You can check the 8-day forecast at: www.weatheronline.co.uk
The climate in Dresden is oceanic, which means that summers are warm, but winters are on average slightly colder than other German cities. The weather is however never disruptive, so planning a venture can be done year round without major issues. Spring is a good time to visit, as the green spaces are at their nicest this season, and precipitation is rather evenly spread out throughout. Summer is the peak time for tourism, so living expenses can become costly. The summers are warm, but not exceedingly hot, but also experience the most precipitation. Autumn becomes a beautiful time to visit Dresden, despite temperatures dropping. Winter is host to the Oldest Christmas Market in Germany and is thus another busy time for tourism, and temperatures drop even further, with documented cases of -25 OC.
Average temperatures are around 0.1 °C in January and 19 °C in July.
The Dresden area uses the area code 351 with the international calling code of Germany is +49.
The website of Deutsche Post has an online calculator for postage fees as well as a post office finder. Stamps are available at post offices and sometimes at newsagents or shops selling postcards. Also stamp vending machines can be found at a lot of places around the cities. You can purchase every stamp you need from these machines. They are unique as they accept every coin from 1 cent to 2 euro but change is only given in stamps.
It costs about €40 to send a small package to Australia and €1.70 to send an old-fashioned letter to any place in the world outside of Europe. Within Germany, sending postcards costs €0.45 and standard letters €0.55, within Europe it is €0.65 for a postcard, standard letters to places in Europe cost €0.75.
Internet cafes (rates €1.50 to €5 per hour) are starting to become less common due to widespread offers of free wifi by shops, restaurants or cafes. There is however one at Altmarky, next to Subway, and another at the back of the Altmarktgellerie shopping center. Sometimes it requires minimum consumption but usually it's free within the premises. Phone shops will often offer internet access, too. In general hotels offer internet access. Passenger lounges at some airports and central railway stations also provide internet access to their customers.
Several pre-paid SIMs allow Internet access for a monthly flat fee, for example those available at Tchibo coffee stores (o2 network, €10/month limited to 500 MB, €20/month for 5 GB) or Aldi (E-Plus network). A regular O2 sim card, which can be used for calls and text messages, is €15 and another €15 buys 1GB of data valid for 1 month. Vodafone offers a prepaid sim card for €25 which includes €22.5 of credit, out of which you can get 300 MB of data for 2 days for €15 and be left with €7.5 of credit.
The German currency is the Euro, so ventures for participants from within the Eurozone will not face any complications with exchange rates. Coins are issued in €2, €1, 50c, 20c, 10c, 5c, 2c, and 1c. Notes are issued in €500, €200, €100, €50, €20, €10, and €5.
It is not always simple to exchange cash in foreign currency for euros in every bank. It may be necessary to wait. Find out about this in a meeting. In Reisebanken, which is the bank especially tailored for travellers, foreign money can be changed immediately into euros. There are no long waiting periods at Reisebanken
The value-added tax rate generally enforced in Germany is 19%, with a reduced rate of 7% applies to certain goods, such as certain foods, books, magazines, flowers, and transports.
The following are completely exempted from VAT:
Export deliveries;
Intra-Community supply of goods;
Services provided by certain professional groups (e.g. doctors);
Financial services (e.g. granting loans);
Letting real estate in the long-term;
Cultural services provided to the public (e.g. by public theatres, museums, zoos, etc.);
Value-added by certain institutions providing general education or vocational training;
Services provided in an honorary or voluntary capacity.
Tipping is expected in hotels in Germany. If you feel you have received good service, you could give your porter between €1-3 per bag, your housekeeper €3-5 (leaving it on the bed or nightstand), and your concierge up to €10-20.
When tipping at restaurants, simply rounding up to the next euro is an accepted practice. If you feel inclined, add a few Euros (5%-10% for good service). There is no need to overdo it. The tip must be given directly to the waiter, or when paying, never simply leaving it on the table. Receiving a bill is uncommon; the waiter will usually tell you what is owed. Tell the waiter how much you wish to pay if you wish to leave a tip. Keep in mind that many restaurants and stores in Germany only accept cash, so make sure you have some available.
