanently has new projects and plans in store. ANNALINDE GmbH, which was founded by young people in Leipzig as a result of their own initiative and creativity, aims to familiarise city dwellers and visitors with the local cultivation of food, the relevance of sustainable consumption and the responsible use of resources.

Download the sustainable city map of Leipzig as a PDF now and discover over 250 local, sustainable and community-oriented initiatives as well as small businesses. You can find more entries online and further information here!

PDF Sustainability Map

The Leipzig Environmental Calendar lists all events focusing on topics concerned with sustainable development.
The Forum Nachhaltiges Leipzig (Leipzig Sustainability Forum) is an open initiative by Leipzig citizens together with private and public institutions that aims to preserve our natural environment and enable everyone to live a good life within the limits set by nature.

To the Environmental Calendar

Leipzig calling

Leipzig in the Sustain Europe magazine

Sustainable tourism in Leipzig

Covering everything from responsible tourism to green events, the Sustain Europe magazine is published biannually in English and is a major driving force behind the agenda on sustainable tourism. The unique City of Leipzig with its authentic, creative and inspirational approach was honoured to be given the chance to present its sustainable side on more than 10 pages in the 2022 summer edition of Sustain Europe.

Leipzig is a city of change, innovative transformation and social movements. As a city with a long tradition of trade fairs and culture, Leipzig has always been a centre for personal exchanges and an engine room for visionary ideas. Leipzig has the courage to find new ways forward, thus ensuring that the city always continues to develop. As it does so, it remains authentic with an ability to creatively adapt as well as being lively and inspirational.

Have we aroused your interest and left you keen to find out more? Then you can find the complete article linked here!

You can find the article here

Sunset-Station-Train-City-Tower_Architecture-Travel_Philipp-Kirschner_leipzig.travel

Let Your Journey Begin

Thanks to the city-centre location of Leipzig Central Station which is the largest terminus railway station in Europe, you'll find yourself right in the heart of the city when you arrive. Flixtrain is not only an economical option but also environmentally friendly thanks to the use of 100% green electricity on the Leipzig–Berlin–Hamburg route.

The new state-of-the-art long-distance bus terminal is located on the east side of the main station. Flixbus and BlaBlaBus are affordable and relaxing ways to get to Leipzig.

You will quickly realise that the dense transport network with frequent services means that not only the locals, but you too are very mobile when travelling around Leipzig. Use the LeipzigMOVE App to get an overview of all transport options from buses and trains to bike sharing, car sharing, e-scooters and taxis. The app shows all mobility services in one place.

On your bike, ready, go!

In a city like Leipzig, where everything is close together and paths often lead through beautiful green areas, it makes sense to explore the city by bicycle. From sightseeing in the city centre to exploring the floodplain forest of Leipzig or riding along the Karl Heine Canal, it is wonderfully easy to explore Leipzig by bike. There are also numerous cycle paths in the Leipzig area that are ideal for exploring the region. You won't necessarily need to bring your own bike since services like nextbike and the Deutsche Bahn's Call a Bike make hiring a bike easy.

If you've ever walked through the city, you've probably noticed the numerous TIERe-scooters. These give you the opportunity to see the whole of Leipzig in an entirely new way.

Charging stations and repair s Bike rental offices

Friedenspark-Leipzig-Cycling-Sport-Leisure-Nature-Philipp-Kirschner-Leipzig-Travel

City-Tower-Europahaus-Leipzig-Augustusplatz-Street-Car-Traffic-Philipp-Kirschner-Leipzig-Travel

Sharing is caring

Cityflitzer, teilAuto and Flinkster are the places to go in Leipzig for car sharing. This is a cheap option and also good for the environment. The Flexa mobility service enables you to travel flexibly between different stops in some districts of Leipzig. If you don't feel like using a carsharing service, ZOOM e-mopeds are a great alternative for you.

A total of six Park & Ride car parksare available in Leipzig. They are distributed across the city, located on important routes and directly connected to Leipzig's well-developed transport network. The best part is that they are all open around the clock and free of charge.

