Overview
Malerweg means ‘painters’ way’ and it’s named after the 18th century artists from the nearby Dresden Academy of Fine Arts who immortalised its landscapes in their work. This 115km walking trail leads you through the glorious landscapes of the Elbe Sandstone Mountains. This Malerweg Trail in winter short break itinerary takes you to some of its natural heritage highlights, including the old thermal spa town of Bad Schandau, the Bastei Rock formations and to some superb valley viewpoints. At this time of year, the Elbe Valley is frosty and fresh, sometimes with light snowfall, but usually only enough to add to its fairytale vibe. Breakfast and dinner are included on most days on this tour.
- Bad Schandau
- Sustainable village of Schmilka
- Königstein Fortress
- Bastei Rock formations
Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival in Bad Schandau
Depending on when you arrive, use the afternoon to explore the area, taking a stroll through the oldest spa town in the German region of Saxony, relax at Toskana thermal spa or stroll along the banks of the River Elbe.
- Accommodation: Elbhotel Bad Schandau or similar in Bad Schandau
- Upgraded accommodation: Hotel Elbresidenz, Parkhotel Bad Schandau or similar in Bad Schandau
- Meals included: dinner
Day 2: Bad Schandau – Schmilka | 11km
Whilst in the area, we recommend a ride on the historic Bad Schandau elevator up to Ostrau (payable locally) to take in views of the Elbe Valley. Continue into the forests towards the village of Schmilka, celebrated for being a highly sustainable community, before taking the S-Bahn back to Bad Schandau for the evening.
- Walking for the day: 11km, 3.5h, ↑230m, ↓260m
- Accommodation: Elbhotel Bad Schandau or similar in Bad Schandau
- Upgraded accommodation: Hotel Elbresidenz, Parkhotel Bad Schandau or similar in Bad Schandau
- Meals included: breakfast and dinner
Day 3 Bad Schandau – Rathen | 8-11km
Today’s hike has two options:
Option A:
Hike from Krippen to Gohrisch, also known as The Empire of Stones. Stroll along the Gohrischer Folgenweg to take in views of the famous Lilienstein table mountain, once home to a Bohemian castle.
- Walking for the day: 11km, 3.5h, ↑383m, ↓237m
Option B:
This option leads towards Königstein. Stop at the hilltop fortress dating back to the early 13th century, standing 247m above the Elbe Valley. Continue on via Thürmsdorf and Kleiner Bärenstein to catch a glimpse of Lilienstein, before heading towards Wehlen. Take the train to the town of Rathen for tonight’s accommodation.
- Walking for the day: 8km, 3h, ↑365m, ↓506m
- Accommodation: Steiger Hotel Elbschlösschen or similar in Rathen
- Meals included: breakfast and dinner
Day 4: Bastei loop walk | 9km
The day begins with ascent to Bastei Rocks. We recommend a visit to the 77m-long Bastei Bridge, built between the towering Bastei Rocks, leading to the remains of Felsenburg Neurathen. Continue on to Rathewalde via Steinernen Tisch (stone table), before following the path back to Bastei. Finally, descend back to the spa town of Rathen.
- Walking for the day: 9km, 3h, ↑120m, ↓120m
- Accommodation: Steiger Hotel Elbschlösschen or similar in Rathen
- Meals included: breakfast and dinner
Day 5: Departure
Departure after breakfast.
- Meals included: breakfast
What to expect
Accommodation
Accommodation on this tour includes a mix of mostly small, locally-owned hotels, B&Bs and traditional guesthouses. They have been carefully selected based on a variety of criteria including their location, warm hospitality, fine local food or commitment to responsible tourism. All rooms have en-suite or private bathrooms. Please note that, in Germany, it is common practice for hotels and other accommodations to join twin beds together to make a double, with separate linen for each person. If you prefer to opt for twin beds, we will happily request this at time of booking, however they can’t always be guaranteed.
Click to view default hotels
- Elbhotel Bad Schandau (Bad Schandau)
- Hotel Steiger Elbschlösschen Rathen (Rathen)
Accommodation is subject to availability. In the event of a particular hotel or guesthouse being fully booked for your chosen dates, we will replace it with a hotel of equal value and quality level. We will provide exact accommodation details to you upon booking confirmation.
Click to view upgraded hotels
- Hotel Elbresidenz (Bad Schandau)
- Parkhotel Bad Schandau (Bad Schandau)
Accommodation is subject to availability. In the event of a particular hotel or guesthouse being fully booked for your chosen dates, we will replace it with a hotel of equal value and quality level. We will provide exact accommodation details to you upon booking confirmation.
Meals
Breakfast and dinner is included every day. When no restaurant location is available on the route, lunches and snacks should either be bought from local shops, or packed lunch can be pre-ordered from your hotel the night before.
Difficulty and terrain
This tour is graded easy to moderate and is suitable for walkers with a good level of fitness, with daily distances ranging from 9-11km, on average 3-5h per walking day (read more about difficulty grades). The trails are very well maintained and waymarked.
We strongly advise you to follow only marked trails and never try to shorten the path through the unknown and unmarked terrain. We will provide you with detailed road notes and maps, and you can call our local assistance phone number anytime. More detailed info on route navigation will be included in your holiday information pack.
When to go
This trip runs over winter and is available from the beginning of November until the end of March. However, please note that this trip does not run between mid-December until the start of January.
The flexibility of self-guided holidays means that there are no fixed dates, and you can start your trip on any date in the season, except as mentioned above.
Although it’s well known for city breaks, Oktoberfest and Christmas markets, Germany’s multi-seasonal treats stretch far beyond these clichés. Germany’s climate is typically northern European, and you can read more about temperatures, rainfall and events in our blog, Best time to go to Germany.
Getting there
Click to view travel options
By plane
Our recommended arrival airport for this holiday is Dresden Airport (DRS).
By train or bus
If you are able to travel to Germany without flying, this holiday is reachable by rail with train stations in Bad Schandau and Rathen. For more details, see the national rail operator, DB or use the Omio planner above.
Arrival: from Dresden airport take the airport shuttle to Dresden Hauptbahnhof. From here, take another train to Bad Schandau (50mins).
Departure: from Kurort Rathen Bahnhof take the train to Dresden Hauptbahnhof.
Inclusions
Included
- 4 nights accommodation (only double rooms available)
- 4 breakfasts and dinners
- Train tickets on hiking days
- Luggage transfer from hotel to hotel on all walking days (two pieces per person, max 20kg)
- One set of detailed travel information and maps per room
- 24/7 Phone assistance by our local office/representative
Excluded
- Airfare and connecting land transfers
- Lunches, dinners, drinks and snacks
- Other public transport
- Travel insurance (required – get a quote online)
- Personal expenses
- Any items not explicitly listed as included
- eSIM data for international travel (get an eSIM)
Options, extras and supplements
- If you’re travelling in a group, a supplement applies to group members who would like to have a room of their own
- This holiday is available for solo travellers. However, a supplement will be charged as the cost of rooms and also luggage or private transfers (when applicable) is not shared. Please note that solo travellers are always accommodated in their own room. For logistical reasons, we don’t offer an option for solo travellers to share rooms with other solo travellers
- Upgrade to a 4-star hotel in Bad Schandau
- Extra nights in Bad Schandau and Rathen
