In Lumbrein, traces of the Bronze Age, medieval residential towers, and trails through nature and history come together in a range of things to explore. The village is in Val Lumnezia and belongs to the municipality of Lumnezia in the canton of GraubĂĽnden. Ilanz is around 15 kilometres away. Lumbrein therefore offers a variety of reasons to choose it as a destination: village history, cultural events, cheesemaking traditions, and hiking.
Culture and Village History
Since 2015, Casa d’Angel in Lumbrein has served as Lumnezia’s cultural and exhibition centre. Its programme includes talks, small concerts, guided tours, and professional educational activities for children, young people, families, and seniors. Art exhibitions and cultural history exhibitions on current topics complement the programme. Casa d’Angel also displays one of the large crystal groups from Péz Regina. If you would like to attend a particular event or exhibition, check the current programme in advance.
The village’s architectural history can also be explored through a range of examples. The late medieval residential tower Chisti da Lumerins rises five storeys and is built of tuff stone. It was probably the seat of the Lords of Lumbrein, who are documented from 1231. The second residential tower, Casaulta, is thought to date from the 14th or 15th century. The two towers thus represent distinct chapters of local history, each of which should be interpreted with appropriate caution.
Crestaulta opens a much earlier window onto the past: this Bronze Age settlement was continuously inhabited between 2000 and 1200 BC and is considered one of the oldest settlements in the inner Alpine region. Crestaulta is also a flattened Bronze Age hill, 300 metres west of the hamlet of Surin. A guided tour covers the Chisti residential tower, the village chapels, and the Crestaulta settlement site; if interested, check the latest booking details.
Churches, a Chapel, and Local Traditions
The Baroque church of Sogn Martin was built in the mid-17th century on the site of two earlier buildings. Its furnishings include a Last Judgment painting created in 1694 and signed by Nicolaus de Juliani of Roveredo, and a two-tier Baroque high altar by Antoni Sigrist of Brig. The chapel of Sogn Andriu was built in 1660 and consecrated in 1662. It is entirely decorated with murals; parts of its altar and the sculptures inside it once stood in Lumbrein’s parish church. Access arrangements may change: before planning an interior visit, check what options are currently available.
The patronal feast is celebrated with a procession on the second Sunday in October each year. The Cascharia Käserei Lumbrein cheese dairy offers another way to experience local culture, introducing visitors to Swiss cheesemaking traditions and the art of cheese. If you are planning to visit the dairy, it is worth checking the current visiting arrangements.
Hiking and Cycling
The “At the foot of Péz Regina” themed trail starts in Lumbrein and features twelve informative panels. It connects short walks and longer hikes around the village with nature, regional culture, and history. On the Senda lumneziana, the trail passes through Val Miedra to the Maiensässe (mountain pastures with seasonal huts) above Nussaus, then continues along a panoramic trail overlooking Lumbrein. This gives visitors a choice of hiking formats and themes without suggesting that they are all the same length.
The Alpenpässe-Weg also offers a specific route: on stage 8, the trail branches off towards Lumbrein at Alp Nova. After the Via Mundaun, a PostBus departs from Lumbrein hourly for the return journey to Vella. If you are planning this return trip, check the current timetable.
The Bike Marathon Lumnezia-Obersaxen starts in Lumbrein every year in early August. Its circular route passes through Obersaxen and returns to Lumbrein, covering up to 40 kilometres and 1,680 metres of elevation gain. Some sections cross private land and cannot be ridden outside race day. These sections should therefore not be treated as a freely accessible race route for your own ride; check the latest event information.
Lumbrein as a Destination
Lumbrein is described as a traditional farming village; mountain agriculture was later mechanised and modernised. This agricultural heritage complements the village’s historical and cultural attractions. The trails, exhibitions, and events described here offer a variety of things to focus on, but do not amount to a single, uniform type of trip.
Discover more destinations: Cumbels, Valendas, Igels, Rueun, Suraua, Luven, Andiast, Vals.
Return to the regional travel overview: Surselva.
