Visp between the Old Town, vineyards and Valais culture

Visp lies in the Upper Valais valley at the foot of the vineyard that the official visitor website describes as the highest in Europe. In the Old Town, lanes wind between historic buildings; around the town, options range from walking paths and vineyard trails to mountain bike trails. If you are planning a hotel stay in Visp, you can shape your time around the interests that matter to you: local history, culture, wine and regional products, or outdoor activities.

Old Town, history and guided walks

The old town developed on a hill because the valley floor was repeatedly affected by flooding. A ring wall was built there to improve its defences. Several fires destroyed almost all of Visp, including the great fire of 1518. Today, only a few houses from the Middle Ages remain. The Burgener House is considered one of Visp’s landmarks. Its tower and sundial are particularly striking. The Meierturm is listed in the Federal Inventory of Swiss Heritage Sites of National Importance as a single structure dating from the 12th or 13th century. The Blue Colossus commemorates the Battle of 1388 against the Savoyards.

A guided tour of Visp visits eight locations and combines stories with three wine aperitifs, soup, a snack and dessert at a restaurant. A tour of the Old Town can also include an organ concert at the Church of the Three Kings. The SmarTrail Visp offers a playful, interactive and informative way to discover the town. Details and conditions for these bookable activities may change.

Culture and events

During the season, La Poste Theatre presents more than 20 guest performances by groups from around the world, alongside productions by local associations. The programme ranges from opera, operetta and concerts to theatre, ballet, dance, comedy and cabaret; it changes each year. The Jazz Chälli hosts numerous concerts each season, including performances by local bands and artists from elsewhere in Switzerland and abroad. Artists and dates vary. Galerie zur Schützenlaube presents around four exhibitions a year, featuring artists of regional to national renown.

At Visp Media Library, a storytelling session for children aged around four and over takes place on the first Wednesday of each month; no registration is required. As the event calendar may change, check the date before planning a visit.

Wine, markets and Valais specialities

In the winding lanes of the Old Town, you can taste regional grape varieties such as Païen (Heida), a local speciality, and Cornalin. At the Visp Pürumärt, you can sample and buy products made by Valais farmers in the region. These include cheese, eggs, Valais dried meat specialities, fresh bread and baked goods, raclette and grilled bratwurst. The market is a regular tradition; dates, stalls and individual products may vary.

At the Raclettestreicher activity, you can learn to scrape Valais raclette under the guidance of a professional; a glass of wine is included. Check availability for your preferred date. You can also discover winegrowing on trails and in town: along the Heida Trail, information boards explain the history of winegrowing. The Heida Trail leads from the valley floor of the Rhône Valley through terraced vineyards to the village of Visperterminen. A winery on the Heida Trail can be visited and offers tastings of local wine; check visiting and tasting options in advance.

Walks, hikes and bike tours

There are short walking paths as well as longer hikes around Visp. The Visp hiking collection includes nine selected hikes with variations that start or end in Visp; its contents may change. Well-maintained paths and trails lead through the vineyards directly from Visp. Mountain bike trails around the town run through vineyards, forests and alpine terrain. For a different kind of cycling, the Staldbach Velodrome has a paved, winding circuit that can be ridden on any type of bicycle.

The Glacier Bike Tour follows the river via Brig to Visp. PostBus and the Matterhorn Gotthard Railway take visitors from Visp to biking adventures. Check current connections for your specific tour. When planning, you can choose between walks, longer hikes, trails through the vineyards and cycling routes, without assuming a particular walking time or level of difficulty.

Finding your way around

The interactive map of Visp shows key attractions together with your current location. If location services are enabled, you can immediately see which highlights are nearby. The location markers on the interactive tour open an image, text and audio feature for each attraction. You can visit Visperinsel in the Vispa River as a side trip during your stay in Visp; the Vispa flows into the Rhône.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Visp, Zeneggen, Zermatt, Visperterminen, Törbel, Täsch, Stalden, Sankt Niklaus, Saas-Grund, Saas-Fee, Saas-Balen, Saas-Almagell, Randa, Gasenried, Embd, Grächen, Staldenried, Baltschieder.

Go to the main travel overview: Valais.