But Germany is also famous for what was arguably the most influential modernist art and design movement of the 20th century: the Bauhaus (translates literally as “build house”). Famous for a sleek, functional design that has the soul of a work of art, the Bauhaus movement also had a major impact on design in the United State after the Nazis closed the school in 1933.

This year, the Bauhaus celebrates its 100th anniversary. What better time to plan a trip to some of the hotspots of the movement, many of which are well off the usual tourist path.

Celebrating the Bauhaus movement in Germany

To help you on your journey, we’ve gathered some tips on the places to go to experience Bauhaus at its best as well as tips on how to save. Here goes.

Weimar

Located in the German state of Thuringia, which is in the former GDR, Weimar is the birthplace of the Bauhaus. The German architect Walter Gropius established the school there in 1919 and it remained in operation until 1925. You can see the original building, which is now home to Bauhaus University, a university specializing in architecture, civil engineering, media, and art and design. A Bauhaus Museum will also open in the city this year in celebration of the centennial.

At an earlier time, Weimar was also the cradle of German Enlightenment and Weimar Classicism, a literary movement boasting big wig German writers such as Johann von Goethe and Friedrich Schiller. Traces of these legacies can also be seen in the city.

How to get there

Weimar can be easily reached from other German cities, such as Berlin and Leipzig. Although you can get decent rates with Deutsche Bahn if you book far enough ahead, the best deal by far is with Flixbus. This discount bus service offers rates as low as around €12 one way from Berlin to Weimar, for example. If you’d like to chat with some locals, check out the ride-sharing service BlaBlaCar. You can often find people headed to Weimar from other locations for cheap rates.

Tips and ways to save

Since Weimar is a student town, you’ll find plenty of cheap eats around, including the Bauhaus Atelier café-shop located directly at the university. This is also the meeting point for the Bauhaus walking tour (long tour €9, short tour €6 adults, children under 14 free). A light meal at a bakery is also a better way to go if you’re traveling on a budget. Whatever you do, make sure you avoid any restaurants with Goethe and Schiller in the name, since these are likely overpriced tourist traps.

Weimar does have a city discount card that will get you free entry to over twenty museums and palaces as well as free rides on the city bus system and discounts on other cultural events for 48 hours. However, none of the offers are Bauhaus-related at the card is on the pricey side (€29) so think twice about buying one unless you plan to hit the museums big time.

Hotels in Weimar: Search and book more than 100 hotels

An entrance at the Bauhaus Complex in Dessau. Photo: Frans

Dessau

Fleeing drastic cuts in funding from the conservative government in Weimar, the Bauhaus school moved to the small city of Dessau in 1925 where it remained until 1932. In Dessau, your first stop should definitely be the Bauhaus Building. Designed by Walter Gropius in 1925, the Bauhaus Building is an amazing architectural treasure that was awarded UNESCO World Heritage status in 1996. It’s now home to the Bauhaus Dessau Foundation.

Another absolute must-see for all Bauhaus junkies are the seven Meisterhäuser (Master’s Houses). Designed by Walter Gropius, these houses, which are a stone’s throw from the Bauhaus Building, were once the abodes of many a big name in modernism, including Wassily Kandinsky, Paul Klee, Mies van der Rohe and Josef Albers to name but a few. Now you can traipse through the empty homes, still decked out in the original colors. Some of the houses also have small exhibitions and mini gift shops where you can pick up some Bauhaus style doodads and trinkets. Like in Weimar, brand-new Bauhaus Museum is also opening in September of this year in honor of the centennial.

Read more: Bauhaus Aesthetics: Modernism in Dessau, Germany

How to get there

Dessau is about an hour’s ride from Leipzig and around 1.5 hours from Berlin. Deutsche Bahn tickets are cheapest from Leipzig, with an average price of around €15 one way. On the weekend, you can also often find at least one trip between Berlin and Dessau for as low as €4.99 one way. Blablablacar is a great place to look as well. Rides between Berlin and Dessau average around €8 one way.

