Hiking the Engadine
The Engadine is a picturesque valley that follows the En River on the eastern side of Switzerland. The Engadine is part of the Canton Graubünden (Grisons), Switzerland’s largest and most sparsely populated canton. Graubünden is also Switzerland’s only officially tri-lingual canton where German, Italian and Romansh are officially recognized and spoken. This influence of three different languages, along with a rich history of settlement by Celts, Romans, Italians, Austrians and Swiss, make Graubünden and the Engadine valley especially unique. The stone and plaster-covered architecture in the Engadine stands in sharp contrast to the predominately wooden chalets found throughout the Valais and Berner Oberland. Local artists scratch intricate designs, called sgraffito, into the plaster, and cobblestone streets with narrow alleyways make for perfect photographs around every corner.
The food is delicious in the Engadine, perhaps a result of the Italian influence, and the high level of hospitality and inn-keeping (even at the smallest establishments), shares much in common with the grandest hotels of nearby Austria. An inn-to-inn hiking tour in the Engadine will satisfy even the most discerning hotel and restaurant connoisseur. It’s worth noting that the Engadine Valley is often referred to as the “Sunniest Valley in Switzerland.” Marketing slogans aside, the more temperate climate in the Engadine allows hikers to enjoy a longer hiking season than almost anywhere else in Switzerland.
Depending on the elevation, some Engadine trails open in mid-to-late May and don’t close down until mid-October. That said, the Engadine does offer stunning mountain hiking and sparkling glaciers. The weather up high can be vastly different than the weather down low. Some of the more famous towns and villages in the Engadine are world-famous St. Moritz, Pontresina, Sils Maria and Scuol and, like the rest of Switzerland, they’re connected by a sophisticated transportation system. Hiking options are virtually unlimited in the Engadine. In addition, many of the villages in the Engadine were founded around natural hot springs which continue to bubble and steam to this day, offering a satisfying reward to hikers who choose to explore this very special corner of Switzerland.
For hiking tours that visit this region of the Swiss Alps, please click here.
