Saxon Switzerland (Sächsische Schweiz) is the German half of the Elbe Sandstone Mountains, a landscape of flat-topped table mountains, rock towers and gorges along the River Elbe between Dresden and the Czech border. Much of it is protected as Saxon Switzerland National Park, founded in 1990, with around 400 km of marked trails; across the border it continues as Bohemian Switzerland National Park. The name goes back to two Swiss painters who taught in Dresden in the 18th century and felt at home here; Caspar David Friedrich later sketched along today's Malerweg (Painters' Way). This guide covers Pirna, the gateway town, Lohmen with the Bastei, Königstein with its fortress, the spa town of Bad Schandau and Sebnitz, whose district reaches into the upper Kirnitzsch Valley.
Below you will find the five places we would pick for a first visit, a day trip from Dresden by train and a two-day itinerary, plus how to get there from Dresden, Berlin and Prague and when to go. Opening hours and prices are on each attraction page (checked October 2026). Since the 2022 forest fire and later storms, trails in the national park are closed from time to time — in 2026, for example, between Rathen and Hohnstein — so check the park's trail notices before you set off.
Our picks for a first visit — each with a short reason why.
Viewpoints
Lohmen
The Bastei in Saxon Switzerland is the most famous viewpoint in the Elbe Sandstone Mountains and one of the top sights in eastern Germany. High above the Elbe River between the villages of Kurort Rathen and Stadt Wehlen, a 19th-century sto…
1. The best-known viewpoint in the Elbe Sandstone Mountains, 190 m above the river, with a 76.5 m stone bridge. Free and open year-round; go at sunrise or on a weekday to avoid the crowds.
Fortresses
Königstein (Sächsische Schweiz)
Königstein Fortress in Saxon Switzerland is one of the largest hilltop fortresses in Europe. Perched on a flat-topped sandstone mountain 240 meters (790 ft) above the Elbe River, it combines more than 50 historic buildings, a well cut over…
2. A hilltop fortress 240 m above the Elbe with a 1.8 km rampart walk and around 50 historic buildings. Winter hours from 2 November 2026: daily 9 am to 5 pm, adults €15.
National parks
Bad Schandau
Saxon Switzerland National Park near Bad Schandau protects one of Germany's most dramatic landscapes: sandstone towers, table mountains, deep gorges, and forests along the Elbe River. Famous sights such as the Bastei Bridge, the Schrammste…
3. The wilder rear part of the park holds the Schrammsteine ridge and the Kuhstall rock arch. Start at the visitor centre in Bad Schandau (closed in January) for maps and trail closures.
Waterfalls
Sebnitz
The Lichtenhain Waterfall in the Kirnitzsch Valley near Sebnitz is one of the oldest visitor attractions in Saxon Switzerland, the sandstone region southeast of Dresden. It is a small cascade with a twist: a weir holds the stream back and…
4. A small waterfall dammed since 1830 and released roughly every 30 minutes. It is the terminus of the Kirnitzschtalbahn tram and the start of a 30-minute climb to the Kuhstall arch.
Old towns & squares
Pirna
Pirna's Old Town and Sonnenstein Castle make a rewarding stop on the Elbe River between Dresden and the sandstone cliffs of Saxon Switzerland. The market square still looks much as the painter Canaletto (Bernardo Bellotto) captured it in t…
5. Pirna's old town looks much as Canaletto painted it. Above it, Sonnenstein Castle has free terraces and a memorial to more than 13,700 people murdered in the Nazi T4 programme.
Take the S1 from Dresden Hauptbahnhof to Kurort Rathen, cross the Elbe on the small passenger ferry and climb the stepped path to the Bastei. Return through the Schwedenlöcher gorge for a loop of about 6.4 km, or go back the same way if that path is closed. Allow three to four hours.
Places: Bastei Bridge
Ferry back and ride the S-Bahn a few minutes upstream to Königstein. The walk up takes 30 to 45 minutes; from April to October a road train runs from town. Allow two and a half to three hours; last entry is one hour before closing.
Places: Königstein Fortress
Continue by S-Bahn to Bad Schandau and take the Kirnitzschtalbahn tram from the spa park to the Lichtenhain waterfall (single €7, Deutschlandticket valid). If daylight allows, climb to the Kuhstall. A reduced winter timetable applies after 1 November 2026.
Places: Lichtenhain Waterfall Saxon Switzerland National Park
If you are staying in Dresden, start at the rebuilt Frauenkirche on the Neumarkt (free entry, weekdays 10–11:30 am and 1–5:30 pm). From Dresden Hauptbahnhof S-Bahn trains to Pirna run about every 15 minutes.
Walk from the station to the market square, the Canaletto House and St Mary's Church, then up to the Sonnenstein terraces. The memorial is open Monday to Friday 9 am–4 pm and weekends 11 am–5 pm; entry is free.
