The beauty of Erfurt's town centre lies in its lovingly restored houses from various architectural eras. The beautiful town houses on Angerstrasse and around Anger square lend this shopping paradise its elegant flair.

Shopping bliss in the shadows of town houses

Buildings steeped in history such as the Ursuline convent or the baroque packing and weighing house are interspersed with trendy shops and department stores. Don't forget to look out for genuine blue printed articles from Erfurt's blue printing workshops. Woad, the plant from which the blue dye is obtained, brought riches and prestige to Erfurt in the Middle Ages. This blue became the fashionable colour in Thuringia and can also be seen in the traditional pottery.

Alboth's restaurant

This restaurant is a French-inspired port of call for those seeking a serious gourmet plunge in the region.

Don Camillo

Highly recommended for its creative Mediterranean cuisine, Don Camillo has many surprises up its sleeve - not least its interesting wine list.

Erfurter Brauhaus

As well as tasty square meals, we found the ubiquitous Three Wise Men of German boutique brewing here: one pilsner, one wheat beer and one dark beer. The fourth, the Märzbier (a blended pilsner and dark beer), must be popular because it had run out on the day.

Henner

This stylish sandwich bar has sleek orange colours and delicious food.

Mariendom

Eight-hundred-year-old steps lead up to the heavenly cathedral towering over the Dompl. Today, it is a Gothic extravaganza, though its 1154 foundation is Romanesque. Fifteen 14th-century stained-glass windows portray Biblical stories and the lives of the saints. A life-size candelabra in the form of a saint is the oldest free-standing piece of bronze artwork in Germany, and a Romanesque sculpture of an enthroned Mary dates back to the 12th century. Opposite the ornate altar and choir stalls is a gigantic baptismal font, connected to the ceiling, symbolizing baptism's power to connect Earth to Heaven. Out of sight hangs the 12-ton Gloriosa bell, the biggest in medieval Europe, which only rings on important church holidays. Pause for a moment by the gigantic mural of St. Christophorus, the patron of travelers, who is said to protect them against untimely death.

Severikirche

The muted sandstone interior and Gothic exterior of this church are similar to, and outshone by, the Mariendom, for which it served as a model with its unusual three towers. The smaller neighbor asserts itself with its enormous Baroque organ with flying golden angels, flames, and fake pastel marble. The sarcophagus near the entrance supposedly holds the bones of St. Severus, for whom the church is named.

Krämerbrücke

Funded in the 1400s by sales of awful-smelling Thuringian blue dye, the bridge-one of Erfurt's most interesting architectural attractions-still serves a commercial function, lined on both sides with shops that completely block the Gera from view. At the end of the bridge, the tower of the Ägidienkirche offers glimpses of Erfurt's red-roofed houses. Wander beneath the bridge, accessible from the flanking Rathausbrüke, to take the architectural marvel. There you can also relax on the grass, or wade in the Gera.

Anger

Erfurt's wide pedestrian promenade, the Anger (meadow), is one of the most attractive shopping areas in eastern Germany, and it buzzes with activity. Nineteenth-century Neoclassical and Jugendstil architecture lines the street, interlaced with modern constructions. Across from the post office is House #6, where Russian Tsar Alexander I stayed when he came to Erfurt to meet with Napoleon in 1808. The Kaufmannskirche, once the site of business transactions, sits at the end of the Anger behind the post office. The Angermuseum, Anger 18, housed in a yellow mansion, displays a small collection of medieval religious art from around Erfurt as well as rotating exhibitions of local contemporary art.

• Ibis Erfurt Ost  
• Intercityhotel Erfurt  
• Mercure Hotel Erfurt Altstadt  
• Pullman Erfurt am Dom  
• Radisson Blu Hotel  
• Ramada Hotel Erfurt