"Meißner 8" - northern route

The northern route of the Meissen 8 leads along the former narrow-gauge railroad line through picturesque villages in the district of Meissen and the Lommatzscher Pflege.

The cycle tour leads along both asphalted and natural paths, some of which were still used by the local narrow-gauge railroad until the 1970s, but were then converted into a scenic cycle path.

The tour starts in Meissen city center on the right bank of the Elbe near the train station and offers a panoramic view of the historic city of Meissen with Albrechtsburg Castle and the cathedral as you cross the railroad bridge. On the rest of the journey, we are accompanied by three churches: Nicolai Church, St. Benno's Church and Luther Church.

A detour to the world-famous porcelain factory is also possible on the way out of the city.

As you pass through the Triebischtal valley, you can see the Götterfelsen rock, which has a viewing platform for a short hike. The route continues past the valley's mills, which can also be visited by bike on the southern route of Meißner 8.

The first relics of the railroad line are visible here - remains of the former viaduct in Robschütz with old concrete supports bear witness to the history of the railroad line. On the next few kilometers of the route, you can explore it through some preserved station buildings and even a small railway museum in Löthain.

However, the tour also delights with natural paths through forests and across the fields of the southern Lommatzscher Pflege, which also offers small villages and sights worth seeing, for example at the Zöthain double bridge and the Prositz Germanic burial ground. If you deviate from the route a little in Mauna, you will discover the "Cambium Compagnie" winery - a nice place for a break and a glass of Saxon wine (seasonally limited offer).

On the way back towards Meißen, you have a wonderful view of the remains of the Renaissance castle in Schieritz before the Elbe cycle path leads back towards Meißen. Here you will find another highlight - the ruins of the "Heilig Kreuz" monastery, which was built in 1217 and today invites you to stop for a bite to eat in the inner courtyard (monastery rest: Thu-Sun 12-5pm).

There are numerous other places to stop for refreshments in Meissen itself.