Leipzig Travel Guide: Things to Do & Best Time to Visit

Top things to do in Leipzig

Leipzig’s compact centre is packed with history, music and culture.

• St Thomas Church (Thomaskirche) — Where Johann Sebastian Bach worked as cantor and is buried; home of the famous St Thomas Boys Choir.
• St Nicholas Church (Nikolaikirche) — Starting point of the peaceful Monday demonstrations of 1989.
• Monument to the Battle of the Nations — A colossal memorial to the 1813 battle against Napoleon, with views from the top.
• Arcades and Auerbachs Keller — Elegant shopping passages, including the historic restaurant immortalised in Goethe’s Faust.
• Museum of Fine Arts — A strong collection spanning old masters to contemporary art.
• Spinnerei — A former cotton mill in Plagwitz turned galleries and artists’ studios.
• Leipzig Zoo — A large, modern zoo close to the centre, with a tropical hall.

Best time to visit Leipzig

Leipzig has a temperate climate with warm summers and cold winters. May to September is ideal for exploring on foot, relaxing in beer gardens and parks, and swimming or cycling around the lakes south of the city. The long-running Bach Festival brings concerts to the city each June.

December is another highlight, when one of Germany’s oldest Christmas markets fills the old town. Winters are grey and cold, but museums, concerts at the Gewandhaus and the opera make it a rewarding cultural break all year.

Getting from the airport

Leipzig/Halle Airport lies between Leipzig and Halle, around 20 km north-west of Leipzig city centre. It has its own railway station beneath the terminal.

Regional and S-Bahn trains connect the airport with Leipzig Hauptbahnhof, the main station, in roughly 15 minutes, making rail the easiest option. Taxis and ride-hailing services are available outside the terminal, and car hire desks operate at the airport.

Where to stay

Leipzig is easy to navigate by tram, so staying slightly outside the centre works well.

• Zentrum — The old town and ring; best for first-time visitors, sightseeing and concerts.
• Südvorstadt — Along Karl-Liebknecht-Straße, with lively bars, cafés and restaurants.
• Plagwitz and Lindenau — Creative former industrial districts with canals, galleries and a relaxed feel.
• Waldstraßenviertel — A handsome residential area near the Rosental park and the zoo.

Travel tips

• Money: Cards are increasingly accepted, but some cafés and small shops still prefer cash.
• Getting around: Trams, buses and S-Bahn trains cover the city well; bikes are popular too.
• Culture: Book concerts at the Gewandhaus or St Thomas Church ahead, especially during festivals.
• Etiquette: Sundays are quiet, and most shops close; plan grocery shopping accordingly.
• Language: German is spoken everywhere; English is widely understood, especially by younger people.