Dresden Photographers, Videographers & Photo Tours

The Best Time of Year to Visit Dresden, Germany

Dresden, Germany found along the banks of the Elbe, was severely damaged during the war and was mostly rebuilt after WWII. Dresden is located in the state of Saxony, with a vast amount of artwork, history, and culture between the city streets.

Every season in Dresden has its unique perks to excite its guests. In the summer you can enjoy the cool air around the Elbe and many forests and parks around the city and in the wintertime find yourself wandering Germany’s famous Christmas markets.

Here’s a comprehensive list of all of the fun activities to see and do in each of Dresden’s cultural seasons. Then you can decide when is the best time for you to hire an incredible professional photographer to photograph your trip to Germany!

Visiting Dresden in Spring

In Spring you will notice a complete transformation of the ambiance around the streets of Dresden. After a long winter, the locals are happy to soak in the sun and spend as much time outdoors as possible, or at least until the sun sets.

The city truly shines in spring, before the summer heat hits, and believe it or not, Dresden can get pretty heated. If you are in Dresden in early spring than you can excuse yourself and spend the entire day in the Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister, where you can see the vast collection of iconic pieces by European painters like Vermeer, Rembrandt, van Eyck, Giorgione, Hans Holbein the Younger , El Greco, Canaletto, van Dyck, and many more!

Then you can fully embrace the spring temperatures by drinking a deliciously cold German beer in a Biergarten and prepare for the good times to follow. You’ll certainly want to spend a fair amount of time in the outer Neustadt, for a taste of some of Dresden’s best restaurants and coolest bars. Here you will also find the best street art in Dresden, all you have to do is wander around and you won’t be able to miss the awesome murals. 

For a truly fun experience, hire an affordable photographer and make a trip through Kunsthofpassage. On a rainy day you can listen to the rain transform into natural music through the drain pipes along the facade of the Hof der Elemente (Courtyard of the Elements), then hop over to Hof des Lichts (Courtyard of Light), and finally the Hof der Fabelwesen (Courtyard of Mythical Creatures), which are fascinating grounds for a dynamic and fun photoshoot in Dresden!

Visiting Dresden in Summer

The first stop is cooling off with a GDR  style ice cream, Haselbauer, to get a taste of the past that still lives on in Dresden. Then make a trip out to the Grosser Garten, to stroll through the beautiful gardens in Dresden. For a sunset view over Dresden, you can either go to the top of the Kreuzkirche or the Frauenkirche. But what’s most important is visiting the Elbe River banks to really get a feel for the city, especially in the summertime. There you can have a picnic or BBQ, and potentially meet some locals or other tourists traveling through Dresden this summer. You will certainly appreciate the cool breeze off the Elbe one those hot summer days.  

Did we say the Elbe was the most important location to visit in Dresden? What we really meant was a day trip out to Sachsische Schweiz! Here you can legally camp in the natural rocks, go for easy or more challenging hikes, hire a proposal photographer for a proposal in one of the most beautiful locations in all of Germany, and take a break in the many biergartens you can find further up the mountain, especially at the Grosser Winterberg, which is the highest point in Saxony.

Visiting Dresden in Autumn

Dresden in Autumn is truly a sight to behold. If you can make it out to Saxony, check out The Bastei, for one of the most picturesque locations in all of Germany, especially under the fall foliage. Here is truly a site to hire an engagement photographer and spend the day around the deep colors of Autumn while having your picture taken with the one you love. While you’re in Saxony, outside of Dresden, you can make a stop in the Pillnitz Palace and Park, where you can wander around exemplary rare trees in the garden and the fine Palace grounds on more windy cold afternoons. 

Brühl’s Terrace and the Dresden Cathedral are some other landmarks in Dresden, which truly shine under autumn lighting. And, if clubbing is your thing or something you’d like to check out, Dresden has a booming clubbing scene, and all of the clubs are located in the same area, which means you can check out all your options in the same evening, or morning, depending on how far you take the night. If you really want to go all the way, then hire a private photographer to join you for a night of bar hopping and culture shocking, just make sure you’re dressed for the camera’s flash!

Visiting Dresden in Winter

Similar to the rest of Germany, Dresden transforms into winter heaven. One of the main reasons why people visit Dresden in Winter is for the Dresden Striezelmarkt, which is almost 600 years old! There you can find a 14-metre high Christmas pyramid and the world’s biggest usable Christmas arch. This Christmas market is one of the oldest markets in Germany. Many believe it’s the best market in all of Europe, so even if you’re not celebrating Christmas this year, you’ll have to see for yourself what the hype is all about. Hire a family photographer and head to the Dresden Winter Lights Market where you can cruise through the Christmas stalls and stand close to the 15-meter high Christmas tree and snowman at the very center of the market. 

If you need a break from the Christmas markets and mulled wine, check out one of Dresden’s most famous Baroque sites, the Zwinger Palace. Then head to the Frauenkirche in Neumarkt, which was completely destroyed after the war, but the rubble was preserved and the church was finally reconstructed with its signature domes and cupolas. If you book a personal photographer for the afternoon, visit the ‘Procession of Princes’ and have your photo professionally taken against the 330-foot-long porcelain mural, it’s truly an Instagram worthy shot!