In Versam, travel inspiration ranges from views of the Rhine Gorge to Walser trails, local architectural history and a historic telephone exchange. If you are looking for accommodation, you can plan your stay around your interests: the route to the viewing platform, a hike or a section of the Walserweg Safiental each offers a different focus.
Islabord, hiking trails and landscape
The Islabord viewing platform offers both sweeping and close-up views of the Rhine Gorge. It is just a few minutes’ walk from Versam Dorf and is accessible from May to October; check these dates before your visit. The Islabord car park and viewpoint are between Versam Station and Versam Dorf, below the village.
The Calörtsch mountain bike route starts here. It climbs through forest and across meadows to Versam and continues to the Maiensäss Calörtsch. The route to Calörtsch also offers a view of the Flims plateau, marked by the traces of a major landslide around 10,000 years ago. The approximate date is part of the landscape’s history, not an estimate of the tour’s duration.
If you would like to explore on foot, you can plan the circular hike through the Rhine Gorge from the schoolhouse in Versam. It follows the Islaplanggen forest path to the Islabord viewing platform. The Versam circular route offers another way to experience the landscape along the edge of the Rhine Gorge: it passes through Lengwald, a native heather-pine forest and habitat for capercaillie. The Walserweg Safiental offers a different kind of route. Its three stages lead from Versam via Tenna and Safien Platz to Thalkirch Turra in the upper Safien Valley. Historic church, valley and high-altitude trails connect hamlets, forests, alpine meadows and characteristic Safien settlements. If you are planning a stage, check trail conditions in advance.
The Rhine Gorge also has a specific draw for paddlers: Joy of Whitewater has a whitewater paddling base in the heart of the gorge near Versam in GraubĂĽnden. The Vorderrhein is just under 100 metres away.
Telephone technology, architecture and village history
The historic Versam telephone exchange served 210 subscriber connections on the local network and was in operation from 1943 to 1989. Today it is disconnected from the telephone network but remains fully intact. Its technology has also been preserved in situ and is part of Swiss industrial heritage. Alongside the trails and landscapes, it offers a glimpse of the village’s technical history.
Haus Gugalun in Versam dates back to a building constructed in 1706 using block construction. It combines historic fabric with a modern extension added by Peter Zumthor. More details of craftsmanship and community history can be found at the Protestant church: the organ was donated in 1789 by local resident Jakob Gredig. The pulpit was made in 1710 by master craftsman Felix Prader and master craftsman Joos Bonadurer, who came from Arezen and was a member of a local dynasty of carpenters.
The decision to build a Protestant church with its own cemetery was made in 1634 together with the hamlet of Arezen. The reason given was that attending church and transporting the dead to Valendas were arduous. The history of the Reformation also connects the two places: Valendas joined the Reformation together with Versam as early as 1523. In the 14th century, Walser settlers advanced as far as Versam and the farms of Valendas.
Plan your beer and travel
The Safien brewery at the Gasthaus Rössli has brewed its own regional beer since January 2019. Its varieties include lager, red ale and a light summer beer. As the brewery’s operations and selection may change, ask about the current offering before your visit.
Bahnhofstrasse connects Versam with Versam-Safien railway station, which lies in the heart of the Rhine Gorge. Postbuses run along Bahnhofstrasse from Versam-Safien. The open-top minibus travels from Laax via Sagogn to Valendas and Imschlacht; twice a day, it runs from Valendas via Versam, Bonaduz and Reichenau to Tamins and back. As transport information varies by season, check the timetable before your trip.
Choose accommodation to suit your travel plans
When looking for a hotel in Versam, it helps to first decide what you want to focus on during your stay: a hike starting from the schoolhouse, the trails around Islabord, a planned stage of the Walserweg or the village’s history. The starting points and seasonal transport information play different roles in your plans. So factor in the exact location of your accommodation and how you will get there, rather than choosing based on the place name alone.
Discover more destinations: Ruschein, Castrisch, Schnaus, Vella Gr, Vignogn, Sevgein, Safien, Breil-Brigels.
Return to the main travel overview: Surselva.
