Immortal7 is currently exiled from Her Majesty's Most Loyal Northern Realm and resident in the former East German city.
Transport
Air
If you’re arriving in Leipzig, there is a tourist info counter as you leave baggage collection, pick up a city map & tram map there
There are regular S-bahn trains from the airport to the city centre, stops in Leipzig are Hauptbahnhof (north city centre) Markt (bang in the middle) Willy Leuschner (south city centre) & Bayerische Banhof (south of the city centre)
Ticket is EUR4.50, you can use it on trams if you are changing at any of the above stations to get to your hotel.
Train
Those arriving from Berlin will come to the Hauptbahnhof, it is the north end of the city centre, there is a shopping mall under it for food, gifts for burd etc
The Tram stop is right outside.
Bus
If you haven’t booked a train, get a bus from Berlin. From Sud Kreuz if you’re in the south, the Central Bus Station (ZOB, Messe/ICC stop on the metro) if you’re in the city.
Tourist Info Office – is due south of the Hauptbahnhof, beside the big concrete and glass cube/art gallery on Katherine-Str, there is a cracking beer shop on the same street as you continue down towards Markt Paltz.
Tourist Stuff
If you want a couple of hours off sashing it up there are a couple of sites that are well worth a visit, won’t tax the brain too much and are top class:
Völkerschlachtdenkmal: Masonic overtones, looks like something out of Gotham City and is oozing Wilhelm era nationalism, the Monument to the 1813 Battle of Nations is outstanding. A tram ride away but well worth it.
http://www.stadtgeschichtliches-muse...kmal/index.php
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monume...of_the_Nations
Stasi Museum: imho the best of it’s type, you’ll need the audio guide but it is fascinating and gives an amazing insight into the daily workings of the sword and shield of the DDR. It’s unchanged from 1989 and is a full sensory experience.
http://www.runde-ecke-leipzig.de/index.php?id=76&L=1
Panometer: Sadly, the Luther exhibition doesn’t start until late January, so maximum staunch points are lost.
At the moment it is Great Barrier Reef but, again, it’s top class and worth a visit
http://www.asisi.de/en/exhibition-ve...rrierreef.html
In the city the Peterskirche is where the ‘89 revolution started and is worth popping in if you are passing, being proddy it’s pretty plain but the information boards outside give an idea of the role it played in the downfall of the DDR.
Thomaskirche, same as above in terms of interior, the point of interest is Bach is buried there.
Masonic map of Leipzig: http://karte.leipziger-freimaurer.de/
Drinking
There are a couple of spots where we’ll end up taking over, just off Markt (to the west) is Barfußgässe:
Plenty of boozers, inside and outside drinking, my top tip is keep walking down until you see the Kartofelhaus infront of you, on the right is the Wenzel Czech Brewery house
http://www.wenzel-bierstuben.de/standorte/leipzig/
I know you don’t come to Germany to drink Czech beer but it is a cracking big beer hall with great food and great beer, perfect!
Also down the Barfußgässe, this time first left is a Paulaner Munich Beerhall & Café Madrid which is a decent sportsbar/restaurant
Across the way from Paulaner beside the Thomaskirche is the Brauhaus Thomaskirche, another cracking beerhall with the local brew (Gose) and all the usual trappings, great place.
http://www.brauhaus-thomaskirche.de/
The young team might like Moritzbastei, which is the student hang out at the bottom of the tall panorama tower in the city
The other area is the equivalent of say Byres Road or Shawlands, it is a 10 minute tram south from the Markt, called Karl-Liebknecht-Str or simply, the Karli.
Start at the top in the Beyerhaus/Volkshaus and work your way down, towards the Antifa/alternative/punk neighbourhood called Connewitz……… stop at Kurt-Eisner-Str would be my advice, no need to noise up the local hools.
Highlights include
Volkshaus - http://volkshaus-leipzig.de/ (good sports bar, with toilets like the old Hayburn)
KillyWilly - https://www.facebook.com/Killiwilly/?rf=460863890593355
Noels Ballroom - http://noels-ballroom.com/home/
Beyerhaus - https://www.facebook.com/Beyerhaus/
Yes, some are ‘Irish’ pubs, but they are German owned and staffed and reflect the décor and beer selection rather than a penchant for timmery or ‘ra fundraising nights.
I also like Pushkin for burds, if you’re up for trying out your German
The Karli might be a good idea for Saturday night as it had loads of bars and restaurants as well as clubs and fast food.
Last place I’ll mention is the Bayerische Banhof, the best beerhall in the city, where I’ll be drinking on Sunday. Great food, homemade booze and good prices.
http://www.bayerischer-bahnhof.de/en
Whats On in Leipzig Magazine/Website
Food
Local Vietnamese chain (our main local immigrant community after the DDR took them in after the war) is well worth checking out, both on the Karli and on the way to the game
Fam Tran Phat - https://www.facebook.com/FamTran-Phat-872115509490654/
Curry Cult on Markt is super simple and easy in the city centre, it’s in a stand alone building on the SW corner
There is a great burger take away on the Karli, BurgerMeister, it’s just south of KillyWilly.
There are plenty of kebab joints, city centre highlight is Alladin on Burg-Str just south of Thomaskirch, although it is dry.
On the Karli I like Efes which is down towards Kurt-Eisner
Clubs
Pissed groups go to Flower Power - http://flowerpower.news/leipzig/
For a Berlin style club experience (no cameras, very druggy, starts getting going at 9am on Sunday) try the IFZ - http://ifz.me/
Arches style regular techno - http://www.distillery.de/ex/dates
Punk/Metal – naTo, http://www.nato-leipzig.de/index.php...a3b3e17a6ea34f
Leipzig institution run by a teenage anarchist collective, Conne island
Gigolos & Brasses
Prostitution is legal in Germany so we have big organised and legit FKK sauna clubs, basically big out of town brothels.
There are 2 in Leipzig:
FAQ's - http://www.fkkclubsgermany.com/about-fkk-in-germany/
The FKK clubs advertise around the city and the attitude towards them is pretty relaxed, they are both a taxi ride away. I don't know what the girls are like, locals/empowered feminists/trafficked slaves from rural Kazakhstan, but there seems to be a decent selection.
Lapdancing - there is one central lapdancing emporium, Metropolis Table Dancing, its in the NW corner of the city centre, again, no further info but I guess it'll be, like the sauna joints, cheaper than the likes of Frankfurt and Dusseldorf.
Boys - for those FF brethren who prefer the company of men (I'm thinking the Heart & Hand crew and some of the more eye poppingly reactionary right wingers in the lounge) there is a wee street to the west of the citycentre, beside the new Rathaus. The bath-house and bar go by the wonderfully direct German names of Stargayte and Cocks, which I guess is what you'd call Ronseal. I'll let you guys do the google search...................
Game day
There isn’t much around the ground, so either head in and drink there or bide your time and get a tram. The Vietnamese is on the way and there are a couple of bars on Wald-Str. There will probably be beer tents set up, but it will be baltic. Hanging about the ground may afford the opportunity to meet some RB fans, there are no RB hools (although Lok and Chemie have firms) so don't get lairy. Tradition since 2009!
Your match ticket allows you free public transport 4 hours before and after the game. If you're in the city on Saturday or going to any of the tourist sites, get a tram ticket, I am inspected regularly and excuses, like Timothy, don’t wash. It’s EUR60 there and then. You have been warned.