The Bastei in Saxon Switzerland is probably one of the most famous rock formations in the entire region. From the various rocks, you have fantastic views of the Bastei Bridge, the Elbe River, the surrounding area, and the incredible rocky landscape of the Elbe Sandstone Mountains. It’s hard to believe that we have such beautiful places here in Germany. We were recently in Saxon Switzerland and were finally able to see this famous landmark for ourselves.
In the following article, we’ll take you to the Bastei and tell you everything you need to know for your visit. We’ll answer the following questions, among others: How do I get to the Bastei? Which hiking trails are there? How much does admission cost? When is the Bastei open? Which viewpoints are particularly beautiful? Where can I stay overnight? And what’s the current situation with the coronavirus pandemic? Have fun browsing!
- Saxon Switzerland National Park
- The “Bastei” rock formation
- Hiking trails to the Bastei & Bastei Bridge
- Getting to the Bastei & Parking
- Opening times & admission
- Beautiful viewpoints
- The Neurathen rock castle
- Bastei Hotel and Restaurant
- Schwedenlöcher and Amselsee
- Excursions with children & dogs
- Tourism & Corona
- Guided tours to the Bastei & Bastei Bridge
- Campsites in the area
- Conclusion on the Bastei & Bastei Bridge
- Short & Knapp – FAQ
Saxon Switzerland National Park
Our beautiful Germany has a total of 16 national parks. One of them is the Saxon Switzerland National Park in Saxony. The nature and landscapes are unique, which is why this region is naturally also an El Dorado for hikers, cyclists, and climbing enthusiasts. Here in the national park, you can expect deep gorges, bizarre rock formations, lush forests, babbling streams and waterfalls, enchanting paths through narrow rock crevices, breathtaking viewpoints, historical buildings, and much, much more. Our top 15 highlights can be found here.
The “Bastei” rock formation
One of the highlights of Saxon Switzerland is definitely the Bastei rock formation with the approximately 76-meter-long Bastei Bridge, which was built as a stone bridge in 1851 (previously a wooden bridge). The Bastei lies 200 meters above the Elbe River and the beautiful town of Rathen. From up there, you have a fantastic view of the many rocks of the Elbe Sandstone Mountains, the Elbe River, the surrounding area, and the lush green valley. The Bastei is one of the region’s top attractions, and according to the Sächsische Zeitung, more than 1.5 million visitors flock to the Bastei every year.
Hiking Trails to the Bastei & Bastei Bridge
Would you like to hike to the Bastei? Then you have several options. We recommend the hike from the pretty town of Rathen. To do so, follow the signs to the corner at the “Sonniges Eck” and the “Dorfladen.” There, turn right for a few meters and then take the Basteiweg on the left into the forest. The path now begins its ascent to the Bastei, via many, many steps. After about 15 to 20 minutes, you will reach the first viewing platform with a view over the Elbe and Rathen.
Another option is the hike from Wehlen via the Bastei to Rathen. This section is also part of the 2nd stage of the Malerweg. We started our hike at the free Füllhölzelweg hiking car park. We parked there and walked to Rathen in 30 minutes. From Rathen, we continued to the Bastei, the Schwedenlöcher, the Amselsee, the Wolfsschlucht Gorge, and back via the Polenztal Valley. We were out for almost 8 hours that day and had covered more than 20 kilometers by the end of the day. You can also find many cool hiking options here: Hiking in Saxon Switzerland.
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Getting to the Bastei & Parking
Getting there by car: If you want to get to the Bastei by car, you have to drive through Lohmen or Hohnstein towards Basteistraße. There’s a large parking lot (P + R Bastei) near the beginning of this street, from where a shuttle bus (€1) goes to the Bastei. There’s a second large parking lot not far from the Bastei. The price is €7 per day (€5 for up to 3 hours).
Getting there by bus: You can also travel comfortably and conveniently by public transport. For example, bus line 237 runs between Pirna and Sebnitz, stopping at the Bastei. On weekends and public holidays, there are two additional connections from Bad Schandau (lines 253/237).
