A Weekend in Chur: A Guide to Switzerland’s Historic City
Chur is a beautiful, historic city located in the eastern part of Switzerland. It holds the title as the oldest city in Switzerland and so naturally has a rich history paired with stunning architecture and breathtaking natural surroundings.
The small city is often overlooked for a weekend in the better known cities in Switzerland, but for visitors willing to venture off the well-beaten path and spend a weekend in Chur, they’re rewarded with jaw-dropping views and an excellent base to explore from.
Where is Chur?
Tucked away in the east of Switzerland’s Graubünden canton, close to Liechtenstein, Chur is a lesser known yet historical city. It has great transport connections, making it an easy 1hr 30 train ride to Zurich, less than an hour to nearby Vaduz or 2 hours on the train to the luxurious resort town of St Moritz.
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Top Sights to See in Chur
Chur is the capital city of the canton of Graubünden and while it’s not crammed full of things to do, it does offer a variety of sights and activities for visitors. Here are some of the top sights to see in Chur:
- Old Town: Chur’s Old Town is the oldest in Switzerland, with narrow cobblestone streets, medieval architecture, and historic buildings.
- Chur Cathedral: The cathedral is a beautiful Gothic-style church that dates back to the 12th century. It’s located in the heart of the Old Town and is a must-see if you’re a fan of history and architecture.
- Arcas Square: All good cities need a charming square, and Chur’s is located in the heart of the Old Town, surrounded by colourful buildings and quaint shops.
- Stadtbibliothek Chur: The modern library housed in a historic building. You probably won’t have much need to pop in and borrow a book, but even from the outside it’s worth seeing.
- Raetian Museum: The Raetian Museum is dedicated to the history and culture of Graubünden, the region which Chur is the capital of.
How Long Should I Spend in Chur?
It’s entirely possible to spend one day in Chur and get a feel for the city. But, if you have a weekend to spare then it’s the perfect amount of time to see the city and also make the most of the amazing location and see the surrounding area too.
How To Spend a Weekend in Chur
Day 1 – Exploring the City of Chur
A weekend in Chur is a slow affair. There’s no rushing from sight to sight throughout the day. Instead, visitors get the opportunity to experience the city at a leisurely pace, soaking up the stunning surroundings as they go.
The best place to start the day in Chur is the old town. As already mentioned once or twice, Chur is a very historic city, and you just know the old town is going to be full of cobblestone squares, interesting architecture and colourful buildings. The architecture across Switzerland is a real mixed bag depending which region you’re in, but the architecture in Chur is similar to the Bavarian style you’ll also find in the southern region of Germany and Austria.
There are a number of shops, cafes and restaurants to check out in the old town, and the quiet streets are fun to explore. Don’t forget to look up and check out some of the artwork decorating the buildings here. In fact, street art is a popular sight in Chur, so keep an eye out as you wander around for the large murals on the buildings, smaller subtle artworks and street art installations.
Heading a little out of the old town towards Chur’s Cathedral of Saint Mary of the Assumption, you’ll also have the chance to see Bischöfliches Schloss, one of Chur’s castles. It’s not quite the Disney fairytale castle you might imagine, but a castle nonetheless.
After all that culture and history, a walk along the river is probably on the books. There are a couple in Chur, with the smaller streamlike river running through the middle of the city. The backdrop of the mountains makes it an even nicer walk, and while the river may not be something worth going out of your way to see, the combination of the mountains in the background makes it really pretty.
Back in the city centre, be sure to pass by the city’s library, Stadtbibliothek Chur. It has an impressive exterior, but unless you’re a book fan that’s probably all you’ll want to see as the inside is fairly neutral in terms of decoration.
Come afternoon, the shopping area calls. With a range of high street shops to peruse, it’s easy to wile away the hours shopping and enjoying a coffee in the al fresco cafes. It’s a great spot if you enjoy people watching!
Don’t miss a trip to the supermarket while you’re close by, the cheese section is incredible!
The Raetian museum is just a short walk from the city centre, and offers visitors the opportunity to learn about the history of the area, not just Chur but the Graubünden canton that surrounds Chur too.
Day 2 – Making the Most of Chur’s Amazing Location!
This is a guide to a weekend in Chur, but with such a compact city, it’s easy to see everything in the city centre in a day. The best way to spend the second day you have in Chur is to make the most of the amazing location to explore.
The city itself is surrounded by mountains, and aside from being absolutely stunning to see at every turn, it also offers a great opportunity for hikers and, well, people who love great views! There’s a gondola station in the centre of Chur, just a short walk from the old town, that ferries travellers up to Brambrüesch at the top of the mountain.
It’s not just a viewpoint up there, you can also enjoy a spot of golf, have something to eat or stay in one of the chalets. At the right time of the year, the ski lift also operates to Malix, a ski resort.
