After spending over a month in Baden-Württemberg, Germany, it was finally time for my first road trip of the year, so exciting! And what better reason to hit the road than a wedding in Poland? It was the perfect opportunity for family reunions, indulging in delicious Polish food (definitely Pierogi!), and dressing up for the special occasion. Given the pandemic, it had been way too long since the last big gathering. On the road trip to Poland, I explored two stunning cities in eastern Germany. So, comparing Erfurt vs Gorlitz, which one his prettier?
Erfurt, with its medieval charm and famous Krämerbrücke, offered a perfect stopover, while Görlitz, known as Germany’s best-preserved historic town, felt like stepping into a fairytale. Both destinations added even more excitement to this already memorable trip!
Actually, last time I had a reason to dress up was for the Christmas party in Bangkok.
But back to Europe…
Now that I’m on the other side of Germany, driving to Poland near Katowice/Kraków means a long journey – 1,200 km in total! The big question: which route to take and where to stop along the way? After researching towns in Thuringia and Saxony, I decided to visit and report on two incredible cities: Erfurt and Görlitz.
If you only have time for one, choosing between Erfurt vs Gorlitz won’t be easy. Both are unique in their own way, offering rich history, stunning architecture, and completely different vibes. Stay tuned for my take on these must visit destinations!
Erfurt vs Gorlitz
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After circling around Erfurt for the past three years it was time to make a stop there. And WOW! What an amazing city this is. It was a very pleasant surprise!
The largest city of Thuringia, it is the city of Martin Luther, father of the Protestant Reformation. He was ordained in the Cathedral of St. Mary, which stands tall in the city centre, right next to the Gothic Church of St. Severus. Together, those two grand pieces of architectures are hard to miss.
Furthermore, the market place is surrounded by the old style, very pretty and colourful houses. Once you walk the old city and the pebbled streets, you find plenty of local mustard stores and a wide variety of very delicious ice cream. My flavour pic: Goats milk with Blueberries!
The highlight of this stunning city in Thuringia however, is certainly the Merchants bridge, the Krämerbrücke. With the medieval houses and little shops it stretches over the Gera River. This bridge reminded me a little bit of the Merchants bridge in Florence, Italy. Certainly stunning and unique!
Make sure you look at it from all sides. Left, right and centre.
Erfurt has now become one of my favourite cities in Germany. Although the list is getting long… Schwerin, Dresden, Lueneburg.. and many more!
So, I am definitely glad I stopped here. Make sure you do as well. But the Erfurt vs Gorlitz comparison continues.
The comparison Erfurt vs Gorlitz continues… who is the prettiest?
Görlitz, Saxony
Sitting on the German/Polish border, I have driven through Görlitz many times now (30 years of my life to be more detailed), but I have never really stopped here. The only time I drove into the city, was, while I was hiking the Saxon Switzerland Mountain (Sächsische Schweiz) near Dresden and the Czech Border last year (read here). Due to a rainy day however, I didn’t walk around the old city of Görlitz. I was keen to come back on a sunny day.
And sunny it was. Not to mention very hot! But Görlitz didn’t disappoint. Split into two countries, the old city of Görlitz on the German side (you can walk across the bridge to the polish side, Zgorzelec) is quite stunning. Displaying a variety of grand buildings from the Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque, Art Nouveau and Wilhelminian era, Görlitz is as stunning as Erfurt.
Although the old buildings are maybe not as well maintained.
Nevertheless, uncompromised by wars, this city shows 500 years of historic architecture. And that is quite unique and certainly a reason to visit.
I really enjoyed walking through the old city. Unfortunately the city vibe wasn’t there due to missing tourists and the streets felt almost a little bit too empty. That said, keep Görlitz on your list to visit. You won’t be disappointed. Really!
More photos below..
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My Road trip
Breaking my trip into two amazing stops made the drive more doable. Gera was my overnight choice but unfortunately it really didn’t deserve a write up. I remember it from 20 years ago, when the city was young and vibrant, full of students. Now it was like a ghost town. Shame. I hope it will go back to its full potential one day.
As for me, it was time to drive across the border and continue my road trip to see my family in Poland. Can’t wait!
Have you decided, Erfurt vs Gorlitz, who wins the prettiness award? I told you it won’t be easy. Best to visit both!
See my other blogs, comparing places:
Dresden winter vs Dresden summer
ERFURT
GORLITZ
(post 159)