Tips and ways to save

Before reaching Dessau, decide what exactly you want to see. If you would like to see the Bauhaus Building and the Meisterhäuser including all exhibitions, the combination ticket is the best deal (€13/€8 reduced). Swing by Bauhaus Club, the café-bistro at the Bauhaus building for a cup of joe and a snack, or enjoy a warm meal in the Canteen. Both have a student vibe and aren’t too pricey. The Bauhaus-designed Kornhaus Restaurant on the Elbe River is worth a trip for some exterior shots for your Instagram feed, but skip dining because the prices are above a bargain traveler’s budget.

If you’re here in the summer, why not go for the cheapest option and pack a picnic lunch? You can either enjoy your meal outdoors amongst the iconic buildings or hope on a bus over to Wörlitz, home to the fabulous Dessau-Wörlitzer Gartenreich (Dessau-Wörlitz Garden Realm), an 18th-century English-style park. This UNESCO World Heritage site has still been mostly undiscovered by international tourists, so get there now before the crowds start when word gets out about this gem, which is, among other things, home to Europe’s only fully functional artificial volcano above Lady Hamilton’s House.

Accommodations: Search for hotels in Dessau

The Bauhaus Archiv in Berlin. Photo: Suwatch

Berlin

In 1931, the Nazi party became strong in Dessau. When the party took over the city council, the Bauhaus school knew it was time to get the hell out of Dodge. At the end of 1932, the then-director of the Bauhaus, Mies van der Rohe, moved the school to a run-down factory in Berlin. The students and faculty moved in, painted the interior white, and were left alone by the Gestapo for ten months. But when the Nazis came to power in 1933, they closed down the school for good. Many of the students and staff left the country, including Mies van der Rohe, who left for Chicago.

In Berlin, you’ll find the Bauhaus Archive / Museum of Design, which is currently housed in Charlottenburg (Knesebeckstraße 1-2) while the building is being renovated. The archive is also organizing an exhibition at the Berlinische Galerie which will run from September 6, 2019, to January 27, 2020.

Tips and ways to save

Bauhaus fans should definitely check out a few of the architectural gems from the movement’s leaders, which are located at several off-the-beaten-track places across Berlin. These include the Mies van der Rohe house, which is far out in Hohenschönhausen, a neighborhood in former East Berlin, Gropiusstadt, a social housing project designed by Walter Gropius in the 1960s, and the ADGB Trade Union School in Bernau, a small town just outside of Berlin.

And don’t forget the Hansaviertel, home to an array of exquisite modernist buildings designed for an architectural competition in the 1950s. Except for the Mies van der Rohe house, which costs €5 admission, all of these sites are absolutely free, so they’ll only cost you the price of a BVG public transportation ticket. However, Gropiusstadt is a bit of a rougher neighborhood, so it might not be the best choice after dark.

Related: Our favorite budget hotels in Berlin

More Bauhaus attractions

Is this still not enough to scratch your Bauhaus itch? Then check out the Grand Tour of Modernism! Put together for the centennial by the Bauhaus Archive, this tour lists 100 Bauhaus and modernist sites throughout Germany. The tours are also split up into seven different regional tours which will take between five to two days to complete.

You can also check out bauhaus100.com for more information and ideas.

Viel Spaß (have fun) on your Bauhaus adventures!

The post Bauhaus in Germany: Exploring 100 years of iconic design and architecture appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

Located in the former East German state of Thuringia, Weimar is an absolute must for anyone interested in German culture and history. But even if you’re not the biggest history buff, Weimar still wows travelers with its beauty: its city center has been named a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and it was dubbed the European Capital of Culture in 1999.

Weimar budget travel guide

Whether you choose to combine the trip with a visit to nearby Jena and Erfurt or opt to visit Weimar alone, be sure you don’t miss out on this jewel. To help plan your visit as well as find ways to save, we’ve put together this Weimar budget travel guide.

Getting there

Weimar can be reached easily by train, bus, and car from any major city in Germany. The exact length of the trip varies depending on which kind of transportation you choose.

From Berlin
For example, if you take the train from Berlin to Weimar, the trip will take a little over two hours, and the tickets will set you back anywhere from €19-54 one-way, depending on when you book.

A bus ride with a company like Flixbus is a little cheaper than the train — usually between €20-29 from Berlin to Weimar each way — but it can take as long as seven hours if the bus has a stopover in another city.

