Saxon Switzerland National Park is nowhere near Switzerland; instead, it extends across the border between Germany and the Czech Republic – in the Czech Republic it is called Bohemian Switzerland National Park.

The Elbe River runs along the edge of the park and several small towns dot its banks. While the park and many of the towns lie on the east side of the river, the main train line runs along the western bank. 

Towns, like Rathen and Wehlen, which don’t have a bridge, rely on a ferry service to cross from one side of the river to the other; the river is so narrow in these parts, that the ferry (at least the one in Rathen) is tethered to buoys and uses a pulley system more than motor to make the crossing.  In Pirna and Bad Schandau (where I stayed) bridges give the option to take either a bus or ferry across the river.  

The Elbe River also features as a ghost presence in the center of these small towns. Several times over the course of history, historic floods have brought the river water high into the towns. As I wandered around each of the towns, I came across flood markers on building corners – the 2002 flood even rose as high as the second story.

With ferries, buses, and trains all running at least every half an hour, it was easy to make my way around the area by public transit. I’m sure I’ve said this before, but it still rings true. I am in awe of the public transit system in Europe. I love that people can find their way to small towns, trail heads, etc without having to drive. I think it contributes to a healthy lifestyle for all people since access to a car isn’t required to get out of the big cities into the fresh air (Dresden is only about 25-45 minutes away by train). 

To access the hiking trails in Bad Schandau, you can take a regular bus, but even more fun is to take the historic tram that leaves from just above the town’s center. The Kirnitzsch Valley Tramway has been ferrying people into the heart of the park since 1898. The narrow rickety tram slowly makes its way 8 kilometers into the park with nine stops along the way.  The last two stops leave passengers near waterfalls and major hiking trails.  I took the tram to its final stop where two cafes offer drinks and snacks for tourists as they enjoy the nearby waterfall. 

Since 1812, the Lichtenhainer Waterfall has been a tourist attraction; however, because the flow wasn’t deemed powerful enough on its own, a dam was built in 1830 to help build up a show. Since then, every 30 minutes music starts playing and the weir opens up to create a full scale waterfall. While I got to hear the music, I was too busy enjoying my drink to see the spectacle – when I took a look at the waterfall, the water was only a trickle. 

The trail I hiked brought me onto the Malerweg trail – a 116 kilometer trail that traverses the area.  After completing the Camino de Santiago (Portuguese route) this spring, I’m looking for my next long distance walk, so I enjoyed getting a glimpse into this option. In the end, the Malerweg feels more like a hike than a walk, so although it offers some breathtaking views, it might not be the right one for me. However, staying in cute towns like Bad Schandau and enjoying vistas as I did during my visit are draws to the trail. 

This part of the trail hikes into the forest and comes to the Felsentor “Kuhstall” – At 11 meters high and 12 meter wide, this is the second largest sandstone arch in the Elbe Mountains. Kuhstall translates to cowshed in reference to the historic tale that farmers hid their cattle here during the Thirty Years War. The arch opens up to a lovely view of the Bärenfangwände and surrounding forest. 

Nearby is a more daring viewpoint.  A set of narrow and steep stairs is built out of one continuous piece of metal and is wedged in a crevice between two massive rocks. The Himmelsleiter (Ladder to Heaven) is no more than 12 inches wide and seems to float between the rocks.  Remains of the old castle complex as well as more panoramic views awaited me at the top. 

Another way to access the Saxon Switzerland National Park from the town is the Historischer Personenaufzug (Historic Passenger Elevator).  Installed in 1904, the steel Art Nouveau elevator brings people from riverside up 52 meters to a nice view of the Elbe Valley. At the end of the 28 meter long bridge is a small cafe to take in the view as well as trails to continue into the park from here. 

There is also a nice paved path along the Elbe River that connects all of the towns so those who want to bike or walk without getting into the woods have options as well. 

Bad Schandau is historically a spa town, and while I didn’t visit the main spa in the town, I did enjoy a wade in the walking treadmill basin in the Kurpark. The knee high water is crisp and cool. On a hot day, it was a refreshing stop for my feet after hiking in the area. 

For more than 200 years, people have flocked to the area’s most famous tourist destination: the Bastei Bridge.  Accessible from the town of Rathen or Whelen, the 76 meter long bridge is built 194 meters above the Elbe River within the sandstone rock formations.  While Medieval rock castles, like the neighboring Neurathan Rock Castle (no longer accessible because of safety issues), chose this area for the natural defense of the steep sandstone rocks (bastei translates to bastion), the original wooden bridge was constructed solely for tourism in 1824. In 1851 the original bridge was replaced with the current sandstone one.  The bridge itself gives impressive views of the Bastei rocks, but don’t miss out on the other lookout points in the area that offer a comprehensive view of the bridge as well. 

The bridge is a popular tour destination for people coming from Dresden for the day, but the tourists tend to visit the bridge and then head back to their buses, so once I continued on the trail past the parking lot, I had the forest to myself again.  My trail followed the Malerweg trail for the second day in a row with the large boulders now flanking the path as I made my way to the small town of Whelen. Here I had a nice lunch and checked out the town’s church before walking back to Rathen along the riverwalk. 

In between Bad Schandau and Rathen is the Königstein Fortress. Set 240 meters high on the ledge of the Königstein hill, the fortress is imposing in its height and scale.  To access it from the train station, you can either walk the 1.8 kms uphill or take the cute shuttle from just above the train station (though it costs 7 euros – round trip). The bastions around the fortress provide 360 views of the national park, Elbe River, and even Dresden on a clear day. 

The first reference to the Königstein Fortress dates back to 1233 where it was home to Bohemian kings. While the fortress never played an active role in military action, it served as a refuge and prison throughout the years. In 1955  after World War II, the fortress turned into the tourist destination that it is today. The 50+ buildings on the site host exhibits ranging from the life and times of the fortress, political history, armory displays, and art gallery, and cafes.   

FYI: Surprisingly, much of the area – lodging, transport, food – is cash only, so come prepared with some euros at hand.  ‘

Based on my June 2026 visit.