ONLY 30KM FROM Dresden lies one of Germany’s best-kept secrets. Sächsische Schweiz (Saxon Switzerland) national park, which is dominated by the imposing Elbe Sandstone Mountains, includes 400km of hiking trails, 36km of cycle routes and more than 11,500 climbing paths, from which you can fully appreciate the stunning rock formations and the beauty of the valley below.
After a 35-minute journey from Dresden to Kurort Rathen station, a slow glide by ferry across the snaking River Elbe leaves you at the foot of the 305m-high Bastei, or Bastion (below).
The most difficult route to the top is also the quickest and most rewarding. A steep hike leads to the remains of a medieval fort that sits precariously on a pulpit of rock connected by a series of dizzying walkways.
A walk along the parapets and an iconic stone bridge offer staggering views of the river and valley below on one side and a coniferous forest on the other, where the park continues into the Czech Republic.
Ten minutes by train farther upriver are the equally impressive Lilienstein and Königstein tabletop mountains. The fortress at Königstein, which served as a state prison and, more recently, as a prisoner-of-war camp, dates from the 13th century.
The area is readily accessible from Berlin, not least thanks to the Schönes Wochenende (Happy Weekend) train ticket. This allows unlimited travel for up to five people anywhere in Germany on a Saturday or Sunday for €35, using regional and local trains.
See www.nationalpark- saechsische-schweiz.de, www.saechsische-schweiz.de and www.festung- koenigstein.de
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