Chur

May to October is the best time for the old town and for hiking. Summer is warm. Autumn has clear light and the grape harvest. Winter is cold, and the ski areas nearby have snow from December. Spring is mild but can be wet.

• Kathedrale Sankt Mariä Himmelfahrt stands on a hill above the old town. It is a Romanesque cathedral with a carved altar.
• Martinskirche is a late Gothic church in the old town.
• Regulakirche is a small church near the old town.
• Obertor is a gate in the old town wall.
• Rätisches Museum shows the history of the Grisons.
• Bündner Kunstmuseum shows art from the region.
• Fontanapark is a park near the museums.
• Schloss Haldenstein and Ruine Haldenstein are a castle and a ruin in Haldenstein, just north of Chur.

• Walk the old town lanes and squares.
• Visit the cathedral on its hill.
• Take the narrow-gauge train to Arosa or St. Moritz.
• Hike in the hills above the town.
• Taste wine in the villages north of Chur.

• Arosa is a mountain resort reached by a scenic train. The trip takes about 1 hour.
• Davos is a large resort town, about 1.5 hours away by train.
• Flims Laax Falera is a ski and hiking area near the Rhine gorge.
• Lenzerheide is a lakeside resort and ski area.
• Thusis is the start of the Viamala gorge and the Albula line.
• St. Moritz is a famous resort in the Engadin, reached by scenic train.

• Arosa, Lenzerheide and Flims Laax Falera are the nearest ski areas.
• Ilanz/Glion and Thusis lie in the valleys to the south and west.

• By air: Zurich Airport is the main gateway. Trains take about 1.5 hours.
• By train: Chur is on the main line from Zurich. Check times on SBB.
• Chur is also the start of several narrow-gauge mountain lines, including scenic routes to the Engadin.

• The old town is small, car-free and easy to walk.
• The station is a 10-minute walk from the old town.
• Local buses link Chur with the nearby villages and the valley.
• Cable cars and mountain railways run from Chur's surroundings.

• A car is not needed in the old town, which is car-free.
• Parking is in car parks around the edge of the centre.
• A car helps for the side valleys, but the mountain roads can close in winter.

Try capuns, which are dumplings wrapped in chard. Pizokel are local pasta. Bündner Nusstorte is a nut tart from the region. Dried beef from Graubünden is a local product.

Most people speak German. Romansh, a local language, is also spoken in the region.

• Chur is very safe.
• Mountain weather changes fast. Check forecasts before any hike.
• Tap water is safe to drink.
• Winter roads to the passes may need chains or winter tyres.

People have lived at Chur for thousands of years. The Romans built a settlement here. The town became a bishop's seat in the 5th century, and the bishop's court still stands on the hill.

The town was a stop on the old trade routes across the Alps. It joined Switzerland in the 19th century with the canton of Graubünden. A fire in 1464 destroyed much of the old town, so most buildings are later.

Quick practical facts for Switzerland at a glance: