Wellness & health 

Also located in Bad Schandau, idyllically set within its own extensive parkland, is the Parkhotel Bad Schandau. This traditional four-star hotel features a spacious wellness area in its Wohlfühl-Vitallounge and an exceptionally comprehensive range of beauty treatments, from wonderfully light Haslauer Soft Pack body wraps to exclusive Far Eastern facial treatments.

Wellness rituals are a key focus at the “Bio- und Nationalparkrefugium Schmilka”. The village complex offers numerous accommodation options, such as Hotel Helvetia and Hotel zur Mühle. What they all have in common is that, in addition to visiting the bathhouse at the Mühlenhof with its saunas, guests can also take part in the weekly rituals. The programme includes yoga by the Elbe, qigong, herbal walks and sound meditation, among other activities. Wellness treatments and massages can also be booked at the on-site naturopathic practice.

A soothing sight: at the Laurichhof design hotel in Copitz, a district of Pirna, mosses, ferns and grasses grow from the ceiling of the relaxation room, creating a calming experience close to nature. The hotel’s wellness area also offers an experience sauna, massages and physiotherapy sessions for guests wishing to take a break from their holiday.

The Toskana Therme, located directly on the banks of the Elbe in Bad Schandau, invites visitors to “immerse themselves in another world”. Here, that other world is called Liquid Sound and offers pure relaxation in a soothing bath of sounds, colours and lights. Guests can float weightlessly in the warm salt water and surrender to their sensory perceptions. The Toskana Therme also features an extensive aquatic and sauna experience area as well as a wellness park.

With its 100-metre giant slide, the Geibeltbad in Pirna offers active bathing fun for the whole family all year round. It features a water playground for toddlers with its own “beach”, a heated outdoor pool with massage and revitalising features, as well as an open-air pool with spacious outdoor grounds and a 10-metre diving platform. The stylish sauna area, with its thoroughly pleasant atmosphere, is ideal for rest and relaxation.

The bathhouse at the “Bio- und Nationalparkrefugium” in Schmilka near Bad Schandau offers a uniquely relaxing experience. The panoramic sauna boasts magnificent views of the picturesque mill courtyard and, in addition to an organic sauna (65–70°C) and a traditional Finnish sauna (90°C), features a cosy relaxation room with loungers and hanging chairs, as well as a small sauna garden. The mill courtyard also features a hot tub, where the daily sauna ritual begins at 3 pm.

Idyllically nestled in the romantic Gottleuba Valley, where Saxon Switzerland meets the Eastern Ore Mountains, lies the long-established twin spa town of Bad Gottleuba-Berggießhübel. The town of Bad Gottleuba-Berggießhübel was formed in 1999 from the original peat spa of Bad Gottleuba and Berggießhübel, Saxony's first officially recognised Kneipp spa. To this day, two long-established rehabilitation clinics and spas, among other facilities, offer everything required for rapid and effective recuperation and rehabilitation. Hiking trails, such as those leading to the Forellensteig and the reservoir, provide opportunities for active recreation. Regular cultural events, along with a visit to the salt barn or the underground lake in the "Marie Louise Stolln" mine, complete a restorative break in the twin spa town.

At the foot of the famous Bastei Bridge, amid the impressive landscape of Saxon Switzerland National Park, lies the spa resort of Rathen. This traffic-calmed village of 400 inhabitants is ideal for those seeking to unwind in unspoilt natural surroundings, far removed from everyday life. Countless certified and excellently maintained hiking trails to suit every ability and preference can be found among the sandstone cliffs and in the wildly romantic ravines. Hikers and walkers can enjoy many magnificent views – and not only from the famous Bastei Bridge.

The varied landscape gives Sebnitz a distinctive appeal as a leisure and recreation region. The surrounding districts are particularly well suited to active as well as relaxing outdoor breaks. A well-signposted, extensive network of cycling and hiking trails invites visitors to explore the local area. The main attraction for visitors is Saxon Switzerland National Park, with its bizarre rock formations. The district of Hinterhermsdorf is the first place in Saxon Switzerland to have been certified as a “family-friendly holiday destination”. One of the region’s most popular attractions is a punt trip on the Upper Lock. In addition, since 1898, the Kirnitzschtal tramway has carried passengers from Bad Schandau to the Lichtenhain Waterfall and is the only tramway to enter a national park. Sebnitz is the largest state-recognised resort in Saxony.