Dresden: the city

Few cities have gone through as much as Dresden in the past hundred years.

Turn back the clock to the 1930s and it was described as the Florence of the Elbe. A thriving city filled with beautiful buildings housing an affluent population with a love of culture and the arts.

Rebuilt: The Frauenkirche in the heart of Dresden.

That all came crashing down - all too literally - on the nights of February 13 and 14, 1945. The bombing of Dresden, the firestorm that left upwards of 35,000 civilians dead and a city in ruins, was one of the defining moments of the war.

When the world (well Britain, US, Russia and France anyway) carved up German territory after the war, Dresden found itself in the east under Soviet rule.

And it was the communists who began the rebuilding. And rebuild they did, brick by brick, in a style befitting the DDR. Probably the most striking of the lot is the Kulturpalast Dresden, a copper-topped centre dominating one side of the old town square.

Back in the DDR: The Kulturpalast, the Tourist Information is bottom left.

Although that's undeniably socialist (check out the mural on the left hand side) the DDR were actually also responsible for starting to sensitively recreate Dresden's lost treasures.

There was a lot to repair, and in most cases, rebuild. And when the DDR finally collapsed in 1989 it's been unified Germany's job to carry on the work.

Power to the people: A mural on the side of the Kulturpalast:

Seventy years on and the rebuilding continues, most notably in the Neumarkt Square, home of the stunning domed church Frauenkirche - symbolically one of the most recent to be rebuilt.

Part of the challenge is to check out the buildings and suss out what's original, what's restored and what is actually brand new. It's not as easy as you think.

The Neumarkt area is the busiest part of town and where you are likely to spend your time chilling and watching the world go by.

Scores of buses and restaurants line the square and stretch down towards the banks of the Elbe. You'll find some of Dresden's oldest parts around here, the Bruhlsche Terrasse giving great views across the river.

Cross the Augustus bridge to the left - one landmark that has survived the centuries - and you are in Neustadt, the new town. It is home to the Haupstrasse, a sweeping wide pedestrian boulevard home to one of the city's main shopping districts. The northern banks of the Elbe are a popular spot in the summer and there's an open air concert site right on the riverfront.

Old and rebuilt: Dresden city centre.

But you're likely to spend most of your time on the south side, in the older sections. There is no shortage of museums to keep you amused - although the Hygeine Museum sounded quite niche to me - and many are in easy walking distance. From transport to history, it's all covered.

If you want to sample the local brew at its source then Walkschlosschen Brewery offers tours and the inevitable tasting, all with the largest beer garden offering panoramic views of the city. It is a far walk along the northern banks of the river, but also on bus routes. Visit www.waldschlosschen.de

Semper Opera House is at the heart of Dresden's classical movement and you can take a tour of there too.
Further afield, the palaces and castles of south east Germany are within a couple of hounds. The Pillnitz Palace and gardens are the closest, reachable in 45 minutes via tram and bus or the hop-on hop-off tourist buses.

Grand by the Elbe: The Pillnitz Palace.

Steamboat tours up and down the River Elbe are available too, taking you to pretty towns and villages in Saxony.
Dresden is a lively, fascinating place but big enough never to feel overrun by tourists, even in the middle. It's well geared up for tourists, although english are definitely in the minority with many visitors from Germany or the Czech Republic.

It's worth the journey to south east Germany, no doubt.