Related: A guide to riding Flixbus, Europe’s largest budget bus service

Our tip: Book a ride on BlaBlaCar, a car share service. With an average price of €11 one-way and a driving time of 3.5 hours, this option is the best both in terms of price and length. Plus you’ll to get to know some locals as they speed down the autobahn.

If you would prefer to take the train, be sure to book far in advance to secure the best rates.

Sightseeing and attractions

Weimar is truly a culture lover’s delight. Two of Germany’s literary masters, Goethe and Schiller, once called this beautiful city home. Check out the stately Schiller Residence and then hop over to Goethe’s more modest vineyard cottage, where the poet and playwright lived in the late 18th century. If you want to know more about these heavyweights of German literature, Weimar also boasts the Goethe National Museum and Goethe and Schiller Archive.

If castles and green spaces are more your speed, Weimar won’t disappoint. Weimar is home to several major parks, villas, and castles, such as Belvedere Castle, the baroque summer residence of Duke Ernst August of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach.

If you also admire modern architecture and design, be sure to stop by the Bauhaus Museum. It features over 200 exhibits on the history of the Bauhaus movement and classics from this important design era.

To get a historical glimpse into the darkest chapter of Germany’s history, a visit to the nearby Buchenwald concentration camp is also possible.

Related: 10-Day itinerary in Germany to Berlin, Potsdam, Hamburg & Munich

Tips on how to save

If you plan to bask in culture during your trip to Weimar, you should think about buying a Weimar Card for extra savings. Valid for 48 hours, the Weimar card allows you free entry to Weimar’s museums and historical buildings as well as free travel on all city buses. The card costs €27.50.

Food and drink

Although Weimar has plenty of fine dining fetching a higher price, there are plenty of great cheap eats across the city. As the home to Bauhaus University, Weimar is a Cheapo’s dream with many bars and cafes catering to thrifty students where you’ll find bargain basement prices.

Here are a few of our favorites:

Altweimarische Bierstube
Frauenplan 13, 99423 Weimar

This cozy, no-frills beer pub — where the owner also doubles as the waiter — is a good place to sample regional food from Thuringia. The friendly service is a big plus.

Zum Siechenbräu
Ferdinand-Freiligrath-Straße 17, 99423 Weimar

Located a bit away from the city center, this small restaurant boasts rustic charm and local cuisine at a nice price. Open from 5 pm to midnight.

Creperie du Palais
Am Palais 1, 99423 Weimar

This inexpensive creperie offers both sweet and savory options as well as German Flammkuchen. It’s a great spot for lunch or a heartier dinner. Open 11 am to 11 pm.

Café d’Este – Villa Haar
Dichterweg 2a, 99423 Weimar

When you take a stroll through Goethepark, be sure and drop in at Café d’Este. Located in the stately Villa Haar, this café has great cakes — not to mention a beautiful and relaxing atmosphere.

Fritz Mitte
Schuetzengasse 8, 99423

A “Frittenbude,” this snack bar specializes in tasty fries with different sauces to choose from.

Labyrinth Hostel has two of our favorite qualities: central and cheap!

Cheap hotels in Weimar

Weimar has a host of budget hotels that would make any Cheapo happy. Check out over 100 hotels in Weimar. Here is a list of highly-rated hotels that average around €50 per night:

Studio Altbau
William-Shakespeare Str. 1

A wonderful B&B offering rooms with views of the city.

Pension am Theater
Erfurter Str. 10

All 14 rooms have private bathrooms and free Wi-Fi.

Labyrinth Hostel Weimar
Goethestr. 6

A well-located stay with cheap private and shared rooms in central Weimar on Goetheplatz Square.

Apartments Röhrstraße
Röhrstraße 20

Modern accommodations with free Wi-Fi, a refrigerator, and flat-screen TV.

Search all hotels in Weimar

Your Weimar budget travel tips

Have some advice about ways to save when traveling to Weimar? Share your tips, or ask a question, in our comments section below!

The post A budget travel guide to Weimar, Germany appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

Weimar had an entire republic named after it. The fact that the Weimar Republic of the 1920s was ultimately unsuccessful—eventually eclipsed by the Nazis—might have been too heavy a burden for Weimar to bear. But Weimar has a knack of bouncing back.

