Saxon Switzerland National Park. Saxon Switzerland. Sachsische Switzerland

There is the most beautiful national park Saxon Switzerland, which I will talk about in this post and, of course, show photos from there.

Saxon Switzerland - national park with great views, the main part of which lies in the river valley Elbe on the border of the Czech Republic and Germany in the southeast of Dresden. Saxon Switzerland is a mountainous area with about 1000 hills. This region of Germany is very popular with residents for hiking and cycling, as well as climbers.

This mountainous area is called the Elbe Sandstone Mountains. It is a sandstone mountain range upstream the Elbe River in Germany and the Czech Republic. Max Height mountains - only 723 m. This is an array of rocks that have acquired bizarre shapes, and mountains covered with forests.

I leave for a walk in Saxon Switzerland from the Königstein (Sächs Schw) railway station, which I reached by train from Dresden. The first point of the route is the main attraction of these places - Königstein fortress.

Thanks to the signs and paths, I reached the fortress in 40 minutes.

Also, from the railway station or from the parking lot on the first level, you can get to the fortress on a tourist train, the fare is approximately 5 Euro per person.

One of the entrances to the Fortress (fortress gate). In the fortress you can see about 50 buildings in which the military-historical museum exposition: barracks, warehouses, guardhouse, stables, Catholic chapel, etc.

The fortress can be reached by a panoramic elevator.

You can walk around the fortress and see the surroundings. The territory of the fortress is huge, and get ready to spend a couple of hours here.

Key facts about the Königstein Fortress:

• The first mention of the fortress was in 1233.
• The Königstein Fortress was visited by the Russian Emperor Peter I.
• The area of ​​the fortress is 9.5 hectares. It is located at an altitude of 240 meters.
• This is one of the largest fortifications in Europe.
• At the beginning of the 18th century, the alchemist Böttger, imprisoned in the Königstein fortress under the supervision of E. W. von Tschirnhaus, was the first in Europe to be able to obtain porcelain, which was the beginning of the production of the famous Meissen porcelain.
• During the First World War, captured Russian officers and generals were kept in the fortress, and during the Second World War, Polish prisoners of war.
• Also during World War II, paintings from the Dresden Gallery were hidden in the castle.
• Since 1955, the fortress has been operating as an open-air museum.

The territory of the fortress has been completely restored, there are flowers and benches everywhere.

From above we can see the ferry piers and railway station. By the way, transport in Saxony has always been well developed. And in Königstein, one of the world's first trolleybus lines appeared, which, however, did not work for long: from 1901 to 1904.

Here, the border of Germany with the Czech Republic is already very close, and from the side of the Czech Republic the National Park is called " Czech Switzerland". Finally, we admire the views of the surroundings and go to other attractions.

Bastei (Bastei) - the famous bastion at an altitude of 305 m above sea level with an observation deck. In addition to stunning views, Bastei is famous for one of beautiful bridges in a world built in 1851.

Photo from Wikipedia.org

The next stop on the walk is resort town Stadt Wehlen. The town has central square and a church, beer gardens with terraces, cozy hotels on both banks of the river and a quiet, peaceful atmosphere.

Along the Elbe in Saxon Switzerland, there are many bike paths that connect almost all the towns in the region. On weekends, Germans go here to ride bicycles and roller skates.

In spring, this region blooms and is filled with the aromas of magnolias, apple trees, cherries, and flowering trees perfectly decorate the already beautiful restored houses of the locals. It is in the spring that I advise you to visit Saxon Switzerland, because. in summer it is very hot here, and in autumn and winter it is quite dull and windy here.

I have already said that you can sail to the Königstein fortress by boat. Along the way you will meet small palaces and castles. In total, there are 2,000 castles in Saxony, which is about the same as in the Czech Republic. In the photo you see the Pillnitz Palace (Schloss & Park Pillnitz), consisting of three buildings: water palace, Upland Palace and New Palace. Pilnitz was the country residence of the Saxon monarchs, and now the palace has been restored and is on the World Heritage List. On the territory of the palace is broken Botanical Garden With big amount flowers, there is a greenhouse and a pond with a large fountain.

