Leipzig Tourism Information

Leipzig Old Town Hall, is the centre of the city and the most beautiful area!
ℹ️ Introduction 

Leipzig has enjoyed a considerable boom in the last years. More and more people are moving to the city, establishing new businesses and making it a home where open parks and natural forests are never too far away. The city is seeing a big transformation from an old industrial centre to a more residential and commercial one, for example, rows of empty factories wait to be transformed into studios and exhibition spaces along the lines of the sprawling Baumwollspinnerei gallery complex. Leipzig is an artistic city, where many students come to study and display their work in galleries and exhibitions. There's always projects being developed in the city, concerts, shows and many other ways of self-expression or modern art which encourages you to come out and visit. And if you still want more entertainment, hit the bars and clubs in the city which are always bubbling with good crowds, making it ideal to go out and spend a weekend away dancing to new beats!


The city is appealing to all crowds, so if you are looking for an alternative place in Germany, quiet but at the same time, diverse and artistic, Leipzig won't disappoint you!

⛅️ Climate and Temperature  🌡️

The climate of Leipzig is often described as continental and is fairly stable throughout the majority of the year. With warm summer weather and reasonably cool winters, Leipzig experiences only occasional weather extremes and is at its most appealing between the months of April and October, when clear blue skies and high temperatures are most likely.

Leipzig's summer season is welcomed by the locals and many of the city's cafes, bars and restaurants begin to spill out onto the streets at this time, to take advantage of the sunny weather and warm evenings, often remaining busy well into the night.
However, note that the climate in Leipzig can be a little unpredictable, with rainy spells being a possibility any month.

🚇 Transport 

When arriving to Leipzig by plane, the airport also known as Schkeuditz Airport, is 22km of central Leipzig.Trains run between the airport and the city every 30 minutes, with the trips taking 15 minutes for €4-6. If no trains are running to/from the airport (late evenings), note that you might need to get a bus to/from Schkeuditz station as not all trains stop at the airport station.


However if you are visiting from other cities in Germany, then the best way of arriving is by train. Leipzig Hauptbahnhof offers high speed express trains which link to major cities in Germany including Frankfurt, Munich, Hamburg or Dresden and connections to many others. Another alternative is by bus, several bus companies (for example FlixBus or MeinFernbus) connect Leipzig with other cities in Germany. 


Once in Leipzig, you will find that the city easy to walk around. The main mean of public transport is the tram and bus. A single-trip ticket costs €2.60. A day ticket is also available valid 24 hours, costing €7.00 or a weekly pass for €25. As with other cities, you will find the regional trains ("S-Bahn") which are crossing the city centre and linking the outskirts as well as linking other German cities nearby. Below you will find the transportation maps in Leipzig, available to download. 

Leipzig Transport Map PDF
Leipzig City Map PDF
Leipzig Tram
Convenient bus links with Flixbus
🏰 What to see and do ?

Taking a walk immediately from the train station you will soon realise that Leipzig is full of history, culture and interesting places to visit. The city centre is well located to see the major historical architectural buildings, some of them dating back well into the XIII century. The feeling of walking around the Old Town Hall Square is like being in the Medieval times, however you will be surprised how Leipzig takes a big twist into the present where many art galleries and exhibitions showcase the new art and tendencies of today. Many areas of the city are being transformed into quaint artistic districts, where the old blends in with the new and is given a new life. 

Below you will find the highlights of the city:


  • Leipzig Old Town: The highlight of the old town is the Old Town Hall, is one of the oldest in Germany with many of it's buildings originating from the XVI Century. Built in 1556 in the renaissance style, the interior of the Old City Hall is far more interesting than the outside view, Inside there's an interesting museum covering the history of Leipzig from the very beginnings (in 12th century) till our days. Entrance fee: €2.50. Within the town you can also see the historic squares of the Naschmarkt (see below) and the larger Markt. Around these attractions are St. Nicholas Church and several of the fine old shopping arcades that characterise the historic centre of the city. The train station is conveniently nearby, so everything is in walking distance. Around the Old town you will find plenty stylish German restaurants, cafes and bars where to enjoy traditional and international cuisine. 
Old town Hall
Marktplatz
  • Naschmarkt, located behind the Old City Hall, it's a quiet little square laid out in 1556. Opposite the Naschmarkt is the Mädlerpassage, one of the many splendid old shopping arcades so characteristic of Leipzig, that links to Königshofpassage and Messehofpassage. A newer nearby attraction is the Sachsenplatz, a public square with ornamental fountains and a ceramic column depicting scenes from the city's history.
  • St Thomas Church: located Southwest of the Leipzig's Markt, you will find Thomaskirche, home of the world-famous St. Thomas Choir. Built in 1212 as the church of an Augustinian house. The west front dates from renovation work carried out between 1872 and 1889. Opposite the church is the Bosehaus, home of the Bach Research Institute and Memorial and the Bach Archive. 
  • Battle of Nations Monument: One of Leipzig's most important monuments, completed in 1913, this imposing structure was constructed in the monumental style favoured at the turn of the 20th century and was commissioned to commemorate the 100th Anniversary of Napoleon's defeat at the Battle of the Nations in Leipzig in 1813. There's a viewing platform at a height of 91 meters, and although it's a 500-step climb to the top, it's worth it for the spectacular views. To get there take tram 15 or S-Bahn (S1, S3) and get off at Völkerschlachtdenkmal stop/station.
Naschmarkt
St Thomas Church
Battle of Nations Monument
  • The Grassi Museum, established in 1895 and moved to its current home in 1929. The building is in fact three museums in one, housing the city's ethnography, applied and decorative arts, and musical instrument collections. The Museum of Musical Instruments is a particular favourite for visitors and includes instruments from the Middle Ages to the 20th century, as well as hands-on sound laboratories and extensive archives. Located only a 10 minute walk from the city centre. 
  • Leipzig Botanical Garden and Zoo, the green open space can trace its roots back as far as 1542. The ginormous botanical garden features more than 7,000 species of plants with examples from Eastern Europe, North America, Asia, and South America. A highlight of any visit is exploring the large greenhouses with subtropical and tropical plants from around the world. Also you find the Leipzig Zoological Garden, a zoo that's been around since 1878. Covering 56 acres, this attraction boasts 850 different species and is renowned for its unique animal shelters and breeding programs.
  • New Town Hall, Standing majestically at the southwest corner of Leipzig's Old Town is the New Town Hall, Neues Rathaus, in the style of the German Late Renaissance. Completed in 1905, this massive building occupies the site of the 13th Century Pleissenburg, with parts of the old castle being incorporated in the 115 meter high central tower.
The Grassi Museum
New Town Hall
  • Leipziger Baumwollspinnerei, this site was by 1907 the biggest cotton-spinning mill in continental Europe. This fascinating factory town, including workers’ homes, allotment gardens as well as the factory kindergarten, has survived intact to this day. In 1992 the then obsolete cotton-yarn factory complex has opened for redevelopment. It was mostly artists who acted as the pioneers of revitalisation here, and as a consequence the Spinnerei has become home to more than 100 studios today. In addition to the artists, the area has attracted musicians, dancers, craftspeople, architects, traders, printers, designers and many others who have have set up shops and studios in the Spinnerei.