If you are travelling in your own electric car, you will have no problem recharging it thanks to the extensive network of charging stations. You can find out more about this on the interactive charging station map and the information page of the Leipzig municipal public services (Stadtwerke Leipzig).

Out and about in an electric c

The sun rises over the bridge in Johannapark with a view of the new town hall and the Panorama Tower, spring in Leipzig, park

On nature's trail

Join Rainer Blütenreich on a Herb Walk through the Leipzig floodplain forest. On this guided tour, you will learn about the edible wild plants of the region and how to turn them into delicacies. Practical information on nature and plants is also available at the Wilde Kräuterey. You can get a little closer to nature on excursions, seminars, hikes and workshops on wild herbs, trees and medicinal plants. The Leipzig University Botanical Gardens regularly welcome visitors to Sunday tours and lunchtime garden chats. You can also visit this green oasis whenever you would like to enjoy some peace and quiet.

For anyone who doesn't want to explore green Leipzig on foot, there is the option of doing so at full speed thanks to the historic and innovative eCarriages.

The many parks in the city of Leipzig and its surrounding region also serve as ideal spots to take a break in nature. If you would like to explore the area on your own, you can also check out one of the many hiking routes in and around Leipzig.

Parks in Leipzig and its surrounding region

Water tours in Leipzig

Leipzig is not only known as a green city, but also a water city. Pick up a paddle and discover Leipzig from a new perspective! There are five water touring routes where you can be your own captain.

If you wish to find out more about the water city of Leipzig, a guided tour on the water is the perfect way to do so. Explore Leipzig's waterways with an experienced guide and you can even alternate between paddles and pedals.

For yet more action, you can visit the canoe park at Lake Markkleeberg. Plunge into the rapids in a rubber dinghy with white-water rafting or try your hand at bodyboarding.

A young lady sitting in a canoe holding a paddle on a canal in Leipzig, water city Leipzig, boat hire Leipzig, canoe trip

Aiming high

"Into the forest! Up the tree!" This is what Kletterwald Leipzig (Leipzig Treetop Adventure Park) is all about. There you have the opportunity to master 11 climbing routes through the treetops at dizzying heights.

At the climbing park Kletterpark at Lake Markkleeberg, you can climb several courses with different levels of difficulty while enjoying a great view of the Leipzig New Lake District and afterwards put your skills to the test with 12 green holes of adventure golf.

Kletterwald-Leipzig-Leisure-Treetops-Active-Adventure-Family-Day-Out-Philipp-Kirschner-Leipzig-Travel

Culinary delights in Leipzig: Organic–vegan–vegetarian-local

Do you love vegan food, value organically grown ingredients and attach importance to regional products? Then you have made the right choice in coming to Leipzig! You can expect a wide range of vegetarian and vegan restaurants, cafés and snack bars. Whether you are looking for gourmet cooking, delicacies from all over the world or a quick takeaway, Leipzig is well-established as a paradise for tasty food without meat. For anyone not wishing to go without meat, many menus across the city offer fish, meat and dairy products from animal-friendly organic farms in the region around Leipzig. You can also buy local produce at Leipzig's various markets.

Come and find out for yourself how sustainable our delicious foods can be. We hope you enjoy your tour of culinary feasts in Leipzig!

Discover Heimatgenuss (Initiat Mundraub map (Initiative to ha

Fela-Entrance-Sign_Catering-Karl-Heine-Strasse-Hidden-Leipzig_Philipp-Kirschner_leipzig.travel

Bon appetit!

Leipzig is a great place for refreshments. Its countless restaurants and snack bars will impress you with the flavours they create and their regionally and sustainably sourced ingredients. One such restaurant is MALA. It serves regional and seasonal cuisine and works with various local partners, including Hausmann's organic farm and Fiebig's poultry farm.

