In Tenna, historic traces, solar energy and paths through the mountain landscape sit side by side. When planning a holiday apartment stay, it may therefore help to first decide on the main focus: church and Walser history, an activity centred on solar energy, or hiking and winter sports. The specific route descriptions vary considerably—from views towards Chur to the path to Tenner Alp and steep terrain on the route to Piz Fess.
Church and Walser history
The church in Tenna is the oldest building in the village. It houses a Gothic cycle of frescoes dating from around 1408, which is considered to be of national significance. The church is therefore a notable stop for anyone interested in Tenna’s architectural and artistic heritage.
An earlier reference point in the church’s history probably dates to around the middle of the 14th century: the first church in Tenna was likely built shortly after the Walser settled here around 1350 AD. The two dates relate to different aspects—the presumed construction of the first church and the dating of the fresco cycle. This connects the history of the village with a specific work of art and a cautiously reported early date.
Experience solar energy
The Tenna Solar Trail combines the subject of solar energy with a digital quiz. It covers the generation of solar power, technical aspects and the use of solar energy in Tenna; the trail is in Beverin Nature Park. A specially made solar bench adds to the offering: visitors can charge a smartphone there using solar power. The quiz and the bench have different focuses—one centres on knowledge and technical questions, while the other offers a practical application of solar energy.
The solar ski lift also combines two functions. It transports winter sports enthusiasts and generates solar power at the same time. The lift was the world’s first solar-powered ski lift. The ski area has a total of four kilometres of pistes, and skiing there is exclusively on natural snow. These details describe both the special combination of winter sports and electricity generation, and the size and characteristics of the piste offering.
Trails with different focuses
The route to Piz Fess, at 2,880 metres, starts at Tenna church and follows the Walserweg towards Tenner Alp. The trail becomes narrow and the terrain very steep before Tällihütte. Anyone considering this route should take this specific description of the terrain into account when planning, rather than judging the character of the entire trail solely by its starting point or direction.
A different route description applies to the Tenna–Tenner Chrüz–Tällihütte–Tenna trail run. The route starts at the church car park, passes through the village and continues to the edge of the forest. From Tenner Chrüz, you can enjoy views towards Chur. The snowshoe trail to Tenner Alp has a different focus: it passes sun-browned barns and the Under Hütta, and offers views of Tenna, Oberhorn and Underhorn, as well as Piz Beverin. While the Piz Fess route is described as narrow and steep up to Tällihütte, the snowshoe trail focuses on buildings and viewpoints.
The snowshoe trail is marked on the ground with pink poles, but it is not groomed. A marked trail and a groomed track are therefore not the same thing. As conditions can change, it is a good idea to check the trail’s current condition before setting out.
Winter activities and travel
The solar ski lift offers another clearly defined winter option: four kilometres of pistes on natural snow. Sledges can also be hired in Tenna. These are two different ways to enjoy winter sports, which you can weigh up according to your interests; this does not imply anything about current operating hours.
The Walserweg Safiental leads in three stages from Versam to Tenna and from Safien Platz to Thalkirch Turra in the farthest part of the Safiental valley. If travelling by public transport, first take the RhB to Versam-Safien station. From there, connections by PostBus are available to the Safiental valley and Tenna. Check connections before travelling against the timetable in effect on your travel date.
Discover more destinations: Medels Im Oberland, Laax, Sumvitg, Sumvitg, Lumbrein, Waltensburg, Luven, Vignogn
For the overview of the wider region: Surselva.
