Nature
Bizarre, whimsical, unspoiled … these are only three of the descriptions that come to people’s minds when they visit this landscape. Whatever words you may think of, be prepared to be impressed! By sandstone pinnacles and rock gorges, beech forests and wild streams – masterpieces of nature, which have been under national park protection since 1990. This work of art called “National Park Region Saxon Switzerland” is completed by its Conservation Area of vast flats with majestic mesas and the Elbe river cutting deep into the landscape. Explore this unique natural landscape in Central Europe on our pages, whether you are a connoisseur of the area or planning your first walks here.
In fact, the area is so unusually mountainous for Germany’s relatively flat north that is has been given the name “Saxon Switzerland” (Sächsische Schweiz). The area is part of the Elbe Sandstone Mountains, together with the so-called Bohemian Switzerland in neighbouring Czech Republic, known for its characteristic rock formations that are ideal for climbing. One of the most beautiful hiking spots in Germany is without a doubt the Bastei, a jagged formation of sandstone rocks and cliffs jutting out of an Alpine-like area around Spa Rathen. The Bastei bridge, a centuries-old stone structure built into a majestic 194m-high rock formation, offers breath-taking views of the mystical landscape and the Elbe river winding through the valley below.
Elbe Sandstone Mountains
Saxon- and Bohemian Switzerland
Bastei bridge