For the hikers out there who don’t want to take the Chur cable car as a shortcut to the great views, the city offers plenty of hiking routes in stunning surroundings.
A controversial but also excellent choice for your second day in Chur is to venture out to Vaduz, the capital city of Liechtenstein. Liechtenstein has limited transport links, and having no airport of its own, it isn’t the easiest to visit from other countries.
However, visiting Vaduz from Chur is actually really easy, with just one short train to nearby Sargans and one bus ride over the border. Vaduz isn’t a huge city so you could visit there in the morning and make it back to Chur in the afternoon for a hike or to soak up the cafe vibes in the city centre.
Many use Chur as a base to be able to catch the Bernina Express, a breathtaking train journey that winds through the Swiss mountains, past glaciers and lakes and down to the northern border of Italy. It’s 4-ish hour journey from Chur in Switzerland to Tirano in Northern Italy, but many riders choose to get off in Poschiavo just before the Italian border. After a short time in Poschiavo having a look around, they jump back on the train and ride it back to Chur, having another opportunity to soak up the stunning views a second time.
Got More Time? There Are Other Things to Do in Chur!
As mentioned above, there are plenty of things to do using Chur as a base, so if you don’t get time for them on your weekend in Chur then use the extra time in the city to:
- Explore the Chur hiking routes
- Go skiing
- Visit Vaduz, Liechtenstein
- Ride the Bernina Express
Things to Prebook
If you’re planning on taking the Bernina Express, it’s best to prebook your ticket to not only make sure you get one but also to get a seat with a good view! If you’re making the most of the mountains and heading off to ski, be sure to prebook any ski passes and equipment too.
See also: A Guide to the Bernina Express
Is Chur Worth Visiting?
If you’re looking for a relaxed city break, surrounded by gorgeous nature, mountains and general Swiss beauty, then yes, Chur is the city for you! Alternatively, if you’re catching the Bernina Express then Chur is a great choice for a city to stopover the night before. If you have time to explore too, even better!
If you’re looking for a jam-packed weekend of sightseeing, Chur probably isn’t the city for you. It’s not crammed full of sights to rush between, and although it has a great location to use as a base to explore the surrounding area, it’s not got an airport of its own so it takes a bit of time to transfer from the airport to Chur.
How to Get to Chur
By air: Chur doesn’t have its own airport, but you can fly into any of the main airports in Switzerland and then catch a train to Chur. Zurich is the closest and easiest, but Basel and Geneva are also options.
By train: Make the most of the Swiss train network by arriving in Chur by train. From the big cities in Switzerland most journeys will take you to Zurich, to then catch another direct train from Zurich to Chur which takes about 1hr 30mins.
See also: A Guide to Riding the Bernina Express
How to Get Around Chur
Chur is conveniently very compact, making it easy to get around by foot. If you’re travelling a bit further around the city, there’s a city-wide bus network or taxis you can jump in. Chur is fairly flat in the centre, so hiring a bike to explore is a great choice and not too strenuous.
Guided walking tours are available on Saturdays, and during the spring-autumn period also on a Wednesday. There are lots of tours offered online, but the tourist office has their own recommended walking tour provider.
Where to Stay in Chur
Chur’s Old Town is a popular area to stay in the city. It’s a short 10-minute walk from Chur’s central train station – there is more than one train station in Chur – is within walking distance of the gondola and is a really charming area of the city to explore. The area is also really close to the shopping centre, bars, cafes and restaurants. What more could you really want?
There are of course plenty of hotels to pick from in this area, but I only stayed at one so can
only really confidently recommend Ambiente Hotel Freieck for the comfortable stay,
excellent location and reasonable price…for Switzerland standards.
When to Visit
The joy of visiting Switzerland is that it’s gorgeous and scenic whether you see it in the sunshine or covered in snow. As such, Chur is a year round destination, with the best month to visit depending on what you want to see there.
For the warmer months, visit Chur in the summer. June to September will be the best time for longer days and a bit of warmth, though be aware temperatures of 20c will be considered average for the day at the peak of summer. Sadly, these months are also the wettest, so you’ll be taking a chance with the rain too.
If snow topped mountains are your kind of thing, the best chance for seeing those are in the winter months. It might be colder, but there’s also less chance of rain for visits in February.
Extend Your Trip – Pair Chur With Another City
A weekend in Chur is a great chance to see the city and explore nearby, and many choose to make use of the location with a day trip to Liechtenstein. It’s about an hour from Chur to Vaduz, the capital, and Liechtenstein isn’t the easiest country to visit so it’s a great opportunity to visit while you’re so close.
With easy and direct rail links to Zurich, it’s the perfect chance to balance the small city vibes of Chur with the fast pace of big city Zurich.