Malerweg Part 2

Any visitor's taxes incurred are NOT included in the tour price and must be paid locally.

Please refer to the standard information form for travellers on package travel contracts pursuant to Section 651a of the German Civil Code

• For organisational reasons, this hiking tour can only be booked up to 10 days before the arrival date.
• For the tours, we recommend sturdy ankle-high hiking boots and a small rucksack for provisions and rainwear.
• A good basic level of fitness, sure-footedness and a head for heights are required for this hiking holiday.
• The full list of booked accommodation is provided on the travel confirmation/invoice and will only be sent to the guest by the tour operator together with the relevant documents after the trip has been booked.
• Communication during the trip is available in the following language: German
• This trip is not suitable for guests with reduced mobility.
• German nationals must carry currently valid identity documents. All other travellers should observe the applicable passport and visa requirements and deadlines. Your embassy will be pleased to provide further information.
• Please also note the information in the terms and conditions of the tour operator CORSO …die reiseagentur
• The Saxon Switzerland Tourist Association acts solely as an intermediary for this trip.

• Day 1: Independent journey to Bad Schandau
  Travel independently by train or car to Bad Schandau.
• Day 2: Bad Schandau - Kirnitzsch Valley - Schmilka  (approx. 17 km)
  The historic Kirnitzsch Valley Tramway (included in the mobile guest card) takes you conveniently from Bad Schandau directly to the starting point of the hike at the Lichtenhain Waterfall.
  After visiting the waterfall, the route continues to the Kuhstall rock arch, the second-largest rock arch in the Elbe Sandstone Mountains after the Pravčice Gate. Do not miss the somewhat concealed ascent through the narrow rock crevice known as the Himmelsleiter. The remains of Wildenstein Castle can still be discovered on the rocky plateau. After the descent, the Malerweg follows the Haussteig back into the Kirnitzsch Valley. From the Felsenmühle onwards, the Malerweg runs upstream alongside the cheerfully babbling Kirnitzsch to the Neumannmühle and Buschmühle mills, continuing to the remarkable Kleinsteinhöhle cave. Follow the road towards Räumichtmühle and turn into the Mühlschlüchte ravines shortly before reaching it. Passing the Altes Zeughaus, hike via Pohlshorn and the Goldstein viewpoint to the beech-covered basalt summit of the Großer Winterberg (556m). The “Eishaus” National Park Information Centre is located here. The stepped mountain path soon takes you to Schmilka, where a visit to the Schmilka Mill, with its mill garden and bakery, is recommended. Overnight stay in Schmilka
• Day 3: Schmilka - Gohrisch spa resort  (approx. 16 km)
  Take the ferry to the left bank of the Elbe and hike via the Aschersteig trail to Schöna.
  A short detour to the Kaiserkrone offers delightful views. Continue to Wolfsberg and Reinhardtsdorf. Discover a gem of Baroque ecclesiastical architecture in Reinhardtsdorf. The church in Reinhardtsdorf is one of the oldest and most beautiful churches in this area. From Reinhardtsdorf, the Malerweg continues into the Krippenbach Valley. Two “highlights” await you later in this stage: at 451 and 440 metres respectively, the Papststein and Gohrisch are the highest points on the Malerweg after the Großer Winterberg. Our insider tip for this stage is to stop for refreshments at the mountain inn on the Papststein. The Muselweg takes you to the Gohrisch spa resort. Overnight stay in the Gohrisch spa resort
• Day 4: Gohrisch spa resort - Weißig  (approx. 17 km)
  From the Gohrisch spa resort, follow the Malerweg route via Heideberg to the Pfaffenstein.
  Those wishing to avoid the steep ascent through the Nadelöhr should follow the hiking trail to the right around the Pfaffenstein for an easier climb. On the table mountain, the sometimes narrow path leads across stairways and through rock crevices to the legendary “Barbarine”. According to legend, the rock pinnacle bearing this name is a petrified maiden. Descend from the Pfaffenstein via the Kammerweg and hike towards the Quirl. The largest cave in Saxon Switzerland, the Diebskeller, is located on this table mountain.  From Pfaffendorf, the Malerweg takes you into the Elbe Valley and through the narrow lanes of Königstein’s old town. From here, hike via the Latzweg to the famous Königstein Fortress. Allow approximately 2 hours to visit Königstein Fortress. After a short stretch along the Malerweg, you will reach the Biedermann Mausoleum. The Thiele viewpoint awaits you here, offering a panorama across the Elbe and towards the Lilienstein, as well as back to Königstein Fortress. Those with a sweet tooth should not miss the opportunity to visit the chocolate manufactory at Thürmsdorf Palace. It is now only a few kilometres to your destination for this stage, the small village of Weißig. Overnight stay in Weißig
• Day 5: Weißig - Pirna  (approx. 13 km)
  The final stage of your walking holiday offers relaxed hiking. The trail ascends the Rauenstein, the final summit of the Malerweg.
  The Robert Sterl House in Naundorf is well worth a visit. One of the few artists’ residences in Germany to have been preserved in its original condition, the museum safeguards the artistic legacy of the Impressionist painter Robert Sterl. Passing former quarries, the Malerweg takes you to the Königsnase, which offers another view across the Elbe Valley. Shortly before Pirna, the Malerweg joins the Canalettoweg and ultimately ends in Pirna’s market square. Stroll through the picturesque historic old town with its elaborately decorated town houses, discovering distinctive details such as the Devil’s and Angel’s oriel windows. The Canaletto House is also situated on the market square and was named after the creation of the painting “The Market Square at Pirna”. Bernardo Bellotto, known as Canaletto and court painter to the Saxon court, immortalised Pirna in his works as the only small town he ever depicted. A total of eleven large cityscapes were created between 1753 and 1755. Pirna’s historic old town has many pleasant restaurants, some of which feature romantic courtyards. Overnight stay in Pirna
• Day 6: Independent return journey from Pirna