Germany 2024 Travel Guide: Sebnitz, Görlitz & Leipzig Highlights

Welcome to The Storied Recipe, a podcast about food, culture, and love.

This personal travel post accompanies Ep. 174 Exploring 500 Years of History at Auerbachs Keller.

Sebnitz

After two flights (with a 90-minute layover) and three trains—two of which involved a mad scramble after a last-minute cancellation—I arrived at the vast, historic Leipzig Hauptbahnhof and was greeted with a big hug from Jack.

I surprised myself by shedding a few tears when I finally saw him. I rarely cry when I expect to, but emotion often arrives unexpectedly—and this time it did. I’ve learned to let those feelings come and go.

We grabbed lunch at the same Döner Kebab we’d eaten at on Easter Sunday last year, a comforting familiar taste so far from home. I was desperate for a bathroom before Jack’s friends picked us up for the long drive to Sebnitz, and then I remembered: public restrooms in Germany usually require payment. Thankfully Anna had a euro. Travel tip: train bathrooms in Germany are free—use them when you can.

The drive to Sebnitz took about three hours. I’d been awake for more than 24 hours and expected to struggle, but Jack’s friends were engaging and interesting, and we chatted easily the whole way while enjoying the rolling countryside.

Sebnitz

These photos are from walks in Saxon Switzerland National Park. This area was one of our favorites when the whole family traveled to Germany for spring break in 2023. On this trip, I experienced the park from a new perspective.

In the small town of Sebnitz we joined most of Jack’s church members for a weekend retreat. Germany has many affordable retreat centers where groups can gather for a modest fee; our three-day stay cost only 170 Euros and included clean lodging, meeting spaces, and all meals—an incredible value.

I’d known Jack’s church community had supported him since he arrived in Germany, offering hospitality and practical help, but I was still moved by how genuine and welcoming the group was. The gathering embodied the message from Paul’s letter to the Galatians: “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”

At meals and coffee breaks I noticed unlikely pairings: young men conversing with a mother of eight, a middle-aged married man animatedly speaking with an older woman, and small leadership groups guided by much younger members. Singles, couples, and families all felt at home. I left feeling encouraged and invigorated by the conversations over those three days.

Görlitz & Zgorzelec

We set aside one day to be traditional tourists. A friend recommended historic Görlitz, one of the few German towns that escaped bombing in WWII, so many medieval churches and buildings remain intact. Görlitz and its Polish sister city Zgorzelec grew as trade cities and retain that long history.

We joined a city tour that was offered only in German. Jack translated for me, which helped but was more challenging than it first appeared: even when you understand the words, placing them in the context of nearly a millennium of local history takes effort. The experience reminded me of two things: how young the United States is compared with most of Europe, and how many cultural differences—even between “Western” places—exist between Europe and the U.S.

We spent roughly 24 hours exploring, walking, and sharing a long dinner. After a restful night and a leisurely European breakfast, we returned to Leipzig. As we approached the city, the easy holiday mood shifted toward the realities of Jack’s daily life, my upcoming interview, and my return home. It wasn’t heavy, but the carefree feeling had changed.

Leipzig

Leipzig was the part of the trip I planned most intentionally. I wanted to connect with Jack’s places and people to help bring his worlds closer together.

I expected to be impressed by Jack’s German, and I was—but I was equally struck by other challenges he’s faced. What began as a promising living situation soured quickly, and I took photos of his apartment just three days before he moved out. As a mother it’s hard to watch him try so hard and face rejection, but I’m proud of him for holding to his values amid the challenges. He’s easier to see smiling now, and that’s a relief. No season lasts forever.

I was also surprised by how foreign the public transportation system felt at first, and how effortlessly Jack navigated it. Over a few days I became much more comfortable with the apps, stations, trams, buses, and trains—thanks to Jack downloading apps, registering me, and explaining the rules and customs in English. That helped me appreciate how much he must have had to learn on his own when he first arrived.

I enjoyed thinking about how widespread public transport changes daily life for women, parents, and families—there’s a lot worth exploring there.

There’s more to share about my tour of Auerbachs Keller and the episode I recorded there—that will come next week. After my interview, Jack and a friend joined me for dinner at AK. Later we wandered a lively market in Leipzig, enjoying live music, food stalls, and the buzz of the town square.

On our final rainy day Jack attended classes while I worked at a coffee shop and at his favorite library near campus. After classes we had lunch—some of the best Lebanese food I’ve ever eaten—and then hopped a train to see Jack’s favorite monument. We only had twenty minutes before his next class, but seeing the enormous monolith was worth the dash; photos can’t fully convey the scale.

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