Arriving on foot: We recommend hiking to the Bastei. There are many different hiking routes leading to the Bastei, for example, from the town of Wehlen, Rathen, or Bad Schandau. From Rathen, it’s just 15 to 20 minutes to the Bastei and the Bastei Bridge. You can find out more in the “Hiking Trails to the Bastei” section.
Opening Hours & Admission
The Bastei is open all year round. So you can visit this beautiful place at any time of year. You only need to pay attention to the opening hours and prices for the Neurathen Castle. We often received tips from the community to hike to the Bastei right at sunrise. It’s supposed to be much more relaxed at this time of day, without mass tourism. Since we’re unfortunately not ambitious early risers, this was almost impossible for us.
We were there in the morning, like many other visitors. Since we were visiting the Bastei during the summer holidays in perfect weather, the place was naturally packed. Since we knew this beforehand, it didn’t bother us, as the scenery is still beautiful and an absolute highlight. By the way, you don’t have to pay an entrance fee for the Bastei, only for visiting the Neurathen Castle.
Beautiful Viewpoints
The various rocks, the Neurathen Castle, and the Bastei Bridge offer you plenty of beautiful views. Just go with the flow and turn left or right every now and then. If you start your hike from Rathen, you’ll pass the two viewpoints “Tiedgeaussicht” and “Kanapee” at the beginning. From these points, you have a beautiful view of the Elbe, Königstein Fortress, and the vast landscape of Saxon Switzerland.
Now you pass the ticket booth of the Neurathen Rock Castle. If you have €2 to spare, you shouldn’t miss the viewpoints. You can reach these viewpoints via the short circular trail and have the opportunity to take beautiful pictures of the Bastei Bridge. You can also occasionally watch climbers daredevils climbing or abseiling on the many rocks.
Then return to the Bastei Bridge, from where you also have beautiful views in both directions. The “Bastei View” is currently closed. Walk across the bridge and gaze into the beautiful valley with its many bizarre rocks. The view from the Ferdinand View is particularly beautiful, with its view of the rocks, the Bastei Bridge, and the hinterland. Incidentally, the Rathen Rock Stage is located below the viewpoint, which you can reach after a short walk from Rathen.
If you now head towards Schwedenlöcher, you will pass the Wehlstein Viewpoint at the Bastei Hotel and the Pavillon Viewpoint. Both viewpoints offer a beautiful view of the many rocks of the Bastei. A little further away is the “Little Goose” viewpoint. Some viewpoints are always busy, so you should be careful about maintaining a minimum distance of 1.5 meters, and if necessary, wear a face mask if the minimum distance cannot be maintained.
Neurathen Rock Castle
On site, you have the opportunity to visit the medieval ruins of Neurathen Rock Castle (first mentioned in 1261). It is one of the largest and most impressive castles in Saxon-Bohemian Switzerland, with a length of around 700 meters. On the circular trail, 24 information panels tell you more about the former castle and the people who lived there. If you’re afraid of heights, this trail might not be for you. Marco found some of the views down a bit creepy.
The entrance is located directly next to the Bastei Bridge. The ticket booth is usually open between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m., and admission for adults is €2. Outside of these hours, there appears to be a “trusted ticket office.” Particularly beautiful are the many viewpoints, which you can only reach via the ruins of the Neurathen rock castle.
Bastei Hotel and Restaurant
“Right in the middle of it, not just by the side!” That could be the hotel’s motto. The Berghotel Bastei* is located in the heart of the national park, not far from the Bastei Bridge and the Neurathen rock castle. A wellness area, a sauna, a souvenir shop, a restaurant with panoramic views, and cozy rooms (double rooms with breakfast from €100) await you here.
You’ll also find a snack bar on site serving hot and cold dishes, as well as drinks and beer. We found the prices fair and not overpriced (Bockwurst €2.50, Cappuccino €2.50). There are seating areas in front of the snack bar. Along the side are the paid restrooms (€0.70), the souvenir shop, the beer garden, and the hotel parking lot.
