After spending more than 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? Now that I am living on the other side of Germany, driving to southern Poland near Katowice and Kraków means a long journey, around 1,200 km in total! So, which route should I take, and where should I stop along the way? After researching places in Thuringia and Saxony, I decided to explore two beautiful German cities. So, Erfurt vs Görlitz, which one is prettier?
This trip and the polish wedding of my friends was the perfect opportunity for a family reunion, plenty of delicious Polish food and a chance to dress up for the special occasion.
Quick summary: Erfurt, with its medieval charm and famous Krämerbrücke, was the perfect stopover. Görlitz, with its remarkably well-preserved historic architecture, felt like stepping into a fairy tale. But let’s compare more below.
Because if you only have time to visit one, the decision will not be easy. Both cities offer rich history and stunning architecture, but their atmospheres are completely different. Stay tuned for my verdict on these two must-visit German destinations!
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Erfurt vs Görlitz
Erfut – a very pleasant surprise
After driving past Erfurt for the past three years, it was finally time to make a stop there. And wow! What an amazing city. Erfurt was such a pleasant surprise!
As the capital and largest city of Thuringia, Erfurt is closely connected to Martin Luther, one of the central figures of the Protestant Reformation. He was ordained as a priest at St Mary’s Cathedral in 1507. Standing beside the beautiful Gothic Church of St Severus, these two grand pieces of architecture are impossible to miss. Erfurt Tourism
The Fischmarkt is surrounded by beautiful, colourful historic buildings. As you explore the old town and its cobbled streets, you will also find local mustard shops and plenty of delicious ice cream. My favourite flavour? Goat’s milk with blueberries!
The highlight of this stunning city in Thuringia, however, is certainly the Krämerbrücke, or Merchants’ Bridge. Lined with medieval houses and little shops, it stretches across the Gera River. It reminded me a little of the Ponte Vecchio in Florence, Italy. Both bridges are certainly beautiful and unique!
Make sure you look at it from all sides. Left, right and centre.
So, is Erfurt prettier than Görlitz? Let’s see…
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 still continues.
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Görlitz, Saxony
Sitting directly on the German-Polish border, Görlitz is a city I have driven through many times, over the past 30 years, to be precise! Yet I had never properly stopped to explore it.
The only other time I drove into the city was last year, while hiking in Saxon Switzerland (Sächsische Schweiz) near Dresden and the Czech border. You can read about that trip here: Hiking in Saxony National Park. Unfortunately, it was raining, so I didn’t walk around the historic centre of Görlitz. I knew I had to return on a sunny day.
And sunny it was this time. Not to mention very hot! But Görlitz certainly didn’t disappoint. The comparison Erfurt vs Görlitz is not an easy one.
Görlitz sits on the German side of the Neisse River, while its Polish twin city, Zgorzelec, lies directly across the water. You can simply walk across the bridge from one country to the other. The city is filled with magnificent buildings representing Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque, Art Nouveau and Wilhelminian architecture.
And so…
Which one is prettier? Görlitz is every bit as beautiful as Erfurt, but in a completely different way.
Some of the historic buildings, however, did not appear to be as well maintained as those in Erfurt.
Nevertheless, Görlitz was largely spared destruction during the Second World War and displays around 500 years of historic architecture. That is quite unique—and certainly a reason to visit.
I really enjoyed walking through the old town. Unfortunately, the usual city atmosphere was missing because there were so few tourists around. It felt unusually quiet, especially compared with the livelier streets of Erfurt.
In the Erfurt vs Görlitz comparison, this was definitely something I noticed.
More photos below..
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My Road trip summary
Breaking the long journey into several stops made the drive much more manageable. Gera was my choice for an overnight stay, but unfortunately, it didn’t inspire a full blog post this time.
I remembered it from 20 years ago, when the city felt young, vibrant and full of students. This time, perhaps partly because of the pandemic, it felt more like a ghost town. Such a shame. I hope it returns 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. I couldn’t wait!
So, have you decided? In the Erfurt vs Görlitz comparison, which city wins the prettiness award? I told you it wouldn’t be easy. My recommendation? Visit both!
Read my other blog posts comparing destinations:
Dresden winter vs Dresden summer
ERFURT
GORLITZ
(post 159)
