Graubünden – walking on Goethe’s trail nThe huge Viamala gorge, the famous Church of Zillis or delicious Capuns.
The Via Spluga is rich in attractions.Tina Bremer0 comment mysterious and spectacular: The Viamala gorge, in the image of the view from the observation platform Called the bridge.Photo: Viamala tourism

Today, he would probably, as a travel Influencer by. Because he contributed to the reputation of the via Mala in the Grisons, a very long time before the time of Social Media. On the way back from his first trip to Italy paused Johann Wolfgang von Goethe in the fabled gorge between Thusis and Zillis, captured the rough beauty with brush and paint, and in several writings. And because of the German Poet already during his lifetime in the 18th century. Century had the Status of a superstar, did his “Followers” the same and traveled in Switzerland.

the 300-metre-high slate walls, dripping water, rainbow falls, clouds of mist rise up to spruce, and red Spruce span over water.

three hundred years later, has not lost as with a giant axe in the mountain-hewn gorge nothing of your magic, only the way is so tedious as in the past. 359 steps lead from the visitor centre down to the hinterrhein river. In thousands of years, the glacier water swirl pots has been cut into the stone. The Scenery is reminiscent of “Heidi” and “Ronja, the robber’s daughter”-movies. The 300-metre-high slate walls, dripping water, rainbow falls, clouds of mist rise up to spruce, and red Spruce span over water. Cry of elation and halls of the gorge up, if adventurous visitors in neoprene suits during Canyoning from the jade-coloured water up to the Rongellen a drive.

Once the shortest way to Italy

Thusis is the Expansion of the path through the Viamala in 1473, the transport monopoly and served as the starting point for the crossing of the Alps. The path through the Viamala is the shortest to Italy. Roman legionaries had to be built first paths, later, transported on mule-horses, fruit, wine, and silk over the Alps. Still you can walk in the footsteps of the mule.

Hiking on ancient mule paths: on the way to the cultural and long-distance Hiking trail Via Spluga from Thusis to Chiavenna. Photo: Viamala tourism

The culture – and long-distance Hiking trail Via Spluga was launched in 2000 as a tourist brand, this year, the four-day hike from Thusis celebrates after Chiavenna, 20-year-anniversary. The 65-kilometre-long Route leads through gorges, valleys and over the splügen pass. The first stage happens in the castle complex High-rhaetia, afterwards it goes over the suspension bridge traversin crosspiece, and through the Viamala gorge to the Schamsertal. If you like, you can stay in the Roffla in the local Inn.

As the Gotthard tunnel in 1882, opened, lost, the Splügen and the San Bernardino Route to meaning, in the lower Rhine area of emigration began to wave. Christian Melchior-Byczyna, son of the former guest house owner, emigrated to the United States. Be homesick but remained.

During a visit to the Niagara falls, the idea to use the Rofflawasserfall as the US counterpart, as a tourist attraction came to him: In laborious hand work, he blew up after returning a rock gallery in the Roffla, you can admire the waterfall from behind.

window for optical illusion

In Alessandro Fabbris chest two hearts beating. For nearly 50 years, the 92-Year-old in Thusis sold in his small Shop on the Neudorf street Italian specialties. “I’m Italian!”, he says with fervor. Thusis is located between Zurich and Milan. After a devastating fire in 1845, when the whole of Altdorf was burned to the ground, built the Neudorf road, which runs today as a highway-like main artery through Thusis. With charming houses on the right and left, keep a safe distance and the window will shrink to the top – an optical illusion that makes the building bigger act than they are.

the English TV chef Jamie Oliver learned to love the Region. In 2016, he visited with his Team, this part of the Grisons, and also returned in the case of Andreetta Black in the Gasthaus Alte Post in Zillis. Of the landlady, he had to introduce himself in the art of Capunsmachens. Finally, Swiss chard, and covered the dough is, in England, “Swiss herb”, a Swiss herb. “But my secret recipe, I didn’t tell him of course,” says Black mischievous. On the chest of drawers of the dispensing chamber, a Film of Oliver’s visit, runs in a permanent loop.

Based on the idea of the medieval roadside chapel, to the star architects Herzog & de Meuron on the A13 in the case of Andeer the first motorway Church in Switzerland build.

point of interest from the 12. Century: The wooden images of the St. Martin Church ceiling in Zillis. Photo: Viamala tourism

The most famous attraction of the Region is the Church of St. Martin, which has only a few minutes ‘ walk from the Old Post removed with a special treasure: The wooden images of the ceiling from the 12th century. Century told on the 153 plates is mainly the life of Jesus. It is according to the will of the population, will provide a further Church soon caused a stir: Inspired by the idea of the medieval roadside chapel, to build the star architects Herzog & de Meuron on the A13 in the case of Andeer the first motorway Church in Switzerland. The draft is a Foundation seeking funding. The Christian Church should offer a “moment of contemplation” for travelers of all Faith. This certainly would have made the traveller Goethe.

In co-operation of the Sunday newspaper and Viamala Tourismus

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