We first heard of a place called Magdeburg when the horrible attack occurred last December with a car plowing down people celebrating the holidays at a Christmas Market.
A terrible way to learn of a place but when we were next in northern Germany we decided to make a stop and discover this place for ourselves. In doing so, we found one of our new favourite cities in the country, a peaceful and gentle city, with green spaces abound and wide airy streets. A gorgeous art gallery, the oldest Gothic cathedral in Germany (which we visited on the day Pope Francis passed), one of the most famous magnolia streets in the country and countless 4.5+ star restaurants to choose from? What a joy to discover the beauty of a place we'd only heard sad things about. I’d say we found the perfect weekend getaway.
We undertook an Easter roadtrip through northwestern Germany, starting in Munich where my partner lives and doing a big circular loop. The Easter long weekend is always a perfect time to head out on a trip, what with shoulder season in full swing, the spring weather looking better and prices still reasonable. In previous years, I've spent my Easters in Northern Ireland, Ibiza (Spain), New Zealand, Calgary (Canada) and hiking in Vancouver (Canada), among other trips.
I have a German mother, so I have visited many parts of Germany many, many times as a child. I currently live in Salzburg in Austria and so this Easter was the perfect excuse to re-explore northern Germany and many of the places of my childhood - plus a few other stops along the way.
Our first stop was actually in neighbouring Czechia, where we spent a night exploring the colourful spa town of Karlovy Vary. From there, it was time to kick off the German leg of our trip and we crossed the border again and headed towards Dresden, a delightful university town. Then, it was time to see some bridges; we drove first down to the Basteibrücke where a wooden bridge passes through million-year-old rock formations over the River Elbe before heading east, almost to the border with Poland, to visit the famous Devil's Bridge. Then, it was on to the capital of Berlin, the city of my mum's birth and a chance to retrace the steps of my own visit from so many years ago.
From Berlin, it was onwards to the beautiful Magdeburg:
By flight: The closest main international airport to Magdeburg is in Leipzig. From Leipzig Airport to Magdeburg, it is just an hour by car or an hour and a half by direct train with Deutsche Bahn.
Berlin and Hannover are also within reach. Berlin Airport to Magedburg is closer to two hours by car, but does also offer an easy train journey via Berlin Hauptbahnhof. Hannover Airport to Magdeburg is about an hour and a half by car or also by an easy train journey via Hannover Hauptbahnfhof.
By car: We drove to Magdeburg from Berlin which took us two and a half hours. Magdeburg is a relatively small, peaceful city with parking readily found throughout the Altstadt.
By bus: FlixBus services Magdeburg with direct connections from 85 cities.
By train: Trains arrive at Magdeburg Hauptbahnfhof which is just ten-minutes on foot from the Altstadt making it a very easy and accessible way to visit. The train station is also serviced by buses and trams to get you where you need to go.
The old town of Magdeburg, where most of the tourist attractions and great restaurants are located, is very compact and easily walkable. You might also want to join a walking tour with a local guide to learn more about the city.
If you'd like to get somewhere quicker or a bit further away, a great network of buses and trams service the city.
You might be surprised when I say this, as an avid pro-independent hotel traveler who is rarely to be found in a chain hotel... but the Motel One in Magdeburg is truly the best place to stay in the city!
It's located right in the heart of the Altstadt in a gorgeously renovated old building just across the square from the iconic Magdeburg Cathedral. The rooms are the standard Motel One-issue as you get across the continent but the service is great, the building clean and welcoming, the breakfast great and the location truly outstanding. Highly recommend!
→ Book your stay at the Motel One.
→ Check out other places to stay to suit your budget and accommmodation type.
We actually drove through Magdeburg in early January at the end of our Mystery Roadtrip on our way home from Hamburg back to Munich. We stopped in the city for dinner at Quán Gánh and it was so fantastic that we knew we had to come back every time we were in the area!
A quick search on Google Maps for restaurants in Magdeburg will bring up a surprisingly incredible amount of 4.5+ star rated restaurants to suit every taste and budget. It seems Magdeburg has a booming food scene, so you certainly won't go hungry while you're visiting the city! We look forward to trying out more restaurants on future visits but for now, here is where we dined:
Gelato Mio
Gelato Mio
Dinner at Quán Gánh
Afternoon coffee and cake at Neuzeit
Magdeburg is one of our new favourite cities in the country, a peaceful and gentle city, with green spaces abound and wide airy streets. What a joy to discover the beauty of a place we'd only heard sad things about. I’d say we found the perfect weekend getaway.
Here is everything we did and saw in Magdeburg:
Spot the pink Hundertwasser building
One of the final projects before Hundertwasser's death in 2005, the pink Grüne Zitadelle stands in the heart of the city centre. Formerly the site of a church, an armory and residential space, the Magdeburg City Housing Cooperative asked Hundertwasser in 1995 for a new creation on the space. The massive building now is home to shops, restaurants, a theatre, a hotel, a daycare, residential apartments and offices. Although the building is pink, it was named Green Citadel for the trees and grasses on, in and around the building.
See the Rathaus
The pretty city hall of Magdeburg was first mentioned in 1244 although the various buildings here used as town and city halls have suffered at the hands of fires, war and general dilapidation so the current building has only stood since 1907. It was so peaceful-looking at golden hour.
Visit the art museum at Kunstmuseum Magdeburg - Kloster Unser Lieben Frauen
One of the highlights for us of our visit to Magdeburg was visiting the colletion at the Kunstmuseum in the old 11th century monastery. We loved the recently renovated building itself, an airy and pretty space, showing off an impeccable collection from the ancient the modern.
The museum also offers events and courses throughout the year.
Visit the Magdeburg Cathedral
This impressive building is actually the oldest Gothic cathedral in all of Germany! We felt lucky to visit it on the day that Pope Francis passed; even though I am not religious I think that religious buildings are so awe-inspiring. It is free to visit.
Bonus: See the cherry blossoms on Holzweg
If you happen to be here in the spring, Magdeburg is actually home to one of the most famous cherry blossom-lined streets in Germany, the Holzweg. We joined many others to snap some delightful seasonal photos!
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Hi! I’m Jana, a Dutch-German-British-Canadian with a dream of seeing every country in the world. I am a storyteller, photographer and adventurer passionate about documenting and sharing my travels.
