Alvaneu lies on the southeastern slope of Piz Mulain and comprises two distinct locations: Alvaneu Dorf is situated on a sunny terrace above the Albula Valley, while Alvaneu Bad lies down in the valley on the banks of the Albula. When planning your stay, it is worth checking whether a place is in Alvaneu Dorf or Alvaneu Bad to help you get your bearings. The historic village centre and the church shape the character of the village; the sulphur springs and golf course are associated with Alvaneu Bad.
Village History and Church Art
Alvaneu is one of the ten villages in Parc Ela whose intact historic village centre has been classified as a site of national importance and included in the Swiss Inventory of Heritage Sites (ISOS). Alvaneu Dorf is home to a Baroque church dating from 1697/1698. Its high altar dates from around 1698; the painted and carved panels of the winged altarpiece are among the finest late Gothic works of art in GraubĂĽnden.
The façade details also tell of different artistic traditions: Baroque murals depict Saints Maurice, George, Luzius and Primus, as well as the Madonna of Mercy. The sacristy contains numerous votive tablets and surviving membership plaques of the Confraternity of Our Lady of Sorrows. These testimonies attest to the importance of pilgrimage in Alvaneu.
Another local craft tradition is artistic metalworking. Alvaneu Dorf has been known for it since the 17th century, and local craftsman Roman Platz continues the tradition. His workshop and exhibition rooms can be visited by prior arrangement. The wrought-iron grave crosses in the cemetery of the Church of St Mary in Lantsch/Lenz also come from Alvaneu—a concrete sign of the craft connection between the two places.
A Guided Look into History
The Alvaneu command bunker can be explored on a guided tour, with a specially designed augmented reality application on an iPad. The upper floor displays around 1,400 telephones: the collection spans the history of Swiss telephony, from radio telephone receivers and rotary-dial telephones to emergency call pillars and mobile phones. The guided visit also includes a 180-metre-long timeline documenting the Cold War era. The bunker thus combines a technical collection with a glimpse into recent history.
Hikes and Route Options
The Pioneers’ Trail Crap Furò can be hiked from Surava to Alvaneu Bad or back to Surava via Plang digls Bovs. It is marked in green as local route 754, and numbered signs mark its 14 stations. Another option is the short circular hike around Alvaneu Dorf: it passes through Aclas Davains and Aclas Seura in Parc Ela, is seven kilometres long, and has 565 metres of ascent and descent.
Another hike starts at Alvaneu railway station, leads via Ranch Farsox to the Landwasser Viaduct and continues to Filisur railway station. An optional detour to the Hennings viewing platform takes about 30 minutes. The two routes differ in format: one is a circular hike around Alvaneu Dorf, the other a hike between Alvaneu and Filisur railway stations.
Nature, Regional Products and Alvaneu Bad
A natural forest reserve lies near Crap Furò, where felling trees has been prohibited since 2008. This allows the forest to develop undisturbed. Ranch Farsox adds a farm shop to the route description: it offers Farsoxer dried meat, Fitness Salsiz, fresh organic pasture-raised beef, as well as air-dried bacon and ham from Alpine pigs bearing the Parc Ela label. The range also includes homemade products and trout from the farm’s own fish farm.
Together with the mineral spring in St. Moritz Bad, the sulphur springs in Alvaneu Bad are among the oldest spas in Switzerland. A modern spa with wellness facilities was built there in 2001. If a visit to the spa is important to your plans, please check the current visiting options in advance.
The way the landscape around the golf course was shaped is also part of the history of Alvaneu Bad. The terrain was partly remodelled for the 18-hole course, creating new ponds and pools. The golf course was expanded to 18 holes in 1997 and received the 1st Swiss Golf Award in 2007.
Discover more destinations: Marmorera, Surava, Cunter, Alvaschein, Sur, Bivio, Mutten, Brienz/Brinzauls.
View the main travel guide: Albula.
