What You Can Do in 3 Hours in Leipzig

Leipzig in 3 hours starting and ending at the train station

Leipzig, a smallish industrial city located just 150 km south of Berlin in the former East Germany, isn’t a city I knew anything about until I attended a conference. Now that I’ve been, I highly recommend at least 3 hours in Leipzig as it’s a youthful, energetic city you’re sure to fall in love with. The city is great for walking and biking.

I think you’ll be amazed at how much you can see in even 3 hours in Leipzig. If you don’t want to simply walk or bike, sign up for one of the short, inexpensive outings with Get Your Guide detailed below.

3 Hours in Leipzig – here’s what you can do 

Even though Leipzig is an industrial city, it’s a super livable city. In fact it was rated at one point as the most livable city in all of Germany, and may still hold that title. It’s energetic, youthful, vibrant, colourful, creative and musical. It’s also extremely walkable – and there seem to be as many bikes as there are cars.

Getting around via public transit is also a snap. The food scene is excellent and there’s enough culturally to keep you busy for several days. But chances are you don’t have four or five days, the time I think you need to fully do the city justice.

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If you have 3 hours in Leipzig ditch your luggage at the railway station and head out on foot.

What I’ve shown in the photos below are images I caught on a three hour, unhurried walk. Pick up a map from the tourist info booth at the train station and ask anyone in the booth for directions to the central area. Then walk where the wind blows you.

If you have a little more time or you’re keen on a guided tour there are several great options.

Try a 2 hour private walking tour. Or sign up for the bestselling 1.4 hour historical walking tour.

Leipzig has lots of canals so a 3 hour city canoe tour would be a whole lot of fun. 

3 hours in Leipzig and you'll appreciate all the green space
Looking through green space to the Leipzig train station
3 hours in Leipzig and you'll see interesting old buildings
If these old buildings could talk
Few run down buildings in the core of Leipzig
Run down buildings are actually few and far between in the core of Leipzig
Train tracks to the main station in Leipzig
Train tracks to the main station in Leipzig
Walking towards the university
Walk towards the university
Over 3 hours in Leipzig there's enough time to check out the Opera House
Pass the Opera House in Leipzig
3 hours in Leipzig gives you a chance to see the University of Leipzig
The University of Leipzig – with an enrollment of about 29,000 students
You can feel the buzz and the energy around the University of Leipzig
You can feel the buzz and the energy around the University of Leipzig
Over 3 hours in Leipzig you might run into fantastic street musicians
Catch fantastic street musicians in Leipzig
Lots of fresh flowers for sale
Admire all the fresh flowers for sale
Loved the art but don't know the significance of it - perhaps a socialist salute?
Loved the art but don’t know the significance of it – perhaps a socialist salute?
Lots of little parks scattered around Leipzig
Enjoy all the little parks scattered around Leipzig
Make time for a visit to a cafe
Make time for a visit to a cafe
Statue of Johann Sebastian Bach outside of the St. Thomas Church
Statue of Johann Sebastian Bach outside of the St. Thomas Church
"Inside The St. Thomas Church - home to the St. Thomas Boys Choir and the Cantors dating back to 1254"
Go inside The St. Thomas Church – home to the St. Thomas Boys Choir and the Cantors dating back to 1254
The back side of St. Thomas Church
The back side of St. Thomas Church
Everywhere you look you will find someone riding a bike
Everywhere you look you will find someone riding a bike
Over 3 hours in Leipzig you'll see pigeons
Over 3 hours in Leipzig you’ll see pigeons
I needed a tour guide to tell me the meaning of this plaque
I needed a tour guide to tell me the meaning of this plaque
The City - Hochhause, a 36 story skyscraper & the tallest building in Leipzig
Admire City-Hochhause, a 36 story skyscraper & the tallest building in Leipzig
The City-Hochhaus was designed in the shape of an open book by Hermann Henselmann
The City-Hochhaus was designed in the shape of an open book by Hermann Henselmann
Untimely contemporaries by Bernd Göbel
Check out the art – Untimely Contemporaries by Bernd Göbel
Richard Wagner - famous composer who I'm told had a nasty habit of skipping out on his rent when he lived in Dresden
Richard Wagner – famous composer who I’m told had a nasty habit of skipping out on his rent when he lived in Dresden
In 3 hours in Leipzig you'll come full circle back to the train station
Coming full circle back to the train station
Liked this poster - though unsure of meaning - perhaps roll up your sleeves and get to work ???
Liked this poster – though unsure of meaning – perhaps roll up your sleeves and get to work ???
Over 3 hours in Leipzig check out Micheal Fisher's signature art on the Marriott Hotel
Stop by the Marriott Hotel to see Micheal Fisher’s signature art  
over 3 hours in Leipzig enjoy a close-up of Micheal Fischer's art
Close-up of Micheal Fischer’s art
Raining flower petals
In spring admire the blossoms
Lilac lined streets in the vicinity of the zoo
Lilac lined streets in the vicinity of the zoo
Colourful entrance near the zoological gardens
Colourful entrance near the zoological gardens

