Leipzig is located just one-hour train ride from the German capital, Berlin. It has been dubbed the 'New Berlin' because it has such a cool vibe, buzzing cultural and a wealth of history. So what is it about this emerging European city that is so appealing to everyone, from classical music lovers to hip clubbers. Leipzig is one of Europe's emerging cities in terms of music, nightlife, art and gastronomy.
Leipzig mixes 1,001 years of history with creativity and zeitgeist. Although best known for its classical music heritage. Intrinsically linked with the composers Bach, Mendelssohn, Schumann and Wagner, the city offers a year-round calendar of events that attract audiences from around the world.
Enjoy one of the open-air festivals, often for free, such as BACHmosphere during Leipzig Bachfest and Klassik airleben with the Leipzig Gewandhaus. Or take the so-called Leipzig Music Trail (Leipziger Notespur) and experience 300 years of musical history in one afternoon on a heritage walk that connects 23 sites as it winds through the city. There's also lots to offer fans of jazz, house and techno.
However, Leipzig is much more than a destination for music lovers. More than 25 years after German Reunification, Leipzig is one of the most dynamic cities in Europe, with the fastest-growing population in Germany. Industrial building vacated decaying industries have been revamped and turned into galleries and quirky cultural spaces, hip bars and clubs. It seems that the more unusual the space, the more creative its use.
The Spinnerei, former cotton mill, is home to galleries, studios and restaurants, while Leipzig-born artist Yadegar Asisi has turned and old gasometer into the world's largest 360-degree panorama project of the Great Barrier Reef.
When it comes to exciting clubs and music venues, it is a similar story: the Alte Damenhandschuhfabrik is housed in a historic ladies' glove factory, while Täubchenthal is in the converted offices of a spinning mill.
With so much happening in this hip city, where do you start? It has to be with coffee. The locals are affectionately known as the "Kaffeesachsen", of coffee Saxons, and as far back as 1695 there were coffee shops in this city of trade fares. The historical cafés in the city centre include the Zum Arabischen Coffe Baum, the oldest coffee house in Germany, with its own museum.
Another way to get a real taste - literally, of Leipzig is to eat out. Leipzig has the only two-star Michelin restaurant in eastern Germany outside of Berlin, called FALCO, it towers over the city on the 27th floor of the Westin Leipzig and is famed for offering more than 60 cheeses and 1,200 wines.
The Auerbachs Keller immortalised in the play Faust, the work of Johan Wolfgang von Goethe, once a student in Leipzig, is now one of the most famous restaurants in the world. The oldest part, the wine bar, or Historische Weinstuben, serves up sophisticated cuisine.
While there is plenty of fine dining, do not miss out on the local delicacies such as Leipziger Allerlei, a hearty dish of vegetables, morels, prawns and bread dumplings.
with more than 1,400 restaurants, bars and pubs, there is no shortage of places to eat, and drink. Local beers include Leipziger Gose, which you can enjoy in the gardens of pubs such as the Gosenschenke Ohne Bedenken.
Leipzig's network of waterways are another way to see a different side to the city. The Water Festival happens in August, features all kinds of races, from the serious to the hilarious. Alternatively, explore Leipzig's Route 1, which meanders past magnificent late 19th-century villas and parks, out to Lake Cospuden.
For nightlife, either head west to the hipster district of Plagwitz, home to cultural venues as Westwerk and cool bars like Noch Besser Leben or south to the famous KarLi (or Karl-Liebknecht-Strasse). It has wonderful atmosphere, with outdoor benches attracting a throng of partying people in good weather.
The Distillery, a stalwart among the world's house and techno clubs, is the place to end a night out, or head next door to the former market hall, transformed into the Institut Für Zukunft.
With a wide choice of accommodation to suit all budgets, Leipzig makes a great value, easy-to-reach destination, perfect for weekend break. Although, with so much to see and do you might want to stay a little longer.