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Davos


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Must knows about Davos

  • Davos first gained international attention in the early 20th century as a health and wellness town. Now it's best known for its ski areas, with ski runs that go for up to 12 km;
  • Davos does not have the glamour of some other Swiss towns, nor does it have a substantial historical town center. It's all about the natural beauty in the surrounding area.
  • This town hosts the annual World Economic Forum.
  • Davos is the highest larger town in Europe.
Davos in winter

View of the town of Davos in winter, with the Schiahorn in the background.

About Davos

Davos is the highest town in Europe (with a population over 10,000). Nestled in the Landwasser Valley, Davos is surrounded by mountains and forests.

WHAT TO DO

What to do in and around Davos.

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HOTELS

The hotels we suggest for a stay in Davos.

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RENTALS

Holiday rentals in Davos.

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HOW TO TRAVEL

How to travel to Davos and in the area.

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PICTURES

This is what Davos looks like.

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FORUM

Any questions left about Davos? Feel free to post to the forum!

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Facts about Davos

The town of Davos

The town of Davos is split in two parts, with Davos Dorf in the north-east and Davos Platz in the south-west. One can walk from one end to the other in about 45 minutes.

The valley is also home to the village of Klosters, located about 30 minutes by train north-east of Davos Dorf. A bit farther on is the village Küblis.

You may have heard of Davos before: it regularly makes the headlines when the World Economic Forum annual meetup takes place in town.

What to do in Davos

The main activities are mountain-based: hiking, biking and swimming in Lake Davos in summer and any snow sport you can think of in winter.

As Davos is fairly large, it has good shopping opportunities. There are also many wellness facilities, restaurants, bars and a casino to keep you entertained.

Mountain chair lifts, cable cars and funiculars can be accessed all along the valley from the various villages.

Here are some suggestions:

  • Families can enjoy Madrisa Land, ‘Switzerland’s largest adventure park’, which is situated above the village of Klosters.
    www.madrisa.ch
  • Available in summer is the Adventure Park Davos.
    www.davos.ch
  • You can visit the Monstein Brewery, one of the highest breweries in Europe. It's open for tastings and tours.
    www.biervision-monstein.ch
  • An alpine botanical garden can be found on Schatzalp. It has thousands of species of plants from around the world. The Schatzalp also inspired Thomas Mann to write the novel Magic Mountain.
    www.schatzalp.ch

Find more activity suggestions here.

Davos in winter season

Davos is mainly a winter sports resort: the options for skiing and other snow activities are endless.

You can ski the famous Parsenn Downhill Run, from Weissfluh (above Davos Dorf) to Küblis. It's 12 km long and has a height difference of 2,000 m. On top of over 300 km of downhill ski runs, there are nearly 160 km of winter hiking and snowshoe trails and 75 km of cross-country ski trails.

Davos has a huge ice skating rink with a surface of 4,500 m2. It’s also home a  successful National League-ice hockey team, the Davos Hockey Club.

If you visit Davos for a snow experience, the best months are January, February and early March. It’s also most crowded at the ski runs then. Pistes may still have snow in late March: visit during that time if you like a quiet holiday.

Pros and cons of Davos

Davos is fairly secluded. The closest city to Davos is Chur (often used to start the Glacier Express or Bernina Express trips), which is 1h30 by train.

Davos is a large town with several large hotels and conference centers. It doesn’t have the cachet and glamour of St. Moritz or Zermatt, which can help to keep costs down – a little.

Davos is generally most popular in winter, so it can be a great experience in summer when it's less busy. It's off the tourist radar, unlike St. Moritz.

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