The unspoilt alpine village of Bergün lies at the foot of the Albula Pass at the gateway to the Engadine. You do not have to be a railway historian to be amazed by the Albula railway line, which is still maintained in its entirety in almost its original condition, 100 years after its construction. In winter, the resort of Bergün is a mecca for sledgers.

Bergün (1376 m) – the location in the 1990s for the filming of the TV series "The Director" had already been in the spotlight before, in 1952, when the first Heidi film was filmed in the nearby village of Latsch. The heart of the village, with its picturesque Engadine houses – lavishly decorated with sgraffito, frescoes and oriel windows – an 800 year old Romanesque church and a Roman tower, is amazingly unchanged.

Summer

In summer there are many attractive walks and themed trails such as the popular Heidi Trail or the discovery walk about the history of the railway. The spectacular Albula mountain railway winds through switchback tunnels, through covered sections and over lofty viaducts. For one 8 km stretch, the Railway History path runs alongside the impressive and fascinating alpine railway line. Model railway demonstrations on the (nearly) scale model in the local museum give railway enthusiasts an overview of what is, at first sight, the truly bewildering course followed by the Albula line. The "Cultural Landscape of the Albula-Bernina Line" is a candidate for UNESCO World Heritage listing.

In summer, sports fans can hurtle down from Preda to Bergün by scooter. For bikers, there is no shortage of challenges, with the Albula, Flüela, Julier, Bernina and Maloja passes nearly on the doorstep.

Winter

In winter, Bergün is a popular destination for sledgers: Preda-Bergün is a classic among sledging runs. The route goes down over 5 km of the Albula pass, closed in winter. For night-owls, it is floodlit until late in the evening. A second, steeper sledging run from Darlux to Bergün is tremendous fun, especially for bold sledgers! Bergün also has a traditional skiing area. Two chair-lifts and a T-bar lift take skiers and snowboarders up to Darlux at 2552 m. Snow-shoe walkers are also catered for here - there are places for beginners to go near the village. Cross-country ski tracks, winter walks, curling pitches and an ice-rink all promise lots of winter sports fun.

Highlights

• Picturesque village – in the historic centre of the village of Bergün are fine Engadine houses, many decorated with sgraffito (a decorative scratching technique).
• Albula Line – it took numerous viaducts, tunnels and bridges and three spiral tunnels to overcome the difference in altitude over this distance.
• Bergün local history museum – the large model railway layout gives an overview of the spectacular route of the Albula line from Preda to Bergün.
• Ela Natural Park – unspoilt nature and agri-tourism in the Albula valley and Surses (Oberhalbstein).
• Kesch Hütte (2625 m) – a masterpiece of alpine architecture and the most ecological hut belonging to the SAC (Swiss Alpine Club), not far from Bergün.
• Skateline Surava – a 3 km long and 3 m wide outdoor natural ice track that is laid down on a footpath in winter.