According to my walking tour guide, Leipzig is known within Germany as “Cheaper Berlin”.
It has some similarities to Germany’s capital, like the super adorable Ampelmännchen street light men that remain from when Leipzig was part of East Germany, but aside from that, I found the city to be rather different. With a population only a sixth of the size of Berlin, the old town streets felt much more intimate and the locals looked as though they were free of that city-dweller rush while going about their daily activities.
To be honest, my expectations were that Leipzig would only have a handful of interesting activities for visitors. Boy, was I wrong! There were a ton of things to do in Leipzig. A few days of exploring was not enough for us to get through all the museums and attractions that were on our list.
Some visitors choose to do Leipzig on a day trip from Dresden, but I’d recommend adding it to your Germany itinerary and staying for a few nights to see the city properly. Here are all my suggestions for the best things to do in Leipzig!
Quick summary:
Leipzig is a vibrant, underrated German city filled with history, architecture, food, and cultural surprises. This guide covers the best things to do in Leipzig, including museums, churches, panoramic viewpoints, unique art spaces, and memorable local experiences.
Recommended tours & tickets:
🚌 Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour – See Leipzig’s top attractions easily on a 13-stop double-decker sightseeing loop.
🕯️ Night Watchman Bremme Tour – Explore Leipzig’s old town after dark with stories, history, and hidden alleyways.
🏛️ Guided University Campus Walking Tour – Discover Leipzig University’s modern architecture and hear the fascinating story of the old Paulinerkirche.
🍽️ Leipzig Sightseeing & Food Tour – Taste local specialties across 5–6 stops while exploring key sights and historic arcades.
🎨 Panometer Leipzig Entrance Ticket – Experience immersive 360° panoramic art inside a historic gasometer with changing exhibitions.
Where to stay in Leipzig
We stayed in Apartment Central Leipzig which I thought was pretty damn great! The location was fab, the price was excellent, and the apartment-style room was spacious and cosy. If you want a great place to stay near the old town and only 10 minutes walk from the Hauptbahnhof (Central Station), pick this one!
This particular hotel is also popular because of its proximity to the Leipzig Zoo which is meant to be one of the best zoos in Europe, but as I avoid attractions with confined animals, I decided to give this activity a miss.
How to get around Leipzig
Leipzig is a super walkable city — most of the old town sights, museums, cafés, and arcades are all within easy strolling distance. We walked almost everywhere during our visit, and only occasionally jumped on public transport to reach attractions further out, like the Panometer or the Völkerschlachtdenkmal.
🚌 If you want an effortless way to cover more ground (and learn a bit of history along the way), you can also use the Leipzig Hop-on Hop-off Bus. This blue-and-yellow double-decker loops around all the major sights. It’s a convenient option for travellers who want to see a lot in one day.
Leipzig also has an excellent public transport network of trams, S-Bahn lines, and buses — all easy to navigate with Google Maps or the LeipzigMOVE app. Tickets are inexpensive, and services run frequently, making it simple to reach attractions just outside the centre.
Best things to do in Leipzig, Germany:
Wander through Leipzig’s old town
Our time in Leipzig began with a free walking tour in the old town. I love doing these tours as soon as I arrive in a new city; it’s really the best way to start your Leipzig sightseeing and get a comprehensive overview of the destination in a short timeframe (usually 2-3 hours).
🕯️ You can also explore the old town area on the popular Night Watchman Bremme tour. In the late evening, a costumed watchman leads you through hidden alleys and dimly lit corners of the old town, telling curious stories about Leipzig’s past.
Leipzig has a classic German old town with more pre-war buildings than most other cities in the country. The best place to start is in the Marktplatz (Market Square). If you’ll be visiting between late November and Christmas, the Weihnachtsmarkt (Christmas market) will be happening here. I’ll admit that Rob and I spent multiple evenings eating all the Christmas market foods and enjoying the festive decorations!
Next to the square is the Altes Rathaus (Old Town Hall) building, which was built in 1557 and is a gorgeous example of German Renaissance architecture. If you’re not doing the walking tour, it might be worth going inside to see the Stadtgeschichtliches Museum which has displays on Leipzig’s city history.
Leipzig’s old town has a few other interesting museums, too. I visited the Museum der bildenden Künste (Museum of Fine Arts), but there’s also the Bach Museum for lovers of classical music and the Zeitgeschichtliches Forum (Forum of Contemporary History) for anyone interested in learning about Leipzig’s recent past.
Visit the University Church and Leipzig University Campus
Leipzig has one of the world’s oldest universities, yet the university building in the old town has a brand new church. The facade has a somewhat traditional chapel design but the geometric features and modern materials make it look almost futuristic.
🏛️ If you want to dive deeper into the story behind this striking complex, you can join a Guided Campus Walking Tour of Leipzig University. It’s a great way to learn how the architects wove modern design into centuries of academic history, plus you’ll hear about the old Paulinerkirche and the influential thinkers who once studied here.
The reasons for the construction of this new church is quite an interesting story: The original Paulinerkirche (St Pauli Church) once stood in this spot. It was built in the 13th century and served as the university church since 1409. Amazingly it survived the war, but during the communist regime of East Germany it was blown up with dynamite (despite public opposition) to make room for new buildings and discourage religious practice.
The new Universitätskirche (University Church) was built after the reunification of Germany to commemorate the historic one that was destroyed. There’s a small bronze monument out front that shows what the original church looked like, and you can also go inside the church to check out the modern interior.
Explore Leipzig’s historic churches
Once you’ve seen the modern university church, take a look at some of the historic ones that remained standing! The St Thomas and St Nicholas churches are some of the best Leipzig attractions and are both worth peeking inside for their pretty architecture.