Tourist assets

Few places the size of Weimar can boast such lavish assets as the town in Thuringia. Links with Lucas Cranach the Elder, Richard Wagner, Franz Liszt and Friedrich Nietzsche would have been enough to secure for Weimar a revered position in the tourist canon.

But Weimar can boast far more, for the entire Germanistik enterprise relies on two Weimar men: Goethe and Schiller. With such literary heavyweights in the Weimar team, it’s no surprise that the town cuts a dash on the tourist circuit. When Weimar secured coveted European Capital of Culture status in 1999, it was the smallest community ever to receive the accolade.

The Market Square in Weimar. Photo: © hidden europe

With a population of just 60,000 and a compact layout, Weimar is eminently walkable. The main railway station, just to the north of the town center, gives a hint of what’s to come. It is a striking neo-classical building. And Weimar mainstreams on classical allusion. There is even a mock Roman villa in the city’s Ilm Park.

The Goethe brand

Schiller and Goethe are compulsory. There is no getting away from them. There is hardly a hotel in town that does not have a Goethe function room or Schiller suite. In the cafés, there are Schiller schnaps and Goethe teas. During a few days in Weimar last month, we discovered Goethe pralines and Schiller pancakes.

But even if you cannot abide Goethe and know no odes of Schiller, there are still many good reasons to go to Weimar. For travelers making a wider tour of Europe, Weimar is the ideal small-town stopover.

Perfectly positioned on the routes from Paris to Prague, from Munich to Berlin, it’s hard to miss Weimar. It is right by the E40—one of Europe’s main east-west road routes. It has direct trains from Düsseldorf, Dresden, Berlin, Hamburg and even from Zürich. The nearby airport (called Erfurt-Weimar) has direct flights from London Gatwick with Germania.

The Russian Cemetery in Weimar’s Ilm Park. Photo: © hidden europe

Exploring the Ilm Park

The narrative peddled by most guidebooks (and indeed the local tourist authorities) mainstreams on high culture. So expect an overdose of dead poets, painters and philosophers.

The real trump card is however something much less sophisticated: it is Weimar’s small-town charm. The River Ilm, skirting the east side of the city center, gives texture to the townscape. Wander through the park along the Ilm Valley to get a feel for Weimar. It’s not compulsory to visit Goethe’s gartenhaus in the park—a building that is much too lavishly proportioned to be a mere garden house. But don’t miss the Russian cemetery in Ilm Park. It is a quiet retreat of poignant beauty, one that hardly gets a mention in the tourist guides.

Bauhaus connections

At one edge of the Ilm Park is the sole surviving piece of real Bauhaus architecture in Weimar—the Haus am Horn. It’s a reminder that classical Weimar has not always been sympathetic to the avant-garde. The Bauhaus movement was founded in Weimar in 1919, but was nudged out of town six years later.

Staying in Weimar

The people of Weimar have endured a takeover from investors from the west. The city’s premier hotel is the Elephant. It’s worth a look for the building is a fine piece of Nazi architecture (dating from 1938)—neo-classicism morphing into art deco. But, as too often with smart hotels, it is owned and managed by a big corporation that has few local connections.

If you want to support a local Weimar venture, head round the corner from the Elephant to the Hotel-Pension am Goethehaus (ah, yes, Goethe again) where Hendrik Rauch has restored a stylish old building to create a comfortable mid-range hotel which opened in 2012. It’s been a labor of love, but the result is a homely hotel, oozing minimalist chic at very fair prices. Room rates are from €55 including breakfast.

Relax at the Resi

As a town that pulls so many visitors, Weimar is full of cafés. Head away from the main market square for the best deals. Our favorite is the Residenz-Café on Grüner Markt. To the locals it’s just ‘the Resi’—and it’s a real Weimar institution, open daily from 8 in the morning right through to late evening. Naturally it has a room dedicated to Goethe, but the Resi is the perfect place to relax and plot a Goethe-free itinerary through Weimar. For there really is another Weimar, a more radical city, waiting to be discovered.

Nicky and Susanne have explored other aspects of Weimar in two recent issues of Letter from Europe. The articles, both available online, are Reclaiming Weimar and Sounds of a City. The writers paid their own way, travelling by train to Weimar and staying at the Hotel-Pension am Goethehaus.

The post Unpacking Weimar: A small German city that leaves a big impression appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.