In addition to the places described in the article, I will list other sights of Saxon Switzerland:

• Kushtal (Kuhstall) - a rocky gate at an altitude of 337 m. Right there between the rocks there is a "stairway to heaven".
• Kirnichtalbahn is an international commuter tram.
• Rathen rock theater
• Fortress Stolpen
• Lichtenhain Falls
• The town of Pirna

Practical information and how to get to Saxon Switzerland

• Automobile: The most convenient way to get to Saxon Switzerland is by car, without a car it is impossible to see most of the sights of this region. By car, you will see the maximum in a day. The main thing is to be able to drive and park according to the rules. I advise you to rent a car on the Rentalcars website. Near the fortress there is a parking lot Königstein am Malerweg, where you can leave your car. Parking is paid, a train rides from the parking lot to the castle, it is also paid.
• Train: From Dresden every day about once every 30 minutes, the S1 train goes to Bohemian Switzerland, which travels from the city of Meissen to Bad Schandau. Travel time from Dresden to Königstein Fortress 37 minutes. If you are traveling alone, I advise you to buy a regional pass for 1 day for 13.50 €. If you are traveling together or there are more of you, then buy a travel card for the required number of people, it will come out cheaper. With this pass, you can travel as much as you like on trains in this region all day long, as well as on public transport in Dresden. But by train, you can visit only 3 places for the whole day, because, in addition to the train, you will need to walk a lot more.
• On the boat: From spring to autumn, you can get from Dresden to Königstein by pleasure boat. Travel time is approximately 4 hours there and 3 hours back. The fare is 20 Euro one way or 25 Euro round trip. This trip is long and tiring, but from the water you will see all the beauties of the region.
• Excursion: Alternatively, you can book an excursion to Saxon Switzerland from Prague or Dresden. From Prague you can go on an excursion in a group, at a price of about 35 Euro, if you are interested, and we will give you the contacts of a company that organizes group and individual excursions from Prague to Saxon Switzerland and Dresden.

I recommend the following good romantic hotels in these places: Parkhotel Bad Schandau , Panoramahotel Lilienstein in the town of Königstein an der Elbe,

Saxon Switzerland is a charming corner in Germany near Dresden, attracting millions of visitors every year. A bizarre landscape created by nature, impregnable fortresses and castles, luxurious parks and palaces, magnificently decorated Baroque cities attract travelers from all over the world.

How "Saxon Switzerland" appeared

Saxon Switzerland, and Germany's ongoing "Bohemian Switzerland" make up the Elbe Sandstone Mountains, formed almost 100 million years ago. It was then that there was a huge sea that stretched between the Lusatian region and the Ore Mountains, and the rivers flowing into it carried sand there from the mountains, which settled to the bottom for many millions of years and formed a giant slab of sandstone. After the sea receded and disappeared, a plate appeared on the surface, and the wind, rain, movements of the earth's crust did their job: a liability appeared from bizarre rocks of various shapes and heights. A real mystical landscape, which already in the relatively recent past began to sing of romance.

This place became Saxon Switzerland in 1766, when two students of the Dresden Academy of Art sent postcards home to their native Switzerland from the town of Keginstein with the words “From Saxon Switzerland to Switzerland.” Their names were Anton Grfa and Adrian Zingg. a nickname that in 200 years will be official name tourist region.

When to visit?

In general, there are no strict restrictions for visiting Saxon Switzerland. All seasons are good. Focus only on daylight hours (the sun sets early, and, by the way, the sunset on Bastei is exceptionally good), and on the weather. And so, in summer in spring everything is in bloom, in autumn it is beautiful during the period of multi-colored gold and crimson leaves, in December Christmas markets and various performances are waiting everywhere.

Bastei

The only advice. Try to avoid Sundays and public holidays. Then all the surrounding towns tend to nature, the Bastei is a real anthill.

How to get there?

Saxon Switzerland covers the area along the banks of the Elbe from Pirna to the Czech border. There are many good ones here small towns, castles, palaces with parks, and, of course, the main thing here is nature reserve, Saxon Switzerland National Park.

You can get here in different ways:

1) From Dresden or any other city by car
2) From Dresden by rail by train ( S-Bahn ) to Bad Schandau, with stops at the main points (Königstein, Rathen (on the Bastei) and Pirna, trains run every half an hour and cost 10.50 euros. The Dresden-Bad Schandau section passes in 45 minutes.
3) On boat from Dresden: long, but beautiful. In principle, a trip by ship takes almost the whole day and there will be no time to visit several points, at most one, while you are waiting for the return ship. All information.

The city and fortress of Königstein

What to visit in one day

When visiting Saxon Switzerland, you will not pass by Pirna, which is called "the gate to Saxon Switzerland". A pretty baroque city, a guide to which will soon be attached to the article and to the website. If you are only interested in a walk plus a tour of the church, then lay yourself 2 hours. During this time, you can take a leisurely walk around the city, climb the Sonnenstein fortress (there is no museum, only a panoramic platform), go to the Church of the Virgin and drink coffee. And then we move on.

From Pirna about 15 km to Bastei - the heart national reserve and one of the most picturesque places in Saxon Switzerland. Here you need to stay at least 3 hours: walk along the Bastei (a guide is attached), if you have time to go to the waterfall, have lunch overlooking the Elbe.

