mêéëë=háí=táåíéê=omntlomnu= oéëé~êåü=fçé~ë=~åç= mêéëë=qêáéë=

Transcription

1 mêéëëháítáåíéêomntlomnu oéëé~êåüfçé~ë~åç mêéëëqêáéë 1

2 Welcome to our home Whether you want to research a particular topic in Graubünden or if you are still looking for the right adventure we are here to help you. Thalia Wettstein Senior PR Phone thalia.wettstein@graubuenden.ch Cornelia Keller Junior PR Phone cornelia.keller@graubuenden.ch Graubünden Ferien Alexanderstrasse 24 CH-7001 Chur On the following pages you will find winter news, ideas for individual research as well as a trip on a particular topic, which we have compiled for you and takes place in a group on a specified date. Please review our policies to support media trips at 2 3

3 News Hotels und Restaurants Arosa: Valsana Hotel & Appartements On December 7 th, the Valsana Hotel & Appartements will open its doors in Arosa. In addition to 40 double rooms and suites, it will also offer nine apartments with fully equipped kitchens. On the ground floor of the building, there will be arcades with a supermarket, sports shop and medical practices. On the sunny terraces above, guests can enjoy the view of the mountain peaks from the restaurant or the wellness area. Davos: First Hard Rock Hotel in Switzerland The Spenglers Hotel in Davos, newly opened in December 2016, will, at the end of the year, become the first Hard Rock Hotel in Switzerland. Guests will then be accompanied musically during their stay by record players and records. A Fender guitar with an amplifier and headphones is available for those who just want to jam. Laax: Relaunch of Crap Sogn Gion as GaLAAXy The Crap Sogn Gion mountain station will be markedly transformed for this winter season. Thanks to a new coworking space, guests can now combine working and relaxing at 2,228 metres above sea level. The food service will also change: the restaurant will have a new look and the menu will be expanded to include vegan dishes. The opening is on January 13 th. Lenzerheide: First new generation hotel in the Alps (in German) The Revier Mountain Lodge in Lenzerheide will be the first new generation hotel in the Alpine region. The innovative concept is based on the changing habits of young, active travellers. The renouncement of services superfluous to them, such as a reception, allows for attractive pricing. On the other hand, there is a strong emphasis on modern technology and design. Lenzerheide: The Motta Hut shines in a new look The 30-year-old Motta Hut was replaced by a new building in the Arosa Lenzerheide ski resort this summer. The new mountain restaurant offers 120 indoor seats and 240 seats on the terrace. There is also a lounge for guests to relax. The facade and interior are dominated by wood elements. This creates a rustic and modern ambience. (in German) Trin: New mountain forest centre with its own youth hostel A new Swiss Youth Hostel with 48 beds will open its doors this November in Trin. It is operated by the Bergwaldprojekt Foundation as part of the new mountain forest centre. The centuries-old house has been extensively renovated over recent months. The special feature: only local wood was used. 4 5

