Fodorites in the Engadin: Trip Report!
 

Part 1 of 4

Folks -- here is my long trip report for the Engadin GTG 13-20 June.

Location: Zuoz clings to the hilly slopes on the west side of the Inn Valley, with vast pastures and mountain peaks above and the wide, green plain of the river below. It has a town square complete with heraldic fountain, where I saw masses of school kids and a few retired men gathering each afternoon; the town buildings originated in the 16th century and bear the distinctive sgraffiti of the Engadin. Zuoz is about 12 miles north of St Moritz and about 25 miles south of Scoul on the Inn River. The village sits at 5,561 feet and has a population of about 1,200.

Hotel: Post Hotel Engiadina (four star; website at www.hotelengiadina.ch), single room with half-board 155 chf. Nestled among stunning 500-year-old buildings on a cobbled street just a block from the town square and two blocks uphill from the train station, the Post Hotel Engiadina is a perfect spot to explore the Engadin Valley. My room was a tiny dormer-style with a pine sloping ceiling and pine beams partially circling the bed; my small window had a sweeping view of the Inn and its valley. The bed was made up with a fluffy duvet, which I needed every night despite the warm days! The old wooden floors in the dining room creaked even as the young staff leapt to meet our many requests. The breakfast buffet offered quark, two flavors of yogurt, two kinds of honey, many varieties of jams, three kinds of rolls, two kinds of ham, many cheeses, four types of cereal, fruit salad, and fresh fruit by the piece. Breakfast china had a delicate rose pattern, coffee and hot milk came in shiny silver pitchers, and the linen napkins were embroidered with flowers.
Half-board dinners had four courses: appetizer, soup, entrée, and dessert. Some of our appetizers were: melon with ham, salad with mushrooms and shaved parmesan cheese with balsamic vinegar dressing, shrimp cocktail, marinated salmon, avocado mousse, and carpaccio of beetroots. Our soups were: vegetable, cress cream, consommé with pistachio dumplings, consommé "Celestine," carrot soup with mint, and consommé with profiteroles. Our entrees always had two choices, including: butter fish with thyme sauce, or an herb crepe with mushroom ragout; boiled beef, or capons; veal, or ravioli stuffed with spinach and ricotta; saltimbocca, or omelet; rib of lamb, or endives with cheese and ham; and venison, or spaghetti in a sauce of tomatoes, zucchini, and eggplant. Desserts had three choices: fruit salad, cheese, or a preparation like crème brulee, glazed pineapple with pistachio ice cream, quark with strawberries, white and dark chocolate mousse, caramel pudding, and pineapple kiwi and strawberries in vanilla ice cream. This stark list can't really reproduce the magic and flavors of these meals -- we were humming with delight with every bite!

The Daily Report:
It seemed the height of hubris to imagine that five strangers with a single passion in common would enjoy each other's company over an extended time while isolated on a European vacation. After all, other Fodorite gatherings were for a meal in Paris, an evening in Italy, or an overnight in Atlanta. But now Judi, who extended her trip for a week and added three more destinations, Ursula, who was willing to escort a bunch of foreigners in her country, Grasshopper, who risked zen and limb to hang out alone -- first with Judi then with me -- with virtual strangers, Yvonne, who added a curious bit of business shrewdness to our mix, and I, who always and religiously travel alone, we five gambled our journeys on our compatibility. And, hey it was great!! We decided that we're all spectacular people.

Most of us met for the first time on Friday afternoon on the sunny terrace of the hotel, where we consumed waves of coffee, wine, and proseco. We interrupted our revelry to speak with jw on the phone, then we went on to the dining room for dinner. We spent about six full hours sharing and gossiping and laughing.

Part 2 of 4

On Saturday, we took the 10.01 train to St. Moritz and changed for the 11.08 bus to Soglio, arriving after noon. We wandered the narrow streets of the village, impressed with the beautiful ancient buildings and their sgraffiti, and eventually wandered into Ingo?s Soglio favorite, the Palazzo Solis. We settled into a table under an umbrella in the garden. The large garden was divided into several small squares, each set off with tall hedges and filled with huge shading trees and several small red tables. Those tables not covered by a natural canopy sat under big umbrellas. We had a spectacular lunch of pasta; I had gnocchi with gorgonzola sauce, and others had ravioli primavera or ziti with tomato sauce. After lunch, we found a wanderweg pointing down toward Stampa, and we followed it for the next **million** steps. Exhausted but really bonded by the outdoor adventure, we barely caught a bus at around 16.30 to St Moritz and the 17.35 train to Zuoz. That night at dinner, Ursula regaled us (REALLY!!) with stories of her everyday life in Switzerland and her travels to Cuba and Paris, and other exotic tales.