From here you can go to Bad Schandau.On the way, stop for a short Hohnstein.A small town lurks on a mountain. Charming cabins and a massive imposing fortress (now a hostel, but interesting to wander around the yard and see what's available, plus open beautiful views to the area).

Hohnstein

So, Bad Schandau, as they say here - the heart of Saxon Switzerland. Indeed so. Here and the resort with healing waters(in clinics) and thermal baths in order to relax after climbing the mountains, and a kurpark for walking, and a boat along the Elbe towards the Czech Republic through the national park, and various routes in Saxon Switzerland start from here (if you have two days, then it would be good to devote a whole day to the region around Bad Schandau, and if not, then it is enough to explore the center, the Kurpark and explore the thermal baths).

Mystical mountain landscapes

Two days in Saxon Switzerland

If you have two days, then on the first day, visit Pirna, explore the city and the fortress Königstein, take a walk along the Bastei. And on the second day, head to the Bad Schandau region: from Shmilki(on the very border with the Czech Republic) there is hiking trails to very picturesque places in the national park: for the hardy walk to Pravchitsky Gate or Edmundov Gorge (on the territory of the Czech Republic).

Bad Schandau

If not so far, then it is fashionable to take an old tram for a walk along the Kirnich river valley or to master the areas adjacent to Bad Schandau: Ostrau (which can be reached by elevator) and Postelwitz.

Ever since school, I have been interested in a distant country with its own rules and customs, sometimes so unlike Russian ones. Fortunately, the Internet at that time was already in full swing in the homes of mere mortals, so I, armed with Wikipedia, remotely prepared for the fact that someday I would see at least some cities with my own eyes.

Around the same time, I read that, like Russia, it has a federal structure, but there the territorial units are not called territories or regions, but lands. So I stumbled upon the Free State of Saxony with Dresden as its capital. For some reason, the word "Saxony" was clearly associated with a kind of kingdom full of natural and cultural wealth, including its own, but for some reason Saxon. Going there as soon as possible and seeing everything, everything has become almost a fixed idea. And when the chance fell, I, believe me, did not miss it. So, now about the delights of this meta in order.

Historical landmarks of Saxony

On German this land is called Sachsen (Saxen) or Freistaat Sachsen (Freistatt Saxony / Free State of Saxony). It seems to me that it is important to know what trials and events have fallen to the lot of a particular place, because this way you can better understand the behavior local residents or passing some laws. In order not to bore you with long details about the history of the formation of this land, I will manage with a short extract:

• In the 10th century, the territory was conquered by the Thuringian tribes. In the second half of the same century, the Margraviate of Meissen was created there. Two centuries later, the capital of the margraviate became.
• In 1423, Frederick IV (Margrave of Meissen) was given the Duchy of Saxe-Wittenberg (in what is now Saxony-Anhalt) and, in addition, the title of Elector of Saxony.
• In 1806, Friedrich August received the title of King of Saxony. As a result of the redistribution of the territories of Saxe-Wittenberg, Prussia ceded, and the remaining lands were called the Kingdom of Saxony.
• In 1870, Saxony became part of the German Empire and until 1918 retained the status of a monarchy.
• In 1934, the Free State of Saxony was liquidated, and after the end of the war in 1945, the land of Saxony was formed on its territory and the western part of the Prussian province of Silesia.
• In 1952, Saxony was divided into districts and was effectively liquidated.
• In the fall of 1990, the Free State of Saxony was recreated, it became the land of Germany.

Actually, to this day we can enjoy what is left of the once attractive kingdom of Saxony. And why were its mountains named after the country of Switzerland? This question interested me for a long time, until I found out that the story is rather prosaic: in the 18th century, this place reminded Swiss artists of their native Jura mountains. A little later, Götzinger described it in his books and called Saxon Switzerland. So the new name stuck.

The geographical position of the park

Saxony is the most eastern territory Germany. largest cities are , . And here major mountains we can name Ore, Lusatian and (here we finally come to the most interesting) "Saxon Switzerland".

On the map below, I marked both the land in general and the Saxon Switzerland park in particular.

In general, "Saxon Switzerland" is part of the Elbe Sandstone Mountains. I would like to immediately note such an interesting geographical fact: borders "Saxon Switzerland" (approximately 75% of the Sandstone Mountains) with Bohemian Switzerland (the remaining 25%), located, as you can guess from the name, in the territory Czech Republic. So, traveling from one country to another, you can pass both of these places, which I did. You can read about my trip to "Czech Switzerland".

How to get to "Saxon Switzerland"

Of course, as always, there are several options. I went to a nature reserve on my way from Dresden to Prague. This, it seems to me, is almost the most popular route (someone, on the contrary, travels from Prague to), because it is in these cities that crowds of tourists can be observed throughout the year.

