The Malerweg is easily the most beautiful hike I have ever been on, making it by far Germay’s best hiking trail. Every step of the Malerweg brings you to incredible highlights with a frequency unmatched by any other thru-hike. It is six to eight days of pure magic. If you are planning a trip to Germany, you must plan some time in Saxon Switzerland. While you’re there, you must hike some (if not all!) of the Malerweg! To make planning your thru-hike easier, here are 10 tips for hiking the Malerweg:
Table of Contents
Malerweg Tip 1: Don’t skip the first section!
Many people I met along the trail decided to forgo the first section for the sake of time. I found this section to be just as breathtaking as the others and I would not recommend missing it. If you really only have 5 days instead of 8, hike sections 1-5 which are the “traditional Malerweg.” As soon as you leave the bus stop Liebenthaler Grund at the start of the hike, you enter a jungle-like gorge, thick with overhanging trees and greenery. A stream flows peacefully next to you and your eyes are drawn upwards to the top of the stone cliffs lining both sides of the river. My jaw was on the floor for the first 3 kilometers of section 1 and the impressive features do not end there.
The Malerweg gets its name of “Painters’ Way” from the many artists who came over the centuries to preserve this landscape on canvas. Sections 1-5 are the traditional way because they cross the many places which were frequently painted. Sections 6-8 developed later in order to connect the trail with the other side of the river and make a nearly full loop back to Pirna, where the trail begins.
Malerweg Tip 2: Leave your sleeping bag at home
I have a tiny sleeping bag, so I packed mine. But I only needed it for the night at the Neumannmühle. If you stay there, you have the option of renting a sleeping bag and blanket for the night. So it’s up to you if you’d like to carry it the whole way. If you don’t like the idea of renting a sleeping bag, you can carry a sleeping bag liner to use inside the sleeping bag.
Unlike most thru-hikes in Germany, camping is possible on the Malerweg, but it is complicated. See Tip 9 for info on camping.
Malerweg Tip 3: Hike the Malerweg in day hikes
If thru-hiking sounds like too much work for you, it is possible to stay for the week in one place and hike each section of the trail in day hikes. Along my journey, I met a hiker who was hiking the entirety of the Malerweg from Bad Schandau and using public transportation to get to and from the hike each day.
Pros and Cons
The downside to this option is that you will be dependent on the bus schedule. The upside is that you do not have to carry all of your stuff all the time. Another advantage to this is the ability to hike around the weather. If one day is really rainy, you can choose to not hike and you won’t have to worry about messing up your accommodation plans.
How to do it
This blog article shares how to hike the entire Malerweg with one accommodation either in Pirna or Bad Schandau (the article is in German, but if you scroll to the middle/bottom you will find the bus connections). The article also gives great suggestions about the best transit tickets to purchase for your time there.
Malerweg Tip 4: Book your accommodation in advance
Of course, hiking the Malerweg is possible to do by the seat of your pants. But Saxon Switzerland is extremely popular. Much of the region is booked out for weekends and during school holidays. To have peace of mind when you arrive in the next town, book your bed in advance so you won’t be scrambling to find one at the end of a tiring hiking day. It ruins all the fun you’ve had throughout the day. Especially for section 4: options are very limited!
Malerweg Tip 5: Bring cash
Germany is still a very cash-based country. The Saxon Switzerland region is no exception. But unlike in the city, you will not find many conveniently-placed ATMs out there in the woods. It is not uncommon to have to pay for your room in cash. On my thru-hike of the Malerweg, I loaned cash to two friends I made along the way to get them through. Worst case scenario: get the bus to Bad Schandau to find an ATM. So save yourself the hassle by planning ahead.
Malerweg Tip 6: Get a map
One reason the Malerweg simply could not be a Quality or Premium Hike is because the signage is terrible. There are signs along the way, but not enough to guide you without any other aids. I had this guide book from Hikeline. Others used the free informational materials from saechsiche-schweiz.de (choose Wandern im Elbsandsteingebirge to order or download), though, you get what you pay for! If you prefer digital, one hiker I met used the app AllTrails, as Komoot didn’t have the entire Malerweg as of June 2021.
