Spitzhaus winery in Oberlößnitz

Radebeul is a historic wine-growing town and residential suburb between Dresden and Meissen in Saxony, Germany.

It is essentially an affluent garden suburb of Dresden, but not officially within city limits. It is famous for the novelist Karl May, "father" of Winnetou and Old Shatterhand. Popular with Saxony's entrepreneurs and managers, Radebeul has become the richest town in Eastern Germany. It is near the Dresden microchip plants and the Dresden heath, the largest forest within Dresden's city limits. In 2021, it was home to 35,000 people.

Get in

By tram

Most people come to Radebeul from Dresden. Radebeul can be reached via line 4 of Dresden's tram system (every 10 minutes in the daytime M-Sa, every 15 minutes in the evening and on Sundays; takes about 20 minutes from central Dresden to eastern Radebeul, half an hour to the western part).

By train

Radebeul is also accessible via rail. The hourly Saxonia Express connecting Dresden and Leipzig stops at Radebeul eastern station (Radebeul-Ost; 15 minutes from Dresden main station, 1 hr 20 min from Leipzig). The Dresden S-Bahn (suburban train) has four stops in Radebeul, linking the town with Dresden, Meißen and Pirna and Bad Schandau (Saxon Switzerland) every half hour; takes 15–20 minutes from Dresden main station to Radebeul.

• 1 Radebeul Ost station. The main station of Radebeul, with every RE to/from Leipzig and Dresden stopping here and the steam hauled "Lößnitzgrundbahn" departing from here  
• 2 Radebeul-Kötzschenbroda station. Served by  S1  to/from Meißen  
• 3 Radebeul-Weintraube station. Served by  S1   
• 4 Radebeul-Weißes Roß station. Served by Lößnitzgrundbahn to/from Meißen and Radebeul Ost  

By car

When arriving by car, leave the Autobahn A4 at exit "Dresden-Neustadt".

Get around

The lower part of Radebeul is well connected to tram line 4, Dresden's longest tram line.

See

Altkötzschenbroda

• 1 Altkötzschenbroda (Tram 4 "Moritzburger Straße" or S 1 "Radebeul-Kötzschenbroda"). Oldest and most original part of Radebeul with a complete ensemble of carefully restored 19th-century homes and shops, most of them are listed heritage buildings. Considered to be one of the most beautiful townsquares in Saxony. 
• 2 Friedenskirche zu Radebeul (Tram 4 "Moritzburger Straße" or S 1 "Radebeul-Kötzschenbroda"). More than 500 years old beautiful Evangelical Lutheran Church in Altkötzschenbroda. In 1645, in its parsonage the Armistice of Kötzschenbroda between Saxony and Sweden was concluded, ending the Thirty Years' War between those kingdoms.  

Villa Shatterhand

• 3 Karl May Museum – Villa Shatterhand, Karl-May-Straße 5 (Tram 4 "Schildenstraße"), ☏ +49 351 8 37 30 - 10. Erstwhile residence of Karl May, tremendously popular adventure novelist who authored stories about the 19th-century Orient and American Old West and created the characters of Winnetou and Old Shatterhand. The displays illustrate the life and culture of the Indians of North America: pre-Columbian Age Indians, the Athabascans Indians of Alaska and Canada, Northwest Coast Indians, Californian Indians, Pueblo Indians, the Eastern Woodland Tribes, Plains Indians, the Ghost Dance Movement, and modern American Indian arts and crafts. 

Do

Lößnitzgrundbahn steam railway

Enjoy some wine, walk through the vineyards of Oberlößnitz and visit a castle nearby.

• 1 Karl-May-Festtage. Annual western festival at the end of May in honour of Karl May, attracting around 30,000 visitors and including several western camps, forts, tent villages and re-enactments of the lives of settlers, pow-wows, cavalry parades, contributors from Native American tribes, and train robberies at the operational Lößnitzgrundbahn steam railway. 
• 2 Landesbühnen Sachsen, Meißner Straße 152 (Tram 4 or buses 72, 476 to "Radebeul Landesbühnen Sachsen"), ☏ +49 351 8954214, info@landesbuehnen-sachsen.de. Visit a theatrical performance, musical, operetta or concert at Germany's second largest guest appearance theater, which stages about 600 events per year. In the summer months, the theater also stages events at the natural amphitheater Felsenbühne Rathen in the Sächsische Schweiz sandstone mountains. 
• 3 Lößnitzgrundbahn. Steam-hauled heritage railway affectionately dubbed Lößnitzdackel ("Lößnitz dachshund"), to Moritzburg and Radeburg, leaves from Radebeul-Ost station. Six trains per day (seven during summer) from Radebeul to Moritzburg and back; three to Radeburg. Radebeul–Moritzburg round trip €12.70, children €6.40. 
• 4 Weinfest Radebeul. Lively autumn and wine festival in Altkötzschenbroda, taking place at the last weekend in September. 

Buy

There are numerous small (and rather high-prised) shops on the picturesque Altkötzschenbroda square.

Nudossi, the East German equivalent of Nutella (but containing a lot more hazelnuts than the latter), is produced in Radebeul and sold at a factory outlet as well as most supermarkets and groceries.