On Sunday, we went to Guarda and Zernez. We left the hotel just before lunch and connected at the Guarda bahnhof to the bus to take us up to the village. I fell in love with Guarda's bucolic location among green fields, its stunning views across a steep valley to some peaks beyond, and its cozy ancient houses decorated with sgraffiti. We had cappuccino and nut cake at the Hotel Meisser (www.hotel-meisser.ch); the nut cake was the best of the trip in my opinion, and I did A LOT of research on this . . . I vowed to return to immerse myself in the atmosphere of this special place. We went from Guarda to Zernez, where we walked a little of the town and had a beer at a café close to the bahnhof.

Part 3 of 4

We got back to the hotel at around 15.00, and we spent some hours lounging and reading in the sun around the pool. After dinner, we found a wine bar at the Hotel Crusch Alva just down the street from our hotel. We didn't see Yvonne after this though she did phone once to invite us up to Scuol, where she was staying. Unfortunately, we never did make it as far north as Scuol!

Because two of us departed on Monday, we stayed close to the hotel to spend time together as Ursula and Judi took care of last-minute errands and duties. Some of us spent time at the internet café just across the street from the hotel, but we met for a wonderful lunch of pizza and wine at Restaurant Walther. After their train left, Grasshopper adjourned to write in a journal, and I took a brief walk from the hotel through the fields above town and ended at the Hotel Castell just west of town.

On Tuesday, we took the 10.02 train to St. Moritz. We rented bikes for about 25 chf each, and set off on the bike path around St. Moritz lake. Because I get lost in an acre of ground, Grasshopper led the way down to the lake and through St Moritz Bad to the bike path to the Champfersee and Silvaplanasee. We estimated that we rode about 20 kilometers on the roundtrip that wound around lakes and through woods and over gentle hills. We had lunch on picnic tables on the terrace of a log-hut-type restaurant at the foot of a ski jump, then headed back to Zuoz on the 14.02 train. After dinner that night, I took a short walk to a wooden bridge to the west of the village and looked out at the green hills above the town, the Inn valley below, and the majestic mountains on the other side of the river. I noted how different the Engadin is from the villages of the Berner Oberland: stone houses instead of wooden chalets, sgraffiti, cobbled streets, no curio or souvenir shops, and no crowds of Americans on the streets. I really liked the place for a change.

On Wednesday, I felt as if I had a hangover -- of exercise! Because of this, we decided to take a train excursion today instead of more bicycling. So we went to the train station to catch the Bernina Express, waiting in the cool gray Swiss morning overlooking the valley. With a change at St. Moritz, the trip to Poschiavo was nothing short of spectacular. Ingo had urged us to sit on the right hand side of the train on the journey, but our reservations didn't allow for that. Even so, we spent a lot of the one and a half hours hanging out of a window, most of the time with a camera in hand. We were awed by the Morteratsch glacier, the Palue glacier, the watershed area, and the stupendous, green Val Poschiavo with the large green lake at its end. We arrived in Poschiavo at 11.10 and found ourselves in a tiny Italian village. When we left the Engadin, the weather was ominous and dark, but here in Valposchiavo, the weather was warm, sunny, and mild. The village was mild. The people were mild. The cafes were mild. It was such a mild and gentle place that I fell instantly in love. The River Poschiavino runs through the village, with quaint bridges linking the old part of town with the train station. The town itself is a series of very narrow streets bordered by very old, tall buildings; every balcony, of course, overflowing with flowers. Most of the town seems to be made up of cafes, from large and comfortable to small and cozy. While we sat at one of the large ones in the Piazza Communale, sampling some local cakes and gazing at the Casa Torre and the scaffolding at the Chiesa di San Vittore, we saw a USPS-bike-team rider cycle in, plop down, and drink a coffee. He sat and admired the Piazza and cycled off before we had finished our rest stop!

We left soon and took a local train back over the Bernina Pass as far as the Alp Grum stop so we could really spend some time marveling at the Palue glacier and its runoff. We had a wonderful (and expensive!) lunch of cheese and bread at the bahnhof restaurant while we (or I, at least) tried to avoid both the intense sunlight and the occasional breezes. We got back on a local train at 14.14 and stopped again at Pontresina. I walked up to the town and through its main street for a bit, impressed with its combination of charm and bustle. Pontresina also seems to be in the middle of a mass of walking and cycling paths through both the Engadin and the Bernina Valley. I think it would be an ideal base, only a single train to get to Scuol, to St. Moritz, or to Poschiavo.

