The Bastei Brucke in Dresden, Germany: A Historic Bridge to Enjoy the View From

The Bastei Brucke and its designated viewing platforms provide some of the best views of the German Elbe Valley. Located in the Saxon Switzerland region of Dresden, Germany, the Elbe boasts many interesting sandstone mountains and rock formations. The Bastei Brucke is often the most popular attraction in all of Saxon Switzerland because of the great views from the platforms. This is not a problem during the off-season, but you may run into significant crowds during the summer months. It is estimated that over 50,000 people per day visit the Bastei Brucke near Dresden in the summertime. The viewing platforms are open to the public all year-round and are free of charge.

The Bastei Brucke in Dresden, Germany: A great view

The Bastei Brucke itself was built in 1851 and was designed out of sandstone in order to visually blend into the natural rock in the background. It sits approximately 650 feet above the valley below. Hikers can go up even higher and see the Elbe River from the top of Bastei Peak, which tops out at 976 feet. If you do not wish to walk up that high, there are many lower rock formations and mountain peaks that can be reached by side bridges or stairways.

The Bastei Brucke in Dresden, Germany: Hiking to the bridge

The best way to get to Bastei Brucke is to hike from nearby Kurort Rathen. You will have to first take the S1 S-Bahn train from either the Konigstein or Dresden station. The train will drop you off on the left bank of the Elbe River and a ferry will take you the rest of the way across the river and into town. From this small town in the Bastei region, follow the well-marked path to the top. As you approach the Bastei Brucke, the walking path will become quite steep and involves several flights of stairs. If you are in good physical condition, you should be able to reach Bastei Brucke in approximately forty minutes.

The Bastei Brucke in Dresden, Germany: Riding the bus

An easier way to reach the Bastei Brucke near Dresden, Germany is to ride the Bastei-Kraxler bus that runs from Market Square in Stadt Wehlen. This bus will let you off in a parking lot near one of the Bastei viewing points. You will still have to walk several minutes to reach the Bastei Brucke, but the path is flat. Once you reach the Bastei Brucke, there are a few steps to climb in order to actually get on top and walk along the bridge.