Culture and nature on the Elbe Cycle Route

Our tour starts at the S-Bahn station in Pirna, from where we set off along the Brückenweg to the banks of the Elbe. With the river on our left, we cycle along the outskirts of the town. On a wooded hill on the right, the Sonnenstein Fortress (1) rises up, its white facades and red roofs visible from afar. Soon a narrow strip of forest accompanies us on the path parallel to the S-Bahn line. We pass Nieder- and Ober-Vogelsang and follow the Elbe, which leads in an arc to Wehlen. Somewhat offset to the right is the Robert Sterl House (2), which is still largely original and dedicated to the life and work of the German Impressionist. We then cycle through the wooded area at the foot of the Nickstein, behind which we reach the small spa town of Rathen. Here we cross the railway line again and cycle above the Klangterrasse (3) out into the beautiful wet meadows. We now pass through several hamlets along the meandering Elbe. At the height of the Eulensteine, our path is once again lined with light trees. In a bend in the river we pass Thürmsdorf and see the imposing fortress of Königstein (4) coming towards us, enthroned on the local mountain of the same name of the village of Königstein. The castle on the rocky plateau is one of the largest mountain fortresses in the whole of Europe. Shortly afterwards we cross the Elbe on a bridge and arrive at Prossen below the Lilienstein with its magnificent views. A little away from the river we ride in the direction of Bad Schandau. Shortly before reaching the Kneipp spa town, our route changes banks again - the charming market square (5) is worth a short detour, where we can also take advantage of one of the refreshment stops. Our route then continues in an easterly direction, accompanied by the large waterfront. We visibly swap the trees for wide expanses of grass that hug the Elbe. In a long left-hand bend we finally arrive at Schöne S-Bahn station, the last station before the Czech border. Here we have reached the destination of our tour. A little to the right of us rises the Zirkelstein (6), which is worth a final visit with its impressive view. From here we can return to Pirna by train.