Saxon Switzerland National Park

Climbing experiences

Explore the bizarre rocky landscape of the Saxon Switzerland National Park on a panoramic double-decker bus tour from Dresden. Marvel at the Bastei lookout rock, the world-famous Bastei Bridge, and the breathtaking circular route of the Königstein Fortress. Gather at the meeting point in Dresden then set off toward the picturesque Saxon Switzerland National Park. Swiss painters discovered the sandstone cliffs as a landscape backdrop more than 200 years ago, and the park's well-known natural highlights such as Schrammsteine, Rathen, and the Kirnitzschtal have inspired numerous artists, including Caspar David Friedrich and Richard Wagner. On this tour, go directly into and through the national park with your German-speaking guide. Soak up stunning panoramic views throughout, especially from the Bastei lookout rock (entry included). Explore the Königstein Fortress, one of the largest fortifications in Europe (entry not included). To conclude your tour, you can either return to Dresden by simply staying on the bus, or you can take an optional boat ride back to the city on the oldest and largest side-wheel steamer fleet in the world. The boat ride is not included and can only be purchased onsite.

Explore Bohemia and the Saxon Switzerland National Park on a full day from Prague. See the Bastei Bridge, Pravcicka Gate, Kamenice Gorge, and more with a guide. After being picked up from Prague head to the heart of Bohemia and the Saxon Switzerland National Park, the youngest national park in the Czech Republic. Make a stop at the Bastei Bridge (the German side of the park), perched high above the River Elbe. Enjoy stunning views as you walk across the bridge. Then, continue to Pravcicka Gate on the Czech Republic side of the park. Admire Europe’s largest natural sandstone gate. Pause for lunch (included), before transferring to Kamenice Gorge. You will board a small dinghy for a scenic journey through a canyon carved deep in the sandstone cliffs.

Choose from a hiking tour, a fantasy highlights tour and a winter tour, and discover Prague in a unique way. Visit National Parks, ancient castles, or snow-covered landscapes. Learn about your surroundings from your local expert guide. Your guide will pick you up from your Prague accommodation early in the morning. Enjoy the comfort of an air-conditioned vehicle while learning about Czech culture, history, and the main highlights on your way to the national park. Taste snacks and enjoy beverages throughout the entire day.  Enjoy an abundance of time to admire the filming sites of the 'Chronicles of Narnia' movie in a group of a maximum of 10 persons. Spend an unforgettable day in the Bohemian and Saxon Switzerland National Park, one of the unique natural reserves in Europe, by choosing one of the following Tour options:  Hiking Tour Choose this tour if you want to see the main highlights of both National Parks. Visit two countries in one day. The first destination is the magnificent Bastei Bridge. Feast on the breathtaking views of the Elbe river canyon, surrounded by unique sandstone rock formations. Then enjoy the rolling landscape full of tiny German villages and famous table mountains. The following hike brings you near the main symbol of Bohemian Switzerland — the Pravcicka Gate — the largest sandstone arch in Europe. After tasting the rich local cuisine (lunch included), sail on gondola-style boats through the soothing Kamenice river gorge (a 12-hour, 10-kilometer active hike). Fantasy Highlights Tour This tour brings together the two main fantasy filming sites of the region. Visit Saxon Switzerland and walk across the magnificent Bastei bridge and visit Neurathen Castle ruins. Cross to Bohemian Switzerland and adore the amazing views from the Sneznik lookout tower. Enjoy a tasty lunch (included) in a local restaurant and continue to experience Narnia while hiking through the sandstone labyrinth of Tyssa Walls (a 10-hour, 9-kilometer moderate hike).  Winter Tour Go on this tour for an active winter visit to the region. Marvel at the beauty of snow-covered sandstone towers. Stroll across the Bastei Bridge to reach the medieval ruins of Neurathen Castle. Enjoy the Pravcicka Gate during the season pictured in Narnia. Hot beverages and lunch in a local restaurant (included) will help you regain all your energy (10-hour, 7-kilometer moderate hike).

Witness the versatility of „Dresden Elbe” and the Saxon Switzerland with a cruise between Dresden and Königstein. From bizarrely shaped rock formations via opulent wine-growing districts and fascinating baroque palaces through to the unique skyline of Dresden. Only the city center of Dresden, with the Frauenkirche, Semperoper, and the Brühl´s Terrace, presents priceless views. Above that, you can discover the three beautiful Elbe castles and the Pillnitz Palace and Park along the riverbanks of the Elbe while driving.  In Saxon Switzerland await the cities Pirna, Stadt Wehlen and Kurort Rathen and also Königstein to be spotted. Here you can admire the world-famous “Festung Königstein”, which is 250 meters high and looks back at a history of more than 700 years. This tour offers different options for traveling, like a round trip or single trips with start in Dresden or Königstein. Please check the several journey times.

