Leipzig Communist Past: Self-Guided Audio Tour

The Stasi secret police operated from a building you'll stand in front of on this tour.

This self-guided audio tour of Leipzig uses GPS and the VoiceMap app to trigger narration automatically as you walk through the city's medieval center, retracing the steps of 1980s protesters who defied the East German regime. Download the tour, start anytime, and explore at your own pace. You can pause for photos or linger at any stop. The app works offline and gives you lifetime access to the full route in English.

Step-by-step itinerary

Self-guided walking tour of Leipzig

• Start outside the Hauptbahnhof
• Walk along the Brühl
• Pass through Höfe am Brühl
• Pass by Museum der Bildenden Künste
• Pass by Reformierte Kirche
• Pass by Richard Wagner Platz
• Pass by Thomaskirche
• Pass by Naschmarkt
• Walk along Mädler Passage
• Pass by Speck's Hof
• Pass by Nikolaikirche
• Pass by Augustusplatz
• Pass by Gewandhaus
• End by Moritzbastei

The experience

You download the VoiceMap app, load this tour, and start walking from outside the Hauptbahnhof whenever you're ready. The narration triggers automatically by GPS as you reach each site: the Museum in der Runden Ecke (the former Stasi headquarters), the Nikolaikirche where the "People Power" movement gathered, the Thomaskirche, the Gewandhaus, and a dozen other stops woven through Leipzig's medieval streets. Because the audio is location-based, you don't need to follow a rigid schedule or worry about missing a cue. The story unfolds as you arrive at each place.

The route takes you along the Brühl, through the Höfe am Brühl, past the Museum der Bildenden Künste, and down the Mädler Passage: a walk that covers the city's core in roughly two to four hours, depending on how long you stop. You hear stories of fear, courage, and the protests that helped tear down the Berlin Wall, all narrated to the exact moment and place where those events unfolded. The app includes offline maps and geodata, so you don't need a data connection once you've downloaded it.

Admission fees to museums or churches along the route are not included, but the tour itself gives you the context to decide which ones matter to you. You'll need your own smartphone and headphones, and the app works on both Android and iOS. Once you've downloaded it, you have lifetime access to this tour in English.

What’s included

• VoiceMap app for Android and iOS.
• lifetime access to the full tour in English.
• offline audio, maps and directions.
• GPS-triggered narration that starts automatically when you reach each stop.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day

AgesAdult (6 and older) · Under 6: can't be booked

GroupPrivate

Audio guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends at a different place from where it starts.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 3 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortStroller-friendlyPublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by VoiceMap Audio Tours

Is this one for you?This tour moves at your pace. You walk the route yourself and can stop, photograph, or linger as long as you want. It suits anyone who prefers to explore without a guide's schedule or group rhythm, and who has a smartphone and headphones ready.

Traveler reviews

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Top questions

What is the Museum in der Runden Ecke and why does the tour spend time there?

The Museum in der Runden Ecke is the former headquarters of the Stasi, East Germany's secret police. The tour uses this location to reveal what life was like under surveillance and state control during the 1980s.

Can I start this tour whenever I want, or is there a set departure time?

You start whenever you want. Download the app, arrive at the Hauptbahnhof, and begin walking. The GPS-triggered narration will guide you through the route at your own pace.

How long does the walk take?

The route typically takes between two and four hours, depending on how long you pause at each stop for photos or reflection.

What do I need to bring or download to do this tour?

You need a smartphone with the VoiceMap app installed (available for Android and iOS), headphones, and an internet connection to download the tour initially. After that, the audio and maps work offline.

Does the tour include entry to the churches and museums it passes?

No. The tour narrates the history and context of sites like the Nikolaikirche and Thomaskirche as you walk past them, but admission fees are separate if you choose to enter.