Part 4 of 4

Our second bike day came on Thursday. We rented bikes from the Zuoz bahnhof at 09.30 then set off. The path to Zernez was excellent at first, a nice, rolling asphalt strip that paralleled the Inn River. Then the path went into the hillside of the mountain, and the hills got pretty steep though the views of small pastures and great forests made up for the effort. Soon, though, the path turned into a rough gravel way that was unsteady in the climbs and chattered our teeth and bones on the downhill portions. Even so, the views of the steep mountains rising just next to us was awesome. It took us about two hours to get to Zernez, a ride of about 18 km, then we had a great pizza lunch.

Grasshopper took the train back to Zuoz, but I took the train two stops farther, to Bever, then rode back to Zuoz. This path, from Bever to Zuoz, was as gentle as a breeze compared to the Zernez way. These hills were truly rolling, not steep, and the path never got rocky or uncomfortable. However, I did get pretty confused at the beginning, where the path goes into a cow pasture with a rope closing off access; another rider came along and I followed him through the "gate" and onto the rest of the path. It took about an hour to get back to Zuoz. Both Grasshopper and I found that the station folks didn't charge us for a full day even though we had gone way beyond the 13.00 deadline for our half-day rentals! As this was my last day in Zuoz, I had a final glass of champagne on the hotel terrace. Ursula called us on our last night, with nice wishes for the rest of our trip.

Grasshopper and I both left Zuoz on Friday. We rode together as far as the Zurich Hauptbahnhof, then split for our separate trains. After nearly a lifetime of traveling alone, I learned from these people the delights and benefits of sharing adventures. Thanks, y'all!!

A great resource to see some of these places is the article, "Mixing It Up in Switzerland" in the June 2002 issue of Bon Appetit magazine.

I plan to post photos early next week, and I'll post again when they're up.

:D :D :D

Hi swandav,

Great report. Glad it went so well.

I was wondering how the GTG went. I'm just sorry I couldn't make it! Oh well, hopefully there will be another in the near future.

Love it, S'!!! Every word! OK, now I've got to find a recipe for avocado mousse. And as for Guarda and Poschiavo, well you are pretty convincing. I'm going to print out your report so I can read it like a magazine. Later and encore, encore. J.

p.s. Grasshopper, Ursula, Judi, anything to add?

Thanks s for this trip report. This is torturing for me; I still more regret I was not able to attend. I love the descriptions of landscape and villages and food and ...

Well, I see that "steep" and "not exhausting" is very relative.

I've got some questions coming up, but it is late here and I'll ask later. Just one thought: You did NOT make it to the Fex Valley? And did not try the chestnut pasta? So you MUST return!

Later, Ingo

Yes, I'd like a clarification on the "million steps" wanderweg from Soglio to Stampa. All downhill? How long did it take? Do you mean 'steps'? And Ingo, do you have any doubt that s' will return? I think you've got a convert! J.

Hello all!

I only see this now, this morning. Lovely report. =D> =D> =D>

s',
Thanks a lot for putting all these details together. I couldn't have done a better job, that's for sure. ;)

Ingo,
No, we did not make it to the Fex Valley. Lack of time, too many other tempting options or whatever. And then, I recall, we would have had to walk quite a bit on the street before reaching the hiking route and then, if I recall that correctly, the hiking trails are mainly in the sun. :((
I also suspect the chestnut pasta is a seasonal dish rather for the cold season and I tell you, we didn't have any cold moment up there. Incidentally, the heat wave here hasn't stopped so far... :&
Regarding the obligation to return, no problem there, at least for me.
If time allows, I'll be in Celerina for a long weekend in July. b(

jmw,
The million steps were all downhill. Incidentally, a lot of concentration was necessary and I wonder how s' was able to count them all... :o
And yes, those were kind of steps, very irregular and difficult to always hit the best spot to put your foot. It's a so-called 'Sentiero Storico' (Historical Trail). If you want to read more about, check out the following web site: http://www.bergell.ch/sentieri_storico.asp?language=2

It took us a little over two hours, speaking about the whole hike from Soglio down to Stampa. And believe me, a siesta after those delicious pasta dishes at the Palazzo Salis would have been far easier!
Doing the same thing uphill, might have been less tricky, especially with the anticipation of a nice lunch in Soglio. :D

Well, we all had a wonderful time in a most wonderful area.
The Engadine... well, it's pure magic! (y)

Have a wonderful weekend all - wherever you're gonna spend it!

