The Malerweg, or 'Painters' Way', is one of the most celebrated trails in Saxon Switzerland, made famous by Romantic-era artists like Caspar David Friedrich and Ludwig Richter who captured its dramatic sandstone landscapes on canvas. Walking it feels like stepping into a 19th-century painting.

The 117.2 km route runs from Liebethaler Grund near Pirna through Lohmen, the Uttewalder Grund gorge, Stadt Wehlen, the Bastei rock formation, the spa town of Rathen, Hohnstein, the Brand viewpoint, Altendorf, the Schrammsteine and Affensteine rock massifs, the Lichtenhainer Wasserfall, and on to Räumichtmühle, the trail's easternmost point. From there it turns west via Zeughaus and Großer Winterberg to Schmilka, crosses the Elbe, then continues through Schöna, Krippen, the Papststein and Gohrisch rocks to Königstein, the Königstein Fortress, Weißig and back to Pirna. The trail is marked with a distinctive #744210 coloured sign and split into 8 stages ranging from 11 to 18 km.

• Moderately demanding - rocky sections, steep climbs and staircases (including the famous 850 steps at Brand) call for reasonable fitness
• Varied terrain: forest paths, exposed rocky ridges, gorges and viewpoints above the Elbe valley

• Divided into 8 stages, making it easy to plan a multi-day hike with overnight stops in villages along the way
• Numerous inns and huts along the route, including Lochmühle, Zeughaus, Buschmühle and the mountain inn atop Papststein
• Good public transport connections - towns like Bad Schandau and Königstein have rail links

In 2007 the Wandermagazin voted the Malerweg the most beautiful hiking trail in Germany - a claim easy to believe when following in the footsteps of Romantic painters.