Saxon Wine Route Trail Proves There’s More To Drink In Germany Than Beer

The visions of a trip to Germany drinking beer out of huge steins in which natives consume brews for lunch in biergartens are are accurate.

But there’s more than beer in Germany. There are wines and wineries and the Saxon Wine Route is proof of it.

Located outside of Dresden, the Saxon Wine Route is a 56-mile (90-kilometer) wine trail along the Elbe river. Along it are beautiful towns, castles, forests and a narrow-gauge stream railway.

And here’s what’s unique about it: it’s just a 20=minute train ride from Dresden, and you can hike through the vineyards and to the many Straußwirtschaftens (wine taverns). Not only that, one stretch of the Elbe Cycle Route runs almost alongside the Saxon Wine Trail. A popular way to experience the Saxon Wine Route is to break it into six different stages; each are 15 to 18 kilometres and take five to six hours to walk.

The wines are Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, and Traminer grapes to make award-wining, fruity and dry wines. The region is particularly known for its white wines. There are also the sweet Rieslings.

Wineries To Visit On The Saxon Wine Route

Pillnitz Royal Vineyards

• The vines of the Klaus Zimmerling vineyard (www.weingut-zimmerling.de), among others, grow on the Rysselkuppe at the Pillnitz Royal Vineyard in Dresden
• The Weinbergkirche is located above the Pillnitz Palace Park. From there you have a beautiful view over the vineyards into the Dresden Elbland. It is a Protestant, Baroque sacred building, which is still considered a landmark of the Pillnitz landscape.

Schloss Albrechtsberg, Dresden https://winzer-lutz-mueller.de/

• Traditionally the steamer parade takes place on 1st of May with historical paddle steamer. In the background: the Elbe palaces.
• Dresden with a view into the Saxon Switzerland In the foreground the three Elbe castles (Schloss Albrechtsberg, Lingnerschloss und Schloss Eckberg) und das Blaue Wunder.

Goldener Wagen Vineyard, Radebeul

• Walk through the vineyards to the Spitzhaus in Radebeul. Great views are over the vineyards to Radebeul and even sunset at the Spitzhaus.

Karl Friedrich Aust Winery https://www.weingut-aust.de/

• Picnics are prominent at Weingut Aust.

Hofloessnitz Vinery www.hofloessnitz.de

• The Hoflößnitz winery is located in the vineyards of Radebeul.
• Framed by the vineyards of the “Goldener Wagen” site, the historic Hoflößnitz winery in the heart of Radebeul is a living monument to Saxony’s centuries-old winemaking tradition.

Saxon State Winery Schloss Wackerbarth www.schloss-wackerbarth.de

• The Belvedere forms the heart of Schloss Wackerbarth in Radebeul. You can drink wine with a view of the Schloss Wackerbarth winery.

Schuh Winery https://weingut-schuh.de/

• There are good sunsets at the Schuh winery near Meissen.

Jan Ulrich Winery https://www.weingut-jan-ulrich.de/

• This winery has rooms for overnight stays.

Spaar Hills Meissen

• The eSpaargebirge Hills have had vineyards and wineries dating back to the middle ages.

Schloss Proschwitz Winery, Meissen

•  The Proschwitz estate to Meissen has views of its cathedral.
• Schloss Proschwitz in the Meissen district of Proschwitz is a castle in the style of the Neo-Baroque period. The associated Schloss Proschwitz winery is the oldest private winery in Saxony.
• Meissen Castle Hill with Albrechtsburg Castle and Cathedral is a counterpart to the Hradschin in Prague.

• There are vineyards in Diesbar-Seußlitz, including Palace park with its statues.

 Great Views

• Explore the wine slopes of the Dresden Elbland. With a length of 90 km, the Saxon Wine Trail can be hiked starting in Pirna and passing through Dresden, Radebeul, Coswig, Weinböhla, Niederau and Meißen to Diesbar-Seußlitz.

Dresden, Germany Information

For information on Dresden, thing to do and places to stay the city’s official tourism website is Tourism – Dresden Information GmbH | Landeshauptstadt Dresden