When the Swiss themselves are asked to name the most beautiful part of the country, they often say the eastern canton of Graubünden due to its largely intact landscape and sparse population.
It doesn’t boast the towering peaks or wooden chalets that are synonymous with Switzerland, but Graubünden claims pristine alpine forests teeming with wildlife, fast flowing rivers, spectacular railway journeys and is home to three of Switzerland’s four language groups.
As far as resorts go, few in the Alps can rival St Moritz or Davos.
They first came to prominence in the 19th century when it was discovered that their dry microclimate could heal tuberculosis sufferers.
Even today, the spectacular settings, top skiing, hiking and variety of accommodation make the resorts hard to beat.
With the exception of St Moritz, the Engadine Valley is home to quaint villages where the locals speak Romansh and live in a style of house equally unique to the region.
Sgraffito
The facades of the large, squat buildings are decorated with traditional artwork called “sgraffito”.
The Engadine stretches from lakes Sils and Silvaplana – a mecca for windsurfers – to the resort of Scuol, known for its thermal baths.
National park
About halfway along, the road branches off and passes through Switzerland’s only national park.
This is the best place in the country to see marmots, chamois and ibex and other alpine fauna in an environment largely untouched by humans.
Glacier Express
Arguably the most scenic alpine railway journey, the Glacier Express, connects St Moritz and Davos with the Valais resort of Zermatt.
But before it leaves Graubünden it crosses stone viaducts spanning deep gorges and loops through tunnels in order to overcome sudden changes in altitude.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
Skiers cover up their carbon tracks
This content was published on
To compensate for greenhouse gases, Arosa promises to invest in renewable energy production for every guest who books a ski package through the tourist office. To benefit from the deal, visitors must be willing to fill out a form declaring the details of their journey – the mode of transport and distance covered, the standard…
This content was published on
A mere 12 kilometres separate the two places but architecturally they are worlds apart. The most prominent property in Klosters, best known as Prince Charles’ ski resort of choice, is a seven-storey apartment block in the middle of town. The gabled-roof building with decorative wooden balconies at each level epitomises the style of architecture most…
This content was published on
swissinfo checked into the “igloo village” above the southeastern town of Scuol to find out why taking a room at an icy inn has become one of the coolest trends in the Alps. Scuol’s igloo village has to be Switzerland’s largest accommodation made entirely of snow and ice. On the night of our visit, the…
This content was published on
And you would certainly think there would be more than nine people living within its medieval walls. What appears today as a sleepy little hamlet tucked away in the southeastern corner of the country was once a rather princely place. In the 14th century, Fürstenau (Fürst = prince) officially became a city when it was…
This content was published on
As well as being the setting for the WEF meeting, Davos is a centre for research and claims to be the “highest altitude town in Europe”. What it is not is a typical Swiss ski resort. Arriving in Davos, visitors are often surprised to find it is dominated by flat-roofed rectangular buildings instead of a…
This content was published on
The people in the village of Vals make their living from thermal waters and the rock from which it springs. The narrow road leading to the valley of Vals was blasted out of the hard granite mountainside, and snakes high above a river gorge. Water and stone are the only natural resources in this primeval…
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.