Saxon Switzerland (2 DAYS): Hike a land of stone bridges, castles🏰 & wilderness🌲

Saxon Switzerland is the mystical German wonderland you read about in storybooks. Filled with stunning cliffs and jaw-dropping valleys, this hike will keep you guessing what awaits around the next bend. Maybe you will squeeze through rocks, maybe you will use your hands and legs to scale ladders, or maybe you will just walk along a flat track through beautiful forest foliage. Who knows! Join us on this surreal and majestic landscape and we guarantee a laughter and excitement filled two days, traversing wild canyons framed by sandstone stacks, fairytale forests, and medieval castles. Starting early on Saturday morning, we take a direct train from Berlin to Bad Schandau (approx. 2:15h south of Berlin) to get to the start of our two-day adventure. Our hike will capture the stunning sights of Saxon Switzerland National Park and also includes staying overnight in the charming village Ostrau right next to the beautiful spa town of Bad Schandau. We then move on to Rathen on Day 2 (Sunday) to our second leg of the hike that incorporates the famous Basteibrucke as well as Hohnstein castle (just to name a few) and then arriving back to Rathen to grab a bite/drink, before boarding the train back to Berlin at 7pm. We’ll be back in Berlin at 10:00 PM on Sunday. Some highlights of the two-day hike include: - Bastei: Bastei is the most famous rock formation in Saxon Switzerland national park, towering 194 meters over the Elbe river with the rocks almost going up vertically from the valley below. - Basteibrücke: This man-made stone bridge “Basteibrücke” is a sight to behold and spans the Mardertelle gorge built to reach the rock castle Neurathen on the other side. - Ridge Trail: The steep slope is well secured with a railing. Stairs and ladders help us get up high. From up there we have the ultimate view of Saxon Switzerland. - Schrammstein Viewpoint: The viewpoint offers a magnificent view over jagged rock formations, impressive table mountains and wide landscapes as far as the eye can see. On the other side of river Elbe, you see the fortress Königsstein, out of the forest rises the mighty Falkenstein. It is also a great spot for a picnic. - Gate of Schrammstein: The 'Schrammsteintor' is one of the most stunning rock formations in the entire national park. The deeply cut passage between the rocks is completely covered with sand and looks like a piece of desert and is a unique photo opportunity! - Kleines Prebischtor: Sandstone gate carved by nature that just amazes you on what mother nature can carve up for us to behold. - Schwedenlöcher: Schwedenlöcher or Sweden holes is a special gem where rocks tower meters above you making for an impressive jaw dropping sight. - Wolfsschlucht: Wolfsschlucht or Wolf’s gorge is a narrow & beautiful canyon with steel steps to make this walk adventurous & walkable and also a delight for photographers. - Hohnstein Castle Town: The medieval castle is the symbol of the town with the castle built around 1200 and offering great views of the Polenz river below. The picturesque town is on the edge of the Saxon Switzerland National park surrounded by the incredible beauty and is also famous for its renowned puppet shows.