If you are directly interested in the national park, then below in the "independent" way I will describe just the route to it. And if you want to explore Saxony as a whole, then for each attraction I mentioned below in the park or near it, I will indicate the address / GPS coordinates and briefly the main nuances. Also, there are all kinds of excursions to individual objects: with a visit to one place or complex ones.

From Dresden

It’s not enough to choose a starting point: you still have to decide whether to go on your own or join excursion group. The distance between Dresden and Prague is relatively small: about 150 kilometers, which is simply nonsense for those who like to travel around Russia!

On one's own

As far as I remember, for the first time in the Saxon (Czech) Switzerland National Park, I ended up by chance when I decided to go from Dresden to Prague not along the autobahn, but along the usual highway to see the towns and villages, as well as the picturesque nature along the way. Colored houses, small squares of some cities, a wall coniferous forest along the road - it was the best retreat from optimal route.

Therefore, pay attention to the signs (or rather, use the navigator) when you make your way: you need a highway to the German city of Pirna (Pirna), the road on the map below is marked in blue.

The option that I propose runs along the banks of the Elbe, but there is an alternative route from Pirna.

The main thing is that in both cases, not far from German city Bad Schandau (Bad Schandau) you must cross to the other side of the river, and from there, along the Kirnitzschtalstraße, enter the Saxon Switzerland National Park.

With a tour

Carried to the nature reserve and excursions from Dresden. The program includes the Königstein fortress, the Bastei bridge, the Ratenburg fortress and, in fact, the reserve itself. By agreement, you can be picked up from the hotel lobby or convenient location cities. You need to take at least comfortable shoes with you, as well as grab medical insurance - after all, rocks. You can find information about excursions on the Internet or in historical center Dresden: I saw offers on street boards near Kreuzkirche. Large sightseeing buses "grazed" there.

Lots of options for the price. I will only mention a couple:

• Private tour(1-5 people) will cost about 275 EUR per group, and you will go by minivan with a guide behind the wheel.
• There is an opportunity to go with a larger group and pay from 20 EUR, which, you will agree with me, does not sound so scary.

Additional costs: 10/8 EUR in summer/winter for a visit to Königstein and about 2 EUR for a walk in Neurathen.

From Prague

On one's own

If you intend to go on your own, then on the map below I suggest you best option between "not seeing anything on the autobahn" and "not wasting much time on regular roads".

You leave the capital of the Czech Republic in a northerly direction and move along the motorway to the exit for Czech city Lovosice. Further, passing the Czech city of Ústí nad Labem, you drive towards the same Bad Schandau, from which the route will be the same as on the way from Dresden.

With a tour

At one time, excursions to "Bohemian-Saxon Switzerland", I know, began at 08:00 from. There, the Russian group was picked up by a bus with a guide (by the way, Russian-speaking), in 1.5 hours it was delivered to the German part of the national park, to the Königstein fortress. After inspecting the territory and the local museum, the group was transported to the Bashtai bridge and the destroyed Neuraten fortress located there. Tourists have a few hours to explore these beauties.

As a result, after 10-11 hours (approximately by 19:00) you are returned to and left there to digest what you saw. The cost of the trip is 30 EUR / 810 CZK + 10 EUR for a visit to Königstein and about 2 EUR for a walk around Neurathen.

I suppose you can find similar tours in special tourist pavilions. Also ask at the reception of your hotel about the availability of excursions to "Saxon Switzerland": if they do not carry themselves, then most likely they know where to send you.

What to wear for a walk in the park

You arrive in a natural park, so the choice of clothing is obvious: no heels or clutch bags, only comfortable shoes, hats tied to the head for an occasion strong wind and a raincoat "for every fireman." I, being in sneakers, got quite tired from walking for many hours, so a soft, shock-absorbing sole is not necessarily necessary, but will most likely make your walk easier.

Attractions of the park

Now I will tell you about those places that I managed to cover in one way or another in this, in a sense, fabulous nature reserve in Germany.

Bastei Bridge and Neurathen Castle

It is because of the Basteibrücke, which I accidentally stumbled upon on the Internet, that I wanted to return to Saxon Switzerland for the second time. After the first visit, I was looking for information about what sights the German or Czech side has natural park.

Somehow, in the Russian-speaking segment of the Internet, I managed to find information about the approximate location, and on different resources they were different. I had to remember the basics of German and climb on the domain.de. According to the GPS coordinates, it turned out to be easy to get to, especially using the navigator. I had Sync, you can read about it in . It turned out that the Bastei bridge is located a little away from what is considered to be the National Park at the present time, although the Germans will probably disagree with me about the territorial boundaries.

