Hiking in Saxon Switzerland

The number one outdoor activity in the Saxon Switzerland is undoubtedly hiking for young and old! In addition to the multi-day "Painter's Way Elbe Sandstone Mountains," there are hiking trails of different levels, rewarding visitors with spectacular views of the Elbe landscape, peaceful forest walks, or thrilling climbing routes all year round.

In this post, I will tell you about the most worthwhile hikes and give you tips for planning your trip to Saxon Switzerland.

The Elbe Sandstone Mountains region offers over 1,100 km of marked hiking trails, making it a paradise for hikers.

The Saxon Switzerland National Park is Germany's only rock national park and is considered one of the most beautiful parks in Europe. Why? Simply put, nowhere else will you find such a stunning, wild sandstone mountain landscape as here.

Expect rugged rock walls, suddenly emerging cliffs amidst mystical forest foliage. Just when you think you're trapped in a magical world where you expect a little fairy around every corner, you find yourself just ten minutes later at a dizzying height, marveling at the majestic table mountains around which the Elbe winds.

The Elbe Sandstone Mountains, which the Saxon Switzerland belongs to, are simply breathtaking. Artists of the Romantic era recognized this over 200 years ago and tried to capture the adventurous romance in their works.

The diverse flora and fauna will also astonish you. Between beeches and white firs, you can recently spot the peregrine falcon again, but with a bit of luck, you might also see a kingfisher, alongside lynxes, beavers, and dormice. With 93.5 square kilometers, Saxon Switzerland is one of the smallest natural parks in Germany but is no less impressive.

The hikes in Saxon Switzerland are characterized by a wonderfully colorful and natural diversity. You can choose short and relaxed routes, but also extensive and demanding ones to exert your body and free your mind.

Saxon Switzerland invites both young and old with its charms. The area is a paradise for outdoor activities: hikers of all levels and climbers will find joy here. For cyclists, the Elbe Cycle Path is a great option, which you can follow all the way to the Czech Republic heading east. Meanwhile, mountain bikers head straight into the forests.

Even those just wanting to unwind will find the right wellness accommodations here.

Traveling with children is also a great option in Saxon Switzerland, where the little ones can climb and experience true adventures in the mountains or even on the water.

Saxon Switzerland is worth a visit at any time. Even if the locals might look at you sideways in the winter, wondering what you are doing there, it is simply magical. I was there myself in winter and loved the quiet and solitude.

In summer, however, you must expect tourists to swarm in, especially during the German Hiking Day in August, when it gets crowded. Dresden is not far away, and thus Saxon Switzerland is also a great change of pace for day trips from the city.

My tip: Use the off-season and especially the time in April and October to enjoy Saxon Switzerland in magnificent colors and with a bit more tranquility.

THE hiking route simply is the Painter's Way. Opened in 2006, the hike follows the reconstructed paths that the Romantic artists took 200 years ago to create sketches and field studies for their dreamlike works.

With its 112 kilometers, the path is considered one of the most beautiful hiking routes in Germany and traverses the entire area of the national park on its circular route.

Route: The 8-day stage starts from Liebethaler Grund near Pirna to the town of Wehlen, over the famous Bastei through Rathen, past the Schrammsteine to the Czech border in Schmilka, where the hiking trail crosses the Elbe. It then leads back to Pirna, passing through Königstein.

Overnight stays: You can either stay in various accommodations at the end of each day's stage or camp at a campsite. Wild camping is not allowed along the way, and there are no bivouacs or huts available.

Hiking pass: Like any long-distance hiking trail, the Painter's Way has a hiking pass that you can get stamped at each stage.

Single stages and day trips: Of course, you don't have to hike the Painter's Way all at once. Many people simply do individual stages.

The two most beautiful stops for fans of Romantic painting are the Neurathener Felsentor at kilometer 17, which is considered the main motif of Friedrich's 'Rocky Gorge.' And at kilometer 72, at the Kaiserkrone, is the rock group where Friedrich's 'Wanderer above the Sea of Fog' stands. Just writing this makes my artistic heart race.

