Since I didn’t have my German language class today, I decided to wander outside Berlin. Leipzig was highly recommended by couple of locals, so I decided to take a day trip to check out this town.
It’s around 90 mins by train or 150 mins by bus. I decided to go by Flexibus because it was only €20 as compared to €120 by train. The bus ride was very scenic and comfortable. After 2.5 hours, we arrived at Leipzig’s main train station. If you are in Leipzig, make sure to check out the grandeur architecture and dome of the Leipzig Hauptbahnhof main train station.
I had arrived here just in time for lunch. I had heard about the beautiful views of the city from the Panorama Tower restaurant and lounge, so my hungry tummy directed me to the Tower. It was definitely the best decision I had made. It’s a great feeling to view the city from high above, so you can appreciate its architecture, churches, city layout and green space.
Luckily, they were offering a special 3 course executive lunch menu for €11.50. I ordered a glass of rosé to celebrate my trip to the quaint Leipzig. The asparagus cream soup, pasta and pana cotta with strawberries was simply delicious. All this for only €17 was such a steal.
It was time to burn those calories by getting lost in this city. As I left the tower, I saw tents in the square nearby. I decided to check it out. Ahh, it was the Chocolate Fest. My favorite kinda fest. There were chocolates and desserts from different parts of Europe. I was so full from my 3-course meal, so I picked up few treats to munch on later.
Few minutes later, I ended up in the busy city center. The street was lined with shops and restaurants from big names to no names. It was hustling and bustling with people, either they were tourists like me or the students from the University nearby.
My plan was to just walk around the city center and stumble upon major landmarks. As I walking the Nikolaistraße, the grandeur of Nikolaikirche (St. Nicholas Church) peaked my interest. I stepped in to checkout its beauty and pay my respect to Jesus and St. Nicholas. I was in awe, admiring its Neoclassical interior which was painted in the nude pink color scheme and dates to the late 18th century. What was interesting is that you’ll notice the Romanesque, Gothic and Baroque influence in this church. After some research, I found out that the construction started with the Romanesque style but later turned into Gothic and by adding the towers into the Baroque style. The church rose to national fame in 1989 after a peaceful revolt against the communist rule.
As I headed back to the busy street, a side street lined with tables at a fancy restaurant caught my eye. I went towards its direction and there it was, the statue of Goethe who studied in Leipzig between the years of 1765-68. In the background, the ornate former trading house you see is the Alte Borse.
As I was walking back on the main shopping street, I noticed that there were a lot of shopping passage through the buildings. I decided to walk through one of them (Speck’s Hof) to see what the fuss is all about. I have to say that the entrances, hallways and inner courtyards are an adventure into itself, along with the window displays to lure you into opening up your wallets.
The farmers market in Marktplatz area is a must visit, if you want to buy fresh vegetables, herbs, flowers, cheeses, meats and cakes. In fact, the museum of city history, is also on the same square.
Not far away, is the glorious St Thomas Church and, in it’s square stands the statue of Johann Sebastian Bach. I was lucky to hear Basch’s music being composed by the church conductor as they were practicing the nights’ event.
As I walked away from the city center, I ended up at the Federal Administrative Court. I went inside the courthouse and, since no one stopped me, I kept on exploring the various rooms. I’m sure they must have been watching me through their CCTV. It was so cool to be all alone in the huge rooms.
The canal and park outside the courthouse convinced me to take a break and enjoy the sun in spite of the chilly wind. It was so nice to take a break from all the walking, close my eyes and soak in Leipzig’s beauty.
Since I had two more hours before catching the FlixBus back to Berlin, I headed back to the city center. Grabbed an outdoor table under the electric heater at one of the cafes on Barfußgäßchen street to chill, have a lite bite and watch people walking by.
On the way back to the bus station, I noticed the huge colorful murals in one of the buildings, so I stopped by to admire the cartoonish muppets and take some pictures.
I am so glad that I picked up a sandwich and the local specialty, the Leipziger Lerche dessert, for my bus ride, because the ride back was an hour longer due to traffic on the highway. I got to Berlin Südstern station at 10pm. Hopped on the train and made it to my flat within 20 mins. Freshened up and made a cup of warm ginger tea before calling it the night.
