Family day route on the Malerweg

Especially for children seeking adventures, the varied and rock-strewn paths of the Saxon Switzerland are just right. The complete Malerweg route with 116 km is suitable for children from about 12 years old depending on fitness. For families with younger children, the following day route is recommended:

Your hike begins in Stadt Wehlen. Follow the Malerweg signs upstream along the Elbe and hike on the Schwarzbergweg up to the Stone Table. From there, the Fremdenweg leads you to the Bastei viewpoint. Enjoy the magnificent panoramic view and the view over the Elbe valley. Across the famous Bastei Bridge, you reach the medieval Neurathen rock castle, which you should definitely visit. To extend your stay at the Bastei, we recommend stopping at the Bastei Hotel.

From the Bastei Hotel, continue to the Gansweg ("Blue Line") and descend the steps through the Schwedenlöcher into the Amselgrund. From there, continue to the Amselsee with the option of a small gondola ride.

Then walk further downstream toward the Elbe to Kurort Rathen. There, cross over to the left bank of the Elbe with the cable ferry and visit the model railway exhibition "Eisenbahnwelten" – the largest of its kind worldwide! The last part of the path leads you over the Rauenstein back to the Malerweg. However, you can also cover this last section by S-Bahn return.

Backpack, sturdy footwear, provisions

Arrival Stadt Wehlen (center) / Dorf Wehlen:
Drive on the BAB 4 to Dresden and then change to BAB 17 towards Prague. Then take the Pirna exit and leave the motorway feeder (B 172a) at the Graupa/Radeberg exit. Now orient yourself on hotel route A or towards Bastei & Neustadt/Sachs.

Arrival Stadt Wehlen Pötzscha:

Drive on the BAB 4 to Dresden and then change to BAB 17 towards Prague. Then take the Pirna exit and leave the motorway feeder (B 172a) at the Pirna Zentrum exit. Now follow the B 172 towards Bad Schandau to the Struppen/Naundorf junction.

3 large paid parking lots: in Pötzscha near the leisure pool, in Stadt Wehlen on the Elbe, and between Dorf Wehlen and Stadt Wehlen

Arrival by train:

S-Bahn S1 (Meißen - Schöna) to Stadt Wehlen
Cross with the ferry

 Arrival by bus:

Bus line 238 (Pirna - Stadt Wehlen, Mon-Fri), stop Stadt Wehlen Karl-Marx-Platz

Tourist information Rathen

Order now: Hiking fun with children in the Elbe Sandstone Mountains

To extend your stay at the Bastei, we recommend eating at the Bastei Hotel.

Please note: in the Saxon Switzerland National Park, only marked paths are allowed in the core zone! Fines may be imposed for infringements.

Trail markings

Buy here: Hiking maps