Dresden is a city with a lot to see, especially the magnificent sights in the old town. Many visitors to Dresden who come for several days explore the surroundings of Dresden as part of a day trip. Here, too, there are many attractions. These include hikes, visits to castles and palaces, cities such as the porcelain city of Meissen or nature, for example in the Elbe Valley. In this article you will find the most important excursion destinations around Dresden.
Saxon Switzerland
Probably the most popular excursion from Dresden is to “Saxon Switzerland”, also known as the Elbe Sandstone Mountains. Visitors can expect a national park with many hiking trails, great nature with mountains, castles like Königstein, the beautiful valley of the Elbe and some lovely villages.
Saxon Switzerland is easy to reach from Dresden by S-Bahn. The main railway line from Dresden to Prague runs through the nature region.
A good destination in Saxon Switzerland is Bad Schandau. The spa town is very popular with tourists. We recommend a ride on the Kirnitzschtalbahn, a kind of tram that runs through the area’s great nature. Bad Schandau is easy to reach by train from Dresden, and faster trains also stop here.
You should also visit the Königstein Fortress above the Elbe, one of the most interesting and largest castles in Germany.
Take the S-Bahn to Königstein and then walk through the forest or take a local bus to Königstein Fortress.
Wonderful destinations for hikes in Saxon Switzerland include the natural wonder of Kuhstall, the 400-metre-high Lilienstein plateau and the Bastei Bridge, which offers the best views over the Elbe Valley. In the Elbe Sandstone Mountains there are over 1,200 km of developed and signposted hiking trails. So you can hike for weeks in Saxon Switzerland and see something new every day.
Radebeul
The small town of Radebeul is more or less a suburb of Dresden. Wine is grown here.
Besides the vineyards, many visitors to the town also visit the small wine taverns, the so-called Straußwirtschaften. Radebeul is also the town of Karl May, and has a great Karl May Museum. Radebeul can be reached from Dresden by tram (line 4).
The most popular tour in Dresden: Guided tour of the
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Meissen
The city of porcelain is also easy to reach by train from Dresden. Our tip, however, is an excursion by boat on the Elbe. Such tours are offered daily from the centre of Dresden.
In addition to the city centre, you should visit the museum of the famous Meissen porcelain in Meissen. Of course, you can also buy Meissen porcelain in shops. It is still one of the most famous porcelain manufactories in Europe.
Moritzburg Castle
Moritzburg Castle is a well-known sight north of Dresden. It can be reached by bus 477 from Dresden Neustadt station.
It is a hunting lodge, built by Augustus the Strong in the 18th century. The garden and the landscape around the castle are also worth seeing.
In the wider surroundings, Leipzig, Görlitz, Zittau or Usti nad Laben (Czech Republic) are also suitable for an excursion from Dresden.