Good morning/afternoon y'all. Thanks, Ursula. I do recall that Ingo recommended that site sometime ago--about the historic trail. I had forgotten that Stampa was the birthplace of Giocometti. It does sound as if you folks had a wonderful time.

Speaking of the heat, today my little weather report at my 'server' says only 26 in Zurich. I actually thought perhaps you are cooling off a bit, no? I know I sound like a weather whimp, but I never thought I'd see the time when Zurich was as hot as Louisiana! And this is two years in a row (or is it more?) A fine weekend to you all! I think we will eat crawfish or crabs this afternoon! J.

Hey good morning, guys!

I'm glad y'all enjoyed the report -- the main point, I think, is the amazing harmony of personalities of the folks who gathered. I think this trip is a good precedent for future GTGs .. . at least I hope so!

Ingo, I am *very* sorry for your torture, but now I'm sure the tables will be turned! Now I'll have to fuss and fume as I hear about your next visits there! (Ursula, be kind when you tell us about your July trip!) And I'm going to spend a lot of time going back over your ofoto albums to see all that we just barely hit or didn't get to at all. Like the Fex valley!

Return?? Even as the train was leaving Poschiavo, I was picturing it in the snow! And even in the few days since my return, I've checked out hotels at Le Presse on the lake and connections from both Milan & Zurich airports. I'm wondering how to fit both Pontresina and Poschiavo into a single trip. I'm wondering if Poschiavo will be a skiing, hiking, or biking destination in early January. I'm wondering if the ease of Zurich airport will be worth the looooong train ride. So, yes, I bet I'll be back! By the way, if you happen to know about Poschiavo & Pontresina in early January, you can help me!

And also, yes, "steep" & "not exhausting" was relative!! However, I'm going to blame the altitude and the jet lag . . . and you will too if you're a friend :">

Hey Ursula, get off the computer and get ready for ***Paris***! I know you must be already high on your next adventure there!

jw, just to add to Ursula's comments on the steps -- it was a forest path, so the descent was sometimes on dirt, sometimes on wood (tree branches, etc), but mostly on strewn rocks or rough-hewn stone steps. It was tricky to negotiate.

Well, I guess even remembrances of the lovely Engadin have to be put aside for my duties here. My cat's calling me.

s

ok, so I have a couple more questions. S' (after you feed the cat) (and Ursula, you really must get back to work if you're off to Paris and Celerina soon! What a life!) aren't Pontresina and Poschiavo very similar? And I've wondered about Le Presse. How far from Poschiavo? I am mesmerized by your glowing description of Poschiavo, but you know how I like lake views -- or is it possible to find a lake view from Poschiavo? And here are two more, was Poschiavo warmer than Zuoz? and How do those two villages compare in size and architectural character? J.

s,
Just a quick message re. your question about Pontresina or Poschiavo in early January.

Basically, I think, Pontresina has probably a lot more to offer. The Engadine is a top destination in almost all seasons. Also, you could still make a daytrip to Poschiavo, but you will be a lot closer to Guarda. Wasn't that the place you wanted to go back, Hotel Meisser, to be precise :-?

Anyway, be prepared that Pontresina will be a little more expensive than Zuoz. Also, in winter, I'd expect prices to be higher, too. Try to get a weekly package with halfboard.
There are quite some nice ***places (prices comparable to the Posthotel Engiadina) in Pontresina. The challenge will be to find the right one. But we can do that. No problem there.
However, one word of caution: The Engadine tends to lack of snow sometimes in early winter months. This year, for the Ski World Championship there was no problem. But the year before, the lack of snow was dramatic for a long time. They even thought about cancelling the famous Engadine Marathon (cross-country).

And hey, I leave for Paris only on July 7. So plenty of time to spend on my computer... working, of course. :D

AAhhhh,

Ursula, thanks so much for your detailed reply!! Yes, I did fall in love with Guarda, but I did also fall for Poschiavo -- an unexpected betrayal of my devotion to Montreux!!! I must admit I am conflicted between the Pontresina/Posciavo possibility and the Gstaad plan for this January. I think I'll just let both ideas percolate for a while and see what -- you know -- bubbles up!

jw, I'll try to answer about Poschiavo, and I hope others with more experience (spelled INGO) will chime in.

