Best Things to do in Leipzig Germany

From Bach and the Peaceful Revolution to hidden courtyards, canals, and contemporary art, Leipzig is one of Germany’s most underrated cities. Wondering what to do there? I’ve got you covered with this list of the best things to do in Leipzig.

With a musical heritage rivaled only by Vienna’s, a walkable city center full of history, and an incredible art scene, Leipzig should be on everyone’s list of must-see destinations.

Historic monument with rectangular pool in front and trees and green grass on sides.

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Leipzig is the largest city in Saxony and is considered to be the oldest trade fair city in the world. Known for its thriving contemporary art scene and musical heritage, it has been drawing art lovers and music lovers alike for centuries. Leipzig has a long history that is still very much alive today.

Part of Leipzig’s charm lies in its compact, pedestrian-friendly city center, making it easy to explore its history, culture, and cafés on foot. St. Thomas Church, where Johann Sebastian Bach is buried, St. Nicholas Church, where the Monday demonstrations of 1989 helped bring down the Berlin Wall, the beautiful historic buildings of the Mädler Passage and its famous arcades and shopping passages, and so much more are all within easy reach of each other. It’s a great place to get lost during a long weekend or maybe even longer.

Where In the World is Leipzig?

Leipzig is in eastern Germany, in the Free State of Saxony, roughly two hours from Berlin by train. It sits near the former border between East Germany and West Germany, which makes its role in the events of 1989 all the more resonant. The main train station, the Leipzig Central Station (Hauptbahnhof), is one of the largest terminal stations in Europe and drops you right at the edge of the city center.

Each spot to see on this list is marked on the map below, so bookmark this post and pull up directions to each spot. There’s even a free app to help you experience all the city has to offer. Download the free Explore Leipzig app through the Google Play store or via Apple apps for your iPhone.

Things To Do in Leipzig

Though there is so much more to do in this fabulous hidden gem, these are the places I personally visited while I was there. You can see all this and more in a long weekend, but stay a little longer and soak it up. I just know you’ll fall in love with this beautiful city.

St. Nicholas Church

St. Nicholas Church is one of Leipzig’s most important landmarks, not only because of its age, but because of the role it played in modern German history. The church dates back to 1165 and is one of the oldest churches in the city.

It is best known for the peace prayers that began here in 1982. Those Monday prayers grew into the Monday demonstrations of 1989, when thousands gathered peacefully in Leipzig and helped spark the Peaceful Revolution in East Germany.

That movement helped lead to German reunification and the fall of the Berlin Wall. Standing inside St. Nicholas Church, it is hard not to feel the weight of what happened here. The church itself is beautiful, but the history is what makes it unforgettable. Located just a short walk from the Markt (main market square), it’s easy to reach by foot, with several tram lines stopping nearby at Augustusplatz.

Leipzig Bach Museum

Leipzig Bach Museum is dedicated to the education of the life and work of Johann Sebastian Bach and his family. You can see many manuscripts, instruments, and interactive exhibits, including a new augmented reality activity.

Bach spent the last 27 years of his life in the city of Leipzig. I was able to experience a shortened version of the new Virtual Bach Experience, where the man himself returns to Leipzig after 275 years. In this entertaining activity, Bach sits at the harpsichord for a short concert, taking breaks now and then to share about his life.

St. Thomas Church

St.Thomas Church has occupied this site since the 12th century, and its long history reads like a greatest hits of Western music and faith. Johann Sebastian Bach served as music director here from 1723 until his death in 1750 and is buried inside the church.

Church with a black iron statue of a Bach in front.

Martin Luther preached here in 1539, pivotal to the introduction of the Reformation in Leipzig. And the internationally renowned Thomanerchor, the St. Thomas Boys’ Choir, founded in 1212, still performs weekly motets here to this day.

A visit to St. Thomas Church is essential, not just for its musical heritage, but for the experience of standing in a building that has been a center of classical music and religious life for more than 800 years.

Völkerschlachtdenkmal – Monument to the Battle of the Nations

Leipzig’s most famous monument, the Völkerschlachtdenkmal, commemorates one of the most consequential events of the Napoleonic Wars: the Battle of Leipzig in October 1813, the largest battle of the 19th century, when coalition forces from Russia, Prussia, Austria, and Sweden defeated Napoleon on German soil.

With nearly 600,000 soldiers involved and more than 110,000 casualties, it remains a staggering chapter in European history. The monument itself, inaugurated in 1913 for the battle’s 100th anniversary, is 91 meters tall, making it the largest monument in Europe.

