Leipzig is rightly known as the City of Music being associated with several great composers including Bach, Mendelssohn, Schumann and Wagner. Hence when we made our first visit to this city, we decided that following the Music Trail would be an appropriate way to view the sights.
Old Town Hall
The Music Trail is a three mile sign-posted (in English as well as German) circular walk around the central part of Leipzig, taking in much of the Old Town. This suited us well as senior travellers in that it is a flat route with plenty of opportunities along the way to stop for refreshments.
Some of the key musical sights along the way include the Neues Gewandhaus, the striking modern Concert Hall with great acoustics, the Grassi Museum of Musical Instruments, Mendelssohn House and Schumann House. Other notable buildings along the trail include St Nicolas’s Church, St Thomas’s Church and the Old Town Hall in the Marktplatz (Market Square).
We didn’t stick strictly to the route, but deviated as and when we could see places of interest, including Goethe’s statue in front of the Alte Börse (Old Stock Exchange), and we stopped for refreshment at the imposing, historic Kaffeehaus Riquet.
Monument to the Battle of the Nations
The one place just outside Leipzig we were keen to see, and worth a 10 minute car ride, was the massive Monument to the Battle of the Nations. This commemorates Napoleon’s major defeat in 1813. For more nimble seniors, the there are 500 steps to the top of the monument (300 ft high) to enjoy panoramic views back over the city.
Accommodation
We can recommend the Holiday Inn: Leipzig – Günthersdorf. This IHG Hotel gives Senior Discount flexible rates.
To access these special rates, Under 'Rate Preference' select 'Senior Discount'Click on 'Special Rates' select 'Senior Rate'.• See discounts also at Best Western, Marriott, Radisson, Ramada andAccor
• For a £5 discount on new membership, use code STEW05 on the Historic Houses website.
• To get a £15 National Trust gift card with membership by direct debit, click on National Trust.
Top Ten German Cities: Leipzig
Leipzig is rightly known as the City of Music being associated with several great composers including Bach, Mendelssohn, Schumann and Wagner. Hence when we made our first visit to this city, we decided that following the Music Trail would be an appropriate way to view the sights.
The Music Trail is a three mile sign-posted (in English as well as German) circular walk around the central part of Leipzig, taking in much of the Old Town. This suited us well as senior travellers in that it is a flat route with plenty of opportunities along the way to stop for refreshments.
Some of the key musical sights along the way include the Neues Gewandhaus, the striking modern Concert Hall with great acoustics, the Grassi Museum of Musical Instruments, Mendelssohn House and Schumann House. Other notable buildings along the trail include St Nicolas’s Church, St Thomas’s Church and the Old Town Hall in the Marktplatz (Market Square).
We didn’t stick strictly to the route, but deviated as and when we could see places of interest, including Goethe’s statue in front of the Alte Börse (Old Stock Exchange), and we stopped for refreshment at the imposing, historic Kaffeehaus Riquet.
The one place just outside Leipzig we were keen to see, and worth a 10 minute car ride, was the massive Monument to the Battle of the Nations. This commemorates Napoleon’s major defeat in 1813. For more nimble seniors, the there are 500 steps to the top of the monument (300 ft high) to enjoy panoramic views back over the city.
Accommodation
We can recommend the Holiday Inn: Leipzig – Günthersdorf. This IHG Hotel gives Senior Discount flexible rates.
The other nine cities in our Top Ten German Cities for senior travellers list are: Cologne, Dresden, Frankfurt, Hanover, Heidelberg, Koblenz, Munich, Nuremberg and Passau.
Additional Photographs
POSTED 21st FEBRUARY 2021 by STEVE HANSON. The photographs were taken by BARBARA HANSON.