Ride the S-Bahn to Stadt Wehlen and hike up to the Bastei, then down to Rathen for the train back. The light is softer and the viewpoints quieter late in the day. Wear shoes with good grip; steps can be icy in winter.
Places: Bastei Bridge
Be at the gate at 9 am with an online ticket. Dogs on a lead are allowed outdoors but not in buildings. A lift runs all year.
Places: Königstein Fortress
In Bad Schandau, the NationalparkZentrum explains how the sandstone formed, with models and films; adults €4, children free. Closed on Mondays from November to March and all of January.
Places: Saxon Switzerland National Park
Take the tram or bus 241 up the valley, wait for the waterfall to be released, then hike to the Kuhstall arch and climb the narrow Himmelsleiter stairway for the view. Return by tram to Bad Schandau for the S-Bahn.
Places: Lichtenhain Waterfall
From Dresden. The S1 suburban train runs from Dresden Hauptbahnhof along the Elbe via Pirna, Stadt Wehlen, Kurort Rathen and Königstein to Bad Schandau. Dresden Airport (DRS) is linked to the main station by the S2. The Deutschlandticket covers the S-Bahn, local buses and the Kirnitzschtalbahn tram, and Dresden's paddle steamers stop at Königstein and Bad Schandau in season.
From Berlin and Prague. Berlin is about two hours from Dresden by train, which makes Saxon Switzerland a long but feasible day trip; staying a night in Bad Schandau or Königstein is more relaxed. Bad Schandau is also a stop for international trains between Dresden and Prague, so you can combine the region with a trip to the Czech Republic.
Getting around. A small ferry links Kurort Rathen station with the village and the path to the Bastei. Buses 237, 254 and 239 serve the Bastei car park (254 and 239 on summer weekends only); the tram and bus 241 run from Bad Schandau into the Kirnitzsch Valley in the Sebnitz district. By car, take the A17 and the B172; the main Bastei car park is 3.5 km from the viewpoint, with a shuttle bus from April to October.
Spring and autumn are the best seasons for hiking: mild temperatures, clear views and fewer visitors than in summer. In October the beech woods turn gold, and on autumn mornings mist often fills the Elbe valley below the Bastei. Summer weekends and German school holidays are very busy at the Bastei and Königstein, so start early.
Winter 2026/27. The Bastei and the national park trails stay open, but sandstone steps can be icy. Königstein Fortress opens daily 9 am–5 pm from 2 November 2026 to 19 March 2027 (until 7 pm on Advent weekends with its Christmas market; closed 24 December and 28 January). The Bastei shuttle bus and the fortress road train stop from November to March, the visitor centre in Bad Schandau closes in January and the tram runs a reduced timetable.
On a rainy day head for the exhibitions at Königstein, the national park visitor centre or the old town of Pirna with its museum and memorial.
Yes. The S1 train reaches Kurort Rathen, Königstein and Bad Schandau directly from Dresden Hauptbahnhof, so the Bastei, Königstein Fortress and the Kirnitzsch Valley fit into one long day. Start early, especially at weekends.
Yes. The Bastei, the bridge and the viewpoints are free and open all year with no fixed hours (as of October 2026). You only pay for parking. The medieval rock castle of Neurathen next to the bridge can currently only be seen from outside because of repairs.
Many routes are short but steep, with sandstone steps. The loop from Rathen via the Bastei and the Schwedenlöcher is about 6.4 km. Ladder routes such as the Schrammsteine stairs need a head for heights and sure footing. Stay on marked trails, as the area is a national park.
Yes. Children usually enjoy the Elbe ferry at Rathen, the cannons and deep well at Königstein, the historic Kirnitzschtalbahn tram and waiting for the Lichtenhain waterfall to be released. The short walk from the car park to the Bastei Bridge is easy; railings are secure, but keep small children close.
No. Trains, buses, the Elbe ferry and the Kirnitzschtalbahn reach all the main sights, and they make one-way hikes easier. Car parks near the Bastei and trailheads fill up early on sunny weekends.
Yes, on a lead in the national park. At Königstein Fortress dogs on a lead may go into the outdoor areas but not into buildings or exhibitions.
The region brings together attractions from these towns. Open a town guide or its list of attractions.
Old towns & squares
Pirna
Pirna's Old Town and Sonnenstein Castle make a rewarding stop on the Elbe River between Dresden and the sandstone cliffs of Saxon Switzerland. The market square still looks much as the painter Canaletto (Bernardo Bellotto) captured it in t…
Nature parks
Pirna
The Malerweg ("Painters' Way") is a long-distance hiking trail through Saxon Switzerland and the Elbe Sandstone Mountains, southeast of Dresden. In eight stages and about 112 to 116 km (70 to 72 miles), it leads from Liebethal near Pirna t…