4 Experiences and Infrastructure Brigels: Free ski lessons for senior citizens Davos Klosters: New 6-seater chairlift The ski instructor Aluis Cathomen has taught skiing in Brigels since The man from Graubünden is long past his retirement age; however, this does not stop him from continuing to head down the slopes with his students. He particularly wants to promote skiing to his peers and therefore offers free ski lessons every Friday to senior citizens over the age of 60. A new 6-seater chairlift was built in the Parsenn ski area this winter season to replace the Furka double ski lift built in The 1,587 metre-long lift ascends an altitude difference of 380 metres and transports 2,500 people every hour. This reduces the journey time from Gruobenalp to Parsennfurgga to only 5 minutes. Davos: New cross-country course for technique training A special cross-country course for playful technique training will open in Davos in December. 12 different stations are available to guests and locals free of charge. The course mascot, a snow grouse, demonstrates various exercises such as turning figures of eight, going over a seesaw, going over jumps, skating or traversing a mogul course. Grüsch Danusa: Guided tours on crossblades The new crossblades winter sports equipment combines the best of snowshoes and skis: trekking and comfort going uphill and the advantage of gliding when going downhill. As of this winter, guests in Grüsch Danusa in Prättigau can try out this Swiss invention under expert guidance. Laax: Sustainability in the ski resort Lenzerheide: BDO Snow Cinema LAAX wants to offer its guests a largely sustainable holiday and become the first self-sustaining ski resort in the world. For this reason, the destination already relies on sustainable solar and hydropower, recycling in the valley and on the mountain, energy-efficient ski lifts and optimal snow management. On twelve evenings in February, the BDO Snow Cinema Lenzerheide offers a special experience. Wrapped up in warm blankets and with a view of the nightly mountain scenery, movie lovers can enjoy the latest blockbusters and popular classics in the winter open-air cinema. Hot drinks keep the guests warm during the movies. Parpan: New cross-country centre with bistro A snow sports centre will open in Parpan at the start of the winter season. In the functional building you will find the cross-country centre with the crosscountry ski school as well as the alpine snow sports school. In addition to a cross-country shop including rental services, cloakrooms and a wax area, there is also a bistro. Pontresina: Winter canyoning in the icy canyon In the Pontresina canyon, guests can now zip line past ice-covered rock faces and frozen waterfalls. Secure and under the guidance of an experienced mountain guide, the participants overcome tricky spots themselves and cover about 500 metres in the canyon. The group tours are offered daily in good weather conditions

5 Savognin: Early Bird skiing As of this winter, early birds in Savognin can enjoy the sunrise in the mountains. Every Sunday in February, the ski resort opens already at 6.30 am. After the winter sports enthusiasts have drawn their first tracks into the fresh slopes, an extensive breakfast awaits them at the Tigignas mountain restaurant at 8.00 am. (in German) St. Moritz: New ice experience in the middle of St. Moritz Bad From December onwards, guests can enjoy hours of entertainment on ice-skates at the new Glatschin ice rink in St. Moritz Bad. The ice rink is open from the beginning of December until the end of February and offers various market stalls with Christmas items and local handicrafts in addition to the ice-skating rink with rental service and gastro-village. Anniversaries St. Moritz: 25 years St. Moritz Gourmet Festival 25 th anniversary, new date, new format. As of this year, food connoisseurs will have nine days from the 12 th to the 20 th of January to taste themselves through the delicacies of the ten guest chefs and the local stove virtuosi at the St. Moritz Gourmet Festival. St. Moritz: 50 years Engadin Ski Marathon The Engadin Ski Marathon is celebrating its fiftieth anniversary in skiers signed up for the first event back in At that time, however, no one had any idea that it would turn into the biggest crosscountry event in Switzerland and the second largest in the world. Françoise Stahel is the only woman who has completed all races so far. Viamala: 50 years of San Bernardino tunnel On December 1 st 1967, the San Bernardino street tunnel celebrated its opening after five and a half years of construction. At that time, the connection between the Graubünden valleys Rheinwald and Misox was the longest tunnel in Switzerland at 6,600 metres. Even today, 50 years later, it is the most important north-south transit axis of the country after the Gotthard tunnel. 8 9

