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In winter there is a lot to discover in the Swiss mountains. Get inspired with these excursions to historical sights.
The Swiss mountains are a popular destination at any time of the year. In winter, ski and snowboard fans travel from far and wide to whiz down the slopes and have fun with the après-ski program. In addition, there is a trend towards wellness holidays in the Alps, which are beneficial for body and soul when the temperature is below zero. Many forget that there are also museums or historical sights in the mountains. You can find out about the cultural offerings of the respective region at tourist information or on the Internet.
On these five excursions, which make winter even more varied, you can learn something about history and experience it up close:
Sphinx observatory on the Jungfraujoch VS
The striking Sphinx observatory is located on the Jungfraujoch in the canton of Valais. There it is enthroned at 3571 meters above sea level on a rocky edge. Although the work laboratory and telescope are not open to the public, the observatory is also fascinating to look at from the outside. It was built in 1937 and named after the rocky peak on which it stands: “Sphinx”. The dome followed in 1950 for astronomical observations and has been adapted to the most modern standards ever since.
The Sphinx Observatory can be reached by lift and is the highest permanently manned research station in Europe. It is not without reason that the Jungfraujoch is also referred to as the “Top of Europe”: When the weather is nice, you can see not only Switzerland from the viewing platform, but also Germany, France and Italy. The Jungfrau Railway travels to the highest railway station in Europe all year round. A trip of superlatives that will be remembered.
All further information about excursions to the Jungfraujoch can be found here.
Vote for the most beautiful ski areas in Switzerland
Blick and Switzerland Tourism are once again looking for the best ski areas in Switzerland and present the Blick Winter Awards 2022/23. Where are the best ski and snowboard slopes? Where are the most beautiful cross-country ski runs or the best gastronomic offer? At www.winterawards.ch you can vote for your favorites in six categories and win great prizes. Stop by and join in!
Blick and Switzerland Tourism are once again looking for the best ski areas in Switzerland and present the Blick Winter Awards 2022/23. Where are the best ski and snowboard slopes? Where are the most beautiful cross-country ski runs or the best gastronomic offer? At www.winterawards.ch you can vote for your favorites in six categories and win great prizes. Stop by and join in!
An entire museum is dedicated to the St. Bernard: Barryland in Martigny VS is surrounded by mountains and is ideal for family outings. The Swiss national dog comes from the Great Saint Bernhard Pass, which is located above Martigny in the Valais Alps. There is a lot to learn about both the animals and the pass. Above all, the story of the famous rescue dog “Barry I” is impressive and has shaped the image of the dog breed to this day. He is said to have saved around 40 people over the course of his life.
A temporary exhibition features historical photographs of these animals, some of which come from the collection of the Maison Hospitalière du Grand-St-Bernard. There the dogs were first bred to carry loads and later also to find people buried in the snow. It is a highlight for children to be able to observe real Saint Bernards in the dog area. There is also a shop and café at Barryland.
Barryland is open daily from 9am to 5pm during the winter. (Last entry at 4 p.m.)
Olympia Bob Run Museum, Celerina GR
In the Olympia Bob Run Museum, visitors can admire one of the most important collections in the history of bobsleigh. It is located in Celerina GR, the destination of the oldest and only natural ice bobsleigh track in the world, first built in 1904. Since then, the track has been built with natural ice every year. The museum is designed in the style of a local history museum and includes both old and contemporary exhibits, as well as an extensive archive.
Young people from the age of 16 and adults can take part in a bobsleigh ride themselves between a pilot and a brakeman at this historic winter sports resort after prior registration. You race down the 1722 meter long natural ice track at up to 135 kilometers per hour – not for the faint of heart.
That Olympic Bob Run Museum is open every Tuesday from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. or on request.
All important information about guest bob ride you can find here.
Take advantage of last-minute hotel deals now
Fancy a winter break in the mountains? As part of this year’s edition of the Blick Winter Awards, we are offering attractive hotel deals together with Switzerland Travel Centre. Stop by and benefit from exclusive last-minute deals with at least 20 percent off the daily rate!
Fancy a winter break in the mountains? As part of this year’s edition of the Blick Winter Awards, we are offering attractive hotel deals together with Switzerland Travel Centre. Stop by and benefit from exclusive last-minute deals with at least 20 percent off the daily rate!
Historical funicular Muottas Muragl GR
A trip on the historic Muottas-Muragl train in Graubünden is an experience for young and old. Since 1907, the oldest mountain railway in the canton has been taking tourists up the 2,454 meter high Muottas Muragl, which is located in the Livigno Alps. From there you have a wonderful view over the Upper Engadine, even when everything is covered in snow. The funicular masters a gradient of around 56 percent and a distance of just over 2,200 meters on the journey. You can fortify yourself in the panorama restaurant on the summit and a four kilometer long toboggan run leads down the mountain.
Tip: Once you have arrived at Muottas Muragl, it is worth looking at the monument “Il Guot” (the drop) by the sculptor Timo Lindner. The drop-shaped sculpture is four meters high and consists of mortar and light-colored marble, among other things. The white work of art symbolizes the glacial ice of the peaks visible on the horizon.
The historical Muottas Muragl funicular runs from December 17, 2022 to March 26, 2023 every half hour from 7:45 a.m. to 11 p.m.
That Panorama restaurant Muottas Muragl is open daily from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. this winter season from December 17, 2022 to March 26, 2023.
Pilgrimage chapel Maria-Rickenbach, Niederrickenbach NW
The Dallenwil-Niederrickenbach cable car takes you up to the idyllic Maria-Rickenbach pilgrimage chapel, even in winter. There are numerous votive tablets hanging on the walls, which are hung in the churches or chapels in which one asked for help as a thank you for surviving suffering.
On the site of the pilgrimage chapel, a shepherd boy is said to have saved a statue of the Madonna from the iconoclastic events of the Reformation in the Bernese Oberland in 1528. He hid the statue in a hollow maple tree in spring. When the boy wanted to take the statue out of the tree, it couldn’t be moved. It is said that the Madonna found her peace in this secluded place. This is how Niederrickenbach became a place of pilgrimage.
Benedictine nuns still live and work in the neighboring monastery. Products from the monastery herbs, monastery pharmacy and monastery kitchen are offered in the monastery shop, as well as devotional objects, jewelery and much more. In the Pilgerhaus Maria-Rickenbach you can strengthen yourself in the restaurant or even spend the night there.
The travel times and prices of the cable car You can find Dallenwil-Niederrickenbach here.
Information on opening hours and reservations from Pilgrim house Maria-Rickenbach stand here.
Opening times from monastery shop from Monday to Saturday: 8:45 a.m. to 10:50 a.m. and
1pm to 3:50pm except Wednesday.
Wednesday is only open from 1pm to 4:30pm.
On public holidays and Sundays: from 9.30 a.m. to 11.45 a.m. and from
Open 1 p.m. to 4:45 p.m.