GPS: 50°58′ N sh. 14°04′ in. d.

parking

The nearest point to the bridge where you can leave your car and where the bus will drop you off is the parking marked on the map below. It is, of course, not free for private cars, but if my memory serves me, the price is within a couple of euros per hour.

Then you take all the things you may need, some money for souvenirs and food. By the way, I didn’t buy anything: magnets and postcards cost more than in tourist shops in the center of Dresden, and you can buy tea or hot for that kind of money even at an average price in a restaurant in the city. The lack of competition develops a little commercialism in people.

Basteibrücke

The bridge itself, as I understand it, once led to the rock castle Neuraten, which is a little lower. By some miracle, it is fixed among the rocks above an abyss, in some places reaching several tens of meters, and now it has observation platforms, but earlier, it seems to me, they were sentinels.

At first I, as a well-meaning traveler popular places, huddled among the crowd of tourists: people here, as it turned out, are hosts. I was even surprised that I did not find anything about Bashteibrück in the Russian-speaking segment of the Internet, although I even heard my native language a couple of times. Looking at the building from afar, squeezing between the well-fed beer bellies of the good-natured vacationing Germans, I finally ended up "in the place as on the postcard."

Why did I call it that? I explain: I had to walk quite far from the parking lot, along the way we met souvenir shops with landscapes of the bridge, but it was still not visible. For a while, I even decided that, you see, this is somewhere aside, here you can only be satisfied with landscapes printed on a piece of cardboard. An, no! The fears turned out to be in vain, but I still had to be nervous.

In some places I came across some historical tablets.

And also warnings that people should not throw paper, bottles and other rubbish downstairs. It would seem, what sane person would do such a thing? But even here there are ill-bred and, it seems, bad readers, and sometimes entire families with children.

Even some Alena immortalized herself in history.

Of course, despite the obvious vandalism in places, such a spectacle as a whole cannot but impress: firstly, it is already indescribable to walk through a place that looked “unrealistically cool” in the pictures, and secondly, the gigantic scale of the rocks and the height of the supports remind how small and fleeting you are relative to natural age-old monoliths.

I wonder what this place looked like a few hundred ice ago? Did the horse processions of kings travel here? What battles or celebrations do these stones remember? But I digressed to the questions “about the eternal”, the place, apparently, contributes :).

Neurathen Castle (Felsenburg Neurathen)

The ticket office is located near the far end of the bridge. A ticket for an adult will cost 2 EUR, a child can enter for 1 EUR. There is even a special box where you, as an honest person, can put money after the cashier closes.

You can go around Neuraten along the lined stairs, see cannonballs and something like a catapult, somewhere you can see the doors to the former utility rooms of the castle, and you can also see the figure of some saint (or who else was wearing a dress in the old days? ) mounted on a rock.

The scheme of the castle is visible on the map.

The yellow lines are the stairs that were made here for tourists.

I still didn’t understand whether the interior rooms were preserved, because every now and then there were some doors, but I didn’t find any information and the opportunity to get there at the box office, and on the Internet I read only that only the foundation remained from the former castle.

Castles of "Saxon Switzerland"

But on the territory of the park or in the vicinity (do not be surprised, the Germans refer some sights to “Saxon Switzerland”, although, in my opinion, they are a little beyond its borders), other castles have been preserved that were more fortunate than Neurathen. Let me tell you briefly about them.

Königstein Fortress (Festung Königstein)

Address: 01824 Konigstein.

From Dresden you will have to drive for Pirna another half the distance to Bad Schandau.

Rather, it is a whole town, not just a fortress, and in order to get "beyond the walls", you need to go through 7 gates! Now there is a whole open-air museum - tourists can see this military-historical complex. I read that the soldiers who were brought up here had their own rules and regulations, internal rules and the opportunity to live with the family on the territory of the fortress, since in addition to the military they also had a civilian profession: someone in peacetime worked as a doctor, someone as a teacher or a peasant. Inside the fortress, life was self-sufficient: agriculture, hospital, education - this made it possible to withstand blockades lasting several years.

But the most interesting, in my opinion, are the walls. Previously, they were wooden, but now they are stone and impregnable, they reach a height of 40 meters! Also note that the fortress is located on a mountain, so no one took it by storm. However, this is something to be proud of, I think.

During the tour, you can walk along the fortress wall (this path is called guard), look at the moat, at various gates, get on main square and see the interior. There is even a garrison church, where, by the way, tourists are allowed.

You can get into the fortress-museum for 10 EUR in summer and 8 EUR in winter. Beneficiaries (students, pensioners, schoolchildren) will pass for 7 EUR and 6 EUR respectively. An audio guide in Russian costs 3 EUR. On the official website, you can see the Koenigstein plan and get other information.