6 Special places to sleep In Graubünden, you can stay in classic hotels. However, you don t have to. The mountain canton also offers accommodation in far more unusual buildings. A selection: Sleep in the Benedictine monastery From this year, the Disentis Monastery also houses guests. The new stylishly furnished rooms in the baroque building have a mountain view. There is deliberately no TV, instead there is a reading room and a salon. If you are interested in the monastic life, visit the lunch time prayers with choral songs as well as the museum. The new Stiva Sogn Placi cloister bistro will take care of your culinary well-being. (in German) Sleep in a haunted house Sleep in a wine barrel The Hotel Val Sinestra is said to be haunted. When you see the building emerging from the dark pine forest, you immediately believe this could be true. The legend says that the ghost is a former hotel guest. If you don t believe in ghost stories, visit the hotel simply to explore the untouched winter landscape in the remote Engadin valley on foot, on snowshoes or on cross-country skis. In the Bündner Herrschaft located in the Chur Rhine Valley everything revolves around wine. It is almost obvious that guests can even stay in wine barrels. As accommodation, 8000-liter barrels were lovingly transformed into bedrooms and living areas. These are now stood in Malans and Maienfeld. Included in the overnight price: a bottle of wine. Sleep in a schoolhouse (in German) Sleep in an igloo Sleep in a castle Children used to go to school in this house in the mountain village of Tersnaus in Val Lumnezia. Today, it is a small B&B with an apartment and a suite. It is managed by the organic farmer family Albin, whose products are served for breakfast. The host, Edith Albin, is not only a farmer, but also an herbalist and regularly organises herb picking and cooking events. The Parsenn region above Davos is one of the places of origin of ski tourism in Switzerland. There you can stay in the substance that makes this sport possible: snow. 17 sleeping igloos, a sauna and whirlpool, a bar and an event igloo await guests. During the day, the snow village below the Weissfluhjoch station is open to everyone, for example for a drink at the ice bar. In the Schauenstein castle, visitors can dine and sleep within walls that date back to the 16 th century. It is run by the three Michelin Star and 19 Gault & Millau points-awarded Andreas Caminada from Graubünden. In the spirit of its venerable history, it has become an internationally respected gourmand house thanks to the culinary skills of the new castle owner. (in German) 10 11

7 Group press trip, 1 st to 4 th March 2018 A culinary winter trip with the Bernina Express Anyone boarding the Bernina Express in the alpine town of Chur will find themselves in Tirano, Italy four hours later. The trip takes you through six valleys and over two mountain passes. A railway route that is so spectacular that it is one of only three in the world that holds the prestigious UNESCO World Heritage title. Passengers who only enjoy the view through the windows of the red wagons of the Rhaetian Railway will be full with visual impressions, but arrive with a growling stomach in Italy. So that the palate is stimulated as well, one must get off the train. And it is worth it. In the various valleys, tasty specialities await hungry travellers: Capuns in Chur, for example, or Pizzoccheri in Valposchiavo. This group press trip is dedicated to these culinary experiences. And in order to get hungry for the specialities, a winter activity is planned at each stop be it snowshoeing, sledging or winter hiking. The train travels and guides us as a thread from one program point to the next. Highlights of the program Ride in the train drivers cabine with the engine driver on the UNESCO World Heritage route Snowshoeing in Valposchiavo Outdoor fondue in the snow in the Albula Valley Night-time city tour with myth storytelling in Chur Pizzoccheri (a Puschlaver speciality) making and eating Further information and registration: Graubünden Ferien Cornelia Keller Phone cornelia.keller@graubuenden.ch Individual research idea Splügen-Tambo a small ski resort reinvents itself If small ski resorts want to survive in Switzerland, they have to take innovative measures. This is what the Splügen-Tambo mountain railways in Viamala have recognised and they are therefore reinventing themselves this winter. In doing so, they are betting on a bold pricing system: children up to the age of 12 ski free of charge for the entire season and all adults can receive an annual pass for the same price as the locals at CHF 390. And whoever buys a day ticket on the weekend gets one half price in the following week. A further measure is a trial weekend: in order for more winter guests to get to know the ski area with seven mountain lift facilities (including one gondola and two chairlifts), they can test the 30 kilometres of slopes free of charge for a weekend in December. And the ski resort has yet another bonus the village Splügen. With only 500 inhabitants, guests are welcomed personally and cordially, whether at the hotel, restaurant or in the village bar. The search for après-ski bustle is in vain. However, authenticity can be found at every corner. The life in the village and the appearance of the settlement during centuries were characterized by the transport of goods via the Splügen and San Bernardino alpine passes. The witnesses of this time are still present today: the old village core is equally known for the stone roofs of the Palazzi and the sun-baked Walser houses. The Hotel Alte Herberge Weiss Kreuz is also closely connected with this history. The house from the 14 th century originally served as a guesthouse for traders. During the renovation of the building, great importance was given to the preservation of the historic building material. Today the house skilfully combines old and new. Two examples: its hall with modern furniture is located in the former hay barn and the former open driveway to the house now serves as the reception area

