Chur, Switzerland’s oldest city

Chur, Switzerland’s oldest city has been populated for at least 5000 years. Due to its strategic position in the Alps Chur had an eventful past: ruled by Celts, Romans, Goths, Germanic tribes, invaded by Saracens and Hungarians. Today, a stunning comfortable city of Chur harmoniously combines chic boutiques, modern galleries with medieval buildings, Baroque churches and a relaxed atmosphere.

Chur

The car-free Old Town has spectacular beautifully restored architectural gems. The cathedral of Chur built in 1272 has a stunning 15th-century Gothic gilded triptych, the largest of its kind in Switzerland. Check out the city’s beautiful squares Arcas and Kornplatz, the medieval towers Obertor, Malteserturm and Sennhofturm, the baroque Bishop's Palace, which still serves as the private residence of a bishop, the ancient the Town Hall Rathaus and Hofplatz, a Roman fort. Half of the city is covered in parks and gardens with colourful flowerbeds and fountains where you can escape the bustle of the busy streets.

The Old Town in Chur

Chur is also a terminal for several scenic train routes such as the Glacier Express and the Bernina Express with the track between Chur and St. Moritz considered by some as the world’s the most beautiful mountain train ride.

The city’s great location means that numerous hiking trails, the Brambrüesch Mountain, skiing and spa resorts, as well as the Bündner Herrschaft winemaking region are all within a short drive. 

Church of St. Martin

All year around the city hosts many big festivals and events. Chur City Festival and Alpine Beard Festival in August are filled with music and culinary delights and attended by bearded men from across Europe among which a champion is selected. In August, every two years Chur hosts the open-air Haldenstein Castle Opera festival. Advent in Chur event in December attracts thousands of visitors who come here to see a Christmas market, listen to gospels and gorge on traditional festive treats. 

Photos via Flickr by: Tim Venchus, Manfred Morgner, Benjamin Chan.

Interlaken: lakes, mountains and mysteries of the world

The small town of Interlaken has been a tourist destination since the 19^th century. Few places in Europe can compete with its stunning landscapes, modern infrastructure and warm hospitality. The town’s location makes it a perfect base for exploring central Switzerland, the Bernese Oberland, Lake Thun and Lake Brienz.

Interlaken

In summer months, you can explore the town’s most popular sites in a horse-drawn carriage. Interlaken’s pretty main boulevard, Höheweg, stretches from the central square to the east. Here you will find swanky hotels, good restaurants, cosy cafes, and various shops. Check out the Interlaken Castle with its formal gardens and 100,000 tin figures grouped in 150 scenes from important world history events.

A cable car will take you to the top of the Harder Kulm Mountain, a lookout point that offers unforgettable vistas over the town, lakes and the Jungfrau Region. Another fascinating place to visit is the St. Beatus Cave where you can explore grottos, stalactite and stalagmite formations and waterfalls hidden 1000 meters underground.

Harder Kulm viewing platform

Spend a few hours in the Mystery World Park that has six exciting multimedia themed pavilions, each dealing with a riddle that scientists have not been able to solve: the flying vehicles mentioned in ancient Indian stories, the Nazca lines, the Pyramid at Giza, the Mayan calendar and others.

Interlaken is Europe’s main adventure sports destination with many centres organizing various pursuits to give you a good adrenaline rush. You can go paragliding, canyoning, sky diving, bungy jumping, river rafting. If you prefer less extreme activities, take a boat trip on Lake Thun or Lake Brienz on a beautifully restored paddle-wheel steamboat and enjoy majestic views of the snow-capped peaks from a comfortable seat on board with a glass of wine in hand or while savouring a gourmet meal. 

Photos by: Interlaken, Switzerland/Facebook, Kosala Bandara/Flickr.

Zermatt, a car-free village in the glaciers paradise

Located at the foot of the majestic Matterhorn Mountain, the car-free Alpine village of Zermatt is one the most famous and good-looking mountain resorts in Switzerland. The village is abuzz with visitors, festivals and activities most of the year. In winter, people come in droves for the world-class skiing pistes, in summer for hiking, biking, skiing up on the glaciers or simply admire the scenery.

Zermatt

Everything you might need for a comfortable luxury Swiss holiday you will find along the lovely main shopping street, Bahnhofstrasse: shops, restaurants, bars, and luxurious hotels. There is also the Matterhorn Museum where you can learn about the village’s history, local farming and mountaineering. However, the main attractions lie high above, in the mountains: 38 stunning summits, glaciers, pine and larch forests, Alpine meadows, mountain lakes are there to be discovered. 

