Leipzig: Insider Tips & Hidden Gems

Leipzig: Insider Tipps & Hidden Gems

Discover the real Leipzig with our insider tips!

The city of Leipzig has evolved over time from the most important trading centre of the East to an imperial trade fair city and now a historical and cultural centre. The artistic and creative scene in particular characterises the city today, which has become a unique mixture of industrial culture, old buildings and monuments, GDR history, beautiful nature parks and hip pubs. This colourful diversity attracts travellers from all over the world who are enchanted by the city. Sights and highlights such as the Old Town Hall, imposing churches, the Monument to the Battle of the Nations, the Mädler Passage and popular lakes such as Lake Cospuden have been classics for years, and hardly any visitors miss them. But besides these hotspots, there are many more insider tips and more secluded places to discover away from the city centre. Come along and explore the real insider tips for Leipzig with me!

The best tips for undiscovered Leipzig

Without a lot of hustle and bustle, away from the best-known landmarks, discovering wonderful places in peace and quiet – that’s what you can do in Leipzig. There are many undiscovered spots hidden here. Go on the prowl, get lost in winding streets and find yourself in the most beautiful corners. Here are the best insider tips for hidden Leipzig.

Waldstraßenviertel Leipzig

One area you should definitely visit to wander the city streets at your leisure is the Waldstraßenviertel. This residential area is located in the north-west of Leipzig’s city centre.

Facts

– Houses and villas in the architectural style of the Wilhelminian period
– The Ariowitsch Haus (Jewish cultural and meeting centre) is located here
– is known as New Jerusalem

The heart of the district is Waldstraße, which is surrounded by many lovely streets. What is special here is definitely the charming architecture, as the houses and villas, most of which date back to the Gründerzeit, have been preserved. Among them is the Ariowitsch House, the Jewish cultural and meeting centre, a meeting place for the Jewish community and its guests. At times, Jews made up almost 20% of the inhabitants of the Waldstraßenviertel, which is why this part of the city is often referred to as New Jerusalem. In addition to organic food shops like natur-und-fein, children’s clothing shops, florists and alternative boutiques, you’ll also find Leipzig’s Auwald forest nearby, where you can relax in the greenery. Wander through this charming place and see for yourself my first insider tip for Leipzig!

Trendy cafés and Spätis

When I’m on a city trip, I love to take a break in a nice café to recover from the sightseeing. If you feel the same way, Leipzig is the place to be, because there are countless cafés of all kinds here. Some of them are still quite undiscovered and therefore real insider tips for Leipzig. From chic eateries to vegan hipster hangouts and colourfully designed, creative cafés to sweet, cosy tea rooms, you’ll find it all here.

Dankbar Kaffee

A good address is definitely Dankbar Kaffee, where the loving interior design and ornate tiles make every interior designer’s heart beat faster. The former butcher’s shop convinces its guests with homemade cakes, first-class coffee, a relaxed atmosphere and a stylish location – a culinary as well as visual treat!

Address: Jahnallee 23 in 04109 Leipzig
Opening hours: Tue&Sun 9am-1pm, Wed-Sat 9am-2pm.
Offer: Breakfast, cakes, pastries, drinks

Espresso Zack Zack

Espresso Zack Zack in Reudnitz doesn’t have any fancy frills, but its coffee, cakes, pastries and more are all the better for it. At Espresso Zack Zack, you can not only enjoy coffee specialities and snacks but also buy a new espresso machine, accessories or spare parts for your coffee machine. In this special café, you can really get everything your coffee heart desires.

Address: Albert-Schweitzer-Strasse 2 in 04317 Leipzig, Germany.
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 8am-6pm
Offers: espresso, coffee specialities, chai, cocoa, juice spritzers, snacks, coffee machines, accessories/spare parts.

Café Eisträumerei

A tip for the warmer days of the year is the Café Eisträumerei. The Café Eisträumerei lives up to its name, with exotic own creations such as orange-basil sorbet or pumpkin ice cream to make all your ice cream dreams come true! Many varieties are even vegan. Feel free to ask the staff about new flavours – you might soon find them behind the counter.

Address: Riebeckstraße 23 in 04317 Leipzig
Opening hours: Oct-Apr Tue-Sun 2-6pm, May-Sep Tue-Sun 1-8pm.
Offer: Ice cream (classics and unusual own creations), coffee specialities, tea, soft drinks, cakes, waffles.

Eisdiele Pfeifer (Ice Cream Parlour)

The Pfeifer ice cream parlour in Südvorstadt also provides sweet cooling in summer. Guests like to indulge in nostalgia at this small but fine place, because the Eisdiele Pfeifer is an ice cream parlour as it was known decades ago. Old, rustic furniture as well as ice cream made with love ensure that the Eisdiele Pfeifer is now a cult in Leipzig!

Address: Kochstraße 20 in 04275 Leipzig
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 12pm-6pm, Sat&Sun 1pm-6pm.
Offer: Homemade ice cream, coffee, cake

Ted’s Späti Tanke

Another typical feature of Leipzig are the Spätis, which you may already know from Berlin. Spätis are a real insider tip for your city trip in Leipzig. They are the equivalent of the Bude or Trinkhalle in the Ruhr area and are probably generally known as kiosks. A strikingly cheerful shop is Ted’s Späti Tanke, where you can not only get sweets, snacks and cool drinks for yourself, but also juice for your e-bike if you’re exploring Leipzig by bike. It’s not unusual to strike up a conversation with Leipzigers in Spätis and learn some exciting details about real life in the Saxon metropolis.