More information on stages, routes, and planning for hiking on the Painter's Way

In the small spa town of Rathen lies one of the highlights of Saxon Switzerland. Here, about 193 meters above the Elbe, stands one of the symbols of Romanticism: the famous Bastei Bridge. From there, you can enjoy a great vista of the Elbe and the vastness behind it, while on the other side are the remnants of the Neurathen rock castle.

Visiting the ruins costs admission in the summer, but in winter the small ticket booth is usually unstaffed and only asks for a donation.

Route: We approached our visit to the Bastei differently from many visitors. From the visitor parking lot, we hiked first to the Schwedenlöcher and started our circular walk there. You should definitely indulge yourself in this.

For the Schwedenlöcher, which is a narrow rocky basin at the Bastei massif, are more than impressive. They lead down via walkways and stairs into the Amselgrund. But most of the time, I was occupied looking up, feeling so small in the rocky gorges.

On the day of our hike, thick clouds loomed over the sky, making the place seem almost enchanted. The thick moss wound its way down the rock walls, and there was even an icicle hanging beside a small brook. I was enchanted-like on a fairytale secret path. The name of this massif comes from the people who hid here during the Thirty Years' War from the marauding Swedes, who wandered about looting and burning after the war. In these woods, you could hide very well.

Upon arriving at Amselgrund, follow the path back towards the Bastei, and of course, you have to climb all those steps back up. In the end, you will be rewarded with a fantastic view of the Elbe.

Duration: Circular route, 2 to 3 hours.

To get there by car: Between Bad Schandau and Schmilka, you will find an exit to Ostrau on the left Elbe side. Take that exit and you can park either at the Schrammsteinbaude (where delicious vegan specialties are served) or a little further up in the parking lot.

Route: From there, follow the path and you will find yourself in the forest within two minutes on one of the many (not so) secret fairytale paths.

Especially in the off-season, you are almost alone here, and I marveled like a child at the massive boulders scattered throughout the landscape. We followed the path, and soon landed at the Schrammsteinaussicht. However, it wasn't so easy to get up there, as it involved climbing ladders to the 417-meter-high viewpoint.

But once at the top, we were presented with an impressive view of the rock formations of Falkenstein, Bloßstock, and Wildenstein. Not to mention the view of the Elbe! Just at that moment, the clouds parted and gifted us a bit of sun and blue sky!

Alternative Route: You can also hike to the Schrammsteinaussicht from the opposite direction at the border town of Schmilka. It is best to stock up on provisions and perhaps even a beer from the organic brewery at the Bio-Mühle here.

Getting there by bus: If you are traveling without a car or don't want to walk back, you can take bus line 252 from Schrammsteinbaude back to Bad Schandau.

Duration: 3 hours round trip.

The hike was considerably more challenging than the route from Amselgrund up to the Bastei. But the effort is worth it.

If you want something a bit more intense, I can recommend the 14.6 km hike over the Himmelsleiter. It challenges you with 500 m of elevation gain and loss. You will pass the hiking highlight Häntzschelstiege and the Idagrotte. The path leads you further along the Affenstein promenade to the so-called Kuhstall and finally to Himmelsleiter, which gives you a breathtaking view of the valley after climbing through a narrow gorge.

The Lilienstein is the 415-meter-high table mountain visible from afar near Königstein. It is one of the most distinctive mountains of the Elbe Sandstone Mountains and is considered the landmark of the national park.

The viewpoints can be accessed from April to October. At the top, during the peak season, you can also enjoy a cool Radler in the rock lodge.

Starting point of the hike is Königstein. From there, take the ferry across the Elbe to the district of Halbestadt and follow the paved path and signs to the left.

At the summit, you can also enjoy panoramic views and, during the peak season, a cool beer in the rock lodge.

Duration: approx. 2.5 hours with ascent & descent.

The Affensteine lie east of the Schrammsteine and feature another highlight. Here stands the 458-meter-high Carolafelsen with a valley view to the west.

