Tschiertschen Village was voted in 2020 as the most beautiful village in Graubünden. This mountain resort lies close to the alpine city of Chur.
The charming Tschiertschen village is a traditional Swiss mountain village in Tschiertschen-Praden municipality. It lies at 1,350 meters above sea level. Tschiertschen is a charming village worth visiting. It also serves as an attractive starting point for hikes. Although it is in the middle of the mountains, it also has a beautiful vantage point of the valley. The village is part of the district of Plessur, named after the river Plessur that crosses it.
The entire region is in the Schanfigg valley of Graubünden. Schanfigg is also called Tschelfigg or Schelfigg in Walser German. It is referred to as Scanvetg in Romansh. Schanfigg valley is a carved valley with sunny terraces, lovely meadows, and extensive forests.
Tschiertschen village was named one of the most beautiful villages in Graubünden. It is surrounded by the mountains of Alpstein (2,298 meters), Gürgaletsch (2,441 meters), Urdenfürggli (2,546 meters), Schwarzhorn (2,683 meters), Gudaspitz (2,191 meters), and Arosa’s Weisshorn (2,653 meters)
History and Background of Tschiertschen
At the beginning of the 14th century, the Walser people from Valais settled here from Davos. The wooden houses show typical characteristics that you see in other Walser villages. Well-kept wooden houses contain sayings on them traditionally taken from the bible.
The locals use the majority of the land area for agricultural purposes. This is in spite of the village developing into a tourist destination. The other half is either not arable (rivers or mountains) or forested. Settled land comprises 1% of the total area. The village has its share of beautiful, traditional, and centuries-old wooden houses.
From Tschiertschen village, you can reach Praden in less than one hour. In less than two hours, you can reach Untersäss, Runcalier, Lüen, Castiel, and Passug. Chur, approximately 10 kilometers away, is also a 2.5-hour hike down the valley via Grida.
How to get to Tschiertschen
Getting to Tschiertschen is easy with the car or the public transportation system.
With the car, you take the Autobahn A3 exit Chur-Süd. From there, you will see the green sign saying Lenzerheide Tschiertschen. Then you will have to turn left where it says Passugg / Praden / Tschiertschen. Follow the street and you will reach Tschiertschen. There is a free parking lot right at the entrance of the village.
With the public transport, take the train going to Chur. From Chur, look for the bus in the Chur train station. There are regular bus connections with line 90.042. You can check the timetables at www.sbb.ch.
Things to do in Tschiertschen
- Explore the beautiful Walser houses in the village. As mentioned, the Walser population from Valais came via Davos and settled in the village. The Walser people also settled in other villages in Graubünden such as Sufers, Splügen, Nufenen, Avers, Vals, Obersaxen, Safien, Tenna, Langwies, Praden, Valzeina, and Klosters among others.
- Alp Farur – a wonderful hike to Alp Farur where cows graze during summer and produce milk which is then processed into butter and cheese. The dairy can be viewed by appointment. Alp Farur can be reached by foot and bike (or car) in summer. There is a mountain restaurant called Hühnerköpfe and Restaurant Furgglis near the alp.
- Lake Urden (Urdensee in German) – the mountain lake of Urden (Urdensee) lies in the Urden Valley. This turquoise-colored pristine lake is surrounded by gorgeous mountains. It lies close to Hörnlihütte and Urdenfürggli. At 2,249 meters above sea level, it lies in the Urder Augstberg alp, surrounded by the mountains of Plattenhorn, Hörnli, Hörnligrat, Tschierpen, Parpaner Weisshorn, and Parpaner Schwarzhorn.
- St. Mary’s Church in the village – its tower, walls, nave, and frescoes date back to 1384 and 1385. The organ is one of the last and biggest of the organs from Toggenburg. The walls were painted back in the 15th century.
- There is a panorama point around 5 minutes away from the village entrance. You can see and follow the sign from the post office. Go up the little hill and you will be rewarded with a fantastic view of the village.
- Gürgaletsch – the mountain of Tschiertschen. It can be reached in summer on foot.
- Steinmannli Earth Pyramids – The land pyramids in Gründjitobel can be viewed in the old path from Tschiertschen to Molinis. It is on the western boundary of the municipality.