This region is called "Matterhorn glacier paradise" because it has Europe's largest and highest lying skiing pistes. Professional ski teams train here during hot summer months.

However, you do not need to be an Olympic champion to enjoy the Matterhorn glacier paradise, just hop on a cable car that will take you to a viewing platform, the highest in Europe, at 3883 metres. 

The Gornergrat cog railway

The Gornergrat cog railway takes the curious up to another platform where magnificent Alpine peaks run into horizon as far as you can see. In summer, hikers enjoy an easy walk at the Gorner gorge crossing narrow bridges to admire spectacular rock formations and waterfalls. To relax after the outdoor adventures head to the tranquil Mont Cervin's spa for a relaxing massage and a soak in an aromatic steam bath. 

Matterhorn

Zermatt hosts various exciting events all years around. In July there is a Golf Tournament, Matterhorn Eagle Cup. In August, a big fest of the Swiss Food Festival and Folklore festival take place. During winter, a number of skiing tournaments attract international champions and enthusiastic cheering crowds.

Photos via Flickr by: Kosala Bandara, Martha de Jong-Lantink, Trond Hindenes

Riding the Bernina Express

Board the Bernina Express for the most spectacular Alpine crossing! From Chur to Tirano in Italy, in four hours the train takes its passengers through a staggering variety of landscapes, from the high Alps to the Mediterranean Tirano with palm trees. You will travel through 55 tunnels and over 196 bridges, gasp for a breath on the 65-m-high Landwasser Viaduct, catch a glance of Morteratsch Glacier,  see the stunning Alpine lakes and the dramatic Bernina massif. Although the Bernina Express moves slowly, it reaches an altitude of 2253 m, higher than the Glacier Express!

Lago Bianco near Poschiavo

Departing from Chur, the Bernina Express heads across the stunning canton of Graubünden, famous for its spectacular ruins and castles, to the small ancient village of Tiefencastel. From there the express continues south crossing the beautiful Landwasser viaduct and after the Albula tunnel enters the upper Engadine Valley renowned for its winter sports resorts. The town of Pontresina is one of them. Surrounded by pine forests this small picture perfect town has been welcoming tourists since the 19th century. Its architecture is a harmonious mix of traditional Alpine houses and elegant Belle Epoque style hotels.

Brusio Viaduct

Only 10 minutes from Pontresina lies the Morteratsch glacier, one of the highest peaks in the canton, from there the train starts ascending towards the majestic Bernina Pass. At the small station of Ospizio Bernina the express reaches the highest point of the route, at 2253 m. Curve after curve, past the stunning Palü glacier, the train begins the descent to the Poschiavo valley. You will see the landscape changing, from the Alpine peaks to gentle green Mediterranean valleys. The Bernina Express stops in the small Swiss town of Poschiavo where everyone speaks Italian. Poschiavo has several beautiful churches, Baroque palaces and medieval tower-houses. The train continues on to the famous spiral Brusio viaduct from there. Shortly after that, you will cross the border and arrive to Tirano in Italy. 

In summer, the journey can be extended by taking the Bernina Express Bus from Tirano to Lugano.

Photos by: Michael Holler/Flickr, David Gubler/Wikimedia Commons

Discovering the glamorous St. Moritz

With the sun shining an average of 320 days a year, 25 beautiful mountain lakes, glaciers, world-class ski slopes and top-class restaurants Saint Moritz has become the most glamorous and glitzy Alpine winter tourism destination. 

St Moritz

It seems that the town has always been a trendsetter: in the 19th century it became the birthplace of Alpine chic winter holidays, in 1878 it was one of the first in Europe to switch on electric lights for Christmas, it hosted the first golf tournament in the Alps and opened the first ski lift in Switzerland.

Although winter is the peak season here, St. Moritz is an exciting place to visit all year around. In summer, you can go hiking, biking, rowing on the lake, playing golf on its four spectacular courses or skating at the Ludains Ice Arena that is open in all season. For winter sports fans there are over 200 miles of pistes, 100 miles of winter walking trails and extensive tracks for cross-country skiers. Adrenaline junkies can whizz down the Olympia Bob Run St. Moritz-Celerina, the world’s oldest bobsleigh track, in a bob led by an expert instructor at a speed of 80 miles an hour. 