Address: Prager Str. 49 in 04317 Leipzig
Opening hours: Mon-Thu 2pm-2pm, Fri 2pm-1am, Sat 11am-1pm, Sun 11am-2pm.

Tips for art and culture in Leipzig

Japanese House Leipzig

Now I have a few tips for those of you who are interested in culture: The creative scene is what makes hidden Leipzig special, and there’s no shortage of culture either. Sometimes you can even get active yourself, like at the Japanisches Haus, where exciting workshops and exhibitions await you and on Saturdays and Thursdays from 5 pm you can swing the wooden spoon together with other visitors.

Address: Eisenbahnstraße 113B in 04315 Leipzig
Opening hours: Thu&Sat 5pm-2pm
Further information: creative workshops and exhibitions

Westwerk Leipzig

The Westwerk has gone from being an insider tip to a favourite place for many Leipzigers. A diverse mix of second-hand shops, artists‘ studios, yoga and tattoo studios and culinary venues such as Mensa and Kaiserbad await you on the grounds of the Kunstquartier. Visit the offspace between Karl-Heine-Straße and Weißenfelser Straße and make Westwerk your favourite place in Leipzig, too!

Westwerk Kaiserbad Leipzig

Address: Karl-Heine-Strasse 93 in 04229 Leipzig
Opening hours: Tue-Sat 11am-6pm
Further info: Second-hand shops, artists‘ studios, yoga and tattoo studios, culinary venues.

Feinkost Leipzig

Things are also colourful at Feinkost Leipzig, a former food factory whose walls are now decorated with colourful graffiti. Between these, the alternative scene meets for flea markets, cinema evenings or street food markets.

Address: Karl-Liebknecht-Straße 36 in 04107 Leipzig.
More info: former food factory, alternative scene, flea markets, cinema evenings, street food markets

Kulturfabrik

The name says it all at the Kulturfabrik, too, where you’ll find everything from theatre and creative workshops to women’s café and queer disco to creative courses for children and young people.

Address: Kochstraße 132 in 04277 Leipzig
Opening hours: Mon, Wed, Thu, Fri 10am-1pm & 2pm-6pm, Tues 1pm-6pm.
Further information: Theatre, creative workshops, women’s café, queer disco.

Baumwollspinnerei Leipzig

The heart of Leipzig’s art scene beats above all in the Baumwollspinnerei, where you will find the city’s artistic home. Look forward to galleries and studios with national and international art. Special highlight and definitely still an insider tip: you can spend the night in the Baumwollspinnerei!

Address: Spinnereistrasse 7 in 04179 Leipzig
Opening hours: Tue-Sat 11am-6pm

Unique clubs in Leipzig

Täubchenthal

An extraordinary address in typical Leipzig industrial chic is the Täubchenthal in Plagwitz – an absolute insider tip! The former Kammgarnspinnerei in the residential district of Plagwitz is now a stage for concerts, art and other events, while you can really dance it up in the ballroom or club room. By the way, street food and vintage markets also take place on the premises during the day.

Address: Wachsmuthstraße 1 in 04229 Leipzig
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 10am-5pm
Further info: Concerts, art, party, street food and vintage markets.

Absturz

Party hard at Absturz, an iconic and popular club on the grounds of Leipziger Feinkost. Live bands and selected DJs provide you with music of all genres and get the party crowd going. So mingle with the party crowd in Leipzig and have an unforgettable evening!

Address: Karl-Liebknecht-Straße 36 in 04107 Leipzig
Opening hours: Wed-Sat 11-4pm

Tips for excursions into nature in & around Leipzig

Auwald forest Leipzig

The picturesque Auwald forest stretches out in the centre-northwest, and hidden in its depths is an observation tower, affectionately known as the Wackelturm. The tower offers you a breathtaking view of Leipzig and of one of the largest floodplain forests in Central Europe.

Address: Waldstraße 175 in 04105 Leipzig

Fockeberg Leipzig

From the Fockeberg, an artificially created slag heap nearby, you also have a magnificent view of the Leipzig skyline – and all around you: lush green meadows, dense bushes and tall trees. It’s hard to believe that the Fockeberg is a man-made elevation.

Address: Fockeberg in 04275 Leipzig

Sachsenbrücke Leipzig

A popular meeting place for young people and families is the Sachsenbrücke in Clara Park, which is crossed by the Elster riverbed. On warm summer evenings, the sounds of musicians resound and you will not infrequently be treated to dance shows – simply a place to be happy.

Address: Anton-Bruckner-Allee 50 in 04107 Leipzig.

Schreberbad

You’ll find both the oldest open-air swimming pool and the oldest allotment garden in Leipzig at Schreberbad, where you can find out about the beginnings of urban gardening in the allotment museum, refresh yourself in the cool water in summer or sip a few beers in the beer garden.

Address: Schreberstraße 15 in 04109 Leipzig

Are you ready for Leipzig’s insider tips?

As you can see, Leipzig’s insider tips have a lot to offer beyond the tourist hotspots and typical sights. Whether you’re travelling as a couple, with friends or the whole family, you’re guaranteed to get your money’s worth on a city break to Leipzig and enjoy the exciting city with all its facets at your leisure. You already have a few tips and inspiration for the undiscovered corners of Leipzig, but I’m sure you’ll discover many more hidden favourite places on your own. My tip to you: pack your bags and come with me on an exciting tour of Leipzig!