Unfortunately, I visited the Zwinger at a time when the courtyard with the garden was being renovated. Still, it was amazing to walk through this place and enjoy its beauty. The pavilions built in the German Baroque style, the Crown Gate, the fountain with nymphs (Nymphenbad), Semperbau with the world-famous Old Masters Picture Gallery... all of this is definitely worth seeing. It takes quite a bit of time to go through all parts of the Zwinger, and if you include the Gallery, the porcelain collection and the Mathematical-Physical Salon in your tour, you will need several hours for it. I recommend buying a two-day ticket for €27, which allows you to visit all the interior spaces of the Zwinger, as well as the Palace, Albertinum and Lipsiusbau.

Visited using the Dresden Museum card which is currently €35 for 2 days. I think it's a bit misleading in that it suggests savings on individual entries when in fact the 3 places in the Zwinger are all included in the one price (similar with the 'Castle') but still a saving if used in other places too. However, don't underestimate the time required in these locations if you wish to fully appreciate what's on offer. At the moment, the courtyard is still under reconstruction. The parapet is accessible without any ticket and affords some interesting views of the Opera House next door and the chiming clock above the porcelain gallery, as well as the Castle. The Old Masters gallery is extensive and has some beautiful works of art well laid out over 3 floors. No bags are permitted but free lockers are available - you also cannot take in any water. I did but wasn't stopped by anyone until about halfway through when Frau Farbissina told me in no uncertain terms that it was verboten! First real time I was very tempted to retort ' Ja mein Fuhrer'. The Astronomical/Mathematical Instruments were accessed via the courtyard building site and again contained many interesting displays but by this time we were flagging and withdrew for lunch and much needed liquid refreshment. We went to a couple of other places after and it was a bit hit or miss whether we'd return to see the Porcelain collection but in the end we did and I have to say it was also really worth the effort. The entrance to this part was around the side closer to the castle and they had their own lockers there. We also managed to get onto the parapet there just before they shut the doors. The porcelain is well-curated with some original Chinese and Japanese wares as well the Meissen and there is clearly a degree of deserved pride on show.

If you like museums with old art, this is a great stop for you. They had a beautiful gallery of classic masters and an interesting exhibit of antiquities. I arrived around 11:00 and didn’t think it was too busy but after an hour the museum was fairly crowded. So if you enjoy a more relaxed and less peopled experience, suggest going in the morning after they open.

The castle courtyard was under construction and the entrance was difficult to find. You can buy tickets online, but if you tell the receptionist what you want to see, they will recommend a ticket for you, so you can buy it on the spot. To get to the Alte Meister Gallery, you have to go outside, go around the perimeter, and enter through a different entrance, but you can't get there from inside the building, so if you ask the receptionist, they will explain it to you carefully. It was a wonderful museum.

The Zwinger is a large building, with multiple wings containing various museums (and probably other areas, too). The interior courtyard was under construction when we visited, so we couldn't walk through what looks like a nice area per previous photos. But, the museums in the building were all still open, and we especially enjoyed the porcelain collection and the Mathematics/Physics museum. It was a little hard to figure out where they were, so we wandered around a bit to find them; hopefully the signage will be improved once the construction is complete.

Definitely worth visiting for the museums inside the building which is unique but be aware that the inner courtyard is under renovation and is essentially a building site. You can still walk around the outside and on the upper walkway, looking down into the courtyard. The exhibition of Meissen porcelain is outstanding.

Now this is the first things first in Dresden. It is the palace . It looks magnificent. The only thing was that there was a renovation inside and it is a bit frustrating not to see it. Also there is another problem. The indications where to buy ticket and go upstairs are lacking.