Erfurt --(2-2.5 hr train)--> Dresden (2 nights, low-intensity)
|
(regional train, ~40-50 min)
v
Saxon Switzerland (1 night, hiking day)
|
v
back to Erfurt
Dresden is far enough from Erfurt to justify a proper multi-day trip, and the direct rail connection makes it a realistic one even without a car: ICE and regional services run from Erfurt Hauptbahnhof in roughly two to two and a half hours depending on the route. This itinerary is built around a clear order of effort: the Dresden days come first, kept deliberately gentle, and any hiking in Saxon Switzerland is pushed to the later part of the trip once legs have had proper time to recover.
September in Dresden tends to follow the same mild, settled regional pattern as the rest of Thuringia and Saxony, good walking weather for a city visit, with the caveat that conditions in the hills of Saxon Switzerland can run cooler and windier than the city itself, worth checking specifically before a hiking day rather than assuming Dresden's forecast applies unchanged.
Nights one and two: Dresden, kept easy. Dresden's rebuilt historic centre along the Elbe river is the obvious first stop, and it rewards slow walking rather than a rushed itinerary: the riverside promenade itself, the Brühlsche Terrasse, is flat, paved and well suited to a body still working through post-marathon stiffness, with long uninterrupted stretches for an easy stroll at whatever pace feels right. The Neustadt district on the opposite bank offers a lower-key, more residential contrast to the grand historic centre, with a different, quieter pace worth exploring on the second day. Museums along the historic centre's main squares cover everything from old masters to the city's porcelain collections, and picking one or two rather than attempting all of them in a single visit suits a recovery-focused pace; entry prices and combined-ticket options vary, so check current details locally. A hotel in or near the historic centre puts the riverside walk and the main museums within easy reach, while a guesthouse in the Neustadt suits travellers who prefer a quieter, more local base with a short tram or walk into the centre. For dinner, the historic centre has a wide spread of traditional Saxon restaurants alongside more contemporary options, while the Neustadt leans towards a livelier, younger scene with a broader mix of cuisines, useful to know when deciding which side of the river to base an evening around.
The rebuilt squares of the historic centre sit close enough together that the first day can be planned almost entirely on foot, without needing trams between sights, which keeps the day simple for legs that would rather not stand around waiting at stops. The terrace above the river gives a long, level vantage point over the water and the opposite bank, a good spot to slow down entirely for a while rather than treat the walk as a route from one sight to the next. On the second day, crossing into the Neustadt changes the pace noticeably: narrower streets, independent shops and a more residential feel replace the grand squares of the day before, and there is no obligation to cover much ground here either, since wandering without a fixed destination is the whole point of the district. A short rest back at the hotel between the morning museum visit and an afternoon in the Neustadt is a reasonable way to split the second day, rather than treating it as one continuous outing.
Night three: Saxon Switzerland, once the legs are ready. Saxon Switzerland, the sandstone hill country southeast of Dresden, is a different kind of day entirely, and it should be treated that way. This is not a recovery walk: proper hiking trails here climb through sandstone formations and forested ridges, some of it genuinely steep, and it is best scheduled for the final day of the trip rather than anywhere near the marathon itself. A regional train from Dresden Hauptbahnhof reaches the area in around forty to fifty minutes, and a small guesthouse in one of the villages at the edge of the hiking network makes a sensible overnight base if staying out for the hiking day rather than a long day trip back to Dresden. Trail difficulty varies considerably across the network, so choosing a shorter, less technical route is the sensible call for anyone still not fully recovered, and checking current trail conditions and any access restrictions before setting out is worth the extra few minutes it takes.
Getting home. From either Dresden or the Saxon Switzerland region, the most realistic route home for international travellers runs back through a larger hub rather than a direct regional flight: Frankfurt Airport by ICE from Dresden Hauptbahnhof is the standard major-hub option, while Leipzig/Halle Airport (IATA: LEJ) offers a somewhat closer regional alternative reachable by train, worth comparing against Frankfurt on both journey time and available routes before booking. Erfurt-Weimar Airport's very limited scheduled service makes it an unlikely departure point for this leg of the trip. Check current train and flight schedules together before finalising the return journey, since connection times between regional rail and onward flights can vary by season.