Malerweg Tip 7: Hike 8 sections in 8 days
I hiked 8 sections of the Malerweg in 6 days, but I was wishing for more time everywhere. On day 4, I hiked 30 kilometers and had to skip ascending certain rock formations because I was pressed for time (if I wanted to eat dinner). If you have the time, do the hike slowly and enjoy it fully! There are so many beautiful highlights along the way, so give yourself the time to take them all in. There are several sights which aren’t directly on the trail, so you’ll need to factor in a few extra kilometers and some time each day to see them.
Malerweg Tip 8: Spend a day in Pirna
The Malerweg begins just outside Pirna in the Liebenthaler Grund and ends in the town center. The town known as the gateway to Saxon Switzerland is certainly worth spending the day in. Have Kaffee und Kuchen at Schmole, take a steam ship to Dresden, watch the lions paw the pear tree as the clock strikes the hour in the town square, enjoy a beer at the Schloßschänke overlooking the city from Schloss Sonnenstein, and stroll and shop through the picturesque, cobbled streets.
Malerweg Tip 9: Be well-informed about camping and boofing
Along the way I met a few other people who were as crazy as C. They were camping along the Malerweg. There are campsites at Camping Pirna in Pirna (section 1), Campingplatz “Entenfarm” Hohnstein (end of section 2), Campingplatz Ostrauer Mühle (start of section 4), Caravan Camping in Gohrisch (end of section 6), Camping Königstein and Camping am Treidlerweg (midsection 7), and Camping Stellplatz Struppen (midsection 8). Though everyone stays at the Neumannmühle.
Possible Camping Itinerary
Here’s what C’s itinerary looked like:
Day 1: Sections 1 and 2 – Liebenthaler Grund to Hohnstein. Campingplatz Entenfarm Hohnstein (2.4 km from the trail)
Day 2: Sections 3 and 4 – Hohnstein to Ostrauer Mühle. Zelt und Campingplatz Ostrauer Mühle (on the trail)
Day 3: Section 4 – Ostrauer Mühle to Neumannmühle. Neumannmühle (on the trail, not camping)
Day 4: Section 5 – Neumannmühle to Schmilka. Several accommodation options (no camping)
Day 5: Section 6 – Schmilka to Gohrisch. Caravan Camping Sächsische Schweiz (1.3 km from the trail)
Day 6: Section 7 – Gohrisch to Weißig. Caravanplatz zum Liliensteinblick (1.5 km from the trail) Day 7: Section 8 – Weißig to Pirna. Several accommodation options, including Camping Pirna (3.3 km from the town’s center)
Boofen
Technically “boofen” or “boofing” is not an option for Malerweg wanderers. But along my journey, I did meet 4 hikers who were boofing, or sleeping exclusively outdoors, mostly under overhanging rock formations. Boofing is permitted only in certain areas outside of the Kernzone, so it is important to have a map in which these places are indicated. Boofen is not an option for hikers because boofen is reserved for climbers, as was the tradition in Saxon Switzerland. Lighting a fire is prohibited in all of Saxon Switzerland National Park (and most places in Germany). You can find more information regarding Freiübernachtung in Saxon Switzerland here.
Malerweg Tip 10: Get a Malerweg Passport
Like the Camino de Santiago, many thru-hikes in Germany also offer a Stempelpass or a hiking passport. This booklet can be stamped at various certified guesthouses and taverns along the way. The Malerweg has the additional prize of receiving a postcard at each stamping station. If you show your stamped hiking passport at the tourist information, you will receive a certificate for hiking the trail, regardless of how many sections you complete. For a completely stamped booklet, you receive a special souvenir. You can find a list of stamping participants and a printable hiking booklet here.
Are you ready to go!? For more Malerweg inspiration you can check out my own experience on the trail from the Liebenthaler Grund to Hohnstein via the Bastei and from Hohnstein to Scmilka via the Schrammsteine. If you have more questions about this beautiful trail, I’d be happy to answer them in the comments below! Have you hiked the Malerweg and have tips to share? Let’s hear them!