It is quite common to leave a gratitude for tour guides, whether they are with groups or single. Some may ask for a positive review on websites such as Trip Advisor; they receive a bonus for each review they receive.
Dresden falls under Central European Time (CET), and is 1 hour ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT +1). Daylight savings time is observed in Dresden, where time is shifted forward 1 hour in Summer (GMT +2), and then moved back to GMT +1 during non-summer months.
Voltage: 220-240 Volts (U.S./Canada are 110-120 Volts)
Primary Socket Type: Europlug, Schuko
Multi-voltage appliances (laptops, etc.): Plug adapter
Click socket type links to view adapter for that type
110-120V electronics: Plug adapter + step-down transformer
Hair dryers, curling irons, etc.: Plug adapter + voltage converter
Electrical sockets (outlets) in Germany are one of the two European standard electrical socket types: The "Type C" Europlug and the "Type E" and "Type F" Schuko. If your appliance's plug doesn't match the shape of these sockets, you will need a travel plug adapter in order to plug in. Travel plug adapters simply change the shape of your appliance's plug to match whatever type of socket you need to plug into. If it's crucial to be able to plug in no matter what, bring an adapter for all three types.
Germany officially recognizes the metric system.
There are many national holidays, but the following are celebrated in the Saxon state where Dresden is in:
New Year's Day: 1 January
Good Friday: Easter Sunday - ½ day
Easter Monday: Easter Sunday + ½ day
Labor Day: 1 May
Ascension Day: Easter Sunday + 39 days
Whit Monday: Easter Sunday + 50 days
Corpus Christi: Easter Sunday + 60 days
German Unity Day: 3 October
Reformation Day: 31 October
Christmas Day: 25 December
St. Stephen's Day/Boxing Day: 26 December
The official language is naturally German, but English is fairly common, especially with the younger generations.
If you need medical attention, go to the Universitätsklinikum, Fetscherstraße 74; Tel +49-351-458-2036. It's inexpensive (compared to others in the city), easy to get to (Augsburger Str. stop from the 4 or 6 tram line and bus line 64) and the doctors are well trained and, most importantly, speak English well.
The German laws regulating alcohol use and sale are some of the least restrictive in the world. The foremost function of restraints, as far as they exist, is youth protection. In contrast to many other countries (e.g. the United States), the legislation is not designed to keep young people away from alcohol completely, but rather to teach them an appropriate approach to alcohol consumption.
Casinos in Germany are abounding. Almost all the casinos are particular about maintaining strict dress code. Men are not allowed inside in blue jeans, sneakers, or sandals. All the casinos require you to show ID proof or passport. Most of the casinos have a specified age limit and do not allow people below the age of 18. Some of the casinos in Germany also charge their visitors a small entrance fee. You also need to sign a debt guarantee note in for any dues or debts you may have during the course of your gambling endeavours.
The only casino in Dresden is the Spielbank Dresden, and features many different kinds of gambling games. Individuals below the age of 18 years are not allowed inside and upscale clothing is required. You can contact the casino +49 351 495 1321, and is located at Prager Straße/Ecke Wiener Platz, Dresedn, Germany. Visit the information page at www.sachsencasinos.de.
The Protection of Young Persons Act states that children and young people less than 18 years of age shall not be sold tobacco products nor should they be permitted to smoke in public. In Saxony, there are specific laws regarding smoking premises.
In government buildings, prisons, and hospitals (and nursing homes) the following laws apply:
Separated smoking rooms are permitted in:
In day-care centres, schools, gymnasiums (and other indoor sports facilities), public transportation, and cultural institutions, absolutely no smoking is allowed.
In discotheques, restaurants, and bars, the following laws apply:
Exceptions apply to:
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