Set among the broad boulevards of the historic Waldstraßenviertel district on the edge of Rosental park, Cora Apartments occupies a quartet of cool addresses, each around 25 minutes’ walk from the old town.
Planes
Leipzig/Halle Airport is a 30-minute drive from the apartments. Transfers can be arranged and cost around €40 one way.
Trains
Trains connect the airport to Leipzig Hauptbahnhof, 20 minutes’ walk from the apartments. From here, trams connect to Waldstraßenviertel. Get off at Leibnizstraße for the Hinrichsenstraße apartments and at Waldplatz for the Tschaikowskistraße and Feuerbachstraße apartments.
Automobiles
You can rent a car at the airport and there’s secure parking available close to the apartments for €20 per night, but an excellent public transport system means you likely won’t need your own set of wheels.
Other
With more than 500 stops across 13 lines, Leipzig’s terrific tram network is hands-down the most efficient way of zipping around town. Pick up a Leipzig Card for unlimited travel on all trams, trains and buses within the city.
Worth getting out of bed for
There’s bags of stuff to do right on the doorstep (or should that be doorsteps?) of Cora Apartments. A stroll through Waldstraßenviertel’s characterful streets, with some of the best-preserved Gründerzeitstil architecture in Europe, is as good a place to start as any. These palatial old townhouses can be seen on nearly every street here – look out for their distinctive turrets, red pantile roofs and fondant-icing facades in Baroque, Gothic and Renaissance styles.
Just north of the district lies Leipziger Auenwald, one of Europe’s largest riverside forests, which also contains Leipzig Zoo, a fab kids’ playground and the 17th-century Rosental park with its steel observation tower. Stroll the forest’s densely wooded paths where charmed ramblers may be fortunate enough to spot the electric-blue flash of common kingfishers diving for their breakfast and the burnished blur of a red squirrel’s bushy tail vanishing into the treetops. Forest foragers will have a field day in spring with the spoils of a morning wander promising fresh nettle soup and zingy wild garlic pesto for lunch back at the apartment.
Back in Waldstraßenviertel, you can catch local Bundesliga try-hards RB Leipzig in action at the Red Bull Arena, or check listings for upcoming concerts; the stage here has previously been graced by some of the biggest names in rock, including Elton John, Depeche Mode, Coldplay and Rammstein.
A trip to the old town should also be considered essential on any visit to Leipzigl, if not for its cobbled market square and the Old City Hall’s colourful zodiac clock and green copper belltower, then for salty pretzels and frothing steins of gose beer in a traditional brauhaus overlooking gothic St. Thomas Church or kaffee und kuchen in the art deco surroundings of Riquet & Co.
Local restaurants
The sausage-and-sauerkraut stereotype of German food is utterly dispelled at Macis, a smart city-centre bio-restaurant with decor that’s lifted straight from the Cora Apartments playbook: think high ceilings, glittering chandeliers and bold statement wallpaper. Banquette seating and low-hanging lamps lend an art deco vibe as punters tuck into organic Italian-influenced dishes like grass-fed beef with mushrooms, vegetables and clementine and – oh, alright then – homemade ravioli stuffed with mushrooms, potato and… sauerkraut. Raid the organic food store next door for fresh fruits, vegetables, meats, cheeses, breads and fine wines for evening feasts at the apartment.
Close to St. Thomas Church, where Johann Sebastian Bach spent nearly three decades as musical director, C’est la Vie promises a veritable symphony of French flavours in a chic brasserie-style setting. We’re talking pan-fried foie gras, butternut squash mousseline and pear sorbet with dark chocolate pearls and salted caramel, served up with freshly baked baguette, Champagne and a frankly epic list of fine French wines. Bon appetit!
Local cafés
A short stroll from Cora Apartments, Dankbar serves up breakfasts including shakshuka, poached eggs and avocado on sourdough, yoghurt with berries, granola, banana bread and, of course, coffee. The café retains much of the fine decor from its former life as a butchery, with gleaming decorative tiles, meat hooks and a spectacular ceiling centrepiece that incorporates portraits of pigs, cows and sheep. Let’s not mince words: this is as fine a breakfast spot as you’ll find in Waldstraßenviertel.
You can tell you’re in for something a bit special at Riquet and Co by the old-school art deco facade and pair of copper elephant heads that flank the entrance. Inside this former cornershop is no less impressive, with restored interiors that include carved wooden mouldings and elegant chandeliers. Pair local Leipziger Lerche pastries with a Pharisäer – strong, sweet, rum-laced coffee topped with cream – for the win.
Local bars
Take the elevator to Falco on the Westin hotel’s 27th floor for views and cocktails that will rock you, Amadeus. Grab a seat at the bar where a pair of fearsome tigers frame panoramic skyline vistas and order up signature drinks including the Frambozen Princess, a blend of Aperol, rhubarb and champagne served in a regal silver cup. Or try the sweeter-than-it-sounds Bloody Snow, chock-full of spicy, cakey, festive flavours.
Stagger south of the centre to Renkli, a wine bar par excellence with candlelit tables and wine racks lining the walls. Pair fine vintages from Germany and beyond with bar snacks and antipasti, then relish the challenge of trying to utter the word ‘Waldstraßenviertel’ to your cabbie after one Riesling too many.
