Hikes in Dresden

Dresden is the capital of Saxony, home to more than half a million people and crossed by the Elbe River. The city itself lies in a basin, the Elbe valley, but is already embedded in the foothills of the Ore Mountains, which are famous for their hiking trails.

But before you go hiking in the surrounding low mountain ranges, it is worth taking a look at the Elbland region in the immediate vicinity. Germany's smallest wine-growing region offers numerous paths and hiking trails that invite you to explore the forest, meadow and moorland areas. Along the walks there are always opportunities to integrate a little culture into one s hiking tours with castles, palaces and parks.

For example, the Königsweg is a hiking trail whose highlight is the historic Moritzburg Castle. The surrounding park shines in lush green. In addition to the castle, a varied forest and pond landscape awaits you on the circular trail.

Not far from Dresden, one of the most impressive hiking regions in Germany begins with the Sächsische Schweiz National Park, known above all for the Elbe Sandstone Mountains and its quite sweat-inducing hiking tours.

In Dresden itself, the Highlight Route is ideal for walking in the city centre. The 5-kilometre tour takes you past sights such as the Zwinger, Frauenkirche, Fürstenzug and Semperoper. It is one of the must-do walking tours for anyone visiting Dresden for the first time.

Those who then want to get out into nature can set off from the district of Loschwitz on the Discovery Trail. The 5-kilometre walk takes you to the Dresdner Heide nature reserve and past the villa district of Blasewitz. The starting points of both walks are very easy to reach by public transport.

Significantly more demanding are hikes through the volcanic cauldron. From Tharandt, located between Dresden and Freiberg, the route runs for about 26 kilometres through the Tharandt Forest, which lies in an ancient volcanic basin and is not called the square mile of geologists for nothing. However, the hiking tours in this region are not only interesting for soil scientists. Idyllic springs, imposing natural monuments and relics from the mining era are also waiting to be discovered along the hikes. You should plan a good 8 hours for the entire route with its 441 metres of altitude.

For those who want to hike along the course of the Elbe over a longer distance and have the necessary stamina, the Sächsische Weinwanderweg is a very good way to get to know the area around Dresden. The 89-kilometre route begins south of the state capital in Pirna, passes through it about halfway and then continues along the Elbe to Diesbar-Seußlitz.

Along the way there are numerous places of interest as well as plenty of opportunities to stop off and spend the night.