Page 260 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Switzerland

12 the lake’s eastern shore,
is a convenient base for
Walensee exploring the mountains, 1535
including Walenstadtberg
! E3–F3 £ @ and Berschis.
n Walenseestrasse 18; The year Swiss doctor
www.heidiland.com Paracelsus recognized
the healing powers
This slender lake marks the 13 of Bad Pfäfers’
border between the cantons hot springs.
EXPERIENCE Eastern Switzerland and Graubünden
of St Gallen and Glarus. About Bad Ragaz
15 km (9 miles) long and just ! F4 @ £ n Am Platz 1;
2 km (1 mile) across at its www.heidiland.com
widest point, it lies in a steep- As well as skiing on the slopes
sided valley, with the rugged Bad Ragaz, set on the River of Pizol, Bad Ragaz offers golf,
Churfirsten massif on its Tamina, is one of Switzerland’s tennis and other sporting
northern side and the Glarner foremost spa resorts, with activi ties. It is also an excellent
Alps to the southeast. This grand old palace-style hotels base for hiking in the sur-
lovely region is also known as and an outstanding golf rounding hills.
Heidiland after Johanna Spyri’s course. Its natural thermal About 5 km (3 miles) south
famous children’s novel. springs have been used to of Bad Ragaz is Bad Pfäfers,
The railway line and the cure ailments since the 13th a spa town with a beautiful
motorway linking Zürich and century. The resort has several Baroque church and a former
Chur run along the south side indoor and outdoor pools – Benedictine monastery that
of the lake. Most of the towns Tamina-Therme, in the centre houses a local history museum.
and villages on the steep of the resort, is the best known. Southwest of Bad Ragaz is
north shore are accessible Bad Ragaz also has an early the Taminaschlucht, a deep
only by boat or on foot. 18th-century parish church gorge carved out by the
Cruises on the lake take in the with Baroque wall paintings. rushing waters of the Tamina.
charming town of Weesen. The town hall contains a Also of interest is Sargans,
A short distance south is display of paint ings and other which has beautiful Neo-
Näfels, which boasts a late- works of art of Bad Ragaz and Classical buildings and a
Renaissance palace, the its environs. Gothic castle.
Freulerpalast. The building
houses a museum of local
history. The neighbouring Davos has some famous “off-piste”
town of Mollis contains well- powder snow runs, but beginners are
preserved burgher houses
and fine 18th-century man- catered for, too: there are several ski
sions, while Walenstadt, on and snowboarding schools.

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