Things you never forget:
your first kiss, your first true love, your first trip to Saxon Switzerland.
To make your first time in Saxon Switzerland unforgettable, we have compiled 10 valuable tips and useful information for you:
of the Elbe Sandstone Mountains is truly unique!
Striking table mountains amid a unique rocky landscape, narrow gorges, idyllic forests, and the River Elbe flowing through the valley – the Saxon Switzerland National Park region is truly one of a kind! That is why this wonderful corner of the world holds such a special place in our hearts. Preserving this treasure for future generations is a cause very close to our hearts. Did you know that you can help?
Guidance from the state-owned enterprise Sachsenforst on fairness and consideration when enjoying forests and nature:
Enjoy nature
Enjoy nature with all your senses. Avoid making noise. Protect the forest and the natural environment in your own interest and for those who come after you.
Protect plants and animals
Treat Saxony’s natural areas and the plants and animals living within them with care and respect. They are often unique and rare. By keeping to existing paths, you reduce the risk of damaging sensitive plants or disturbing animals.
Be mindful of forestry work
Natural areas always have an owner. The owner manages and maintains the land and makes it available for recreational use. Be aware that forestry work is carried out in the forest. You should therefore always expect forestry operations, obstacles, uneven paths or vehicles when travelling through the forest.
Show consideration for others
People visit forests and natural areas for various reasons. Be considerate towards other visitors. We all have the same right to enjoy nature.
Prevent forest fires
Open fires, barbecues and smoking are not permitted in the forest due to the risk of fire. Do not discard any burning or smouldering objects in the forest. Even a small spark can cause a forest fire.
Do not leave any litter
Litter does not belong in nature, is harmful to animals and encourages parasites, pests and diseases. Plan your visit so as to avoid waste, and take everything you brought with you back home.
Keep bodies of water clean
Polluting our bodies of water endangers valuable habitats for many animals and plants, as well as the quality of water as an essential basis of life.
Respect protected areas
Protected areas and ecologically highly sensitive sites are particularly valuable. Special provisions, such as those governing access rights, apply to protect them.
Be careful and cautious
Be prepared for unforeseen situations: remember to bring suitable equipment, such as appropriate clothing and footwear, as well as tools, provisions and a first-aid kit. Nature also involves hazards – always be alert to falling branches and toppling trees. You therefore enter at your own risk.
What would the world be without national parks? In them, humanity preserves its most valuable natural landscapes for future generations. "Let nature be nature" is the guiding principle of the global national park movement. This means that people confine themselves to the role of amazed and inquisitive observers. National parks are not only fascinating refuges for rare species of flora and fauna. They are also idyllic recreational areas for their visitors. Saxon Switzerland National Park is no exception. It is Germany's only non-Alpine rocky national park - and, at 94 km2, one of the smallest in the Federal Republic. The protected area comprises two sections on the right bank of the Elbe. The smaller section surrounds the spa town of Rathen. The main section extends eastwards from Bad Schandau to the Czech border, where it adjoins Bohemian Switzerland National Park.
Did you know that national park status confers the highest level of landscape and nature conservation worldwide? It is therefore very important to observe the following rules in the national park:
Hike, hike, hike: Saxon Switzerland is simply made for hiking! The national park region, rich in forests and rock formations, is criss-crossed by a network of well-signposted trails.
On the German side of the Elbe Sandstone Mountains alone, there are a total of 1,200 km of marked trails. Of these, 400 kilometres are located within the national park. And the best thing about it is that our hiking region offers the perfect experience for every taste. Those seeking a relaxing panoramic stroll will find just what they are looking for, as will ambitious sports hikers.
Here are 3 easy and 3 more challenging tour suggestions:
3 easy tours
3 challenging tours
A positive outlook is not only an attitude to life, but also broadens your horizons – especially here in Saxon Switzerland. We have not counted them yet, but we promise there are more than four excellent viewpoints in the Elbe Sandstone Mountains.
Incidentally, to enjoy excellent views here, you do not need to scale climbing peaks daringly or undertake arduous, hours-long ascents. We have compiled our four favourite viewpoints for you here. You can choose whether to reach them via a short route or as part of a longer hike.
