Destinations & sights

The Pfaffenstein table mountain plateau, which has been designated a nature reserve, is rich in historical artefacts with its famous ascent - the Nadelöhr, eye of the needle. Like the Königstein and the Lilienstein, the Pfaffenstein is one of the large, free-standing stones in the Elbe Sandstone Mountains. It differs from the other stones with its strong structure and deep fissures.

The Pfaffenstein was inhabited as early as the Bronze Age, as the remains of a rampart on the western side still show today. In the 19th century, the Pfaffenstein was developed for tourism by a landowner from Pfaffendorf. A mountain restaurant was built and the ‘eye of the needle’ was made accessible by a staircase. In 1904, a 28 metre-high observation tower was added.

Hikers are recommended to climb the Pfaffenstein from the north through the ‘eye of the needle’. On the plateau, a path leads to the south-east corner to the large viewing terrace at the Keilerturm. From here you also have the best view of the most famous rock in Saxon Switzerland, the Barbarine. After winding your way through all the crevices and enjoying all the views, it is best to descend via the Bequemer Weg, i.e. easy path. You will then reach the hiking trail at the foot of the mountain.

A visit to the Quirl opposite the Pfaffenstein, with its exciting rock formations, the beautiful plateau forest with a view of Königstein Fortress and caves such as the ‘Diebskeller’ (thieves' cellar) is always worthwhile. From there, you can also admire the Pfaffenstein in all its grandeur.

How to get there

Take the bus to Pfaffendorf or Königstein, the S-Bahn also goes to Königstein.

There are only small car parks for hikers in Pfaffendorf and Königstein - please use public transport to get there.

Königstein Fortress is a unique example of European fortress architecture. Over 750 years of history have turned this fortress into an impressive ensemble of late Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque and 19th century buildings. The up to 40 metre high rock walls, the mighty sandstone vaults and the 152.5 metre deep well impress all visitors. Soldiers and their families used to live here like in a small town. Today, exhibitions and documentation in the individual buildings tell the story of the Königstein. Taking part in a guided tour gives you access to the underground fortifications, among other things. Remarkable buildings can be found on the plateau, including the well house with restored water pumping technology, the oldest garrison church in Saxony and the oldest preserved barracks in Germany.

How to get there

The homepage of the fortress has detailed information about getting there and parking.

These two table mountains are close to each other and, like Pfaffenstein and Quirl, not far from Königstein - it is not for nothing that this is referred to as the ‘area of stones’. While the Papststein was developed as early as the 18th century, the more rugged Gohrisch was only made accessible with paved paths at the end of the 19th century.

Today, both stones are easily accessible for hikers. Gohrisch can be climbed through the difficult Falkenschlucht (falcon gorge) or on one of the two easy paths up and one is rewarded with a magnificent view from the western weather vane viewpoint (Wetterfahnenaussicht). The ‘Schwedenhöhle’ (Swede cave) also attracts visitors. The Papststein, which can also be reached via easy ascents, attracts hikers with further extensive views and a mountain inn that has been in existence since 1862 and today serves food and drink as a national park partner.

The red dot hiking trail leads from Königstein over both stones, and the Malerweg trail also runs along this route. If travelling by S-Bahn, 5 stones - Kleinhennersdorfer Stein, Papststein, Gohrisch, Pfaffenstein and Quirl - can be combined into one hike between S-Bahn stops.

How to get there

Gohrisch and Papstdorf are the nearest starting points by bus, while the Königstein and Bad Schandau stops are the closest by S-Bahn. There is a car park for hikers (with visitor toilets) and a bus stop between the two stones.