The LUBO canteen at the Kessel Buntes features varying daily specials and the lunchtime classic "BI BIM BAP ala Rasselbock". The Rocky Maria canteen also serves fresh and regional dishes of the day using vegetables from the ANNALINDE community garden directly opposite.

If you would like to enjoy some fresh lakeside air while you dine, we warmly recommend you try the open-air snack bar Speisewagen No. 51 next to the Lake Störmthal viewing platform.

Franz-Morish-Window-Seating-Area_Cafe-Eating-Out-Hidden-Leipzig_Tom-Williger_leipzig.travel

Coffee and more

It's not just Leipzig's restaurants that have a lot to offer. The city's cafés are the perfect place to spend hours chatting with your loved ones in a cosy atmosphere. Order a coffee roasted on the premises and a slice of vegan cake and your day will be perfect. Many cafés in the city such as Café Oink focus on organic farming, fair trade and seasonal ingredients. Coffee is supplied by Café Chavalo, Leipzig's fair trade coffee from Nicaragua. Coffee connoisseurs should also make a point of stopping at the OBENAUF Kaffeemanufaktur, where coffee is not just a drink but also an art form. Café Bubu in East Leipzig offers a wide range of vegan cakes along with delicious breakfasts.

In the "repairs café" called Café kaputt in the West of Leipzig, you can repair broken everyday objects. You can make an appointment or take part in a workshop to learn the skills you need. The Shredderei is also a very special place in Leipzig. This skate shop not only produces boards, but also its own coffee blends, which you can try in the adjoining café.

Gustav-H-Ice-Cream-Parlour-Leipzig-Catering-Ice-Cream-Customer-Leisure-Philipp-Kirschner-Leipzig-Travel

Yet more enjoyment

TONIS organic ice cream offers you the chance to cool down a little. The ice cream is lovingly made by hand, traditionally and locally. The Eisträumerei ice cream café also makes its own delicious ice cream with additional vegan soy milk and sorbet options. At the Gustav H. ice cream parlour, ice cream dreams can come true. Here, the menu is rounded off with coffee from Plagwitz, ice cream from Gohlis and homemade waffles.

At Brotgefuehle, wheat-free, oven-fresh, handmade, gluten-free, organic baked goods are on the agenda. You can also buy these as home baking mixes in the online shop. Backstein is a daily bakery in the garden of the GfZk Contemporary Art Gallery and Museum where bread, pastries, savoury delights and much more are served and sold. Seidels Klosterbäckerei was the first SlowBaking bakery in central Germany. Only carefully selected natural ingredients go into the dough. The recipes handed down from previous generations guarantee the best taste and full enjoyment.

Pure enjoyment – Everything at a glance

MapToggle map

Scheibenholz-Galopprennbahn-Sonnenaufgang-Skyline_Parkanlage_Grünes-Leipzig-Freizeit_Philipp-Kirschner_leipzig.travel

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

Restlos – The Upcycling Project offers 180m² of space for visitors young and old to get creative. At this workshop on environmental education and upcycling, you canredesign and recycle a wide range of materials to create unique toys, unusual gifts or fun home decorations. For the price of a donation, you can pick up all kinds of materials such as wood, metal, fabric and paper to use for your own projects.

Too Good To Go prevents good food from being thrown away from cafés, bakeries, supermarkets, hotels and other businesses. The app allows you to buy this food at a discounted price and save it from being thrown away.

RECUP & REBOWL is Germany's largest reusable packaging system for the catering industry. Here, you order your take-away in a Recup or a Rebowl, Then you enjoy your food as usual but without plastic waste and return the rented packaging to any of the partner businesses. Based on the same principle, Vytal offers reusable containers for all needs from coffee to bowls, pizza, sushi and burgers. With reusable tableware from Relevo, you are also helping to protect the environment.

A lady takes water from a fountain in the Petersstraße and drinks it from her hands.

The city's numerous organic markets and farm shops make organic shopping a breeze. If you're tired of excessive plastic waste when shopping, you can get your drugstore products and groceries packaging-free and eco-friendly. Fill up your shelves and reduce your carbon footprint at the same time.