Discover a unique landscape from this historic paddle steamer and enjoy the journey along the Elbe River. Admire the prettiest scenes of the Elbe valley in Saxon Switzerland National Park. Choose from a return trip starting in Bad Schaundau or a one-way trip from Dresden. Discover the picturesque Old Town with the Canaletto-House and the church St. Marien. Also pay a visit to Sonnenstein Castle for a fantastic view of Pirna. Take a closer look at the 250-meter high Fortress in Koenigstein and the impressive bastion rocks, Basteifelsen, in Kurort Rathen. Settle back and enjoy a delicious cake and specialty coffees while passing small picturesque villages. The National Park Saxon Switzerland, with its diverse flora and fauna, is a paradise for hikers and climbers.

Start with pickup from your accommodation in Prague 1, or a meeting point in Prague 1, and head to Germany to visit the famous Bastei Bridge (depending on the season) in the Saxon Switzerland National Park. Admire the breathtaking views and then drive through the Elbe Canyon back to the Czech part of the park which is called Bohemian Switzerland National Park. Depending on the season, visit Pravcicka Brana, the largest sandstone arch in Europe. This impressive structure looks like something out of one of the Lord of the Rings movies. Afterward, have lunch at a local restaurant. After lunch, head down the hill to the scenic Edmunds Gorge and take a boat trip on the water (depending on the season). Depending on the season, you will visit the Tisa Rocks, a key attraction in the area, and admire the views. The total hiking distance divided into three parts in the main season is about 11 km.

Explore Bohemia and the Saxon Switzerland National Park on a full day from Dresden. See the Bastei Bridge, Pravcicka Gate, Kamenice Gorge, and more with a guide. After being picked up from Dresden head to the heart of Bohemia and the Saxon Switzerland National Park, the youngest national park in the Czech Republic. Make a stop at the Bastei Bridge (the German side of the park), perched high above the River Elbe. Enjoy stunning views as you walk across the bridge. Then, continue to Pravcicka Gate on the Czech Republic side of the park. Admire Europe’s largest natural sandstone gate. Pause for lunch, before transferring to Kamenice Gorge. You will board a small dinghy for a scenic journey through a canyon carved deep in the sandstone cliffs.

Escape the busy city of Prague and immerse yourself in the wonders of nature on this highlights tour of the Bohemian and Saxon National park.  Visit sites that have been declared a ‘European Destination of Excellence’ for their exceptional beauty, enjoy the most photogenic natural creations of the National Park, and enjoy walks and moderate hikes in the most preserved parts of the park. Visit the most popular natural attraction in Bohemian Switzerland National Park, Pravcicka Gate, famous for being Europe’s largest sandstone arch. The site was used as a filming location for the movie Narnia, and there’s no escaping the Gate’s magical qualities.  Mysterious and inspiring, the gate is hidden deep in the woods and this impressive symbol of the National park stands 21 meters tall, leaving all the spectators in admiration. The next stop is lunch which caters to vegetarians, vegans, and meat lovers alike. Enjoy a traditional Czech meal at a stunning stone house that was built on the stream in 1905 by German workers.  This newly renovated restaurant will surprise you with an amazing steampunk-style interior, which is decorated with gears, rivets, and a huge clock with visible gears and the sound of mechanics. Your last stop is Bastei n the Saxon part of the National Park. The Bastei rock formation has plenty of viewpoints over the Elbe canyon on the right bank of the river Elbe. Walk across the famous sandstone bridge that connects Bastei and explore the ruins of the old Neurathen rock castle.

From May to the end of October, this boat trip departs Bad Schandau every Friday and Saturday and takes you on a journey along the rock formations of the Saxon Switzerland National Park. Depending on the water level, you can admire the Schrammsteine (a long, strung-out, very jagged group of rocks in the Elbe Sandstone Mountains) and the legendary Sieben Brüder houses in Postelwitz. Alternatively, the paddle steamer travels to Königstein. From the boat, you can see the striking shape of the fortress and Lilienstein on the right-hand side.

The 10-hour guided tour from Prague will take you into the heart of Czech Bohemia and Germany’s Saxon Switzerland National Park. Your first stop will be at the Bastei bridge on the Saxon (German) side of the park. Walk across this magnificent bridge perched high above the Elbe River, and marvel at the stunning views that will simply take your breath away. Your day trip then continues on to Pravčická brána on the Czech side of the park. Take a hike up to Pravčická gate, the largest natural sandstone gate in Europe. There will be time for a break and for you to enjoy a delicious lunch. Afterwards, you can just sit back and relax in comfort on the journey back to Prague.