I enjoy seeing the beautiful designs of these old buildings, but as I’m not religious, I don’t usually feel much of a spiritual connection when I visit them… Leipzig was an exception. St Nicholas Church in Leipzig is famous for being the site of the Monday Demonstrations, which were a series of peaceful political protests in 1989. These protests drew hundreds of thousands of people to Leipzig and ended up leading to the reunification of Germany.
There is a small room in the back of the church with some photos from the events (though unfortunately the descriptions are all in German). The pictures really affected me as I’ve participated in a few big environmental protests in Australia recently. I really felt a sense of hope for the future while dwelling on the actions that happened at this historically important church.
Sample Leipzig’s local food scene
The German tradition of a mid-afternoon kaffee und kuchen (coffee and cake) is alive and well in Leipzig, but the city’s food scene goes far beyond cafés. Leipzig has a long history as a trade hub, and over the centuries its culinary influences have mixed into an interesting blend of regional dishes, baked goods, and multicultural flavours.
🍽️ Join a 3-Hour Leipzig Sightseeing and Food Tour to combine city sightseeing with five to six local tastings. You’ll weave through Leipzig’s charming arcades, churches, and market square. It’s a fun introduction to Leipzig’s food culture, complete with fresh coffee aromas, street musicians, and stories about how trade shaped the city’s cuisine.
Of course, you should still make time to stop at a local café for your afternoon pick-me-up. Coffee houses have been a staple here for hundreds of years and were once frequented by Leipzig’s famous musicians, including Bach. You’ll find plenty of cosy options in the old town, where locals gather around 3PM for their daily caffeine and cake ritual.
You can also try some local specialties with your coffee, like the Leipziger Lerche pastry. It was once made with real lark meat, but when hunting the bird was banned in the 19th century, bakers reinvented it with nuts and marzipan instead. I tried one… and honestly, I just can’t get behind marzipan, but I’m sure some of you out there will love it!
Enjoy city views from Panorama Tower Leipzig
For fab views over the city of Leipzig, there’s no better spot than Panorama Tower. Located on the edge of the old town, this tall building has an observation deck on the 31st floor. It only costs €4 to go up (bargain!) and the views from the top are unobstructed – no annoying glass or wire fences to look through!
Another bonus is that the observation deck has a small shop selling snacks and drinks, so of course we grabbed a warm glühwein (mulled wine) to enjoy while the sun set over Leipzig.
There is also the ‘Plate of Art’ restaurant a few floors down from the observation deck where you can grab a bite to eat while seeing the views for free, though I honestly think that the observation deck is better value because you’ll get a better vista without looking through the glass windows.
Visit the Monument to the Battle of the Nations (Völkerschlachtdenkmal)
The Völkerschlachtdenkmal (Monument to the Battle of the Nations) should definitely be on your Leipzig itinerary. It’s a massive structure built in 1913 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Leipzig. This was the biggest battle to happen in Europe before WWI and was historically significant as it resulted in the defeat of Napolean.
The monument and the attached museum cost €8 to enter. Inside the monument is a huge crypt and two viewing platforms that are accessed via an enclosed spiral staircase (the lower platform also has a lift). I didn’t end up visiting the upper platform as the narrow passageway was too tight for my claustrophobia, but fearless Rob powered on and made it all the way to the top. He said that the stairwell got so small that only one person could enter at a time… there were even traffic lights indicating whether you could enter!
Experience immersive art at the Leipzig Panometer
🎨 The massive panorama art and associated gallery at the Panometer was one of my favourite activities in Leipzig! The Panometer Entrance Ticket was a little pricey compared to other attractions, but I think it was worth it.
The cylindrical building has a viewing platform in the middle where you can be totally surrounded by a huge art canvas. The exhibition seems to change around every 2 years.
I really enjoyed the Carola’s Garden exhibition by artist Yadegar Asisi that was showing; it was about all the wild, weird, and beautiful things that could be found in a private garden near the Panometer. Some of the past exhibitions looked really interesting, too – the Everest, Titanic and Great Barrier Reef ones would have been great to see.
See the Löffelfamilie neon sign light up
This fun neon sign was installed in 1973 as an advertisement for a canned goods company. Affectionately known as the ‘Spoon Family’, the Löffelfamilie features four people eating soup around a table.
The sign became a cultural monument as a remnant from East Germany, and donations by local residents and business have seen it restored to its former glory. You can even light it up for a €3 donation – just text 0900-LOEFFEL and it will illuminate for 3 minutes.
There is usually a beer garden underneath the Löffelfamilie, though when we visited it actually had some vegan food trucks there as part of a winter festival. There’s also some neat street art on the building across the road, and also some cool bars and restaurants along Karl-Liebknecht-Straße.
Leipzig FAQ
How many days do you need in Leipzig?
Two to three days is the perfect amount of time to see Leipzig’s main attractions. You’ll be able to explore the old town, visit a few museums, enjoy the food scene, and fit in highlights like the Panometer and Monument to the Battle of the Nations without feeling rushed.
Is Leipzig worth visiting?
Absolutely — I think Leipzig is one of Germany’s most underrated cities. It has a vibrant cultural scene, fascinating history, beautiful architecture, great cafés, and plenty of unique attractions you won’t find elsewhere. If you enjoy cities with character but without big-city stress, Leipzig is a fantastic choice.
When is the best time to visit Leipzig?
I visited in winter, which is magical in late November and December when the Christmas markets take over the old town, but Spring (April–June) and autumn (September–October) offer the best weather for sightseeing. Summer is also lively and warm.
Can you visit Leipzig on a day trip?
Yes — Leipzig is an easy day trip from Dresden (around 1 hour by train) or Berlin (about 1 hour 15 minutes by fast train). A day is enough for the old town and one or two major attractions, but staying overnight lets you experience much more of the city.
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