Chur: what to see, where to stay and how to get around
Chur calls itself the oldest town in Switzerland, and its bishops have ruled from the hill above it since late Roman times. Below the bishop's court the burghers built their own town of guild houses and squares, and the two often quarrelled. This walk goes from the old gate through the lanes to the cathedral and up to the monastery church above it. About two hours on foot with some climbing; red and green footprints painted on the pavement mark the way.
A short history of Chur
Chur is considered the oldest town in Switzerland: traces of settlement more than 5,000 years old have been found here. The Romans called it Curia, and it was the capital of the province of Raetia Prima. A bishop was already resident in the 5th century, and for centuries the bishops ruled the town from the hill where the cathedral stands. After a great fire in 1464 German-speaking craftsmen came to rebuild it, and since then German has replaced Romansh here. Chur is the capital of the canton of Graubünden, and trains to St Moritz and the mountain valleys depart from it.
The ten best sights in Chur
1Cathedral of St. MaryRomanesque-Gothic cathedral on the hill above the old town; see the carved high altar
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2St. Martin's Church
Late-Gothic town church with stained glass by Augusto Giacometti
3St. LuziSeminary church above the cathedral with an early medieval crypt
4Bündner KunstmuseumThe Giacometti family and Alpine painters, in a villa and a new stone cube
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5Rhaetian Museum
History of Graubünden from prehistory on, in a 17th-century mansion
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6Natural History Museum
Alpine animals and minerals; a good rainy-day hour with kids
7H.R. Giger BarA bar designed by the Chur-born creator of the Alien monster; out of the centre
8ObertorThe old town gate; enter here and follow the painted footprints
9ArcasSquare of colourful houses with café tables
10MartinsplatzThe heart of the old town, with a fountain by the church
Scan with your phone camera to open the map there
What is an audio walk?
Tours in Chur →A guide in your headphones: open the walk on our site, walk from stop to stop, and at each one your phone tells its story. No guide, no group, and free. This is the first walk in Chur:
Free walking tours in Chur
City of the bishops
Chur calls itself the oldest town in Switzerland, and its bishops have ruled from the hill above it since late Roman times. Below the bishop's court the burghers built their own town of guild houses and squares, and the two often quarrelled. This walk goes from the old gate through the lanes to the cathedral and up to the monastery church above it. About two hours on foot with some climbing; red and green footprints painted on the pavement mark the way.
- Obertor · The gate guarded the road from the south, over the Alpine passes to Italy. Chur was the first big town that travellers reached after crossing them, and it lived off that traffic.
- Arcas · The houses on this square back onto the old town wall above the Plessur river.
- St. Martin's Church · The church was rebuilt in the late 15th century after a great fire burned much of the town in 1464. Its three windows by Augusto Giacometti, from 1917–19, glow red and blue in the afternoon.
- Rhaetian Museum · The museum is in the Buol house, built for a leading family of the Three Leagues, the alliance that ruled this region before it joined Switzerland in 1803. It explains why Graubünden still speaks German, Romansh and Italian.
- Cathedral of St. Mary · The cathedral was consecrated in 1272 after more than a century of building. Its golden winged altar, carved by Jakob Russ in the 1480s and 1490s, is one of the great late-Gothic altars in Switzerland.
- St. Luzi · The church is named after Lucius, the legendary first missionary of the region. Below it lies a ring crypt from early medieval times, built to let pilgrims walk past his relics.
Giacometti and Giger
Graubünden produced two very different kinds of artists: the Giacometti family from the Bregaglia valley, and H.R. Giger, born in Chur, who designed the monster in the film Alien. This route links the art museum in the centre with the bar Giger designed on the edge of town. It ends on the town's own mountain, reached by cable car from the old town. Half a day, mostly on foot with one bus ride to the bar.
- Bündner Kunstmuseum · The museum's new wing, opened in 2016, is a stone-clad cube with most of its galleries underground. It holds major works by Giovanni, Augusto and Alberto Giacometti, a father, a cousin and a son.
- Fontanapark · The statue honours Benedikt Fontana, who according to tradition died leading the Graubünden men at the battle of Calven in 1499. His words before falling became a local motto.
- Natural History Museum · Stuffed ibex, chamois and bearded vultures show the wildlife of the canton, much of it brought back from near-extinction. The ibex is the canton's symbol and appears on its flag.
- H.R. Giger Bar · Giger designed the whole interior, from the vaulted bone-like ceiling to the chairs, and the bar opened in 1992. In 1980 he shared the Oscar for the visual effects of Alien.
- Brambrüesch Cable Car · Few Swiss towns have a cable car that starts in the town itself; this one leaves from beside the old town. It climbs in two sections to the meadows above.
- Brambrüesch · From the top you look down the Rhine valley and across to the Calanda mountain. Trails lead on to Dreibündenstein, named after the three leagues.
