Seewis Im Prättigau

Seewis Im Prättigau combines an alpine landscape with hiking trails and traces of cultural history. The municipality’s extensive forests and alpine region stretches eastward along the Rätikon range as far as the Schweizer Tor. At 2,964 metres, the Scesaplana summit is the highest point in the municipal area. When planning your trip, you can prioritise nature experiences, winter trails and local history according to your interests.

Hiking Trails and Winter Activities

Seewis has 200 kilometres of marked hiking trails. Two routes offer a concrete sense of the different distances: the Seewis narcissus hike is 14 kilometres long and involves 700 metres of ascent and descent. At 8.5 kilometres, the Salisweg is shorter, continuously marked, and connects Malans and Seewis. Conditions on this trail can vary seasonally, so take this into account when planning.

The first stage of the Prättigau High Trail also passes through Seewis, then continues along field and forest roads to the Schesaplana Hut. A circular route combines the Fanas cable car with a hike to the Schesaplana Hut, followed by a scooter descent to Seewis Dorf. So, as well as individual marked trails, there are routes made up of several consecutive sections.

Winter activities in Seewis include a free cross-country ski trail and well-maintained, marked winter hiking trails. These winter activities complement the hiking routes without requiring you to stick to the same kinds of trails: cross-country skiing and winter hiking are two separate options for the colder months.

Castles, Church and Local History

West of Seewis, Fracstein Castle ruins stand in the Klus, at the entrance to the Prättigau and below a cliff. Around 1200, the castle complex blocked access to the valley with a Letzi wall and an iron gate. Solavers Castle is located above the hamlet of Seewis-Schmitten. It was probably first used as a fortified church; in the 11th or 12th century, the Counts of Bregenz expanded it into a feudal castle. Today, the complex’s massive defensive wall on the mountainside and parts of the Church of St. Mary remain.

The village church and its surroundings also offer a glimpse into the history of the area. Its foundation stone was laid around 1300. Tombstones of the von Salis family are set into the choir wall, and the Fidelis Fountain near the village church commemorates Fidelis. Seewis remained a Romansh-speaking village until around 1550. Of all the municipalities in the Prättigau, the Romansh idiom survived longest here. In the second half of the 19th century, Seewis developed into a spa resort in the modern sense.

Alpine Farming and Village Life

One of the Alpine huts at the Alp Museum Fasons has been a museum since 1988. Cheese, butter and Ziger were made in the huts of the Alp Museum Fasons from 1877 to 1985. For a meal or a break, there are restaurants in the village of Seewis serving local specialities, as well as traditional mountain huts with food and drink. These are different ways to build a pause into your trip.

Another special feature is the Talblickbahn on Bergstrasse in Seewis. Built to a scale of 1:32, it extends over 20 metres. Its 29 gondolas cover a vertical distance of seven metres. The scale makes it a very different experience from the hiking trails and castle ruins: the focus here is on a detailed miniature, not a tour through the landscape.

During Carnival week, the Rollibock makes its way through the village streets with its companions, cracking whips as they go. Exact dates may vary. If you want to experience this tradition, check the dates for Carnival week before your trip.

Discover more destinations: Luzein, Pany, Furna, Saas, Arosa, Jenaz, Davos, Clavadel

For the main travel overview: Prättigau-Davos.