Klosters Tourist Attractions
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The popular health and winter sports resort of Klosters, made up of a number of separate groups of houses and hotels, lies in the wide Prättigau valley. The River Landquart flows through the area within a framework of high mountains. The first official reference to Klosters was in 1222, the "Klösterli im Walt". The construction of roads and the Rhätische Bahn railroad in the 19th C. linked it with the Rhine valley.
Town Sights
In the main part of Klosters, known as Zentrum (formerly Klosters Platz, 1,209 m/3,967ft) are the large hotels and the parish church (restored 1921), which originally belonged to the Premonstratensian (an order founded at Premonstré France in 1119) monastery of St Jakob, dissolved in 1528: hence the name of the village (Kloster=monastery). Nearby a shopping center has several small shops selling local crafts.1.5km/1mi down the valley, at the mouth of the Schappin valley, is Klosters Dorf (1,127 m/3,698ft).
Local Museum
A renovated 16th C. farmhouse houses Klosters' local museum "Nutli-Hüschi" with local historical exhibits (furnishings and everyday objects of the 17th- 19th C.).
Winter Sports
Excellent ski-trails in the Parsenn area (several skilifts), in the Madrisa area and on the Saaseralp. The longest descent (14km/9mi) Weissfluhgipfel-Küblis (medium) covers a height difference of 2,030 m/6,662ft. Chuecalanda has the deepest snow with bob-sleighing in the areas of Gotschna/Parsenn and Madrisa. There are over 40km/25mi of long-distance runs; ice-rink, curling, tobogganing.
Surroundings
Sights in the surrounding area of Klosters include Gotschnagrat, Prättigau, Rätikon, Küblis and Alp Noval.
Gotschnagrat
A cableway ascends from Kloster railroad station by way of an intermediate station on the Gotschnaboden (1,780 m/5,840ft) to the Gotschnagrat (2,283 m/7,491ft; restaurant), with views of the Upper Prättigau and the Silvretta group. From here a footpath leads in 30minutes to the Parsenn hut (2,205 m/7,235ft; inn) from which it is another two-hour walk to the Höhenweg station on the Davos-Weissfluhjoch funicular (2,215 m/7,235ft). There is also a cableway from the Parsenn hut (2,400 m/7,874ft, eight minutes) to the Weissfluhjoch (2,663 m/8,737ft). Another cableway (2,280 m/7,481ft, 11minutes) runs up from Klosters Dorf to the Albeina station (1,884 m/6,181ft; restaurant) on the Saaseralp (several skilifts) below the Madrisahorn (2,826 m/9,272ft; another three-four hours with guide).
Prättigau
The Prättigau (Romansch Val Partens or Portenz), extending northwest from Klosters is the narrow valley of the River Landquart. Although the neat little villages, situated among fruit orchards in the wider parts of the valley or on narrow terraces on the steeply sloping meadowland on the hillsides, have Romansch names dating from an earlier settlement they are inhabited by a German-speaking and mainly Protestant population.
Prättigau Walk
A five-hour walk through varied countryside with wonderful flora is marked from Madrisa station (1,884 m/6,183ft) over the Jägglischhorn-Fürggli (2,255 m/7,401ft), where there are marvelous views of Sulzfluh, Drusenfluh, Scweizertor and Scheseplana, to St Antönien (1,420 m/4,660ft).
Rätikon
On the north side of the Prättigau valley is the Rätikon chain (Scesaplana, 2,967m/9,735ft), along which runs the frontier with Austria (Vorarlberg). The numerous summer holiday resorts in the Prättigau are mostly some distance off the road on the hillside (Seewis on the north side. Fideris and Bad Serneus on the south side) or in the side valleys (Valzeina to the south, St Antönien to the north). Küblis, with a late Gothic church, and Schiers, at the mouth of the Schraubach, are both worth a visit.
Alp Noval (Berghaus Vereina)
From Klosters a narrow road climbs the right bank of the Landquart into the highest part of the Prättigau, with beautiful views of the Silvretta group. 3km/2mi: Monbiel (1,313 m/4,308ft; restaurant). From here it is another 4km/2mi (road closed to cars) to the beautifully situated Alp Noval (1,368 m/4,488ft), at the point where the Sardascabach and the Vereinabach join to form the Landquart.A bridle-path ascends the Vereina valley (to the right) to the Berghaus Vereina (1,944 m/6,378ft; inn, with beds), in a magnificent mountain setting (2.25 hours), a good base for climbers.
Silvrettahaus
From the Berghaus Vereina it is a 3.5-hour walk up the Sardasca valley, to the left, is the Silvrettahaus (2,340 m/7,677ft; inn), in a magnificent situation under the Silvretta glacier (one-hour climb). These are both good bases for climbs in the Silvretta group - the Silvrettahorn (3,248 m/10,657ft; 3.5 hours, with guide), Piz Buin (3,316 m/10,880ft; 4.5 hours, with guide).