The Rhine gorge and the lakes
About 9,500 years ago a whole mountainside above Flims collapsed into the valley, the largest landslide known in the Alps. The Rhine has since cut a white-walled canyon through the debris, and forest lakes formed on top of it. This route drives west from Chur to the meeting of the two Rhines, then to the viewpoint and the lakes. A full day with walking, or half a day by car; swimming in the lakes from June to September.
- Reichenau · The Anterior and Posterior Rhine meet here and flow on as one river. In 1793 the young Louis-Philippe, later king of France, taught at the school in the castle under a false name.
- Il Spir · The name means swift in Romansh, and the platform is built to suggest the bird. It juts out over the edge of the gorge, high above the river.
- Ruinaulta · The cliffs are pale because they are crushed limestone from the landslide, not solid rock. The railway to Disentis runs along the river at the bottom, with no road.
- Crestasee · A smaller, quieter lake than the Caumasee, fed by underground springs. It is warm enough for a swim by early summer.
- Caumasee · The lake has no visible inflow; it fills from springs in the landslide rubble, and its level rises and falls with the seasons. The turquoise colour comes from limestone in the water.
- Flims · Flims grew as a summer resort in the 19th century and is now joined with Laax in one big ski area. The village sits right on the landslide debris.
Getting to Chur and getting around
- Chur Station · Hub of the Rhaetian Railway: Glacier Express, Bernina Express and the Albula line to St. Moritz
- PostBus Station · On the roof deck above the tracks; yellow buses to Flims, Lenzerheide and the valleys
- Brambrüesch Cable Car · Straight from the edge of the old town up to the town's own mountain at about 1,600 m
Cheap eats in Chur
Graubünden has its own mountain kitchen: capuns, chard leaves wrapped around a spätzle dough with dried meat, pizokel noodles, barley soup and the air-dried beef sold all over Switzerland as Bündnerfleisch. For dessert there is the nut tart, and in Chur the local beer is Calanda. Lunch menus in the old town are the best value, and bakeries are the cheapest meal.
- Casparin · Old-town bakery-café; a slice of nut cake about CHF 5-7
- Merz at the station · Chur's bakery chain; sandwiches and pastries about CHF 5-10
- Brezelkönig · Filled pretzels at the station, about CHF 4-7
- Chüechli Backstuba · Small café-bakery in the lanes, about CHF 4-8
- Café Arcas · Terrace on the square; coffee and cake about CHF 8-12
- Coop City food hall · Hot dishes and salads by weight, about CHF 10-16
Museums in Chur
- Bündner Kunstmuseum · The Giacometti family and Alpine art; allow 1-2 hours
- Rhaetian Museum · Canton history from Roman finds to folk costume
- Cathedral treasury · Reliquaries and textiles from 1,500 years of bishops
- Natural History Museum · Alpine fauna and minerals; good with kids
- H.R. Giger Bar · A drink inside a Giger artwork
Nature and day trips near Chur
- Caumasee · Turquoise lake for swimming above Flims
- Il Spir and Ruinaulta · Viewpoint over the canyon, walk from Flims Waldhaus
- Viamala Gorge · Steps down to the river; entry fee, April to October
- Brambrüesch · Meadow walks above town by cable car
- Haldenstein · Castle village under the Calanda; a short drive
Things to do in Chur with kids
- Heidi Village · Heidi's house and goats, 20 minutes north
- Brambrüesch summer fun · Toboggan run and playground at the top station
- Natural History Museum · Stuffed ibex and crystals; free for children
- Caumasee beach · Lift down to the shore and rowing boats
- Footprint trail · Kids lead the walk by following the painted footprints
Where to eat in Chur
- Zunfthaus zur Rebleuten · Old guild house of the winegrowers; Graubünden dishes
- Falken · Restaurant on St. Martin's square; local and Swiss classics
- Drei Bünde · Traditional dining room in the Reichsgasse
- Bierhalle · Beer hall on Poststrasse; hearty food and local beer
- Zum Kornhausplatz · Terrace on the Kornplatz for an evening drink and dinner
- Hofkellerei · Vaulted cellar restaurant in the bishop's court
Frequently asked questions about Chur
What is there to see in Chur?
The top sights in Chur are Cathedral of St. Mary, St. Martin's Church and St. Luzi. The full list on this page has 10 sights, each with a photo and a short note.
How many days do you need in Chur?
Three to four days are enough to see the best of Chur without rushing, including at least one walking tour.
Is there a free walking tour in Chur?
Yes. sleepntrip has 3 free audio walks in Chur, with no guide and no group: your phone tells the story at every stop. The first one: City of the bishops.
How do you get to Chur and get around?
The main ways are Chur Station, PostBus Station and Brambrüesch Cable Car. Full details are in the transport section on this page.
Where to stay in Chur, and for how much?
sleepntrip shows only rooms in Chur that meet nine conditions: a good location, high guest scores, cleanliness, and a price of up to $80 a night for two. Pick your dates and see what is free.
Looking for a hotel in Chur for your dates?
Only rooms that meet nine conditions, up to $80 a night.