A weekend in Leipzig: the German masterpiece

Just an hour southwest of Berlin, Leipzig's zingy arts scene is what makes this cool city a playground for young creatives.

Once the home of classical composer J S Bach, visitors have long flocked to Leipzig, a city with music and art at its core. But thanks to an influx of cool culture around every strasse it's now giving Berlin a run for its money when it comes to chic bars, restaurants and cultural attractions. 

One of Leipzig's main draws is its buzzing arts scene that includes the Spinnerei – a former cotton mill that houses artists from all over the world; the Tapetenwerk – a cool quarterly exhibit held in a factory space; the Kunstkraftwerk – a digital art gallery; while the established Museum of Fine Arts hosts big names such as Japanese multimedia artist Yoko Ono.

PK Fotografie

Meanwhile, decorative Art Nouveau buildings and charming arcades and passageways sit side-by-side with modern architecture, all telling a story of Leipzig’s rapid expansion in the 19th and 20th century as well as its industrial past.

If you look even further back, Leipzig was once the location of the deadly Napoleonic Battle of the Nations, in 1813, and you can visit the famous monument. But lesser known is the story of the city’s involvement in the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989. St. Nicholas Church, where Leipziggers held peace prayers at the time, played a central role.

Friday

Check into: Motel One Leipzig-Post. This fun and affordable design hotel is right in the city centre, housed in what was once the area's old post office building. The rooms are sleek and modern, with views over the metropolis on one side and a courtyard on the other. 

Motel One Leipzig-Post

Notice quirky postal-themed art dotted about the building, including a large painting depicting the dreams of artist Paul Hammer in reception.

Motel One Leipzig-Post

Take a walk around: Leipzig city centre, where many key sites can be seen within a 1km radius. On Wednesdays and Fridays the Marktplatz hosts a farmers' market. Take a stroll around the stalls and marvel at the fresh produce – look out for the white asparagus, a firm favourite here – baked goods, meats and cheeses.

Explore: St. Nicholas Church, a significant spot in the 1989 peace protest. At least 70,000 took to the streets that day and triggered a surge in people’s thinking, followed by the collapse of the Berlin wall one month later.

PK Fotografie

Just around the corner is St. Thomas Church, made famous due to its links with composers such as Wagner, Mendelssohn and Bach.

The Leipzig university building is a site to behold. A modern replica of the Paulinerkirche, the old university church destroyed in 1968 during the Communist regime of East Germany.

PK Fotografie

But whatever your interests, be sure to duck in and out of Leipzig’s unique arcade system – the ornate covered markets are remnants of Leipzig’s history as a trade fair city. Guided city centre tours are also available.

Have a rest at: Cloud One Bar. Stay close to home and grab a drink at the Cloud One Bar on the eighth floor of Motel One. The stylish venue is one of the most popular in the city, with a positively charming head bartender and gin selection to rival the most well-equipped British pub.

Motel One Leipzig-Post

Have dinner at: Felix, next door to Motel One. This chic fine-dining restaurant showcases Leipzig at night. It has exceptional views, an ample wine list and mesmerising dishes including langoustine with lemon sauce, chop from Iberico, guinea fowl in two courses and pollack in beurre blanc.

Saturday

Book onto: a guided cycle tour of Leipzig in the morning. Explore the green spaces, such as the Clara-Zetkin park and the city’s busy canal network, at your leisure. 

Other highlights include the Red Bull Arena, which hosts football matches and music events, or the residential Plagwitz. The latter’s brick factories containing artists’ studios, shops, eateries and a flea market make it the ideal spot to finish your cycle tour and continue exploration on foot.

PK Fotografie

Immerse yourself in culture at: the Spinnerei galleries. Formerly the largest cotton mill in Europe, since its decommissioning it’s been converted by artists into a creative hub for exhibitions. Attempt to visit its 100 studios and 11 galleries where you’ll see illustrations and paintings by big names such as Tom Anholt and artists selling their work, as well as concept art by younger artists and students around the globe. If you’re lucky, the artists will be around to speak with you.

Philipp Kirschner

See something unique at: Kunstkraftwerk. This digital art gallery houses modern and interactive works which provide a completely different mood. The current exhibit is a fully immersive video and sound installation inspired by the “Giants of Renaissance”: Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael and Michelangelo.

Get down with the locals at: Even Better Living, a bar along Karl-Heine-Strasse, in the midst of the trendy Plagwitz area. This 30-year-old joint isn’t glamorous but it offers a cosy atmosphere and an impressive selection of beer. Note: it doesn’t get lively until late, so wait until at least 8pm.

Feast at: Weinstock, a restaurant with history and one of Leipzig’s pricier establishments. Its menu is an elegant take on German dishes, so think meat and carb heavy plates. Choose between butterschnitzel (pork escalope) served with potato and gherkin salad and cranberry sauce; gratinated lamb loin with ratatouille and celeriac mash; or fillet of German heifer beef with asparagus, béarnaise and potato and rocket souffle. Round it off with a selection of German wine and cheese pairings.

Sunday

Seize the day at: the Grassi Museum of Applied Arts, a short walk from Motel One. The current exhibition is the Bauhaus Sachsen which looks at the history of the Bauhaus, Germany’s most notable and influential art school that operated between 1919 and 1933.

The Bauhaus Sachsen talks about textiles, architecture, graphic design, interior design, industrial design and typography. However, within the complex you can also find ceramics, Asian art, immersive art and information about the history of design.

Stop for a bite: at the Panorama Tower. This 36-storey skyscraper is the tallest building in Leipzig, home to a number of offices and a restaurant with a view. The business lunch menu offers a good-value light three-course meal. Start with almond and chorizo soup, choose between fillet of pork with zucchini or cod with lemongrass, and finish with a polenta, cranberry, cream and pecan dessert.

Andreas Schmidt

See something memorable at: the Museum of Fine Arts. This modern building, opened in 2004, displays art from the Late Middle Ages to the present day, however the showstopper exhibition is Yoko Ono: PEACE is POWER.

From interactive artworks where you can contribute by hammering a nail into a cross and concept artworks which require your unique interpretation, to films and installations. This exhibition displays some of Yoko Ono’s finest works, old and new.

Memorable pieces include ‘Ex it’, a room filled with 100 coffins, from which bloom lemon and orange trees. The atmosphere of the space, coupled with the chirping sounds of birds, creates a highly sensory atmosphere.

mdbkleipzig/Facebook

Also on display is Yoko Ono’s famous ‘Cut Piece’, one of her early performance works. The museum is showing live replica performances of the original in which a female performance artist’s clothes are cut off by members of the audience.

Say auf wiedersehen: with a drink at the Mephisto Bar at the Auerbachs-keller, the second-oldest restaurant and wine bar in Leipzig. It features in Goethe's play Faust as the first place Mephistopheles takes Faust on their travels. Goethe was familiar with the place during his student days at Leipzig University in the 18th century, calling it his favourite wine bar. 

Andreas Schmidt

Getting there

Leipzig itself has an airport, however a flight from London to Berlin Schönefeld and a train from the station directly outside the airport to Berlin Hauptbahnhof, is also an easy option. An international train will take you from Berlin Hauptbahnhof to Leipzig in less than one hour.