Saxony, Germany — 5 days, hiking & a Baroque city break
East of the Rhine valleys and the Bavarian Alps that dominate most German itineraries sits a region many visitors never reach: the Elbe Sandstone Mountains, known as Saxon Switzerland for the dramatic table-top formations early Romantic painters compared to the Swiss Alps. Paired with two nights in Dresden’s rebuilt Baroque old town, this five-day route mixes genuine trail time with one of Germany’s most underrated cities — no cuckoo clocks, wine terraces, or tour buses required.
Days 1-2: Dresden’s Old Town and the Blue Wonder
Base yourself in the Neustadt and spend the first day in the reconstructed Altstadt: the Frauenkirche, the Zwinger’s porcelain and old-masters collections, and the Fürstenzug mural along the Residenzschloss. On day two, cross to the quieter Blasewitz side to see the Blue Wonder bridge, then walk or cycle the Elbe riverside path — flat, well-marked, and a good way to loosen up before the trail days ahead.
Days 3-4: Bastei Bridge and the Elbe Sandstone Mountains
Take the S-Bahn to Kurort Rathen, then climb to the Bastei bridge at sunrise before the day-trip crowds arrive from Dresden. From there, the Malerweg (“Painters’ Way”) long-distance trail threads between sandstone towers and pine forest — pick a 12-15km stretch toward the Schrammsteine viewpoints for the best formations without committing to the full multi-day route. Base for both nights in the town of Bad Schandau, which has more trailhead access than Rathen itself.
Day 5: Königstein Fortress and the Malerweg’s Quiet Stretch
Finish at Festung Königstein, a fortress complex on its own sandstone plateau with wide Elbe valley views, then take a slower section of the Malerweg back toward Bad Schandau before the return train to Dresden. It’s a quieter closing day after two days of steeper trail sections — worth it for how few other hikers you’ll pass.
Combining trail time with a real city base is a pattern that works elsewhere in Germany too — see our Black Forest itinerary for a similar mix further west.