• Nudossi Fabrikverkauf, Kötitzer Straße 27 (next to the Netto supermarket; Bus 400 "Emil-Schüller-Straße"), ☏ +49 351 8375226. M-F 08:00–17:00. Apart from the popular chocolate-hazelnut spread, other chocolate products, cookies and pastries are sold. 

Eat

• 1 Alte Apotheke ("Old Pharmacy"), Altkötzschenbroda 48, ☏ +49 351 6563760, info@alte-apotheke24.de. Quaint café, restaurant and cocktailbar in an old pharmacy offering Saxon, German and Russian dishes. 
• 2 Gasthaus Oberschänke, Altkötzschenbroda 39, ☏ +49 351 8388813, gasthaus@oberschaenke.de. One of the oldest and higher-class restaurants in the old town offering German dishes. 
• 3 Gasthaus Schwarze Seele ("Black Soul"), Altkötzschenbroda 19, ☏ +49 351 8389501, schwarzeseele@ak19.de. Long-established restaurant offering Saxon dishes as well as rum and whisky tasting. 
• 4 Goldener Anker, Altkötzschenbroda 61, ☏ +49 351 83990100, goldener-anker-radebeul@t-online.de. The Hotel Goldener Anker also includes a high-class restaurant with wine cellar, beer garden and Saxon cuisine. 
• 5 La Bella Vita Ristorante & Pizzeria, Altkötzschenbroda 11, 01445 Radebeul, ☏ +49 351 83368158, fax: +49 351 83368159. M–Sa 11:30–14:30 and 17:30–23:00, Su and holidays 11:30–22:30. Cozy family-operated Italian restaurant in Altkötzschenbroda with outdoor terrace. 
• 6 Restaurant Dampfschiff ("Steamboat"), Uferstraße 10, ☏ +49 351 6563760, info@dampfschiff-radebeul.de. Popular restaurant close to the shipping pier at the Elbe river, offering regional fish and meat dishes. 
• 7 Spitzhaus, Spitzhausstraße 36, ☏ +49 351 8309305, restaurant@spitzhaus-radebeul.de. W-M 11:00-22:00. The Spitzhaus restaurant on top of the wine hills is a well-known attraction of the town and offers a good view of parts of Radebeul and nearly all of Dresden. (updated Jan 2016)
• 8 Zur Alten Unke, Altkötzschenbroda 62, ☏ +49 351 8383263, info@zur-alten-unke.de. Old-established restaurant and cozy pub offering regional dishes. 

Drink

Champagne from Radebeul

Vineyards, bars and pubs

Savour local wines and champagne at one of the vineyards.

• 1 Schloss Wackerbarth, Wackerbarthstraße 1 (Tram 4 "Schloss Wackerbarth"), ☏ +49 351 8955-0. Guided tours and wine tasting: M–F 12:00 and 14:00 (wine); 17:00 (sparkling wine ((sekt)); Sa Su 12:00, 14:00, 16:00 (wine), 13:00, 15:00, 17:00 (sparkling wine). There is also a restaurant (closed on Mondays, on Mondays and Tuesdays in February and March, closed all January) and special events like Sunday brunch or more elaborate wine tastings and themed menus. Guided tour with either wine or champagne tasting €12, children (who can taste local grape juice) €6. 
• 2 Die Schmiede ("The Smithy"), Altkötzschenbroda 21, ☏ +49 351 8386707, die.schmiede@gmx.de. Rustic whisky bar, restaurant and beer garden at an old smithy sometimes offering live music. 

Clubs and discothéques

• 3 Mega-Drome, Meißner Straße 507, 01445 Radebeul (Tram 4, Radebeul Eisenbahnbrücke station), ☏ +49 351 89516934. When it opened in 1994, the Mega-Drome was one of Europe's most modern and largest discothéques, with alone the main floor having a capacity of 4,000 people. Nowadays the venue offers a wide range of events from techno and house to 80s/90s revival parties. 

Sleep

Radebeul has many affordable guesthouses which are a good alternative to Dresden's inner city hotels.

• 1 Hotel Goldener Anker Radebeul, Altkötzschenbroda 61, 01445 Radebeul (right on the historical town square; Tram 4 "Moritzburger Straße" or S 1 "Radebeul-Kötzschenbroda"), ☏ +49 351 83990100, goldener-anker-radebeul@t-online.de. 500-year-old, family-owned hotel, nowadays offers all modern amenities of an upper mid-range hotel. Some rooms with view on the River Elbe double room for €90–99. 
• 2 Radisson Blu Park Hotel & Conference Centre, Dresden Radebeul, Nizzastraße 55, 01445 Radebeul (Tram 4 "Schildenstraße"), ☏ +49 351 8321-0. Apart from this conference centre in Radebeul, Radisson also has a property in the centre of Dresden, so make sure you book the right one and note the address. 

Go next

Moritzburg

Radebeul is a short train ride away from Dresden, Meißen and their surrounding attractions.

The narrow gauge heritage steam railway takes you to Moritzburg (famous for its beautiful chateau) or Radeberg (famous for the brewery named after the place; guided tours are possible).