Working hours:

• April - October from 09:00 to 18:00;
• November - March from 09:00 to 17:00 except December 24, 25 and 31.

Fortress Stolpen (Burg Stlpen)

Address: Schlossstraße 10, 01833 Stolpen.

Drive from Dresden to the fortress about 30 kilometers.

Previously, there was a residence of bishops (some of them even died in Stolpen), and Anna Kozel once lived in exile in this fortress - close to one of the Electors of Saxony, Augustus the Strong. Actually, this gentleman exiled his favorite to Stolpen for almost half a century!

You can walk along the fortress walls, inspect some rooms, corridors and a torture chamber (how could a castle be without it?). You will also be shown the deepest well dug in basalt. I read about how the work went: the efforts and costs were titanic, and the fruits of labor were obtained almost 30 years later.

Nothing that stands out against the backdrop of numerous castles Central Europe it doesn't occur to me.

You can get into the castle for 6 EUR, beneficiaries (students, pensioners, schoolchildren) for half the price. Children under the age of 5 are admitted free on birthdays.

Working hours:

• April - October from 10:00 to 18:00;
• November - March from 10:00 to 16:00 except Monday, 24, 25 and 31 December.

Lichtenhain Falls (Lichtenhainer Wasserfall)

Here are its GPS coordinates: 50°55′45″ s. sh. 14°14′36″ in. d.

Here, as the locals say, "the main attraction in "Saxon Switzerland"" takes place. The fact is that initially the waterfall was not a waterfall, but a small stream. And at some point a dam was erected here. It is opened every half hour to the music, so that the water rushes down for three minutes, turning from a stream into a waterfall with small rapids.

I don't know how big the attraction can be called, but at least it seems pretty nice to me.

Welcome or no outsiders allowed

The Germans organized the division of the national park into zones in such a way that tourists can go somewhere, but not somewhere: a specially protected zone. There is a territory that is constantly looked after by the staff of the reserve, and there are places where, as I understand it, workers appear only when necessary. It is in this “pristine nature” that species of animals that are quite rare for Germany now live: wild boars, bats, deer, black storks and others.

I read that they even want to increase the closed area to 3/4 of the property. Tourists, of course, swear, but I think that now the environmental situation around the world is not so hot, so it’s worth giving nature a chance.

Saxon Switzerland vs Czech Switzerland

Finally, I would like to announce my next article about. As I said, it borders on the "Saxon". Unlike a walk around the sights of the German side, the trip to the "neighbors" turned out to be much more difficult physically and mentally. Here it would be worth saying some catchy movie line about giant wasps encroaching on my food, and about the lonely elderly caretaker of the Falcon's Nest, who does not speak English, and then cut off the story "in fact interesting place", But…

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Hello friends. Saxon Switzerland is located near Dresden. This national park is one of the best not only in Germany, but all over the world. What makes it unique? Firstly, beauty: a combination of mountains and forests, the purest air. Secondly, on the territory of this area there are a huge number of natural and historical attractions.

Germany. federal state of Saxony. Saxon Suitzerland National Park (Nationalpark Sächsische Schweiz).

The fortress was visited by the Russian emperor Peter I.

Now there is an open-air museum with a military-historical exposition.

A restaurant and souvenir shops are open for tourists.

Video: Autumn festival in the picturesque Elbsandsteingebirge Herbsturlaub im malerischen Elbsandsteingebirge

Not far from Dresden is another impregnable stronghold - the fortress of Stolpen.

The first fortifications in its place were built in the XII century. The first deep well was dug on the territory.

And within the walls of this fortress in different time state criminals lived: the Countess Kozelskaya and several Meissen bishops.

Countess Anna Constance von Kosel, nee von Brockdorf, married von Hoim - favorite of August the Strong from 1705 to 1713. She spent the next half century in captivity in the Stolpen fortress as a state criminal.

The rock fortress Neuraten is also interesting.

For a long time it served as a fortification for robbers, of whom there were oh so many here. Then it was destroyed, now partially restored. It offers stunning views of the Bastei Bridge.

Robbers were a serious problem for local residents and the state. In memory of these times, the Flessersteig robber castle was restored.

natural attractions

Of the natural attractions of the park, it is worth highlighting the Lichtenhain Falls.

It is located on the territory of the Kirnich river valley. Its first written references date back to 1812.

But it might not be. Once upon a time, a small waterfall did not arouse much interest, so it was decided to build a retractable dam here. The dam was managed by a local resident who opened it for money.

Tourists began to flock to this event. The popularity of the waterfall grew, and soon it became one of the main attractions of Saxon Switzerland.