Duration: varies depending on the starting point. Route suggestions can be found here.

Tunnel-shaped cave formation in the sandstone karst near Bad Schandau. You can reach Kuhstall using the Kirnitzschtalbahn to the Lichtenhainer Waterfall.

Route suggestions can be found here.

Here, nature meets technology, and you will hike from mill to mill along the mountain stream.

Bohemian Switzerland National Park The adjacent national park with its famous rock gate lies just around the corner on the Czech side of the Elbe Sandstone Mountains and is far less visited by tourists than Saxon Switzerland.

Recommended hiking tours

To best protect nature, special rules apply in the nature reserve. There is a so-called core zone. This zone may only be entered on the designated hiking paths. Camping is also explicitly prohibited here. Please respect these rules and nature. Thank you.

Not all hiking trails are suitable for everyone. The mountainous terrain is traversed by deep gorges and presents several challenges. Stairs and steps can make it difficult for wheelchair users and also for dogs to access certain parts of the trails.

However, there are some alternatives that are no less beautiful. For example, there's the path to the rock gate through Uttewalder Grund, which extends 7 km starting in the town of Wehlen through the woods. There are also some hiking routes specifically designed for dog owners.

For your visit to Saxon Switzerland, you don't need a car. From Dresden, you can conveniently reach everywhere by Deutsche Bahn while traveling on one of the most beautiful train routes in Germany. For example, the EuroCity train to Prague runs along the right side of the Elbe and even stops in Königstein. From Dresden, regional trains or the S-Bahn line 1 run regularly. Since the trains stop on the right bank of the Elbe, you also get to enjoy taking the ferry to places like Bad Schandau or Schmilka.

Should you choose to drive, take the A17 motorway from Dresden towards Prague to the Pirna exit. From there, follow the B172a or B172 towards Bad Schandau.

Of course, you can also travel to Saxon Switzerland by boat. From Dresden, the famous paddle steamers or diesel boats cruise up the Elbe, dropping you right in the mountains.

You can find more information about traveling with the Saxon paddle steamers on their website.

The Elbe Cycle Path runs directly through Saxon Switzerland, which you can follow from Dresden. It is about 40 kilometers to get to the mountains from there.

You can find all information about the Elbe Cycle Path here.

Saxon Switzerland boasts a well-developed bus network. That's why many accommodations explicitly recommend traveling without a car. Especially in the high season, but also in spring and early autumn, the line buses go to most hiking exits. In some areas, such as Kirnitzschtal, an old train line also runs to the hiking paths.

Here are the bus schedules.

As diverse as the landscape is, so is the range of accommodations available in Saxon Switzerland. From wellness hotels to campsites, and even hostels, you will find a sleeping option for every budget. It is advisable to book early during the peak season. To also meet some of the locals in Saxony, I recommend a guesthouse with breakfast.

In Saxon Switzerland, there are accommodations of all categories. There are many holiday apartments, and we can recommend these:

I highly recommend the Bio-Hotel Helvetia in Schmilka. Located right on the Elbe, you will be pampered from head to toe. Health and comfort are emphasized here. The rooms are mainly furnished with bio-construction wood materials that have their unique style. You can either have a room with a view of the Elbe panorama or facing the mountain.

My visual highlight was the restaurant and guest area on the ground floor. In the library, you can simply unwind with a good book during bad weather or spend hours at the breakfast buffet. Most of the ingredients come from the hotel's own herb garden right in front of the house. In winter, you will receive delicious jams and spreads that were prepared in the last summer. Everything is organic, and vegetarians and vegans will also find plenty to enjoy. Even the rolls come from the local organic bakery.

If you want to truly relax, you're not far away. On the top floor, alternative practitioner and nutritionist Norbert Schützner has his practice, where you can get a soothing massage. Or you can stroll into the village, where the hotel's bathing house is located. The panoramic sauna comes with a bio sauna and a Finnish sauna, as well as a spacious relaxation room. Truly a dream!

Have you ever gone hiking in Saxon Switzerland? How did you like it? Where else should I go?

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