pillnitz castle & park

The garden and lovely surroundings make this place a treasure of Dresden. It makes no difference what time of the year you visit, it is always very nice to see and sit in the lovely cafe and have a cup of fine coffee

We went there in winter. Although most of the buildings are closed in winter, it is still worth it to go there, especially since you won't have the crowds. The park is very beautiful. It is, however, not in proximity with the other attractions in Dresden. Combine it with a visit in Bastei to get the best of your day.

If you have a few days in Dresden, you've done the stuff in the centre and it's good weather then take a trip here. You can also get a boat trip along to it or use the trams depending on budget etc.

We took the paddle steamer from the centre of Dresden for the one and a half hour trip to Pilnitz castle. A fascinating trip, good commentary, and excellent coffee. We spent several hours wandering round the castle end the magnificent grounds.The views are stunning, there is a lovely little pottery shop and a beer garden selling tasty German sausages.

Located out of town but one can catch a bus, this gem is a must. Not really a castle but more of a grand palace situated on the edge of the river. There is no cost to enter the palace grounds but one has to pay to enter the magnificent park like gardens. They were really beautiful. One cannot go into the actual palace but we still spent quite a while strolling about admiring the lovely architecture and taking photos.There is also an interesting pottery factory which makes the most lovely stuff. If driving by car to Schloss Pillnitz, you may find yourself on the other side of the river and many have to catch the ferry across. The ferry runs ever 10 minutes and takes both cars and passengers. A really fun experience!

Took the boat along the Elbe lovely . Ate on the boat . Then went to the gardens and castle lovely place to visit and all kept beautifully.

UNESCO world heritage sight at the river Elbe. Wonderful parks indeed. Barock history of the Saxon Augustus the Strong who built most sights in Germany.

Pillnitz is within Dresden's first travel zone, easy to get to and a great day out, for those who love architecture, museums, gardens and botany. There are also boutique craft shops to visit. Something for everyone! There is a café/restaurant in the grounds but it is also a great place for a picnic.My practical suggestion for making the most of the visit during summer is to take the tram 2 to its terminus at Kleinzschachwitz, then walk down 5 minutes to the ferry and cross over to Pillnitz schloss stop. Coming back, take the river cruise back to Dresden - there is a timetable posted outside the information office. One hour back to Dresden Altstadt where you can relax while seeing many of the sites on the Elbe (Blue Wonder bridge, Elbe Palaces, Bellotto views of Dresden)

If you enjoy beautiful palaces and gardens and have more than a day in Dresden it's worth visiting pillnitz. It's a lovely building and not too far a trip from the altstadt. It's nice to see a really different style of architecture in Europe. If you aren't interested in the museums then you only need spend maximum an hour walking around the gardens so it's not even a day trip.

On our last day in Dresden, we took a tram and a ferry boat ride to see Schloss & Park Pillnitz. After touring churches and historical buildings, this was a chance to be in the country. What a lovely palace and the gardens were magnificent. The flowers, plants, and trees are clearly marked. It was not crowded in early June - only one or two tour busses that day. We had delicious ice cream afterward in the shaded, outdoor cafe. The children in our group could run around a bit and enjoy the outdoors. Right on the Elbe, they have marked the times that it has been flooded on the lower level above the stairs that go right down to the water. I just wish we had had more time to explore.

Three of us visited together, the other two are hobby gardeners. I am not. For me, the site is simply a castle in a park. For the others it was a botanical wonderland that was part of a castle. I can appreciate a nice garden, but it does not excite me. The castle is also nice, but not especially beautiful or historically significant. Therefore my Average rating. My wife and friend loved the garden and will probably write counter reviews.

This beautiful castle sits on the banks of the River Elbe in Dresden. Unfortunately it was still being renovated following food damage when we visited, but I know from a previous trip that the gardens are usually beautiful and the house is a delight. Very cheap to just access the gardens, but o ly pay to go in if you are really fussed bat the art.