8 Individual research idea Via Engiadina: Long-distance hiking on snow Step by step, over mountains and through valleys, along streams and through forests. Those wanting to switch off properly will not only want to walk for a few hours, but for several days in a row. Walking by foot is at a leisurely pace. The landscape does not just pass by, but one becomes part of it. The often sought deceleration of life occurs entirely by itself. What can be done on many routes during the summer can also be done in Graubünden during the cold season: the Via Engiadina (translated as Engadin Trail ) is particularly beautiful when snow and ice turn the valley into a winter wonderland. In three day stages, the route takes hikers from Susch via Ardez and Scuol to Sent. The special aspect of the tour: the villages are just as beautiful and picturesque as the snowy nature of the landscape between them. They impress with typical Lower Engadin architecture and rustic mountain charm. And as the trail winds along the sunny side of the valley, with the right clothing and a bit of luck with weather, you will not be cold even during the winter. To refuel, delicious specialities in special shapes await you, which are only available in this region. For example, the triangular Salsiz (dried sausage) by the butcher Ludwig Hatecke in Scuol, or the square-shaped sugar baker s nut tarte from Peder Benderer in Sent. Both men live for their culinary handicrafts and gladly give insights into their production. Guests as well as journalists are even allowed to try their own hand in the butcher's shop and the bakery. Those that like things easier can book a package for the winter hike and have your luggage transported from place to place and hotel to hotel. Individual research idea The culinary variety of Graubünden in one menu In the region of 150 valleys, three languages and three cultures meet in the kitchen. This leads to a particularly richly loaded table and a varied menu. As a starter, a Bündner Plättli is served to share. On a large wooden board, cheeses from the valley and from the alp are dished up together with dried meat and sausage specialities as well as pickled vegetables. What should never be missing: the Salsiz (dried sausage). One master of its production is Renato Giovanoli, the archetype of a rugged mountain resident with a white beard. The man from Engadin turns pork and game meat into culinary delights by following old recipes. The Capuns chard wraps filled with Spätzle dough and cheese were once a poor man s meal today they are the star of the traditional cuisine of the mountain canton and the main course of our Graubünden menu. Andreetta Schwarz makes the best ones at her restaurant Alte Post in Zillis. And this is not just hearsay: with her Capuns, she won the gold medal at the Swiss competition for regional products. In her restaurant you can not only taste the award-winning wraps, but also make these yourself together with the cook. Andreetta Schwarz regularly gives Capunswrapping courses. The dessert comes from the southern part of Graubünden. More precisely: from the Italian-speaking Val Bregaglia, the home of the largest chestnut forest in Europe. This tree fruit is also the main ingredient of the Torta di Castagna, the chestnut cake. Every baker has their own recipe for this sweet delight. Some contain a sip of cognac, others nuts. All varieties taste the best with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Even this is produced directly in the canton. Glatsch Balnot from Surava in the Albula Valley turns organic milk and full cream from the region into ice-cold delicacies

