Davos and Klosters
have the opportunity to visit the climatic health resort of Davos and its neighboring municipality of Klosters when traveling to the Swiss canton of Graubünden, you should definitely take advantage of this. Both the large-scale Davos, which has grown into an Alpine metropolis, and its neighboring municipality of Klosters-Serneus, which leads into the Prättigau valley, have developed into a common tourist destination that is worth a visit in both summer and winter.
Davos – from Walser village to Alpine metropolis
In a high valley that was once inhabited by the Walsers and is surrounded by gentle, wide mountain slopes that are inviting for winter sports, is the health resort and holiday town of Davos, which consists of six parishes. When viewed from a distance, the striking flat roof style of its multi-storey building, which is broken through by a few pointed church towers, catches the eye. The city promenade, which has developed into a popular shopping mile in the town center, is known far beyond the city limits. The Kirchner Museum is a popular destination, especially for those taking part in study trips. Its exterior is considered to be groundbreaking for modern museum architecture and its functionality. Inside, the works of the expressionist painter Ernst Ludwig Kirchner are particularly attractive. One of the few witnesses of older epochs, along with some churches, is the town hall, which dates back to the 16th century. The large parlor on the second floor has been preserved in its original state and has magnificent paneling with pine wood.
Klosters-Serneus
This rural community, which is very popular with hikers and winter sports enthusiasts, is more contemplative but no less interesting. Against the backdrop of the Silvretta peaks, it presents itself with old farm and wooden houses, a baroque church and an interestingly designed museum of local history. Several cable cars lead to popular excursion destinations in the area. One of these is the “Madrisa-Land” adventure park, which is open in the summer months and which fills many folk legends and stories from this region with new life in an impressive manner.
Glacier Express
The most famous train in the world
The Glacier Express in the Swiss Alps is the most famous railway in the world. On a track with meter gauge he passes what is probably the most impressive railway line on the planet, which makes a study trip to Switzerland an unforgettable experience. No less than 291 impressive bridges are crossed on the eight-hour journey – and 91 tunnels are passed through. The journey goes past picturesque valleys, deep gorges, imposing mountains and chic health resorts – and also over the Oberalp Pass at an altitude of 2033 meters at the source of the Rhine. The path also leads along the Rhine Gorge. Three Swiss cantons are on the route: Valais, Graubünden and Uri.
From Zermatt to St. Moritz
In 1930 the very first Glacier Express ran between Zermatt and St. Moritz. The narrow-gauge train needed eleven hours for the journey back then. In the meantime there were connections that ended in Chur or Davos. The Brig, Andermal, Visp and Disentis stops are also on the way. Of course, you can also take your time for this trip and get off and linger in between. Once in Zermatt, we recommend taking the Gornergratbahn up to the Matterhorn, in St. Moritz and Chur there is a connection to the Bernina Express in the direction of Tirano.
After the rolling stock was renewed in 2009, a standard Glacier Express now consists of two first-class panorama cars (one of which has a disabled toilet), a classic dining car and three second-class panorama cars. Since 2006, new panorama cars have been used in which lunch is served to the square. The passenger receives interesting information about the route in six different national languages via headphones
Montreux Jazz Festival
The Montreux Jazz Festival was founded in 1967 by Claude Nobs and is now one of the most important international cultural events. After the Canadian Montreal International Jazz Festival, it is the largest of its kind. The music festival takes place annually in Montreux in the canton of Vaud. Around 250,000 visitors travel to Switzerland every July for the event. Although the name suggests the focus on jazz, other styles are also represented there. Openness and a willingness to experiment are essential characteristics of the festival, so any kind of music is welcome. As a result, the event convinces with its diversity and is particularly attractive for visitors.
Numerous musicians perform within two weeks and convince the visitors with an extensive program that could not be more unique. Music legends such as Aretha Franklin, Prince, David Bowie and Stevie Wonder have performed on the festival stages. In this way, new memories are created every year that one fondly thinks back on. The concerts have been precisely documented since the beginning of the Montreux Jazz Festival. Over time, this has resulted in a large collection that was included in UNESCO’s World Document Heritage in 2013. And the collection continues to grow.
Even if the main stages of the festival deserve the greatest attention, Nobs’ aim was to give as many people as possible access to the music. That is why there are also numerous free stages on which budding musicians have the opportunity to make a name for themselves with the right target group at an early stage. The Montreux Jazz Artists Foundation is the academic side of the festival, offers competitions and workshops and accompanies young musicians throughout the year. In January 2013 Mathie Jaton took over the management of the festival after Claude Nobs’ death. The aim is to continue the event according to the founder’s guiding principle and to unite music enthusiasts anew every year.
