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TOP 10 attractions & experiences

Saxon Switzerland: these highlights should definitely be on your bucket list!

  • Rocky landscape of the Bastei with green trees and clouds in the background at sunrise.

    Bastei Bridge

    enjoy the view

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  • A woman with long hair sits on a bench, looking out over an expansive landscape of hills and clouds.

    Malerweg

    go for a short hike

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  • Steamship Travel

    Steamship Travel

    take a steamboat trip on the Elbe

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  • Two female cyclists in red shirts ride along a path, with rocks and trees in the background.

    Elbe Cycle Route

    enjoying a leisurely bike ride

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  • Rathen Open-Air Stage: A full open-air theatre in a natural setting with trees and rocks in the background.

    Rathen Open Air Stage

    Open-air theatre in the National Park

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  • Königstein Fortress: Aerial view of a castle on a hill, surrounded by green forests with a river in the background.

    Königstein Fortress

    conquering a legend on foot

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  • Yellow tram travelling through the green, wooded landscape of Saxon Switzerland National Park

    Kirnitzschtalbahn

    chugging into the national park by tram

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  • Three people, including a child, explore an interactive exhibition panel together.

    National Park Center

    explore the national park

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  • A tranquil river surrounded by rock walls, tall green trees and rocks reflected in the water.

    Boat Ride Upper Lock

    a relaxing boat trip through unspoilt countryside

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  • Façade of a historic building in Pirna's Old Town, with colourful windows and outdoor parasols.

    Pirna Old Town

    go for a stroll

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Bridge between rocks with trees and clouds in the sky, with the Neurathen rock gate in the background.

#1 Bastei Bridge

The Bastei Bridge is the landmark of Saxon Switzerland and our ‘little Great Wall of China’. Enjoy the view and explore the various vantage points.

#2 Painters' Way

The Painters' Way: 116 magnificent kilometres following in the footsteps of artists such as Caspar David Friedrich. There are eight stages. You should try at least one. And who knows where that might lead.

A female hiker stands on a rock overlooking a vast landscape, beside a weather vane and a tree.
View from a steamship across calm waters, with a boat and a building on the shore, surrounded by green hills.

#3 Steamboat Trips

It is worth changing your perspective more often. The rocky landscape looks entirely different from the water. Treat yourself to a new vantage point on a steamboat trip.

#4 Elbe Cycle Route

The Elbe Cycle Route is over 1,200 kilometres long, and the section in Saxon Switzerland is undoubtedly one of its most scenic stretches. It is also largely flat and smoothly paved. Our tip: enjoy a leisurely ride from Schmilka to Pirna.

Two cyclists ride along the Elbe Cycle Route, surrounded by green hills and trees.
Actor standing on an outdoor stage, with rock formations and a blue sky

#5 Rathen Open-Air Stage

Our Rathen Open-Air Stage is an open-air theatre in the heart of the national park. Whether musicals, fairy tales or grand opera, there is something for every taste.

#6 Königstein Fortress

There is, of course, a lift to the fortress plateau. However, those wishing to experience Königstein in its original form should conquer it on foot through the dark access passage.

View of the historic Königstein Fortress on a rocky plateau, surrounded by trees and mist
A yellow tram travels through a verdant forest with trees, a small river and lush undergrowth.

#7 Kirnitzschtal Tramway

Even Kate Winslet has travelled on our Kirnitzschtal Tramway. Our tip: Enjoy a leisurely journey to the Lichtenhain Waterfall, combine it with a hike to the Kuhstall, then take the tram back to Bad Schandau.

#8 National Park Centre

Why are fallen trees simply left where they lie? How did the rock formations here develop? You will find the answers at the National Park Centre in Bad Schandau. Anyone wishing to learn more about the area in which they are holidaying should certainly pay it a visit.

A father and daughter interact with a large, round object in an exhibition room.
Green trees surround a narrow river in a deep gorge. A boat can be seen in the background.

#9 Boat Trip at the Upper Lock

In Venice, gondolas glide through narrow corridors between buildings; at the Upper Lock, you will be gently punted past moss-covered rock faces and through wonderfully verdant surroundings. This is relaxation in its purest form.

#10 Pirna Old Town

Fancy following in Canaletto's footsteps? Enjoying a delicious meal or taking a relaxing coffee break? You can do all this in Pirna's lovingly restored old town. And what would a holiday be without a little shopping trip?

Colourful house façades along a cobbled street in Pirna's old town in sunny weather.