9 Individual research idea Discover the fascination of biathlon with the olympic winner The Lenzerheide Biathlon Arena is the only international competitionsuitable facility in Switzerland. At the same time, the arena serves as an event location and is a meeting place for athletes, families and companies. A place where people and professional sportsmen meet on the same eye level. The multifunctional Nordic House is its hub. In addition to accommodation, an athletic room, public and free changing rooms, the facilities also include a sports shop and a bistro. Switzerland is a biathlon nation it just does not know yet. This statement comes from Michael Hartweg, the investor of the Biathlon Arena. One day, Biathlon World Cup races should take place here in Lenzerheide. The foundation for this is laid. In the summer of 2017, the facility attained the prestigious A-license of the International Biathlon Union. In order to achieve this goal, however, further mosaic stones are needed. One of them is the next generation of athletes. A year ago, the Biathlon base in eastern Switzerland was therefore founded here. In order for the stars of tomorrow to find perfect training conditions that will pave the way to the top for them, Michael Greis, the three-time Olympic champion and world champion from Germany, took the manager position. He has been training the young athletes for a year and has lots planned with them: In 2020, the Youth and Junior World Championships will be held in the Lenzerheide Biathlon Arena. The young athletes from the base Lenzerheide should be optimally prepared by then to have a strong say in the medal awards so the announcement of Michael Greis. And whoever dares to give the trail or shooting range a go themselves will find a wide selection of offers in the Biathlon Arena: exciting introductory courses or individual training sessions. And with some luck, you will even get one or the other tip from the Olympic winner himself. Individual research idea Ice trails: On narrow blades through the winter forest Snow glistens on bare branches, the stream gurgles in the background, skates scratch on ice. In the Albula Valley, a special experience awaits winter fans: a three-kilometre ice trail that runs through the forest. At the beginning of this experience stood as is often the case in Graubünden nature: in the shadowy Albula valley the forest paths iced up in winter and became very slippery due to the spray of the nearby river. People therefore turned this problem into something good, and converted the forest path into an ice trail. However, a lot of work has to be done every year before the Albula Skateline is ready for the ice skaters. First it needs a snow base layer, then the ice has to be built up with a machine and finally levelled out in the end. A process that takes several weeks. Once finished, nothing stands in the way for young and old to experience this fun trail. A bus takes guests to the starting point of the route, where ice skates are laced and helmets put on. And off skaters go: at first hesitant, but always faster and more relaxed. Once their feet have settled into a rhythm, skaters can begin to enjoy the landscape. For this is the greatest asset of the ice trail. Instead of going in circles on an ice rink, one skates through the snowy winter forest. The ice trail in the Albula Valley has become such a success that two more skatelines have been built in Graubünden in recent years. One in Lower Engadin at Sur En where skaters can expect a three kilometre long round circuit and a second, which leads through the floodplain in Upper Engadin near Madulain. The latter is even free of charge. Ice skates and helmets can be rented locally at all three ice trails. Basic knowledge of ice skating is a great advantage to have fun at the experience

10 Our Travel Partners Swiss International Air Lines Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) is the airline of Switzerland, serving over 100 destinations in 46 countries from Zurich and Geneva and carrying more than 16 million passengers a year with its 88-aircraft fleet. As The Airline of Switzerland, SWISS embodies the country s traditional values, and is committed to delivering the highest product and service quality. With its workforce of 8,564 personnel, SWISS generated total operating income of CHF 5 billion in SWISS is part of the Lufthansa Group, and is also a member of Star Alliance, the world s biggest airline grouping. SWISS and Graubünden Ferien are working together closely to make Graubünden better known as a tourist destination and to promote its positive image further. As a top quality airline, SWISS connects Graubünden and Switzerland with Europe and the world, making it an important ambassador of the alpine country. Media contact Swiss International Air Lines Ltd. Phone mediarelations.swiss@dlh.de More information: Swiss Travel System STS Switzerland comprises the densest public transport network in the world. It extends over 29,000 captivating kilometres, linking city centres, tiny tucked away villages, mountain resorts and lakes. Especially for travellers from abroad, the Swiss Travel System offers visitors the opportunity to discover the many diverse delights by road, rail and waterway. And with just a single all-in-one ticket the Swiss Travel Pass. The world-famous panoramic routes through Graubünden, such as the Glacier Express and the Bernina Express, are also included (excl. seat reservation fee) and are a part of the Grand Train Tour of Switzerland ( Furthermore, the Swiss Travel Pass offers free admission to more than 500 museums nationwide (of which 29 in Graubünden) and 50 % fare discount off most mountain railways. Media contact Swiss Travel System Ltd. Phone media@swisstravelsystem.com More information: