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TOURISM IN SAXONY
A QUICK TOUR OF THE STATE

From the Saxony of the Holy Roman Empire’s princes to trendy modern districts; from the buzz of city life to a rural idyll, Saxony offers a pot pourri of impressions set in a glorious countryside with a rich cultural history. Every year, countless crowds of visitors are drawn to the state for day trips, mini-breaks, holiday escapes or adventure trips.

A good place for a holiday? Yes! The perfect place to live? Definitely! As Tourismus Marketing Gesellschaft Sachsen mbH put it on their campaign website “Erlebe dein Sachsen” (“Experience your Saxony”), the state is hard to describe but easy to get to. The website vividly illustrates the experiences we in Saxony get to enjoy every day: a medley of natural phenomena, high culture and adventure playgrounds. A smorgasbord that goes down well not only with Germans: the state’s tourism figures are rising year by year.

Cities, countryside, spas

Health tourism is booming in Saxony just as it is elsewhere. Oberwiesenthal, Rathen, Bad Schandau and Bad Elster are the most popular health resorts. Saxony’s cities are tourist magnets, too, but the countryside is hot on their heels as Saxony’s villages and environs make the most of their idyllic reputation. There, you can hike, climb, canoe or simply sit back and enjoy the picturesque peace and quiet of a unique natural setting, leaving the hustle and bustle far behind. Saxony’s new funding guidelines also promote rural tourism schemes and help local companies entice visitors with the appeal of a change of pace.

The new funding guidelines drawn up by the Saxon State Ministry for Economic Affairs, Labour and Transport support structurally disadvantaged regions, promoting the tourism industry even in rural areas – a sign of strong commitment to Saxony.

A trip to the future?

However inventive the people of Saxony may be, they have not found a way to travel into the future – but we want to invest in the future nonetheless. That also applies to the tourism sector, which has been hard hit by the coronavirus crisis. But this is another area where Saxony has proven to be future-proof: the “Denkzeit-Event” (“Pause for Thought Event”) supports innovative Covid-secure concepts and events formats, with 1.5 million euros of funding. Awards will go to the best ideas to maintain the wide variety of events in the state, ensuring that visitors can continue to look forward to creative events in Saxony over the years to come.

The 224 tourist information offices in Saxony’s municipalities act as welcoming, competent points of contact for visitors. 

The whole wide world packed into 18,416 square kilometers

Lakes, mountains, cities, culture, even beaches, family-friendly accommodation ... an impossible dream? Saxony has everything a traveller’s heart could desire. Where to begin?

You will find plenty of reading matter in the brochures published by Tourismus Marketing Gesellschaft Sachsen on a wide range of topics extending from family accommodation to cultural highlights or excursion guides. There is, of course, also a lot of inspiration to be found online, notably on the website “Erlebe dein Sachsen”. “Simply Saxony” not only offers inspiration for excursions but also enables anyone planning to visit to get to know the state and its people before they arrive. 

There’s no lack of inspiring ideas or destinations. But the most important thing is that Saxony and its people put a spring in your step: you’ll never tire of the place or have enough of the sights. Staycations are unlikely to fall out of fashion when the coronavirus crisis comes to an end. One reason is sustainability and a trend towards making shorter or slower trips: the idea that the grass is just as green on your own side of the fence is coming back into vogue for the tourism industry.

Photo credits: Unsplash - Rune Haugseng, Bautzen district