Saxony: where plains meet mountain ranges and German efficiency meets Slavic flamboyance, packed with hilltop castles and baroque palaces: the definition of Central Europe. It was at the centre of events during the most decisive points in European history, such as the Reformation, Napoleonic Wars, and revolutions that dismantled Communist regimes in the 80s.
Saxony-Anhalt's standout destinations, especially for lovers of architecture, art and design, are Dessau-Rosslau, birthplace of the Bauhaus movement, and the stunning manicured pleasure gardens of Gartenreich Dessau-Wörlitz.
Thuringia: land of forested hills, fertile plains and fabled castles. Cities of genuine historical heft sit alongside World Heritage Sites. It is forever associated with names such as Luther, Bach, Goethe, Schiller, Wagner and Gropius; it can claim to be one of Germany's most fertile cultural cradles.
These are the top experiences and sights in Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt & Thuringia, according to Lonely Planet.
