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Hiking on table mountains by lantern light, drinking mulled wine beneath mighty rocks, soaking in steaming hot tubs under the night sky: this is another way to enjoy a winter holiday. Some of the region's most beautiful towns and villages invite you to take a relaxing break with an inspiring mix of nature, wellness, culinary delights and culture. Some of the Christmas markets here are among the most beautiful in Saxony.
Hibernation is unthinkable in Saxon Switzerland! Even when nature is dormant, life goes on. That's why we're celebrating the start of the season again this year from 7 to 9 November. From winter hikes with mulled wine to an evening in a mountain hut on the Papststein – just in time for the start of the winter season, there will be a colourful variety of winter experiences every day this weekend.
During Advent, lovingly designed markets in castles, palaces and romantic town centres in the Elbe Sandstone Mountains attract visitors to enjoy the pre-Christmas magic.
All Christmas markets at a glance
Experience art and culture amid the breathtaking winter backdrop of Saxon Switzerland at the ‘Winter Sterne Festival’ from 30 January to 8 February 2026. Let yourself be enchanted by the magic of the winter rock world at inspiring cultural events featuring a colourful mix of concerts, theatre performances, painting courses and lectures.
Wintertime is also family time in Saxon Switzerland. Games weeks, castle tours, mining adventures and Punch and Judy shows: there's plenty going on during the winter holidays! Winter holidays are so colourful:
A fantastic culinary journey into the world of paper cutting
Once a month, the Flowers restaurant at SoliVital in Sebnitz is transformed into a 360-degree stage for a unique combination of light and shadow (plays).
While enjoying mulled wine by the wood fire, guests are already getting into the spirit of the programme as paper cut-out figures flit past. Accompanied by a sophisticated three-course meal, the artistic paper cut-out figures – a unique Sebnitz craft – then captivate the guests. Illustrations and light shows alternate with anecdotes and stories from the silhouette artist Adolf Tannert as well as fairy-tale legends.
Dates: 22 November 2025, 12 December 2025, 10 January 2025
Concerts, readings and travel lectures in Ottendorf
The Ottendorfer Hut above the Kirnitzsch Valley on the edge of the Saxon Switzerland National Park is a traditional and cosy base camp for climbing enthusiasts. But even non-climbers are welcome in this rural retreat. In winter, you can experience not only alpine hut culture, but also travel lectures, live music and readings with matching culinary offerings.
Dates: 07/11/25 I 14/11/25 I 30/01/26 I 06/02/26 I 27/02/26
Open castle for open people
The 17th-century Baroque castle provides an atmospheric setting for a series of exquisite cultural events and touching winter moments. Experience concerts, readings and film evenings, visit the smallest Advent market in Saxon Switzerland or listen to exciting castle stories in the cosy winter café.
Dates: 09/11/25 Short stories & chansons, 15/11/25 Classical music & jazz in the castle, 12/12/25 Stollen Moments, 13/12/25 Advent in the castle, 18/01/26 New Year's concert, 06/02/25 Castle concert
Murder mystery dinner & spine-tingling stories
The Kirnitzschtalbahn tram chugs along the riverbank even in winter. Its stops are not only the starting point for some of the most beautiful winter tours through the rocky landscape, but also for some spooky readings. Halfway along the route, the doors open at the forest lodge for goose stories with Andrea Reimann. At the final stop, the Lichtenhainer Wasserfall inn invites you to a whisky, gin and magic dinner.
Gänsegeschichten im Forsthaus: 21.11.25 I 22.11.25 I 28.11.25 I 29.11.25 I 12.12.25 I 13.12.25 I 19.12.25 I 20.12.25
More information
Dinner at the Lichtenainer Waterfall: More information
A fascinating historical experience with breathtaking views
Interactive exhibitions and impressive displays with light and sound effects bring the past into the present. Embark on a multimedia journey through time in a former powder magazine, explore the authentic GDR civil defence bunker from the Cold War era on exciting guided tours, or discover mysterious casemates and centuries-old vaulted cellars deep underground.
Changing lighting moods in the miniature park ‘Little Saxon Switzerland’
Impressive colour changes and musical accompaniment create a unique effect in the sculpted model landscape planted with bonsai trees. Now even light and shadow take on colour in the dark season. As you leisurely ride by on the park railway, you can enjoy a unique bath of colours in the miniature landscape.
Dates: 6 December 2025, 7 December 2025, 13 December 2025, 14 December 2025, 20 December 2025, 21 December 2025, 27 December to 30 December 2025, each day from 2:00 pm to 7:00 pm.
Artful forgery
Real or fake? The flowers from the House of German Artificial Flowers in Sebnitz are strikingly similar to the originals. Sebnitz is one of the few places in Germany where artificial flowers are still made by hand using traditional methods. In a show workshop, children and adults can learn more about this rare craft and even try their hand at making flowers themselves.
Show workshop open Tuesdays to Sundays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Family experience world & demonstration workshop
In winter, they can be seen in countless windows: Schwibbögen. With their subtle light, they exude a very special magic in the run-up to Christmas. The tradition originates from Saxony. And in Saxony, these popular decorative items are still handmade. For example, at the RATAGS arts and crafts workshop in Langenwolmsdorf near Stolpen. Pyramids, incense smokers and even Easter bunnies are also made there.
Show workshop and shops open daily!
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