Rhein Route

Stage 2: Disentis – Chur

The Surselva is the largest Romansch-speaking area in the Grisons region. Up and down we go, following the burbling Rhine through pretty little hamlets. The amazing wild gorge of the Anterior Rhine is known as the Grand Canyon of Switzerland. The day ends in Chur, the oldest Swiss town north of the Alps.

A final look back at the oldest existing Benedictine monastery north of the Alps and off you go, down to the still young and turbulent Anterior Rhine. Soon the valley begins to open up: Surselva («above the forest») is what the mountain valley of Flims is called, referring to one of the largest forests in the Grisons region, with gorgeous fields and small lakes. “Welcome to Sumvitg“, it says on the board greeting the visitors to this village. All of the villages are lovely and all of them have handsome fountains. If you’re lucky, you may even be treated to the «Ave Maria», played on the village’s church organ.

Despite the continuous up and down, biking in this lovely, peaceful area is a lot of fun, with the Rhine burbling pleasantly and the Rhaetian Railway leisurely travelling through the magnificent countryside. The «Ognas da Pardiala» nature reserve is an area of water meadows of national significance, about 100 hectares in size. Due to various riverbank reinforcements and drainages, however, the meadows are no longer part of the Rhine’s floodplain. Rare songbirds have occasionally been spotted here, such as hoopoes, whinchats or red-backed shrikes. The water meadows are also an important habitat for lizards, snakes and smaller mammals.

An attractive place for humans to live is the small town of Ilanz (or Glion). The financial and political centre of the Surselva region is considered to be the first town on the Rhine. The picturesque old town has much to offer, such as the Upper Gate, St. Margarets Church, Casa Gronda and Casa Carniec, where the regional museum is housed. Shortly after Ilanz you get to Valendas, a village steeped in history. Europe’s largest wooden fountain, built in 1760, stands right in the middle. A gem to be sure – and very tempting if you happen to be there on a hot summer day.

Down on the Rhine, in the Ruinaulta ravine, things are quite spectacular. Perhaps the most impressive ravine in Switzerland, it is located between Ilanz and Reichenau. No wonder it is known as the Grand Canyon of Switzerland. If the light is right, bizarre rock formations, up to 400 meters in height, create an almost mystical atmosphere. The Rhine Gorge is a UNESCO world heritage site. Once you arrive in Chur, the city with the highest concentration of restaurants, it should be easy enough to find a place to eat and remember the exciting afternoon.