    By the end of 2004, the Spinnerei had become well known as a centre for artistic production, today the Spinnerei is home to 14 galleries and exhibitions. The Spinnerei is an authentic, historic factory complex which has embraced art as the new way of using the old factory buildings for a new purpose. The site is part of the district of Lindenau. There are displays of all kind of work, both by locals and art students in an area which has enjoyed great rejuvenation. If you are looking for an alternative place where to relax, enjoy art and chill over some snacks or drinks, you will be delighted of all the surprises you will find here! To get there go by tram number 14 and get of at Plagwitz or take the S-Bahn S1 to Leipzig-Plagwitz. 
Leipziger Baumwollspinnerei entrance
Baumwollspinnerei Galleries
💭 Rent a Bike

The city of Leipzig has the advantage of being very flat, this making it ideal to ride a bike and discover the city and the parks, lakes and forests nearby with the easy of the bike. There are plenty of bike rental shops in the city centre, most bike shops have also rental bikes. It costs €10 to rent it for a 24 hour period including the chain. The city is very safe to ride bikes, as there are bicycle lanes in practically in every street. You can also take bikes in the trams at no extra cost. (low ground level trams only). 

Rental bike for €10/24 hours
Only a 20 minute ride from the city to reach open parks and lakes
🌃 Nightlife

Whether it's a pub crawl or dancing to hip-hop, electro-pop or disco music, you sure find something your taste. Because of the large student population, the advantage (or disadvantage) is the large amount of bars, quaint pubs and nightclubs, will not make your decision easy where to go.

But if you want to experience a lot in a short time, you should start in one of the two centres for Leipzig's nightlife, the Gottschedstraße in city centre, or the Karl-Liebknecht-Straße.

Leipzig has made an excellent name for itself as a city ​​of outdoor seating culture. This term, which is associated with beer gardens, has made most of the over 1,400 Leipzig restaurants and cafés have outdoor seating. The high concentration and variety of locations gives Leipzig its unique atmosphere.

🛍️  Shopping

If you take a walk through Leipzig city centre you will discover endless shopping streets, specialist outlets, prominent department stores, bustling local markets and stylish shopping arcades. Much of central Leipzig has been well pedestrianised with shoppers in mind and is simple to find your way around, with the majority of shopping areas being easily accessible by foot, particularly around the popular Passagen arcades.

Amongst the shops in central Leipzig are plenty of cafes should you wish to take a break from your shopping trip, many of which boast pavement areas, allowing you to sit outside, relax and soak up both the atmosphere and sunshine. Some of the best shops in Leipzig lie along the Hainstrasse, Petersstrasse and also Nikolaistrasse, together with both the Specks Hof and Madler shopping arcades.

🛌 Accommodation

Leipzig can offer a good range of accommodation options to suit all pockets. Hotels within the city centre are expensive, but when you travel a little out of the Old Town, prices can drop substantially and you can still find reasonable good value for money Hotels for around €40 per night


When staying a little further away, make sure you have tram or bus routes nearby. If you are on a budget, the best ide is Airbnb for shared accomodation but private rooms.

⏳ How long to stay?

Visiting Leipzig is ideal as a passing by city, staying 2 nights or over a weekend. Many visitors also rent a car and visit the city amongst other in the region. It can be a nice day trip also from Berlin, taking a 2 hour drive. If you want to go out at night the weekend is best for more atmosphere, but if you want to relax and avoid the crowds then visit midweek. 

Leipzig Photo Slide 📷