Hiking in Tschiertschen during Summer
Tschiertschen during summer is a hiker’s paradise. The mountain village is surrounded by several 2,000-meter-high peaks and nature is one-of-a-kind. Also, the village retains its quiet nature. You can recharge your batteries here. There are 70 kilometers of hiking trails surrounding the village.
Several other villages are accessible within an hour or two. This includes bigger towns such as Chur, Lenzerheide, and Churwalden. Arosa is also accessible via the hiking trails from Tschiertschen.
You can partake in any of the following hiking trails from Tschiertschen:
- Tschiertschen-Ochsenalp-Arosa: 14.6 kilometers, 4.75 hours
- Tschiertschen-Carmennapass-Weisshorn/Arosa: 8.4 kilometers, 4 hours
- Tschiertschen-Urdenfürggli-Lenzerheide: 14.3 kilometers, 6 hours
- Tschiertschen-Runclier-Churwalden: 12 kilometers, 3.5 hours
- Tschiertschen-Grida-Chur: 9.8 kilometers, 3.25 hours
For a full list of tours, you can check out their website at http://tschiertschen.graubunden.ch
For families, the following hikes are also available:
- Füxliweg – The Füxliweg is a circular hike providing a playful way to discover nature. There are 14 stops through the forest. There is also a barbecue spot in Fuchsenbödeli.
- Schmetterlingsweg – The Schmetterlingsweg is a 4.18-kilometer hike (around 90 minutes) from Tschiertschen to Furgglis and back. The hike teaches the public about a lot of interesting things about butterflies – their various sizes and colors. It describes particularly the butterflies that live in the Tschiertschen region. This path has 3 barbecue or grill spots. It is also not suitable for strollers.
- Trottinett bikes are available in Berghaus Hühnerköpfe for rent, reachable in 1.5 to 2.5 hours from Tschiertschen depending on your pace.
Winter in Tschiertschen
Skiing in Tschiertschen
The ski resort in Tschiertschen is snowsure due to its north-facing location. There are more than 30 kilometers of prepared slopes here.
- 12 kilometers of blue slopes (easy)
- 13 kilometers of red slopes (intermediate)
- 4 kilometers of black slopes (difficult)
- 6 kilometers of freeriding routes
This ski resort in Schanfigg valley is only 15 minutes away from Chur. The parking lot in the village entrance is free of charge.
Winter Trails in Tschiertschen
The village also has winter trails for those who prefer this activity.
Please note: Only use the winter trails during favorable weather and snow conditions.
Also, please ensure that you have the proper gear and physical condition. New snow always makes the tours longer and also to an extent riskier (due to avalanche risk). Snowshoes are necessary for snowshoe routes.
Some examples of winter trails are as follows:
- Tschiertschen-Fuxenbödeli-Tschiertschen: 5.1 kilometers, 90 minutes
- Tschiertschen-Waldstafel: 2.9 kilometers, 80 minutes
- Tschiertschen-Furgglis-Tschiertschen: 6.9 kilometers, 2 hours
- Tschiertschen-Löser-Tschiertschen: 7.5 kilometers, 2 hours
- Tschiertschen-Clüs-Furgglis: 2.9 kilometers, 70 minutes
- Tschiertschen Village: 2.4 kilometers, 40 minutes
For a full list of tours, you can check out their website at http://tschiertschen.graubunden.ch
There is a shop called Redskin in the valley station where you can rent proper winter gear, skis, and snowboard.
More Tips for Tschiertschen
- Respect wild life and nature.
- Check the weather forecast on MeteoSchweiz.
- Do not hike alone.
- Ensure that you have appropriate hiking or snowshoeing gear.
- Wear proper clothes.
- Have some snacks handy.
- Take note that the cable cars normally stop service at around 4:15 in the afternoon. Double-check the last ride going down from the mountain to the valley.
Tourist Office in Tschiertschen
The tourist office can be contacted with the phone number +41 81 373 10 10 or email address nfo@tschiertschen.ch . The official address is as follows:
Info Tschiertschen-Praden
Gemeindehaus
Blacktawuoscht 17
7064 Tschiertschen