Leipzig's Hauptbahnhof, or main train station, is one of the largest in Europe, and also one of the…read moremost beautiful, architecturally. It's incredibly easy to navigate, with useful timetables and information desks in clear evidence. It's ideally located, right next to the historic, walkable city center and many hotels. It also houses the Promenaden shopping center, which is not merely a place to pick up a snack or a souvenir, but a full-fledged mall with over 80 stores - a vibrant, enjoyable place to walk around and shop. Maybe it seems a little odd to get so enthusiastic about a train station - but I really love this place.

Leipzig's central railway station is located right in the middle of the city center, so you don't…read morehave to use public transportation when you arrive, since most of the sights can be reached on food. Upper level tracks are used for regional and intercity trains, while there's an S-Bahn station on the lower level. The railway station is very clean compared to other European rail stations, a historic building which worth a visit even if you don't go anywhere by train. There's a huge indoor mall in the same building with some stores, and a lot of dining options. There's a Starbucks, a Dunkin Donuts, a Subway and a Pizza Hut restaurant, just a few to mention. It is well connected to the local light rail system and the S-Bahn, just like Nikolaistraße, one of Leipzig's pedestrianized shopping streets.

Höfe am Brühl is simply the best, and probably the only really good indoor shopping mall in…read moreLeipzig. It has a perfect downtown location not far from the central railway station, however, there's no underground connection between the mall and the recently opened S-bahn station. Since its opening the earlier deserted and a bit run down northern and western parts of the city centre got a new life. It has some great clothing stores, like Monki, H&M, Hallhuber or Mavi, but there are also a lot of options in case you want to eat something. It's sometimes unbearably crowded on Saturdays, and unfortunately it's closed on Sundays, just like anything in Germany.