Out and about – sustainably.
Visit to an (almost) forgotten valley
21.10.2022
Switzerland has so many fascinating valleys that it’s easy to miss some of them. Take the Bergell, for instance, which links the Upper Engadine with Chiavenna in Italy. October’s the perfect month to make amends by paying a courtesy visit to the overlooked Bergell valley for a couple of days.
First of all: If you want to keep your time behind the wheel as short as possible, this road trip is not ideal for you. The Bergell is tucked out of the way – you have to get there first. And the trip has you negotiating no fewer than three passes: the Julier, the Maloja and the Splügen (see boxes). You spend around four to five hours in the car, so the vehicle you choose for this road trip should be correspondingly comfortable. Anyone who opts for an electric car will find here Charging stations.
ALTERNATIVE TO A ROAD TRIP
Travel by train in all comfort then rent a Mobility car near the hotel by the hour or day as required. It’s quick and it’s easy. Ask at your hotel and explore the highlights of this holiday destination at your own pace with Mobility.
Stage 1: Chur – Julier Pass – Silvaplana
From Chur, you head south via Churwalden, Lenzerheide-Valbella and Vaz to reach the municipality of Albula/Alvraz – created in 2015 through the merger of seven smaller municipalities – in a little over half-an-hour. Tiefencastel is where the ascent to the Julier pass begins.
Don’t miss the Julier Tower: built entirely of wood in 2017, the Origen Theatre Tower at the top of the pass is due to be dismantled in August 2023. Performances are repeatedly held in the Red Tower; you can find the schedule here.
The fairly long ascent is followed by a short descent to Silvaplana, which takes just ten or so minutes. Once you’ve already been here, you can take the opportunity to Windsurfing while enjoying a coffee or tea on Lake Silvaplana. The lake has become a surfing Mecca due to the famous Maloja wind. Talking of which, Maloja’s the next destination. From Maloja, the highest Shipping line of Switzerland at sea – but not until spring 23
There are several hotels in Maloja, the most historic one is undoubtedly the Maloja Kulm, whose origins date back to the year 1500. If you want, you could travel a little further on the first day and cross the Maloja pass to spend the night in the Bergell.
JULY
The Julier pass at alt. 284 metres was known to the Romans; during the Second World War, it was barricaded against possible tank attack. The Roman columns at the top of the pass bear witness to this history, and the anti tank barrier is also partially preserved. At the top of the pass, the European watershed also runs: water flows into the Atlantic on one side and into the Black Sea on the other.
Stage 2: Silvaplana – Maloja Pass – Bregaglia – Chiavenna
The history of the Maloja pass is no less interesting. It’s also a great spot for picnicking.
Thus fortified, we approach the actual destination of the trip, the Bergell. The history of the valley is closely linked to Alberto and Augusto Giacometti, important painters and Sculptors of Switzerland. Her works can be seen in the churches of Borgonovo and Coltura, among others, as well as the many other Churches in the Bergell are worth a visit. Who before the 20th or 23. October, can take an even deeper look at the topic of art: either in Castelmur Palace in Coltura, which houses the historical archive of the Bergell, and/or the special exhibition in the Giacometti Centre on the occasion of the 75th Anniversary of the death of Alberto Giacometti.
The Bergell is known for its nature and its woodland, particularly its chestnut forests. One of the largest such forests in all of Europe can be found between Soglio, Bondo and Castasegna. Here, too, it’s worth a visit before the 23rd October, because until this date the Chestnut Festival, which attracts visitors every day with a variety of events. Another highlight is a detour to Soglio, the sunny terrace in the Bergell: sauntering along the narrow village streets, you catch glimpses of the spectacular view of the Sciora group, Piz Cengalo and Piz Badile.
Soglio also offers accommodation, for example in the Palazzo Salis, where Augusto Giacometti also spent the night.
MALOJA
Due to its special topography, it was one of the most important Alpine crossings for the Romans – and also from the 17th Century, the Maloja played an important role. The Maloja pass at alt. 812 metres has also played host to a number of construction ventures, all of which have come to naught. One of the most (over-)ambitious is the plan put forward by the Habsburgs in 1713: the “Maloja-Inn Canal,” which was to allow ships to cross the Danube, the Inn, the Engadin and, most recently, the Maloja into Lake Como or Lake Como. the Adriatic. The Habsburgs never revealed how the canal would have overcome the 000-plus metres of elevation. Numerous attempts to build a railway line over the Maloja pass also failed, And this despite the fact that at the end of the 19th Century. Thus it is that the road, modernised in 1957, remains the only way to cross the Maloja.
Stage 3: Chiavenna – Splügen Pass – Thusis – Chur
It’s said in the valleys that you have to have experienced the landscapes of the Bergell to understand Augusto Giacometti. That’s the plan for the second day. To accomplish this, you have to drive back a few kilometres at most and cross the border. A selection of the possible hikes is here to be found.
Alternatively, you can visit the Art Safiental Biennale on – here, too, is the 23rd October is the cut-off date. This two-yearly outdoor exhibition takes place in the Safien valley. The theme of the current edition is “Learning from Earth” and includes 15 artworks dedicated to the various crises caused by mankind on planet Earth. To get to the Safien valley, you first have to take the rather roundabout way to Bonaduz. At least you get to enjoy the third and last pass of this round trip: the Splügen (see box).
SPLÜGEN
The fact that the Romans also mastered this pass should come as no surprise by now. But even after that, the 2,114-metre-high Splügen played an important role: For 2,000 years, it was the most important connection between Italy and Graubünden. But then plans for a railway line failed due to Ticino’s opposition (instead, road tunnels were bored at the Gotthard and the Bernardino), and a proposal for a Splügen base tunnel also came to naught.
YOUR TRAVEL COMPANION FOR GRAUBÜNDEN
The proposed stopovers are, by their nature, only suggestions. Anyone wishing to put together their own trip should consult the digital travel guide “Alpine Circle”. The online tool from the Graubünden Ferien organisation lists over 100 sights and attractions in this alpine canton, including descriptions, opening hours and links. The suggestions can be found at www.graubuenden.ch/de/reisebegleiter