The Leipzig-based initiative Fair Fashion Lab actively campaigns for a change in awareness in the fashion industry. Numerous sustainable fashion labels and alternative second-hand shops across the city offer climate-friendly shoppers the opportunity to enjoy browsing with a clear conscience away from mainstream fashion chains. For example, you can find truly unique items at handicraft suppliers who produce their products with great attention to detail. So grab your shopping bags and browse to your heart's content!

Fair trade in Leipzig Regional products Fair Fashion Lab Slow fashion city map

Einfach-Unverpackt-Leipzig-Shop-Südvorstadt-Shopping-Food-Philipp-Kirschner-leipzig-travel

Enjoy your shopping

There are organic markets across the city that are all about healthy eating, fresh food and fair trade.

Biomare organic market is a Leipzig original with stores in the districts of Connewitz, Südvorstadt and Plagwitz. The range of over 8000 items is 100% organic. Kostbar Naturkost in Plagwitz and Natur & fein in the Waldstraßenviertel are members of the "ECHT BIO" (TRUE ORGANIC) marketing initiative. The minimum standard here is the EU organic directive, and it is not uncommon for their organic products to originate from fairtrade projects. Marktschwärmer has no less than 8 outlets called "Schwärmereien" in the Leipzig region, where you can order fresh locally grown products online and pick them up later. Denns BioMarkt also has several branches in Leipzig offering an extensive organic range at fair prices. Bio in Böhlitz and Der Lebensgarten are both stores that sell certified organically grown and sustainably produced goods.

Packaging-free shops

In Leipzig, you can reduce plastic waste in many ways – also thanks to numerous packaging-free shops. The map entitled Einmal Ohne, Bitte! (without, please!) reveals all the stores where you can shop packaging free. LOCKER und LOSE is one such store. There, you will see that food and drugstore items also work very well without plastic packaging. You can find more shops here:

Sustainable shopping opportunities

In Leipzig, there is no shortage of places to buy second-hand and fair fashion items. Hilde tanzt, Schlaufe, SisterAct, Küss mich wach and Lisbeths Erben are just a few examples of vintage and second-hand shops in the city. Eine Welt e.V. Leipzig offers educational opportunities and fair-trade products from all over the world. There are three fair trade shops in the city. At Kunst und Katze you can buy high-quality, fair-trade handicrafts as well as unusual gift items. "Fummtionales für Leipzig" including streetwear, jewellery, posters and accessories can be found at the Fummelei, where workshops are also offered. Sustainable fashion items, accessories and furniture are made at deepmello & friends from special organic leather called rhubarb leather. The brand's range is rounded off with its own fashion collections and natural cosmetics. Fair, Achtsam (mindful), Nachhaltig (sustainable) and Ökologisch (ecological) are the principles at FANÖ Mode. Classic and chic clothing from various brands are for sale here.

You can find more sustainable shopping options here:

Tröndlinring-Leipzig-Panorama-Westin-Central-Station-Traffic-Philipp-Kirschner-leipzig-travel

Homely accommodation

Leipzig has long since embraced the idea of sustainability. Some places to stay are already accredited by Certified or GreenSign.

The Westin Leipzig is Saxony's first Certified Green Hotel. The Radisson Blu Hotel Leipzig also has green certification.
The GreenSign sustainability certification is held by Victor's Residenz-Hotel Leipzig, Légère Express Leipzig and Hotel Residenz Leipzig.

Europe's greenest hostel chainis a&o. 100% green electricity, water conservation and other extensive measures by the chain contribute to environmental protection for a better future. Motel One has a mission. It aims to sustainably make the world a better place by operating its business responsibly. The hotel has based its "One Planet. One Future" programme on UN sustainability goals. The Vienna House Easy Leipzig has also implemented numerous measures to show its commitment including green bags and the reduction of food waste and CO2 emissions.