Itinerary to discover Davos and the enchanted mountain. Here's what to do and what to see in the highest Swiss city in Europe.
Davos is a popular winter tourist resort in the Switzerland which is part of the canton of Grisons. Although during the tourist season it hosts numerous tourists from all over the world, during the low season Davos has around 11.000 inhabitants. In addition to being a tourist location, Davos is famous for hosting the World Economic Forum, an annual meeting that sees international politicians, economists and journalists among its protagonists.
The city of Davos it rises along the course of the Landwasser river, in the heart of the Swiss Alps, at around 1.500 meters above sea level. The origin of the inhabited center can be dated to the Late Middle Ages, over the following centuries the mountain community developed, forming a first village to the north-east, Davos Dorf, and a second center further down the valley, called Davos Platz. However, it was during the XNUMXth century that Davos began to be known abroad and in a few decades became an important holiday centre.
The region is characterized by a subarctic continental climate but the city of Davos enjoys a microclimate characteristic that favored the spread of sanatoriums, hospital centers specialized in the treatment of chronic diseases such as tuberculosis, in the 19th century.
According to some sources, Robert Louis Stevenson also visited the town to treat his illness, but many will be pleased to know that the famous novel "The Magic Mountain" by Thomas Mann is set in these valleys, precisely in the former Berghof sanatorium run by Dr. Friedrich Jessen.
Start your visit to the town by admiring the Swiss mountains from the same point of view as the protagonist Hans Castorp and his companions, by going to the Berghotel Sanatorium Schatzalp. Continue with Thomas Mann Way, an itinerary approximately 2,5 kilometers long established a few years ago that connects the sanatorium to the most significant places narrated by Mann, including the somewhat hidden place favored by Hans Castorp.
Not far from the hotel is located, at around 1.800 meters above sea level. the botanical garden which during the summer season offers its visitors pleasant walks among flowers and plants of rare beauty. The city of Davos also has some sites of tourist interest such as the City Archives, the Kirchner Museum, the Grosses Jenatschhaus also known as Pfrundhaus and the Waldfriedhof, as well as some historic hotels come Berghotel Schatzalp, the former Grand Hotel BelvédÚre and the Zurich Höhenklinik.
The itinerary continues to Davos Platz where the Wintersportmuseum, a small exhibition center dedicated to the winter sports that continue to fuel tourism in the region. Not far away is Kirche St. Johann, the ancient one church of San Giovanni; it probably dates back to the 1481th century but the building has undergone transformations and renovations over the centuries. Today the tower, built in 70, stands out among the houses with its XNUMX meters of height and is invariably portrayed in souvenir postcards.
Continuing towards the center of Davos we approach the sports centers where during the summer months we can find tennis courts, a football pitch, an athletics track and the famous Vaillant Arena. Not far away is the golf course 18-hole course, one of the most loved attractions by enthusiasts in the sector. During the summer season several agencies offer the possibility of renting mountain bikes and equipment for mountain excursions. Switzerland's natural heritage is unique in the world and even without the white blanket, the mountains of Davos and its lake are full of charm.
Near the Kurpark city park is the Kirchner Museum, the museum dedicated to the expressionist painter Ernst Ludwing Kirchner who lived in Davos from 1917 until his death in 1938. Having arrived in Davos to recover from a profound crisis, Kirchner suffered persecution from the Nazi regime which considered his works "degenerate art â; this treatment worsened his health conditions and led him to suicide. The museum, inaugurated in 1992, houses the largest collection in the world of works by the German artist and includes not only paintings and drawings but also prints, fabrics and photographs.
Davos is one of the main ski resorts in Switzerland which has hosted competitions World Cup alpine skiing and cross-country skiing, as well as the European bobsleigh championships. Today the highest city in Europe is organized into six different ski areas covering around 320 kilometers of slopes. The ski areas are: Parsenn/Gotschna, Jakobshorn, Pischahorn, Rinerhorn, Schatzalp and Madrisahorn.
In the areas you can practice not only the widespread alpine skiing but also the disciplines of Nordic skiing, cross-country skiing, skating, modern snowboarding and many other winter sports specialties. Davos is known among skating enthusiasts not only for its hockey team HC Davos who trains at the Vaillant Arena, but also for the ice stadium, the largest natural skating field in Europe.