Further reading about things to do in Europe

Click on the photo to bookmark to your Pinterest boards.

What you can do in 3 hours in Leipzig, Germany

 

 

 

  1. Really appreciate for your amazing article. Keep going on, good stuff. Thank you for this valuable information.

  2. The statue is called “Der Jahrhundertschritt” (century step). It symbolizes National Socialism (Hitler Salute) and Communism (fist).

  3. Interesting photo walk you took 🙂 About the statute you were wondering… it is the Jahrhundertschritt (century step) by grand GDR artist Wolfgang Mattheuer (1927-2004). It depicts a person torn between a hitler salute and a communist salute. It’s standing directly in fornt of the contemporary history museum.
    Also it always surprises me to hear people talking of Leipzig (530.000 people) as a small city (i grew up in a 20.000 people city) but then again if someone comes from a 10 mio metropolis the perspective is certainly different 😉

    1. @Jorg I love to get a feel for a city by walking or cycling it. A bike would have been even better. Thanks for the background behind that interesting piece of artwork.
      And you’re right about city size. It all depends on your vantage point. I have lived in several million plus cities so Leipzig seems like a very reasonable size to me.

  4. I have never been to Leipzig but added it to my list now. Looks really interesting. WoW incredible what you can do in 3 hours.

  5. Love all the sculpture and the art work. Looks like a great city to spend a few hours or a few days! Looking forward to hearing about the food!

  6. Hi Leigh,
    Wow, you certainly did see a lot of interesting sight in 3 hours! Didn’t know much about Leipzig myself, so I really enjoyed this photo tour of the city. The university looks amazing. I thought it was a church before I read your caption. I love the diversity of architecture that you captured as well as the vibrant art scene. If you see this much in 3 hours, what more if you were there for several days? Where did you go from here? Can’t wait to hear.

  7. I never would have guessed that Leipzig was such an interesting city! Love the diverse architecture – particularly the University building and the Opera Hall. Seems like it must be a city with an interesting musical history as well.

  8. That was a fun tour, I love informal tours to just walk and discover a place – it is a very colorful place and I love mixing the old and new into the architecture

  9. Now that you’ve gotten a bigger picture of the city, next time you have three hours in Leipzig you should try a food tour! The guide can explain the history and culture behind what you’re seeing – like that plaque and the statue – and you’ll also get a delicious idea of some of the city’s most classic flavors!

    Also, I can give you a bit of help with that Rosie the Riveter poster – it does say “Roll up your sleeves” (the small text says “Better for Leipzig”) and it’s an ad for the FDP, a political party. Elections for seats in the European Parliament are coming up at the end of May. 🙂

    1. @Francesca Fortunately I did have an opportunity to do an abbreviated food tour one evening. It was part food, part walking tour. I also had an evening at Spinnerei. But I did miss out on some of the culture on my own walking tour.

      Thanks for all the great info in your comment Francesca.

  10. I have loved seeing some of your photos on FB but these are even more beautiful photos of Leipzig. I have never heard of it until your visit. What a delightful town full of great architecture and art. Love that university building. The poster is of “Rosie the Riveter”. It was an American wartime propaganda poster also known as “We Can Do It!” but also used to promote feminism.

    1. @Mary I think I’d heard of the city but that was it. I knew nothing about it, even where it was located until I started my research and actually went. It is a fantastic city – and along with Dresden would be a great family destination.
      Interesting what the different takes are on the poster in the comments. I loved it for the woman’s bulging muscles.

  11. I would go there even if I had just 3 hours! I love visiting small cities in Europe and seeing how the local people live. Leipzig looks like a very nice city.

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