Read the old town through your interests
The area between the Frauenkirche, palace and Zwinger contains many recognisable buildings. First decide whether you mainly want architecture in the streets or time inside a collection. An outdoor route can connect squares and façades; a substantial museum visit requires a smaller remaining radius. Either makes a complete day without entering every famous doorway.
The Elbe then creates some distance from the closely grouped buildings. Around Brühl's Terrace and the neighbouring waterfront, the perspective and pace change. Choose an approach that suits your mobility, since a terrace marked on a map says little about steps. If high water or closures affect lower paths, use the signed alternative on higher ground.
Cross deliberately instead of repeatedly
Make the move to the opposite bank a considered part of the day. Looking back at the old-town skyline belongs to the crossing, but it should not depend on arriving at a tightly scheduled Neustadt appointment. If you have a restaurant reservation or event, allow for orientation and pauses as well as the walking time.
Albertplatz is a useful reference point for a Neustadt walk. From there, concentrate on a few streets instead of turning every interesting address into a zigzag route. Neustadt is a living neighbourhood of shops, restaurants and ordinary routines. Courtyards and passages are not unrestricted photographic sets; observe signs and leave residential entrances clear.
Let the two days feel different
Place one major indoor visit on the Altstadt day. Keep the other more open: a later breakfast, a neighbourhood walk and time for a shop or café that catches your attention. Each part of the city then has its own role. Rain may justify moving an exhibition, but try not to spend the day travelling back and forth across the Elbe every hour.
When choosing a hotel, consider where your evenings will take place. Staying near the Altstadt museums saves daytime journeys; a Neustadt room may fit your evening plans better. The specific street and position of the room tell you more than the district name alone.
Your departure station matters too. Dresden Hauptbahnhof and Dresden-Neustadt are separate stations. Before the final walk, note where you will collect your luggage and how you will then reach the correct platform. This permits a calm finish without abandoning your second neighbourhood earlier than necessary.