During my stay in Dresden I wanted to visit at least one of the suburban palaces that had survived the war. After plotting out my choices I tentatively decided on Pilnitz. I also consulted several art historians who agreed that Pilnitz was the most intact and interesting of the palaces. There are several ways to get to the palace which is east of Dresden on the Elbe River. I think most people take the old steam boats which are a big tourist draw but they seem to take forever to get to the palace by river and I had little time nor inclination for that. I decided, to the consternation of the concierge at my hotel, to take what I thought the simplest and most direct route. It did not take much doing to figure it out. I hopped on a tram right near the Zwinger Palace on a lovely Saturday morning and in about 25-30 minutes the tram arrived at the last stop in a lovely part of the city where people of means had built villas in the late 19th and early 20th c. Given the general decrepitude of the old East Germany I was surprised and pleased that the neighborhood resembled any well-kept and wealthy suburban neighborhood in any city in West Germany. All looked prosperous and well kept. 20 years on after unification it was obvious that money had been spent to revitalize this lovely area. The villas are typical of the style of living of that period. Many are built in a typically German style. I found it all most interesting and quite charming. Getting off the tram at the last stop, one follows a lovely street that takes one down to the Elbe. After a 10 minute walk you arrive at the open flood plain of the Elbe and follow a dirt path down to the river where a wonderful small ferry is waiting or will soon arrive to carry you across the roughly 100 yard wide river. The same Day Pass for the tram gets you onto the ferry. It was really completely beguiling. Across the river lay Pilnitz and its marvelous and beautiful park. The Chinese sloped roofs are unmistakable and partake of the taste for the exotic in the 18th c. The local citizens were out on such a beautiful day and many had their bikes and picnic baskets and children in tow. We all piled on the ferry and in quick order we were across. At the dock I took the river walk up to the palace. The complex consists of three exactly matched palaces in an open quadrangle. I strongly suggest doing the self-guided tour of the decorative arts palace. One needs a comprehensive ticket for this which can be bought at a lovely gift shop on the grounds. Pilnitz is the official decorative arts museum of Dresden and while the collections are a bit meager I was quite interested in seeing what they contained as I had seen little furniture in Dresden itself. Then I walked over to the second palace where one could actually see a magnificent unrestored 18th c. German palace with kitchens (which are a must) in the basement. Also in the basement a meter stick records all the floods of the Elbe and the heights they reached including the most recent. The palace sits on a precarious site right on the edge of the river. It has often been flooded. The domed central hall of this palace is also a must. There is also a video explaining how this amazing complex evolved over the course of about 200 years or more.. The third palace houses a collection of contemporary art in which I had no interest at all and so I turned my attention to the splendid Baroque gardens which are simply beautiful. There is the requisite Tea House/Folly and ponds and allees and it is lovely especially in the fall. During my visit the foliage was at its peak. After touring one can go to the very nice cafe for coffee or beer or a light whatever. Even at this time of the year Pilnitz is a standard tour bus stop. I imagine one can book a day trip and visit that way which is not my style. After having coffee and a bite to eat and enjoying sitting outside under an arbor, I then walked back through the gardens towards the ferry and retraced my route back to Dresden on the tram. IT was all neatly done and entirely the experience I hoped it would be and it was a wonderful 1/2+ day. Getting back to central Dresden I still had time to walk and shop and return to the Gemaldegalerie for the afternoon. If you want to see more of Dresden than the standard old town sights and want to see more of the city I would suggest that this is a perfect way to broaden your horizons. I enjoyed myself thoroughly but I also have a strong interest in the Decorative arts, especially of the 18th c. I visited Dresden and Pilnitz in October 2012.

After visiting the Wagner Museum in nearby Grauba, we returned back to Pillnitz ready to pick up the river boat to take us back into Dresden. I didn't have time to visit the castle but had a quick walk around the park area. Late in the year, not an awful lot to see. Recent floods may have done some damage to the gardens.

Pillnitz, the baroque summer palace along the river outside of Dresden is a tranquil haven to visit. Gardens are delightful, although the main flower garden is under reconstruction (Sept 2013) and will only be ready in 2014. We were a bit disappointed with the interior of the palace as only a few rooms are worth seeing. Displays of furniture and porcelain are good but not worth the entry fee. One can and must excuse any shortcomings due to lack of upkeep by the previous totalitarian regime. A worthwhile place to visit, for the gardens, river views etc. Pillnitz will improve going forward as it is receiving due care and restoration.