Badrutts Palace Hotel

Prefer more tame activities? Head to Badrutt's Palace Hotel for high tea in the lobby. Snuggle up in a comfy armchair and relax in this grand historic palace’s luxurious atmosphere. For shopping check out Via Serlas studded with high-end designer boutiques. For foodies, St. Moritz is a real heaven as it offers a great choice from trendy haut-cuisine restaurants to small taverns serving hearty local dishes. The Devil’s Place at the Hotel Waldhaus Am See is the largest Whisky Bar in the world that offers a selection of 2,500 kinds of the fiery spirit. In January, there is an annual gourmet festival with international celebrity chefs demonstrating their skills. Also in January, you can watch St. Moritz Polo World Cup on Snow that attracts 15,000 spectators. The famous international horse races White Turf St. Moritz take place in February.

Photos via Flickr by: Ale Granholm, Matthias Forster.

Riding the Glacier Express

The Glacier Express is one of Switzerland’s most scenic train routes that will take you through 91 tunnels and across 291 impressive bridges, past green meadows, Alpine peaks, picturesque villages, manicured vineyards and stunning fortresses. It is known as Europe's slowest express because it travels at the speed of 24 mph and takes over seven hours to cover 180 miles, however, the joy is in the journey when you board the Glacier Express.

Glacier Express

The train departs from the pretty spa town of Zermatt at the foot of the Matterhorn. Stroll around before boarding the train enjoying the car-free streets and fresh air. From there the train will take you along the beautiful Mattertal valley dotted with picture-perfect villages. Next stop – Brig, a beautiful old town with the stunning Baroque Stockalper Palace. It sits at the foot of the Simplon Pass where in the 19th century Napoleon built a road for his armies, the first one in the Alps.

Alps near Andermatt

After a stop in Andermatt, the train starts ascending up to the Oberalp Pass, the highest point of the trip at 2033 metres above sea level. You can snuggle up in your seat and have a hearty lunch with excellent Swiss wine that is served on the train or pop in to the bar car for a drink or two.

The Express slowly takes you through the spectacular Rhine Gorge where the Rhine River starts and that is often referred to as the 'Swiss Grand Canyon'. In a while the train starts descending towards Chur, the oldest city in Switzerland in a beautiful mountain setting with magnificent historic buildings and charming winding alleys.

Wiesner

Depending on the route, the train’s destination is either elegant Davos or the glamorous holiday resort of St. Moritz. The trains heading to Davos cross the famous Wiesner viaduct built in the beginning of the 20th century. The Glacier Express heading to St. Moritz passes the curved Landwasser viaduct where you can observe the front of the train heading into the Landwasser Tunnel.

Photos by: Kevin Poh/Flickr, Michael Day/Flickr, David Gubler/CC.

Engelberg: fresh air, cosy spas and history

No wonder that the charming village of Engelberg in Central Switzerland, just one hour-derive from Lucerne, is a magnet for tourists all year round. Despite its small size, it has it all: ski slopes, walking trails, cosy spas, and a stunning ancient monastery.

Endelberg Panorama

The Benedictine Monastery of Engelberg is the heart of the village. Founded in the early 12th century it has always played an important part in local life. As the legend has it, the Benedictines were the ones who called the settlement “Mountain of Angels” (“engel” in German means “angel”) because they heard divine voices around. Today there are 30 monks still living and working in the monastery.

Skiing resorts in Engelberg attract many experienced winter sports enthusiasts who enjoy the excellent seven-miles long descent, the longest in the Alps, 19 miles of cross-country tracks, snowboarding tracks and winter hiking trails. In summer, a glacier chairlift takes the curious up to the Mountain Titlis glacial crevices, ice grottos and Europe’s highest suspension bridge for a refreshing thrilling walk. 

Benedictine Monastery

There are many cableways (“Buurebähnli”) in the area with some smaller and more traditional ones operated by local farmers. They are open all year around and will take you to various peaks for stunning view of the Alps, walks and skiing. 

After vigorous outdoor activities, many head to pamper themselves at local spas with hot saunas, herbal baths and relaxing massages. During summer months, some spas offer fragrant open-air hay baths with views over the Alps.

Ski Slopes

Engelberg hosts many interesting events throughout the year. The world's best ski jumpers gather here in December for the Ski Jumping World Cup, one of the biggest winter sports even in Switzerland. In March, the town wills up with sounds of music as the ProSieben Mountain Jam Music Festival takes place in Engelberg.

Photos via Flickr by: Joe Dyndale, Timo Kaipiainen, Patrick Nouhailler.