In nature's sandpit - the Elbe Sandstone Massif

This tour of discovery starts at Pirna. There is a hint of the Mississippi in the air as you step aboard the paddle steamer "Pirna", which has been plying the river between Dresden and Bad Schandau since 1898. Glide majestically downstream towards Rathen, a former fishing, boating and quarrying village.

Felsenbühne Rathen is one of the most beautiful natural amphitheatres in Europe. The Bastei rock formation, a paradise for mountaineers and freeclimbers, rises 149 metres above the Elbe. It offers panoramic views past Pirna and Bad Schandau as far as the peaks of Bohemian Switzerland. On the opposite side of the river, south of the striking Mount Lilienstein, is the imposing Königstein Fortress -
the largest fortress complex in Europe, sitting in impregnable splendour at the top of the mountain. More than 750 years of history, a series of underground fortifications and no fewer than 30 buildings make it a hugely impressive example of a fortress.

Source: Wandermagazin