If you are interested in culture and history, Dresden is the ideal place to study:
there are the traditional institutions, such as the Semper Opera, the Dresden State Theatre (Staatsschauspiel ) and the Dresden State Art Collections (Staatliche Kunstsammlungen ), and there are also modern venues like the Dresden Centre for Contemporary Music (Zentrum für zeitgenössische Musik ) and quite a number of small, experimental theatres, art cinemas and a great party atmosphere which all contribute to the exciting cultural life of Dresden. Moreover, Dresden leads the list of German cities to have the most student clubs.

Dresden is full of charming places to visit and escape from everyday campus life:

Lay down or have a picnic on the meadows alongside the banks of the river Elbe and get away from the busy student life, in particular in the summer semester, of course. Or get on your bike for a real workout in a beautiful setting after a long day of lectures and seminars. Throughout the year, there are numerous cultural events along the shores of the river Elbe, e.g., the "Movie Nights by the Elbe" or the Elbhang Festival to name just two.

Dresden is a place where modern and historic places go hand in hand: on the northern bank of the river, opposite the old part of the city, one of the best-known quarters of Dresden is located - the Neustadt. This newer part of the city is a place where everybody can enjoy a really good time: lovers of art, trendy bars and clubs, party animals. A real highlight of the year is the annual street festival, the „Colourful Republic of Neustadt“.

It is not just the city of Dresden that has something to offer – its  surroundings promise a great natural scenery and many places of popular resort. One of the most favoured destinations for hikers and climbers are the Elbe Sandstone Mountains, also called „Saxon Switzerland“, with impressive rock formations, castles and fortresses.

Pillnitz Castle and Park are among the most beautiful recreational destinations near Dresden. Architecture and nature have been expertly forged into a Baroque jewel.




 

The Little Pheasant Castle, the Lighthouse, the game enclosure and also Moritzburg castle, the hunting lodge, and many more interesting places are found in Moritzburg, just a few kilometres from Dresden.

Nature lovers are recommended a visit to the Forest Botanical Garden in Tharandt, the Botanical Garden in Dresden, the Bosel Garden near Meissen or the Botanical Collections in Pirna Zuschendorf. All four gardens are institutions maintained by Technische Universität Dresden.

For more information about destinations and cultural places visit these websites:
www.dresden.de 
www.studentenwerk-dresden.de/kultur/