Arosa

Thanks to its altitude of 5,900 feet, the picturesque village of Arosa is a well-known year-round sports center, offering brisk hiking, paragliding, and other activities in summer, and a long skiing or snowboarding season with a guarantee of snow. Its modest size, isolated location, quiet atmosphere, and natural beauty set it apart. There is little of the rush of Davos or the pretension of St. Moritz: this is a friendly, family-oriented spot staffed by upbeat, down-to-earth people. On a winter walk you are more likely to be overtaken by sleds and horse-drawn carriages than by cars.

The town has two sections. Inner-Arosa, where the Walsers (immigrants from the Valais) built their wooden chalets in the 14th century, is at the end of the valley. Ausser-Arosa is near the train station and the Obersee (Upper Lake). Between the two is the impossible-to-miss casino, with its mosaic facade of screaming colors (it has been converted into a theater-cinema). A convenient free bus shuttles through the town, and traffic is forbidden between midnight and 6 am. After you deliver your luggage to your hotel, you probably won't be using your car again while in town.