Back Roads Germany (Dk Eyewitness Travel Back Roads)

120

Above left Wall and tower of the Festung

Königstein Above right Spire of the

Stadtkirche St. Marien towering over rooftops,

Pirna Below Gross Sedlitz, on the outskirts

of Pirna

WHERE TO STAY IN PIRNA

Deutsches Haus moderate

Old-fashioned furnishings meet

modern, friendly service in this

small hotel installed in a Renaissance

courtyard residence. It makes a fine

base for visiting Dresden and Saxon

Switzerland, and has a good

restaurant. Niedere Burgstrasse 1,

01796; 03501 468 80; http://www.

romantikhotel-pirna.de

BACK ROADS GERMANY

7 Gross Sedlitz

Saxony; 01809

Fountains and flowerbeds, parterre

patterns and statues of antique

deities make this the most grandiose

of Augustus’s pleasure gardens.

A syn thesis of late-Baroque Italian

and French styles, its sym metry

ref lects the Age of Reason (the

17th cen tury flourishing of philo-

so phical thought). It opens onto an

immaculate green where Augustus

the Strong played bowls, then

sweeps down to a lower terrace, a

radiant green divided by channels

and backed by the rhyth mic arches

of an orangery full of fragrant

Tuscan orange trees.

ª Return to Pirna and drive over the

B172 into the Zentrum. Park beside

the river in the lot P6, or on Markt

beyond the viaduct.

6 Schloss Pillnitz

Saxony; 01326

A drive along the Elbe offers views

of the 19th-century villas and palaces

on the river’s northern bank. The inspi-

ration for these buildings was Schloss

Pillnitz, an extraordinary ensemble

begun in 1720 to host the summer-

time revels of Augustus the Strong.

Architect Pöppelmann reflected the

ruler’s admi ration for autocratic

Oriental emperors in the chinoiserie

of the facing wings, one of which

contains a craft museum (May–Oct:

open daily). Learn about the complex’s

creation in the Neues Palace (Apr–Oct:

closed Mon; Nov–Mar: open Sat–Sun),

then explore the gardens (open daily)

to find a large palm house and the

Triton Gondola, in which Augustus’

son cruised up the Elbe.

ª Continue on north bank road to

reach the main road and the B172 to

Pirna-Zentrum. In the town center,

turn right following signs to Gross

Sedlitz and park at Barockgarten.

Wines of Saxony

The northern slopes of the Elbe

are sufficiently sun-drenched to

allow viticul ture. Müller-Thurgau

(also called Rivaner), fresh and full

of character, is the most popular

variety of grape cultivated here,

followed by Riesling and

Weissburgunder (Pinot Blanc).

This region’s white wines are

generally medium-dry and sprightly,

while reds such as Traminer and

Blau Spätburgunder tend to be

aromatic. Although locally produced

wines can be tasted in a Weinstube

in Meissen, aficionados should

visit the acclaimed Schloss

Wackerbarth estate (open daily;

http://www.schloss-wackerbarth.de) in

Radebul, near Dresden.

Where to Stay: inexpensive, under €70; moderate, €70–€150; expensive, over €150

CRUISING THE ELBE

River cruisers ply the Elbe three times a

day, stopping at various destinations

along the river. At Königstein, Kanu

Aktiv Tours (035021 59 99 60; http://www.

kanu-aktiv-tours.de) rents canoes

and kayaks. The modern cruisers of

Sachsische Dampschiffahrt

(www.saechsische-dampfschiffahrt.

de) depart regularly on stately cruises

up the Elbe to Bad Schandau via all

the destinations included in this tour.