Tip
A–Z of alternative excursion destinations
Everyone is familiar with buses and trains, but here we also have ferries, steamships, a lift and even a tram in the national park! Saxon Switzerland is a public transport paradise. You will see – you can easily leave your car in the car park at your accommodation. This is not only good for the environment, but also for your wallet. Did you know that parking charges increase the further you travel into the national park?! The situation is particularly precarious in the Kirnitzsch Valley due to the limited number of parking spaces available. The search for one of these scarce parking spaces can quickly lead to frustration and dampen your anticipation of your hiking adventure!
Incidentally, public transport by bus and train is included for almost all overnight guests with the mobile guest card.
Regional bus services cover the entire region. Key interchange points between the S-Bahn and bus services are Pirna Central Bus Station, Reißiger Platz in Königstein and Bad Schandau National Park Station.
The U28 National Park Railway runs every two hours from Děčín via Bad Schandau and Sebnitz to Rumburk and back. It provides access to destinations in the Elbe Valley, the ruggedly romantic Sebnitz Valley and the Šluknov Hook.
The S1 S-Bahn line follows the course of the Elbe, connecting Saxon Switzerland with Dresden and Meissen. The S1 runs hourly between Schöna and Bad Schandau and every 30 minutes between Bad Schandau and Pirna.
A total of eight ferry crossings ensure that passengers can travel from one bank of the Elbe to the other without getting their feet wet. The hiking boat runs up to four times daily from Bad Schandau via Krippen/Postelwitz and Schmilka to Hřensko and back.
The classic way to experience the Elbe and the Elbe Sandstone Mountains is aboard a historic paddle steamer. Scheduled services operate from Pirna to Hřensko from mid-April until the end of October.
For more than 120 years, the Kirnitzschtal tramway has carried hikers from Bad Schandau to the Lichtenhain Waterfall. It is the only tramway in the world to enter a national park – and it is also accessible!
What does Saxon Switzerland actually taste like? More Saxon or more Swiss? How do our chefs make use of the wealth of local ingredients? And how can you discover the flavours of the rocky landscape for yourself here – whether in town or countryside, down in the valley or up in the mountains?
In short: would you like your first visit to be a conscious experience enriched by an abundance of regional products?
Perhaps this is not only your first time hiking in Saxon Switzerland, but also your first time in a rocky national park. In many respects, it is worth remaining mindful while out and about. Due to the large number of dead spruce trees, there is currently an extreme risk of falling trees – particularly in the rear section of the national park. Some trails are impassable because of fallen spruce trunks! You can find a compilation of eight valuable tips and useful information for an unforgettable hiking experience here.
A hiking holiday does not necessarily mean covering a certain distance every day! Quite the opposite. Rest days are perfectly legitimate and contribute to the restorative benefits. Sleeping in, enjoying some wellness, exploring culture, eating well, reading and simply unwinding: all this is also part of a break in Saxon Switzerland. The local tourist information centres, the free leisure brochure and the equally free Saxon Switzerland holiday magazine offer inspiration for experiences and discoveries beyond trails and rocks.
Depending on the dose during your first time, the active ingredient “Saxon Switzerland” may cause the following side effects:
1. Risk of addiction: It is entirely possible that this first time will not be your last and that you will find yourself drawn back to Saxon Switzerland time and again. A second, third, fourth, fifth, … repeat visit cannot be ruled out.
2. Long-lasting feelings of happiness even months after your visit
3. Withdrawal symptoms for a prolonged period following your first trip. Relief is only possible by returning as soon as possible.
4. Intense heart palpitations when reminiscing about your first time in Saxon Switzerland
5. Tingling sensation in your fingers while browsing www.saechsische-schweiz.de/unterkuenfte
6. A painful longing for the Elbe Sandstone Mountains following your first time, accompanied by a profound desire to return to this wonderful place of yearning as quickly as possible
7. Signs of a possible loss of touch with reality and the constantly recurring question: Did I really see this rocky landscape, or did I merely dream it all?
8. Loss of taste upon your return when consuming ordinary conventional products from the supermarket
9. Spontaneous sense of liberation upon realising how wonderful it was to be without a car in Saxon Switzerland
10. Talkativeness upon your return - You will have to tell everyone about your experiences