And now, as in those days, every hour and a half the dam is slightly opened, and exactly three minutes the water falls down. For a greater impression, the natural attraction is accompanied by music.

Tourist routes

It is at the waterfall that several main tourist routes begin.

• Route to Kushtal

Kushtal is a rocky gate located at an altitude of more than 300 meters.

In the 15th century there was a fortress here. Traditions say that during the Thirty Years' War, local peasants hid their cattle here.

A less attractive story says that the inhabitants of the fortress hid stolen cows here.

The ruins of the fortress can be viewed by climbing the narrow "heavenly stairs".

• Another route leads to Groser Winterberg.

It starts at the waterfall and leads to the highest point of the mountain through the Artists' Trail.

• It is worth taking a ride along the Kirnichtalbahn tram line to the waterfall itself.

This is the smallest tram line in Saxony. Its length is only 7.9 km. It links Bad Schandau with the waterfall.

The tram transports passengers all year round. In winter, it runs every 70 minutes, in summer - every half an hour.

• It is better to come to Saxon Switzerland not for one or two days - this is very little for such a park.

In addition to the sights that we talked about, the city of Pirna should become another must-see point.

Some of the houses here were built in the 16th century. Of course, they were repeatedly rebuilt, the more interesting it is to observe a bizarre combination architectural styles and directions.

Rock Theater Rathen (Felsenbühne Rathen)

Rathen is a small resort town where a summer theater has been operating since 1936. This theater is a fun entertainment and, rather, a tribute to tradition, since the plays here are played out with a simple dramatic plot of an adventure orientation (for example, the play Winnetou I about the Indians), plus fairy tales and, of course, simple operas. Actors are professional, real all-rounders. The hall can accommodate 2000 people and is in demand by both locals and tourists.

Felsenbühne Rathen

Guests can reach the city of Rathen by bicycle, motorbike, car, or along the Elbe in a pleasure boat. S-Bahn trains depart from Dresden every 30 minutes before unique resort, and within about 40 minutes you will arrive at the place.

Practical information

It is best to come to Saxon Switzerland not on long weekends and holidays. This is the only way to avoid crowds of tourists.

Official website of the national park: www.nationalpark-saechsische-schweiz.de

Saxon Switzerland website: www.saechsische-schweiz.de

The park is located near Dresden.

Where to stay in Saxon Switzerland National Park

Now many housing options have appeared on the service Airbnb. We have written how to use this service. If you do not find a free room in the hotel, then look for accommodation through this booking site.

We offer good options for hotels in Saxon Switzerland

How to get there

Getting here is easy by train or bus from many settlements. In this case, your route will greatly depend on the point from which you begin to explore the park.

• From Dresden

By car, you will reach the park in about 50 minutes along the A17 and B172 highways.

By train and bus from Hauptbahnhof Dresden.

You can come to the Nationalpark Sächsische Schweiz from.

On the way to visit .

Saxon Suitzerland on the map

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How to get to Saxon Switzerland

The Saxon Switzerland National Park is located on the border of Germany and the Czech Republic on the German side and is a mountain forest massif of the Elbe sandstone mountains. The colors of the mountains are given by their bizarre shape, formed under the influence of the "blowing effect", in addition, there are numerous historical monuments, including the most ancient and picturesque - the Bastei Bridge and the Königstein Fortress. The national park is very popular among all lovers of natural attractions and is one of the most visited parks in Germany.

Saxon Switzerland National Park is located 125 km from Prague and 30 km from Dresden, so most of tourists come to the park precisely from these major cities. Often group excursion tours to Saxon Switzerland are organized from Prague or Dresden, but you can also get to the park on your own. The infrastructure of the park itself is highly developed, it is convenient for people with various abilities to move around here, and climbing the mountains along specially designed routes will not be tiring.

Petr Meissner/Winterberg, Saxon Switzerland

How to get to Saxon Switzerland from Prague

The most convenient way to get from Prague to Saxon Switzerland is by rented car. Travel time will take no more than 1 hour 20 minutes, and along the way you can see the picturesque natural places. Prague and the park are connected highway No. E55. At Please note that you will have to cross the state border to enter the National Park, so check with the rental office if this requires an additional permit for the rental car.

You can also get to the park from Prague by public transport. The closest settlements to Prague are considered to be resort villages Rathen and Bad Schandau. By the way, if you wish, you can stay here longer, because the resorts offer climate and mineral therapy. Trains run from Prague to the Rathen resort and the town of Bad Schandau, although not direct, at least one change is required. Travel time with transfers will take about 3 hours. You can check the train schedule and buy tickets online on the website . From the spa Rathen you can start hiking to Saxon Switzerland, while from Bad Schandau you will have to use the local bus.