Schwedenlöcher and Amselsee
From the Bastei, we followed the blue hiking trail and made our way to the famous Schwedenlöcher. This is a truly magical descent through a ravine-like rocky gorge. More than 700 steps lead down over many small bridges, stairs, and through caves and rock passages. On the other hand, the more than 700 steps could get quite strenuous.
At the end, you reach the idyllic Amselsee, which is about 500 meters long. The lake was once used for ice production and fish farming. Today, you can rent a boat and row across the lake. 30 minutes currently costs €4 per boat. What’s also really cool is that you can even ice skate on the lake in winter! From Amselsee, you can take a relaxing stroll back to Rathen or continue your hike towards Hohenstein and Wolfsschlucht. You can read all about our hike through the Schwedenlöcher here..
Excursion with children & dog
In our opinion, you can visit the Bastei with both children and dogs. The hike to the Bastei is quite easy, so children and dogs won’t face any particular obstacles. Okay, neither of them should be too lazy to walk. And if you do have to cross rough terrain, you can certainly carry your dog for a bit or take a detour.
We saw lots of children and dogs at the Bastei. We wouldn’t recommend the hike with a stroller, as it’s often uphill and involves many steps. We recommend hiking with a dog during the week and outside of school holidays. You can find more on this topic here: Saxon Switzerland with a dog | Hiking with children.
Tourism & Corona
We were there one weekend in July, and it was really, really crowded, especially at the Bastei, on the Bastei Bridge, and at the Schwedenlöcher. But you can’t blame anyone, as the location is truly an eye-catcher and one of the top highlights of Saxon Switzerland. If you’re an early riser, you should definitely come to the Bastei early in the morning (or evening). Then it will definitely be a lot more relaxed.
And what about Corona? We only discovered a single sign indicating hygiene measures, which was unfortunately hanging upside down and very inconspicuously on a fence. On site, we hardly saw any people wearing face masks; somehow, no one seemed to care at all. A minimum distance of 1.50 m was not possible on the bridge or at some viewpoints. Some even stared at us strangely as we explored the area wearing face masks.
Guided tours to the Bastei & Bastei Bridge
If you don’t feel like exploring the region on your own, you can also book a guided tour. You can find some great offers at GetYourGuide*. How about a hike to the Bastei, including Schwedenlöcher, Amselsee, and Rathen? This tour lasts around 3.5 hours and is perfect for anyone who loves nature, history, and photography. Book your tour here*. There’s also an events calendar with numerous guided hikes on the national park website.
Campsites in the Area
You’ll find some great campsites in the area. We stayed at the Königstein Campsite, right on the Elbe River with a view of Königstein Fortress. We highly recommend this site, as it’s an easy starting point for travel in all directions. For us, this campsite was the best starting point for our trip through Saxon Switzerland. You can find out more about our campsite in our article about the 15 coolest highlights in Saxon Switzerland.
Some campsites in Saxon Switzerland:
- Camping Site Königstein
- Small Mountain Oasis Saxon Switzerland
- Camping “Thorwaldblick”
- Camping Site Ostrauer Mühle
- Camping am Treidlerweg
- Camping Site Königstein
- Forest Camping Pirna-Copitz
- Camping site “Entenfarm” Hohnstein
Conclusion on the Bastei & Bastei Bridge
Despite the high number of visitors, we really enjoyed our trip to the Bastei. The hike from Rathen was quite easy, and the views from above over the Elbe and the rock formations were simply amazing. Such high and bizarre rocks always have something magical about them, don’t they? If you’re ever in Saxon Switzerland, we definitely recommend the hike to the Bastei. This stone bridge and the viewpoints are definitely worth it. But be careful: This is ultimately very subjective and a matter of taste.
Short & Sweet – FAQ
How do I get to the Bastei & the Bastei Bridge? How much does admission to the Bastei cost? When is the best time of day to visit the Bastei? How long does it take to walk from Rathen to the Bastei? Can I bring my dog? What about children and strollers?