The observation deck at the top offers a phenomenal panoramic view of Leipzig and the surrounding area, and the FORUM 1813 museum at the base brings the events of the battle to life with weapons, uniforms, and personal mementos from those days. This is a couple of train stops from the city center, but absolutely worth seeing. It’s the very first photo above.

Leipzig Opera

Founded in 1693, the Leipzig Opera is the third-oldest civic musical theater stage in Europe, after Venice and Hamburg, and one of the great concert halls on the continent. Here you can enjoy opera, musical comedy, and performances by the Leipzig Ballet, all accompanied by the world-renowned Gewandhaus Orchestra, which has served as the opera’s orchestra since 1840. For music lovers, this is Leipzig at its finest.

Historic building with circle of pool of water in front and people walking around.

Boat ride on Leipzig’s Waterways

A boat ride on one of Leipzig’s beautiful waterways is a wonderful way to spend a couple of hours on a nice day. The boat ride leads to impressive industrial architecture and through the green floodplain forest. The Leipzig City Harbour just opened on June 6, with 40 sports and family boats, berths for paddle boats, as well as moorings for 3 passenger ships.

Bridge with two short towers over river with trees in background.

Panometer

I didn’t expect one of the most memorable things to do in Leipzig to be inside a former gas tank, but that’s exactly what the Panometer is. You walk in, climb a few steps, and suddenly you’re surrounded by another world; currently, Antarctica.

Many of the historic gasometers, common in the 19th and 20th centuries, have been destroyed. It’s really such a shame, as this is a brilliant use of the structure. At 32 meters high and 110 meters wide, it’s a beautiful way to show the art of the gifted artist Yadegar Asisi.

Photo of Antarctica's iceburgs with snow covered mountains in background.

Historic gasometer building with a manometer built into building.

The first exhibit at the Panometer was Everest, in 2003. I would have loved to have seen the Leipzig exhibit from 2013-2015, which celebrated the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Leipzig. Currently, Antarctica is the 10th exhibit held at the Panometer Leipzig, on display there through 2028.

The experience surprised me. Inside the massive former gasometer, the panoramic artwork surrounds you with towering glaciers. You’ll notice something new on each level of the 15-meter-high tower in the center of the room.

Niemeyer Sphere

The Niemeyer Sphere is one of the last designs of Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer, and I’ve truly never seen anything like it. A 12-meter sphere of white concrete and glass perched on the corner of a historic brick factory building, it looks like it fell from the sky.

Structure resembling an eyeball attached to a historic brown stone building.

Niemeyer conceived it in 2011, just a year before his death at age 104, after receiving a letter from Leipzig entrepreneur Ludwig Koehne, who owned the Kirow crane factory on the site and wanted something extraordinary for the rooftop of his canteen building. The sphere was completed in 2020 and is the only Niemeyer design realized in Germany since the Oscar-Niemeyer-Haus in Berlin, built in 1957.

You can go inside by dining at the restaurant or booking a tour. The event hall makes for a truly unusual afternoon. The setting on the former industrial site of Techne Kirow, the world market leader for railroad cranes, gives it an extra layer of character.

Old Town Hall

The Old Town Hall in Markt Square is one of the finest examples of German Renaissance architecture anywhere in the country, dating to 1556. It’s now the Stadtgeschichtliches Museum Leipzig, the Museum of City History. If you want to understand the city’s history from the Middle Ages through World War II and beyond, this is the place to start. The building is beautiful enough to justify a stop even without going inside.

Mädler Passage

The Mädler Passage, along with the Königshauspassage and Messehofpassage, forms a roughly mile-long system of historic arcades and passages through the heart of Leipzig’s city center, a reminder of the city’s era as one of Europe’s great trading hubs.

A long carpeted corridor with shops on either side.

Inside the Mädler Passage, you’ll find Auerbachs Keller, one of the most famous restaurants in the world (and celebrating its 500th anniversary in 2025), elevated to iconic status in Johann Wolfgang von Goethe’s Faust. Browse the small shops, soak in the beautiful buildings, and take your time wandering through.

New Town Hall

The New Town Hall has served as the seat of Leipzig’s city administration since 1905. At 377 feet, it has the tallest city hall tower in Germany, and at 1,708 rooms, it’s the largest city hall in the world by number of rooms. It’s a striking example of the grand civic architecture of the early 20th century, worth admiring from the outside even if you don’t go in.