In addition, from Prague to the park you can take ready-made bus tour. Bus and walking tours are in Russian and last a total of approximately 10 hours. Thanks to the tour you will be able to see all the most Beautiful places natural park, including observation deck to the Elbe River, without the need for transfers, as is the case with public transport. The tour can be found on site or booked in advance at specialized services, such as and others similar.

How to get to Saxon Switzerland from Dresden

Getting to Saxon Switzerland is even easier from Dresden. Direct trains run between Dresden and the Rathen resort, the travel time is only half an hour. Trains run every hour throughout the day. You can check the train schedule and buy tickets online on the website . Next, from the Rathen resort station, you need to go to the pier, buy tickets for the local ferry across the Elbe (travel time is about 5 minutes).

Once on the other side of the Elbe, you will see the picturesque Elbe Mountains right in front of you, the hiking routes of which will lead you to their summit. In the park, you should move around, focusing on the signs, they are placed almost everywhere, and it is difficult to get lost here. In addition, there are a lot of tourists in the park almost at any time of the year (in winter, during snowfalls, the park may be closed).

Where to stay in Saxon Switzerland

The National Park "Saxon Switzerland" is quite extensive, there are many hiking trails not enough for one day. If you plan to stay here longer, then it will be most convenient to stay in one of the nearest settlements so as not to return to Dresden or Prague. The nearest towns to the park are the resorts of Rathen (closer, within walking distance) and Bad Schandau (further, you need to get there by bus or train). Both resorts are quite intimate, traditional half-timbered architecture is presented here and there is all the infrastructure necessary for recreation.

So, for example, you can stay in the Rathen resort in hotels Elbiente 4* , Elbschlosschen 4* , Amselgrundschlossen 3*. The advantage of hotels is their location - in the center of the resort, as well as the presence of restaurants and indoor pools on site. You can stay in rooms of various sizes. As a rule, Wi-Fi in the hotels of the resort is provided free of charge, and there are no problems in finding free parking if you travel by car.

In Bad Schandau, you can find an even larger list of accommodations, since the town is considered thermal spa. Several thermal complexes specializing in the treatment and restoration of various diseases are located here at once. Bad Schandau is a year-round resort and is in stable demand among tourists. You can stay in Bad Schandau in hotels Steiger Ban Schandau 4* , Parkhotel Bad Schandau 4* , Elbhotel Bad Schandau 3*and others. Full list accommodation options in Bad Schandau can be found on the website Booking.com.

What to see in Saxon Switzerland

The Saxon Switzerland National Park is extremely rich in sights. They are based on Elbe sandstone mountains, having a peculiar shape, which, in turn, was created by nature itself over many millennia by blowing and erosion. Landscape national park very varied. On specially laid routes, you can see not only the mountain range, but also fabulous forests overgrown with boxwood, waterfalls, as well as some historical sights, such as Königstein fortress And old bastei bridge, which connects the mountain peaks of the same name, the highest in the park.

Within the park, there are many hiking trails designed for different level preparation and different times. The most popular route is the ascent to Mount Bastei with an inspection of the bridge of the same name, as well as a route to Fortress Königstein. Both places are extremely picturesque, as they are located on the edge of rocky cliffs. Both the bridge and the fortress offer panoramic views of the mountains, the Elbe River and Rathen.

In addition to the Bastei mountain itself with an ancient bridge and the Königstein fortress, you can also see other sights on the territory of Saxon Switzerland. In particular, they include valleys, waterfalls, forests, canyons and caves. If you want to get away from popular routes, then the attention of travelers also deserves Lichtenhain Falls, Stolpen fortress, Kushtal rock gate, and "path of artists" with the most picturesque viewpoints.

It is worth noting that the entrance to the Saxon Switzerland National Park is free. Only ferry services across the Elbe and entrance tickets to the Königstein fortress are paid (8-10 euros depending on the time of year).

In general, we can say that the Saxon Switzerland National Park is a great alternative for a day trip from Prague or Dresden. It is here that you can “change” urban landscapes for natural ones and enjoy some of the most amazing views in Europe. In addition, there are all the opportunities to stay in the scenery of nature for as long as possible - in the immediate vicinity there are resorts Rathen and , which also offer many opportunities for leisure.

Saxon Switzerland and Dresden are frequent tourist routes one day from Prague, both destinations are popular with travelers. About,, On a note :

Going on a trip to Europe, do not forget to take out a travel insurance policy, which is mandatory already at the stage of applying for a tourist visa. You can take out insurance on your own without leaving your home. For this, there are special services, such as tripinsurance, and others. You can buy a policy online and then print it on a regular printer.

Photo at the beginning of the article: Bernd Thaller