The Bastei Bridge is one of Saxony’s most famous landmarks. A stunning stone bridge high up in the Elbe Sandstone Mountains, this beauty wouldn’t look out of place in Game of Thrones or Lord of the Rings. In fact, I wouldn’t have batted an eyelid at the sight of an elven queen or some kind of tyrant king striding across it. Whether you’re doing the Bastei Bridge hike on a day trip from Dresden, or as part of the Malerweg route, the bridge is a must-see.
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The history of the Bastei Bridge
Don’t get me wrong pals, instagram has been a huge factor in the boom in tourism across the entire world. But tourism isn’t a modern invention by any means. The Elbe Sandstone Mountains have been around for thousands of years, and the Bastei rock formations which tower over the River Elbe have been attracting tourists for centuries at least.
Even before the bridge was built, Saxon Switzerland (which is a confusing name considering this is Germany, let’s face it), was a romantic kind of a location which inspired many an artist throughout history. The nearby city of Dresden was a key stopping point in the Grand Tour, and adventure-seeking rapscallions were often led up the mountains on 18th century guided tours of the area. Huts were built at the top of the mountains to sell bread, coffee, beer and brandy to wandering tourists.
The perfect refreshments for a mountain walk in Germany, I’m sure you’ll agree!
18th Century Female Travellers: Meet the Parminters
In 1824 the locals capitalised on tourism even further- the clever old beans. They built a wooden bridge connecting the turrets of rock; and in 1851 this was replaced by the far more stable sandstone bridge in place today. The bridge doesn’t lead to anywhere, but it’s definitely an all round marvellous addition to the landscape.
The Bastei Bridge hike followed part of the Malerweg- or Painters Way. And the reason for this rather lovely name is that so many artists flocked to the hiking path to paint the stunning landscapes they saw.
How to get to the Bastei Bridge
Most people visit the Bastei Bridge from Dresden, which is about 40km away. And unlike other natural wonders, it’s easy to access by public transport as well as by road.
By road
To drive from Dresden to the Bastei Bridge takes around an hour, although be aware that you can’t literally drive directly to the bridge. That would take out all the fun of the Bastei Bridge hike, after all. There are two car parks close by, which cost €3 for up to 3 hours, or €5.50 for 3 or more hours.
By public transport
Pals. I cannot stress how impressed I was with the public transport throughout the whole of Saxony, particularly throughout Saxon Switzerland National Park.
To get to the Bastei Bridge from Dresden, take the regional S1 train in the direction of Bad Schandau. Exit the train at Kurort Rathen- which is the tiny town just across the river from the beautiful rock formations. The journey takes around 35 minutes, and trains leave Dresden on this route roughly every half hour.
Head here for train times and tickets, although I’d definitely recommend getting the Deutsche Bahn app if you’re staying in Germany for a while.
Once you reach Kurort Rathen, catch a ferry across the river to Bastei. The town is so tiny that as long as you leave the train station and head to the river, you cannot miss the ferry landing. And the ferry itself just goes back and forth across the river all day long, so whatever time you get there you shouldn’t have to wait too long. The ticket to cross the river is €1.20, or €2 for a round trip.
On foot
Me and my pal Rachel (if you’re a regular reader, you’ll already know of this lovely travel buddy of mine), were spending a couple of weeks exploring Saxony. We’d spent three days in the Ore Mountains, and then ventured up to stay within Saxon Switzerland National Park.
We settled on the little town of Königstein as the perfect base for our stay, although Pirna is another popular town for visitors staying within the national park. And this is such a beautiful location that hiking to the Bastei Bridge from Königstein was a no-brainer as far as we were concerned! It took us about an hour and a half to get from A to B.
Wherever you’re staying in Saxon Switzerland, there are hiking paths aplenty. As home of the Malerweg, this is one of the best areas for walking in Germany; so I say get your walking shoes on and make the most of this beautiful location.
Hiking to the Bastei Bridge
Once you reach the village on the opposite side of the river, the Bastei Bridge hike normally takes around 45 minutes to complete. Although it can be steep in parts, the path is well maintained and you won’t need any kind of specialist gear.
This is the Malerweg, not Mount Everest, after all.
In Bastei there’s a small huddle of riverfront hotels, bakeries and restaurants, and a street following a stream. When we arrived here in late August, the weather was just starting to turn. The rain began to pummel the river quite furiously, so we took shelter in the Hotel Elbiente until it had passed. I’ll be honest, it also gave us the great opportunity to sample some Bohemian garlic soup which was a downright awesome addition to a rainy day. I’ll give garlic soup a ten out of ten for ‘walking in Germany’ fuel.
On either side of this stream, the land slopes upwards and is speckled with more houses and beer gardens. Follow the stream upwards and then turn left onto an upwards-sloping lane called Amselgrund.
Over the border: Lost in Bohemian Switzerland
From there just follow those signposts to the Basteiweg. The path is really well marked out, and a mixture of steep sloping and actual steps. Early on, you’ll reach a viewpoint over the river (which already seems pretty high up), but don’t be fooled into thinking this is as far as you can go. As long as you keep walking upwards, you’ll reach the stone bridge linking the towers of the Bastei rock formations.
The bridge is perfectly safe- in fact it’s one of the sturdiest of all the bridges I’ve crossed, you’ll be happy to know! And I have crossed a fair few rickety bridges in my time.
The views across the River Elbe towards Bohemian Switzerland, Königstein Castle, and further away the city of Dresden are astounding. But I was even more in awe of the view on the opposite side of the bridge, looking away from the river. The sandstone rocks were formed when water eroded them long ago, and now they’re dotted with pine trees and tiny flowers. The shadows cast by the steep rocks in the sunlight are beautifully dramatic, and for the best view of the Bastei Bridge behind these formations, cross the bridge and follow the path around to a viewpoint jutting further out across a chasm.
Climbing the staircase to this viewpoint is kind of unnerving if you’ve got a mild issue with heights (which I do), but if you can handle it then I 100% recommend it. If anything, just so you can say ‘wooo I did it!’ after your small panic attack at the top. Like I did.
The best time to visit
Every blog you will ever read will tell you to do the Bastei Bridge early in the morning, to avoid the crowds. I’ll be honest, we were super lucky that although we got there in the early afternoon- and an early afternoon in August at that- there was barely anybody else there.
Partly, that’s because it was the summer of 2020. Everybody else seemed to have decided to go to Bavaria. But it had also just poured with rain- we got there just as the rain stopped and the crowds had cleared. SCORE.
Entry fee and opening times
JOY TO THE WORLD! The Bastei Bridge hike is completely free of charge. In fact wherever you hike within Saxon Switzerland National Park, or the Malerweg, you will not pay a penny. This is land for all to roam!! The same goes for Bohemian Switzerland National Park, if you happen to stumble over the border to the Czech Republic at any point. (It happens.)
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