The Kaiserkrone (355 metres high) is a heavily abraded and jagged remnant of a table mountain which, together with the higher Zirkelstein, rises above the flatlands of Schöna, right on the edge of the village, in the Elbe Sandstone Mountains. At the south-eastern end of Schöna, a signpost indicates the ascent to the Kaiserkrone. The path leads steeply uphill through the wooded part of the Kaiserkrone for around 10 to 15 minutes - via wooden steps, stones and finally iron ladders up to the crown. It is advisable to climb each of the three individual rocks, because then you can enjoy a completely unobstructed view on all sides. The Caspar David Friedrich Trail also leads up to the Kaiserkrone, as this is where the famous painting ‘Wanderer über dem Nebelmeer’ (Wanderer above the Sea of Fog) was created around 1818.

Just 500 metres from the Kaiserkrone, the Zirkelstein (385 m high) towers at the southern end of the Schöna district. Although it is one of the ‘small’ stones, its striking shape makes it visible from afar and it is one of the most interesting elevations.

How to get there

Schöna can be reached directly by bus or by S-Bahn to the Schmilka-Hirschmühle stop. From Krippen, the Caspar-David-Friedrich-Weg leads over the Kaiserkrone, the starting point is connected to the bus, S-Bahn and ferry.

At 561 metres, the Großer Zschirnstein is the highest peak in Saxon Switzerland. The extensive summit plateau is very flat and wooded. At the southern end of the Großer Zschirnstein is the highest point, the Mittagsstein, at 562 metres. A steep rock face of around 80 metres drops down from the Mittagsstein. From here you have a very impressive and perhaps the most comprehensive view of Saxon-Bohemian Switzerland. It offers views towards Bohemian Switzerland, e.g. the Hoher Schneeberg, as well as the peaks of Saxon Switzerland and the Eastern Ore Mountains. At 473 m, the Kleiner Zschirnstein is slightly lower and smaller in area than its neighbouring namesake. From the summit of this table mountain, hikers can see most of the table mountains in Saxon Switzerland.

How to get there 

Kleingießhübel can be reached by bus from Bad Schandau and at weekends during the season with the hiking bus from Königstein. You can hike both Zschirnsteine from there.

With 239 peaks, the Bielatal is the largest climbing area in Saxon Switzerland. It stretches from the upper section of the Biela valley to the Czech border. Its bizarre rock formations with deep valley cuts are an excellent hiking and climbing paradise for visitors.

With the establishment of a cold-water spa in the ‘Schweizermühle’ in 1837, the up-and-coming spa soon achieved world fame in the mid-19th century, from which the villages of the Biela valley also benefited due to the increase in tourism. The pure, crystal-clear water of the Biela was used for a wide variety of water cures - the healing results achieved contributed to the worldwide fame of the Biela valley, and so the once poor villages to the left and right of the Biela became much-visited summer resorts.

How to get here

The Bielatal can be reached by bus from Königstein and Pirna to Rosenthal.

Around 3 kilometres from Königstein, in the Leupoldishain district, the circular hiking trail begins through the Nikolsdorfer Wände and to the rock labyrinth. Along the way, you will discover a picturesque forest stage and a ‘cowshed’ (Kuhstall - see national park destinations for reference).

The rocks of the labyrinth are only a few metres high, and their special feature is their steep fissures. The narrow rocky alleyways, dark tunnels and small caves make the marked path a varied adventure tour, especially for children. An individual ascent to the plateau is also possible - but please always be careful, the labyrinth is not a playground and has unfortunately been a focal point of mountain rescue operations in recent years. Some of the crevices in the labyrinth can be a little narrow, but the ‘critical’ points at the entrance and exit can be easily avoided. Then the adventure begins. Into the jagged stone and over rocks, climbing, crawling and sliding, descending into the ravine and experiencing amusing aberrations left and right ... and meeting up again at the end! The ‘tangle of rocks’ is labelled with numbers in ascending order so that no one need be afraid of getting lost.

How to get there

Take the bus to Leupoldishain/Nikolsdorf. By car, you can use the ‘Hohler Stein’ car park - please note that the car park is quickly full, especially at weekends and during the holidays, and you should preferably use the bus.