Saxony

Placed where northern plains abut mountain ranges and German efficiency meets Slavic flamboyance, packed with elegant hilltop castles and lavish baroque palaces, Saxony is the definition of Central Europe. It was also at the centre of events during the most decisive points in European history, such as the Reformation, Napoleonic Wars, and velvet revolutions that dismantled Communist regimes in the late 1980s.

It's likely you've seen some of Saxony's most striking sights on classical paintings, be it Canaletto's views of Dresden's captivating baroque cityscape or Friedrich's depictions of Saxon Switzerland, a breathtakingly beautiful passage cut through the mountains by the Elbe River. You've most definitely heard musical masterpieces written in Leipzig by Johann Sebastian Bach and Richard Wagner.

But there is more to discover – from quaint baroque towns to centuries-old industrial heritage. Halfway between Berlin and Prague, Saxony is a perfect introduction to what awaits you east of Germany.