Leipzig for under £100 a night
LEIPZIG wears its patchwork history with pride — it is modern Germany at its best. Renaissance architecture sits alongside trendy bars, while museums celebrating Bach and Mendelssohn mingle with contemporary art galleries. Meander around its market square before cooling off with a glass of Riesling or a beer nearby. Get a taste of the city’s storied past, from its musical Age of Enlightenment to its brave protests against Communist rule. Where to stay Adina Apartment Hotel A FORMER textile business under the GDR, this building is now a trendy, quiet hotel around the corner from the bustling market square.
The comfortable rooms are all fitted with air conditioning and mod cons — including a heated bathroom mirror. you’ll miss the warm welcome from staff once you leave, as well as the beautiful views over the city. Doubles from £76, adinahotels.com Vienna House ROOMS here are bright and quiet, despite its close proximity to the central train station. It offers bikes for hire, but if you don’t fancy exploring on two wheels, the nearby tram stop will take you anywhere in the city. Don’t leave without enjoying a Viennese coffee on the Japaneseinspired terraced courtyard. Doubles from £78, viennahouse.com INNSIDE by Melia OPPOSITE the historic St Thomas Church, this neoclassical hotel features immaculate rooms with hardwood floors and modernist fittings. Upgrade to a premium room for views over the city. The rooftop bar is the perfect place to watch the sun set over Saxony. But be careful — the drinks at the bar aren’t cheap, even by British standards. Doubles from £70, melia.com NH Leipzig Zentrum IF yOU’RE a fan of wine and prefer to stay in the heart of town, this brand new hotel is just the ticket.
The ultra-modern rooms afford a view of some of the city’s oldest buildings. The exterior mimics the grand 19th-century Saxon buildings, such as the city hall next door. The bar serves excellent wine, too. Doubles from £60, nh-hotels.com Where to eat Salon Casablanca THE blue mosaic counter and print curtains are a nod to the generously portioned Moroccan cuisine this restaurant serves.
Sit outside on a balmy day and try the grilled meats (from £6), succulent lamb tagine (from £6) and flatbread with homemade hummus (£2) with pomegranate iced tea (£2.50).
It doesn’t serve alcohol, but the nearby Felsenkeller, with its pretty patio, serves beer and wine (from £2.80 each). casablanca-markt.de Zest An UnASSUMInG restaurant, with effortlessly cool bare-brick walls, Zest is sandwiched between a rough-and-ready bar and an old bookbinder’s shop.
True to its name, Zest offers fresh dishes with a twist on traditional German fare, including spaetzle on spinach cashew cream (£7.90), steak in an apple calvados and green pepper sauce (£12.80) and rhubarb sorbet with pistachio matcha brittle (£6.50). zest-leipzig.de Auerbachs Keller THIS traditional German bierkeller is known for two things: being the second oldest restaurant in the city — it was thriving in the 16th century — and for featuring in German author Goethe’s Faust. As such, paintings from the 19th-century play adorn almost every inch of the walls and ceilings.
The food is traditionally German: schnitzel cooked in beer (£18) and hearty roast boar with dumplings (£20). Its fame means prices are inflated, but if you’re after culture and good food, it’s well worth a visit. auerbachs-keller-leipzig.de Alfa THE convivial murmur of satisfied diners echoes along the street from this Greek restaurant. Just around the corner from St Thomas Church, the delicious and well-priced two-course lunch menu (£20) includes soup and succulent gyros (Greek kebabs). Drinks are cheap, too, with beers under £3. alfa-bistro.de How to get there RyAnAIR London Stansted to Leipzig from £150 return ( ryanair.com). Or take advantage of their cheap flights to Berlin from £80 return, then it’s an 80-minute train to Leipzig station, £35 return (omio.com).
COURTNEY BARTLETT