Germany (Lonely Planet, 6th Edition) - Andrea Schulte-Peevers [150]
There are several eateries up at the fortress and more in the town below. The tourist office ( 035021-682 61; www.koenigstein-sachsen.de; Schreiberberg 2) can help find lodgings. Pick of the bunch here is Ferdinands Homestay ( 035022-547 75; www.ferdinandshomestay.de; Halbestadt 51; dm €12.50-17.50, s/d from €25/30, tent/adult €2.50/4.50; ), a small and friendly riverside hostel and campsite combo in a secluded, remote spot on the northern bank. Call for directions.
Daily, from April to October, a tourist train makes the steep climb half-hourly, starting at 9am from Reissiger Platz in Königstein (€2). This drops you at the bottom of the fortress, from where you can get a lift or walk.
Alternatively it’s a strenuous 30- to 45-minute climb from the bottom. The nearest car park is down below, off the B172.
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Bad Schandau
035022 / pop 3000
Bad Schandau, an unremarkable little spa town on the Elbe just 5km north of the Czech border, is the unofficial capital of the Saxon Switzerland and an ideal base for hikes.
The tourist office ( 900 30; www.bad-schandau.de; Markt 12; 9am-9pm daily May-Oct, 9am-6pm daily Apr & Oct, 9am-6pm Mon-Fri, 9am-1pm Sat & Sun Nov-Mar) and the Nationalparkzentrum ( 502 40; www.lanu.de; Dresdner Strasse 2b; adult/concession/family €4/3/7.50; 9am-6pm daily Apr-Oct, 9am-5pm Tue-Sun Nov-Mar, closed Jan) are in the centre of town. The latter has an interactive exhibition on how the sandstone formations were shaped, and introduces visitors to the park’s wildlife. An English text is available.
At the southern end of town, the century-old Personenaufzug (passenger lift; adult/child return €2.50/2; 9am-6pm Apr & Oct, 9am-7pm May-Sep, 9am-5pm Nov-Mar) whisks you up a 50m-high tower for a commanding view. A footbridge links the structure to a pretty forest path that runs partially along the ridge. A good destination to head for is the Schrammsteinaussicht, a viewpoint about an hour’s moderately strenuous walk away. It overlooks the rugged Schrammsteine, the densest rock labyrinth in the national park and hugely popular with rock hounds.
The Kirnitzschtalbahn is a solar-powered tram (the only one running through any national park in the world) that quaintly trundles 7km northeast along the Kirnitzsch River to the Lichtenhainer Wasserfall, a good spot to begin a hike among the sandstone cliffs. Trams run every 30 minutes (one-way/return €3.50/6) from April to early November.
SLEEPING & EATING
Lindenhof ( 4890; www.lindenhof-bad-schandau.de; Rudolf-Sendig-Strasse 11; s €49-55, d €66-94; ) Smart hotel with a good traditional restaurant.
Elbresidenz ( 9190; www.elbresidenz-bad-schandau.de; Markt 1-11; s €73-105, d €116-180; ) This spanking new, top-end hotel on Bad Schandau’s main square will satisfy anyone’s craving for luxury. Rooms are a lesson in modern elegance and there’s a full range of spa cures on tap. Elbe views cost more.
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MEISSEN
03521 / pop 29,000
Straddling the Elbe around 25km upstream from Dresden, Meissen is a compact, perfectly preserved Saxon town, popular with day trippers. Crowning a rocky ridge above it is the Albrechtsburg palace, which in 1710 became the cradle of European porcelain manufacture. The world-famous Meissen china, easily recognised by its trademark insignia of blue crossed swords, is still the main draw for coach parties. Fortunately, the Altstadt’s cobbled lanes, dreamy nooks and idyllic courtyards make escaping from the shuffling crowds a snap.
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Orientation
Meissen’s old town occupies the western bank of the Elbe while the train station is on the eastern side. The pedestrian-only Altstadtbrücke (bridge) near the station is the quickest route between the two, and presents you with a picture-postcard view of the town. Follow Elbstrasse west to the central square, Markt, and the tourist office. Drivers need to take the Elbtalbrücke further north.
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Information
Dresdner