Halle (Saale), also called Halle an der Saale, is the largest city in the German State of Saxony-Anhalt, with a population of 235,000 on an area of 135 sq km and is 40 km from Leipzig, a major city in the eastern part of Germany.
How to Get There:
The only airport serving Halle is Halle-Leipzig, more within Leipzig than in Halle. Leipzig/Halle Airport can now be used right round the clock, using the very latest in air traffic control systems, rendering non-stop intercontinental traffic possible. The new Central Terminal combines a long-distance railway station with ICE traffic capability. At Leipzig/Halle Airport the transport media of rail, road, and air are linked together efficiently. Leipzig/Halle Airport is also connected directly to the Deutsche Bahn long-distance rail network. Leipzig is now only 16 minutes from Halle. A bus service to Halle is available. There are many hotels that provide hotel transfers, but most of them are in and around Leipzig. Halle has two autobahn connections.
What to See:
Halle has 124 sports clubs with facilities in 63 places. You can also spend free time in the zoo, the botanical garden, at the race course, on the Peissnitz island in the Saale, along the banks of the river or in one of the five cinemas. The Handel Festival, (for children's choirs), the Lantern and Salt festivals to celebrate, the State Gallery in the Moritzburg, the old city cemetery, the buildings housing Francke's foundations, the Dom church, the library of the Marienkirche, as well as performances to enjoy at the Opera House; Giebichenstein Castle and Halle-Neustadt. Halle has a racecourse where it conducts horse races and the Mayor of Halle presents the best trainer, jockey and owner with honorary prizes in the form of salt crystals at the end of every racing season.
Where to Eat:
Halle has very many restaurants serving international cuisine and the Ankerhof Hotel, Bergschenke Kröllwitz, Dompfaff, Hallenser Kartoffelhaus, Hotel + Restaurant Schweizer Hof, Krug zum Grünen Kranze and the Palais S are some prominent names.
Hotels:
There are only three hotels in Halle, the Maritim, Mercure Alba and the Gerry Weber Sportpark, of which Mercure Alba offers rooms in the mid-range and the other two are quite expensive, relatively.