Old Stock Exchange

The Old Stock Exchange (Alte Handelsbörse) is the oldest Baroque-style building in Leipzig, constructed in the 17th century as a gathering place for merchants during the city’s years as the center of European trade fairs.

Statue of a man in front of a historic building.

Today it’s still a meeting place, for concerts, theater performances, and special events. The exterior, with a statue of a young Goethe out front, is one of the most photographed spots in the city.

Visit the Leipzig Porsche Factory

Take a tour of the Leipzig Porsche Factory, where the Macan and Panamera are made. This is the largest of all the Porsche factories. Many tour options are available, including a drive on the mud track. The tour we took first led us through the factory to see how the cars are made, which was actually fascinating.

Porsche with graphic design in front of factory.

Next, we were able to ride along on the mudtrack, which every person who buys a Porsche is invited to do. You can self-drive this track, too, as well as the FIA-certified circuit. Racing fans, this one is for you! This track features 11 corners pulled straight from legendary tracks around the globe. Think the hairpin Loews Curve from Monaco or Laguna Seca’s famous Corkscrew.

Did you know many people who buy Porsche vehicles actually go to the factory to see it and take delivery? They can meet the people who made their car and get hands-on advice about what these cars can do and how to care for them.

There is even a wonderful restaurant on site. Stop by for a gourmet coffee and a pastry, or book a meal as part of a tour. Take a look at the museum and gift shop, too.

Where to Eat in Leipzig

I love German food, and Leipzig did not disappoint! Check out my lists of German Dinners and German Desserts for amazing dishes you can make at home. (TIP: Though these recipes are all delicious, German food is just better in Germany!)

In Leipzig, I found champagne at every breakfast bar and fancy coffee everywhere. The freshest ingredients are used. April is was asparagus season, and the white asparagus is especially incredible if you’re lucky enough to go around that time of year.

I also found duck on the menu a lot, and had it twice. It was heavenly. And the desserts are just too wonderful to believe! On this trip – order dessert!

Weinstock Restaurant

The Weinstock (“Vine”) restaurant, located on Leipzig’s market square, is presided over by the Old City Hall. If you are lucky enough to be in this region of Germany when white asparagus is available, don’t miss it.

White plate with white asparagus, potatoes, and hollandaise sauce.

Zum Arabischen Coffe Baum Café and Restaurant

Explore one of the oldest coffee houses in Europe, where Saxony’s favorite hot drink has been served since 1711. The Zum Arabischen Coffee Baum Cafe has been in the coffee business since 1711.

Though known for coffee, don’t miss the lunch and dinner menu. Zum Arabischen offers a chance to one of Leipzig’s most famous dishes, from when the city was very rich and the center of world trade.

Leipziger Allerlei is a traditional recipe featuring crayfish, morels, and bread dumplings, along with various baby vegetables like carrots, kohlrabi, asparagus, and cauliflower. This dish is also served at Weinstock Restaurant.

crayfish, morels, and bread dumplings along with various baby vegetables like carrots, kohlrabi, asparagus and cauliflower

Many well-known people from the worlds of art, music, literature, and politics have drunk their coffee here. Visit the museum located on the upper floors of the building, which is a testament to the history of coffee culture in Saxony.

Auerbachs Keller Restaurant

Auerbachs Keller celebrated its 500th anniversary in 2025, which tells you something. One of the most famous restaurants in the world, it was immortalized in Johann Wolfgang von Goethe’s Faust and has been drawing visitors to the Mädler Passage ever since. The historic cellar setting alone is a must-see when in Leipzig.

Riquet House

The Riquet House is one of the few remaining historic coffee houses in Leipzig. This striking Art Nouveau building dates to 1908, but the Riquet family’s history in the city stretches back to 1745, when Jean George Riquet opened a wholesale trading company dealing in coffee, tea, and chocolate.

By 1890, they were producing their own coffee, and among their most famous customers was Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. The architecture is stunning and well worth the time to have a coffee and take it all in.

Where to Stay In Leipzig

What a treat to spend the first three nights of this trip at the luxurious Steigenberger Icon Grandhotel Handelshof, which is so convenient to everything.

Upscale hotel with gold lettering, stores on the first level, and cars parked out front.

Located right next to the historic Naschmarket, Old Town Hall, and St. Nicholas Church, it’s the perfect spot to stay while exploring the city. I loved the comfort of my room, the amazing food, and the warm hospitality of the staff.

They even have the most adorable mascot, so give some pets to Quiero while you’re there. You just don’t find hotels like this everywhere, so make it part of your Leipzig experience when you go.