Pontresina and Poschiavo are entirely different! Pontresina, close to the Engadin, has a mix of Swiss/Engadin flavor, climate, and scenery. But Poschiavo is distinctly Italian -- my feeble few German words were useless there. The architecture reflects Lombard sytle (this from one of my guidebooks) and to me it just looked Renaissance. The folks in town were just kind of happily strolling the streets and buzzing in the cafes; the cafe waiters were swatting their towels at the cafe tables, chatting with the folks strolling by, and smiling up into the sun. Italian, right??? It was much warmer than Pontresina or Zuoz -- it was really like taking a day trip from Switzerland to the Mediterranean!

Unfortunately, there is no lake view from the village. This surprised me, because from the train, the lake looked like it was right at Poschiavo. But it is actually about a 20 minute bus ride, or another two stops on the local train. I've been playing around with the idea of staying in Le Presse (for the lake views!!) and taking bike trips into Poschiavo for those cafe and shopping needs!

I can't get population figures for Poshiavo, sorry; it's only a "side trip" in my Michelin, and it's not even mentioned in my Fodors (shame on you, Fodors!) nor my Frommers. But it is small. Small, small, small. Smaller than Zuoz. Anyone else know?? I think, jw, it's just the kind of place you'd like!

If you think you MAY be able to sample it next year, maybe I can change my January plan to meet you for a few days???

My cat's sleeping next to my computer now. But I do have a few other non-cat and non-travel things to do. Don't I??? O yeah, I have a class to teach in two weeks. Better go!

s

S', A fabulous recounting of our week in Zuoz! (and incredibly generous of you to take responsiblity of writing it up)

The only thing I can add is to remark about the wildflowers... (easy to understand why S' put them out of her mind.... alergies!) So many fields of endless color on our bike rides. And the cows. Remember the ones who came up the main street at 7am with bells clanging and herders whistling?

And a comment about the Swiss (Ursula definitely ranking at the top). What a healthy lot they are, with their walking sticks and their boots and backpacks, trekking along every sort of trail. We met two wonderful older women who were doing the trail from St. Moritz to Zuoz and taking a friendly break along the way to chat with us.

I'm so lucky that I am able to come home to my own mountains and not lose the magic of the journey.

Morning folks!
Looks like the last day of this June heatwave. Personally, I am not too unhappy, when some rain will bring more comfortable temperatures.
It's true, temperatures weren't always that high, but then, it was humid on some occasions, what made it feel hotter.

Anyway, for all facts&figures freaks. I found this wonderful web page (Switzerland at a Glance).
It shows all cantons (just click any) and then then towns, villages, etc. with the altitude, number of inhabitants, etc.
Most of them have also a direct link to the town's site, if ever you should search for anything.
I am not sure, the page is entirely finished, but so far, it looks pretty interesting.

Interesting facts about the Val Poschiavo:
Total of inhabitants: some 5000 of which 95 % speak Italian and only 5 % German.
Poschiavo itself has some 3652 inhabitants, while the other 1348 live in Brusio.

As for Zuoz, it has 1400 inhabitants and Pontresina some 1900.
Those numbers however are likely to double if not triple in high season, given the numerous hotels and appartments.

And here is the web site. It's in German, but you shouldn't have trouble to figure it out:
http://www.schweiz-auf-einen-blick.de/

Grasshopper, I am blushing...

Hi Ursula, I'm going to investigate the website asap (I'm only beginning my second of three cups of coffee). I'm always anxious to learn more.

I do hope you will have a cool spell to enjoy soon. Today here we are waiting for a tropical storm (or possibly hurricane) to come onshore. We've been told to expect 8 to 10 inches of wind-driven rain. So I've brought the flower pots inside and will hope that we do not lose electric power. The temps here are, of course, quite warm. . . so it would not be pleasant to lose air conditioning.

Any photographs posted yet, gang? J.

Hi everyone!

I know this isn't the place to post this but I have to tell you all. Was headed out on a bike ride this morning when guess what was poking it's head out of my dumpster? A BEAR! Wow! I couldn't stop laughing.

JW, my photos are at: http://www.ofoto.com/BrowsePhotos.js...p;sort_order=0 More of every place BUT Switzerland (my digital camera ran out of memory by the time I got to Italy. But you will see Hotel Panorama. :-)