Their location near the Splügen and San Bernardino Passes has characterised the villages in the Rheinwald region: Splügen is a typical pass village with an intact original architectural appearance, impressive palazzi and sun-darkened wooden Walser houses.

Splügen, settled in the 13th century by Swiss-German speaking Walsers, lies at an altitude of 1460 metres and forms, together with the pretty villages of Sufers, Medels, Nufenen and Hinterrhein, the district of Rheinwald close to the Rhine’s source. The village’s location on the old pack mule routes has exposed it to influences from both north and south since Roman times: for over 2000 years, the Splügen Pass was the most important link between Graubunden and Italy. The pack mule trail over the San Bernardino also played a significant role. Some Rheinwald families attained affluence through trade and built large houses in the southern Alpine style. These impressive stone-roofed houses are known as palazzi.

The opening of the Gotthard railway line at the end of the 19th century heralded the rapid decline of pack mule traffic and a wave of migration ensued. Plans to submerge Splügen in a giant reservoir around the time of World War II were successfully opposed. The village saw its economic fortunes improve with the opening of the San Bernardino road tunnel in 1967.

Despite the development of tourism, the village has preserved much of its original character. Splügen was awarded the 1995 Wakker Prize of the Swiss Heritage Society for its intact original architectural appearance.


SUMMER


Over 400 kilometres of hiking trails criss-cross the valley through the expansive pine forest of the Rheinwald region, past tranquil mountain lakes to the historic pass roads into the neighbouring valleys. Hiking a part of the 65kn-long ViaSpluga documents the beauty and hardship of life on the pack mule trails of yore. Provisions can be bought nearby: much of the produce originating from the region such as yoghurt, cheese and meat has complied with organic standards since 1994 and can be purchased at local shops.


WINTER


Piz Tambo near Splügen is a sunny winter sports region with guaranteed snow. Hiking trails and 40 kilometres of prepared cross-country skiing runs for both classic and skating techniques can be found along the banks of the nascent Rhine. There is a long tobogganing run above the neighbouring village of Sufers.

Highlights

• Roflaschlucht – gorge near Andeer with a 300 metre-long rock gallery and path leading to a majestic waterfall.
• San Bernardino Pass (2065m altitude) - links the Hinterrheintal with the southern Graubunden valley of Misox (Val Mesolcina). The pass road is open from May to October, the tunnel is open all year round.
• Splügen Pass (2113m altitude) – former pack mule route, today a pass road from Rheinwald in Switzerland to the Valle San Giacomo and Chiavenna (I). The pass summit marks the continental divide between Rhine and Po rivers.
• ViaSpluga – culture and long distance hiking path leading past Thusis and Andeer over the Splügen Pass to the small Italian town of Chiavenna.
• Sufers – the lowest village in Rheinwald has been located on a lake shore since the 1960s, when the reservoir was built.