One of the most pleasant walks in Dresden is crossing the Elbe on the Augustusbrücke (Bridge). The bridge offers the most magnificent views of the Baroque panorama that made Dresden famous. The crossing is especially pleasant at night when the buildings are lit in different colors. A stone bridge was built across the Elbe at this location as far back as 1275 but the current bridge follows the 1731 designs of Pöppelmann.

The Dresden suburb of Neustadt is situated on the right bank of the Elbe. It suffered less war damage and, although it has few major sights, it does have pleasant Baroque, Neo-Classical, and Gründerzeit neighborhoods. Hauptstraße leads from the 1736 gilded, oversized equestrian statue of Augustus the Strong at the end of the bridge to Albertplatz. It is lined with shops, the courtyards and passages on the left-hand side being particularly favored by artists and with intimate bars and cafés.

Brühlsche Terasse affords fantastic views of the Elbe and the neighborhood of Neustadt on the opposite bank when journeying to the Hofkirche from the Albertinum. It is especially atmospheric in the early evening when most of the buildings are lit up. Goethe called it the “Balcony of Europe” but several of the buildings from his day were replaced at the end of the 19th century. The view is still impressive though.

In between the Elbe and Schloss is the Roman Catholic Cathedral of St Trinitatis (formerly and still commonly known as the Hofkirche or Court Church), the largest church in Saxony and the last major Baroque work in Europe. The Reformation started in Saxony and it was one of the first states formally to accept Lutheranism as official religion.

Augustus the Strong planned an Orangery but his talented architect Matthäus Pöppelmann gave him a Baroque masterpiece of galleries, arcades and pavilions instead. The resulting Zwinger became a glorious pavilion for entertainment purposes and a highlight of any visit to Dresden. It never served as a residence and it was never intended as such. Although damaged in World War II, it was largely restored by the mid-1960s. It currently houses several major museums and galleries. Admission is charged for the museums but not for the exterior, arcades, or courtyard.

At the top of the list of attractions in Bremen is the city's Marktplatz, where you can search out the huge Rathaus (Town Hall), one of the loveliest civic buildings in Germany. It was constructed as a Gothic building in 1410, but received its Weser Renaissance façade during the 17th century. The statues of Charlemagne and the seven electors are copies – the original Gothic works are in the Focke-Museum. At the west wing is a 1951 Gerhard Marcks bronze of the Street Musicians of Bremen. The interior of the Rathaus has impressive historic rooms.

The Baroque Poppelsdorfer Schloss (Palace) is about a km (0.6 mile) down the lovely chestnut tree-lined Poppelsdorf Allee. It was built as a summer residence by the archbishop of Cologne, but has been part of the university since 1818. The palace is generally not open to the public, but the surrounding botanical gardens are.

The Rococo Rathaus (Town Hall) was completed in its current form in 1737. It is a pretty pink and grey-blue building with elaborate decorations. The building was damaged during World War II, but rebuilt in its original form. During Bonn’s time as federal capital, most state visitors came here. Several, including John F Kennedy (1963) and Michael Gorbachev (1989), received a warm welcome when addressing the public from the external double-flight staircase. The inside, which is still in daily use, can only be seen between May and October on the first Saturday of the month, noon to 4 pm.

The Stadtkirche St Marien (St Mary’s Town Church) is a Gothic building dating partly from the 13th century. The rich Baroque interior with stuccos was done in the late 17th century. The Fürstengrub (Prince’s Vault), underneath the chancel, contains the graves of many members of the Welfen (Guelph) ruling family. The high tower was added in 1913 – 234 steps lead to the viewing platform with grand views of the region.

The Hoppenerhaus, corner of Post and Rundestraße, is the most impressive house in Celle. It is dates from 1532.

All the streets of the old town of Celle are lined with half-timbered buildings but the Zöllner and Neue Straße have particularly good samples The oldest dated house in town, however, is at Am Heiligen Kreuz 26, built in 1526 with a Gothic gable..