Dresden

Standing on the banks of River Elbe it's easy to see why Canaletto chose to paint Dresden's skyline. The Altstadt (Old Town) is undoubtedly Europe's finest lesson in baroque architecture and earns Dresden its nickname as 'Florence on the Elbe'.

Keen to consign the destruction the 2nd World War wreaked on the city to the past, Saxony's capital has been rebuilding at a rapid rate to restore the city to its former baroque glory in time for its 800th birthday in 2006.

Huddled round tree-lined squares, the rococo churches and palaces on the south bank have been the focus of Dresden's meticulous reconstruction. Originally left as a memorial to the deceased, Frauenkirche rises up again in a refined display of domes and spires - and music once more fills the Semper Opera House.

Pride of place goes to the Zwinger - an 18th century facsimile of Versailles complete with bubbling fountains, manicured gardens and more than 2000 works in the Old Masters Gallery. Continue the cultural trail in the Green Vaults of the Albertinum - home to Europe's most dazzling collection of jewellery, before a well-earned coffee on the waterfront at Brühlsche Terrace, once dubbed 'the balcony of Europe'.

Hop on a tram across the river and you're in a very different Dresden. Buzzing Neustadt, once a thorn in the side of the establishment with its vitality and creativity, swaps elegance for energy and is crammed with clubs, cafes and restaurants.

For a break from the slick pace of city life, it's a breathtaking ride on the world's oldest suspension railway, through vineyard clad slopes and wooded ravines to the tranquil hilltop retreat of Loschwitz, or you can travel upstream to visit the world famous potteries at Meissen.