Switzerland is the epitome of natural beauty, so little wonder then, that this beautiful national park in Germany has been named Saechsische Schweiz or Saxon Switzerland, the Switzerland of Saxony.
A day trip to Saxon Switzerland, to the ruggedly beautiful landscape of sandstone mountains, will take around 3 to 3.5 hours from Berlin, the capital of Germany.
The national park is a popular destination for day trips not only from Germany but also from the neighbouring city of Prague in the Czech Republic. The Czech part of the park is called Bohemian Switzerland.
If you happen to be in Dresden, then this wonderland is only a 75-minute drive away from its entrance. Dresden is also the closest airport to the park.
I visited this place as a part of a student group along with a German family way back in 2004.
In 2023, we went to Prague and I happened to go back to this fairyland again. Believe me, nothing has changed over the last 19-odd years.
I have written a separate post on our trip to Bohemian Switzerland from Prague.
Occupying an area of only 94 square kilometres, the park is one of the smallest national parks and has the distinction of being the only non-Alpine Rock National Park in Germany. It lies in the Elbe Sandstone Mountain region of Germany and shares its borders with the Bohemian Switzerland National Park in the Czech Republic.
On the Czech side of the park, lies the Pravcicka Gate, the largest stone arch in Europe.
This picture was taken from the Czech side in 2023 of the beautiful Elbe Valley
What makes the Saxon Switzerland National Park special
- Entry to this spectacular park is free of charge. The park is open all year round and there are no opening and closing hours. The entry fee applies only to the Felsenburg Rock Fort in that area.
- The park is easily accessible by road. A lot of day trips from Dresden take you to the Czech side of the park as well to show the Pravcicka Arch, the largest natural arch in Europe.
- The park has some very intriguing topography, both in the form of Mesas or table mountains and also some very steep cliffs.
- If you're a hiking enthusiast, then this park is tailor-made for you. With over 1100 rock peaks to scale, you will be spoilt for choice
- There are multitudes of climbing routes that take you to these peaks, almost 14000 of them!
- There is a whole set of Saxon rules for climbing that you have to adhere to while climbing the rocks. The entire park has signposts with instructions for hikers so that they don't get lost in the park. As long as you stick to the hiking path, you should be okay.
Please refer to their website for more information
Things to do and see in the Saxon Switzerland National Park
Bastei Bridge
This 76.5-meter-long bridge joins the massive rock structures and has many look-out points on both the left and right sides that offer spectacular views of the Elbe Valley.
This is a wooden bridge and walking over the bridge is a thrilling experience for tourists.
Schrammsteine
This stunning rock formation is a paradise for climbers and hikers, identifiable by its pointed, jagged peaks. Views from the above are breathtaking.
There are gorges, caves, castles and fortresses along the way.
Fortress Koenigstein
The top of the fortress along the river Elbe offers truly awe-inspiring views of the surrounding landscape.
Elbe Valley
The entire landscape around the Elbe Valley is home to a lot of water sports like canoeing, kayaking and a host of other water activities.
A lot of educational trips with audio guides are also available at the park. They gave us some very interesting insights into the history of the area.
Don't miss out on this wonderland of nature carved out by rock, wind and water for you!
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