Graubünden: Places to Explore

Arosa

Thanks to its altitude of 5,900 feet, Arosa is a well-known year-round sports center, offering brisk hiking, paragliding, and other activities in summer, and a long skiing or snowboarding season with a guarantee of snow. Its modest size, isolated location, quiet atmosphere, and natural beauty set it apart. There is little of the rush of Davos or the pretension of St. Moritz: this is a friendly, family-oriented spot staffed by upbeat, down-to-earth people. Even the well heeled rarely dress for dinner. On a winter walk you are more likely to be overtaken by sleds and horse-drawn carriages than by cars.

The town has two sections. Inner-Arosa, where the Walsers (immigrants from the Valais) built their wooden chalets in the 14th century, is at the end of the valley. Ausser-Arosa is near the train station and the Obersee (Upper Lake). Between the two is the impossible-to-miss casino, with its mosaic facade of screaming colors (it has now been converted into a theater/cinema). A convenient free bus shuttles through the town, and traffic is forbidden between midnight and 6 am. After you deliver your luggage to your hotel, you probably won't be using your car again while in town.

Don't miss the light, water, and music show on the lake at 9:50 pm every Tuesday, Friday, and Saturday from mid-June to mid-October (except in the event of heavy rain or wind).