Between Hungary and Saxony: a late-summer journey through beautiful Europe
Experience the River Elbe by boat and by bike, amongst ferries and cities of art
Much more than just a waterway and much more than just a feature of the landscape: for Saxony, the Elbe is a genuine tourist attraction, best experienced at a leisurely pace aboard a historic boat or by bike along one of Europe’s greatest cycle routes. From Dresden towards the Saxon Switzerland, Meissen and Torgau, the river thus becomes the central thread of a journey that alternates between nature, villages, castles and vineyards. A unique and special experience is a trip aboard the Sächsische Dampfschifffahrt, the historic steamboat fleet – the oldest and largest in the world – which has been sailing the Elbe with nine paddle steamers since 1836. From May to September, cruises, tours below deck and meet-the-crew sessions are on offer, and this year the Diesbar – launched in 1884 and still in service – is celebrating 185 years of operation: the anniversary will be celebrated on 13 September, during European Heritage Days, whilst a week earlier, on 5 September, there will be a special evening event featuring the fleet on the Elbe, complete with music and lights. For cyclists, however, the route to follow is the Elberadweg, a cycle path that runs alongside the River Elbe for around 1,300 kilometres within Germany: the Saxon section, some 180 kilometres long, is home to some of the most interesting stops, including the sandstone formations of the Saxon Switzerland, Pirna and Bad Schandau, Königstein Fortress, Dresden, and the vineyards of Meissen and Torgau. The route is mainly flat, but for those who start to feel the strain, the local river and rail network allows you to combine cycling with boat travel.
