Chur old town wine cellar dinner

Chur is Switzerland's oldest town with 5,000 years of continuous habitation. Its medieval old town features atmospheric wine cellars and restaurants showcasing the best of Graubünden wines alongside traditional Bündner specialties like capuns and Pizzoccheri.

What to do there

4 things to do

1. 1 Walk the Streets of Switzerland's Oldest City - 5,000 Years History · Free

   5,000 YEARS of continuous habitation makes Chur Switzerland's oldest city. In 1998, construction workers digging a car park found artifacts from 11,000 BCE (Paleolithic hunters). The Romans made it Curia Raetorum in 15 BCE, capital of Raetia prima province. In the 4th century, it became the first Christian bishopric north of the Alps. From Chur train station, walk to Arcas Square and enter the pedestrian zone through medieval arcades. Walk up Reichsgasse toward the Cathedral on cobblestone lanes that are the original medieval layout. Find the Zunfthaus zur Rebleuten (wine guild hall, founded 1465) with its preservation-listed timber ceiling.

   Backup: If weather is bad, visit the Chur History Museum (Rätisches Museum, Hofstrasse 1, CHF 10). They have artifacts from the 11,000 BCE dig, Roman Curia finds, and medieval bishop relics. The exhibit "5,000 Years of Chur" explains how continuous habitation happened (strategic location on Via Spluga trade route).

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2. 2 Dine in a 330-Year-Old Wine Cellar With 14 Gault-Millau Points Wine · Price: high

   The Hotel Stern has offered "superb food and wines from Chur and Graubünden for over 300 years." The Bündner Stube restaurant (Reichsgasse 11) earned 14 Gault-Millau points in a richly decorated traditional Grisons room with the LARGEST selection of Graubünden wines in the region. Reserve dinner (stern-chur.ch, CHF 60-90 per person), request a window table overlooking Reichsgasse medieval lane, and order Capuns (herb-sausage packets in chard leaves) - it's THE Graubünden dish. Ask the sommelier: "Which Bündner Herrschaft Pinot Noir pairs with Capuns?" The pairing: herbal chard + mineral Pinot on slate soil = perfect Grisons logic. Finish with Röteli (Chur's traditional cherry liqueur, 100-year-old secret spice mix).

   Backup: If Stern is booked, walk to Zunfthaus zur Rebleuten (wine guild hall, founded 1465). Their guild room has the original timber ceiling from 1682 (rebuilt after fire). They serve Swiss and Grisons cuisine with Herrschaft wines. The room is smaller, more intimate, same historic authenticity.

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3. 3 Find Where the Bündner Herrschaft Wines Arrive in the City Wine · Free

   Every Saturday, farmers from the Bündner Herrschaft drive their wines 30km to Chur's old town market (Obere Gasse & Ochsenplatz, 8am-12pm, May-October). This is the original wine supply route: Chur was capital of Raetia prima, Bündner Herrschaft was its vineyard. For 2,000 years, wine has moved this direction. Arrive at 9am for best selection and look for "Bündner Herrschaft" signs. Ask producers: "Which Pinot Noir is your best THIS year?" They'll pour samples and explain terroir differences: "Malans has more slate, Jenins has limestone, Fläsch has loess." Prices: CHF 18-25 per bottle (same wine costs CHF 30-40 in Zurich). Notice Calanda mountain looming south - that's where the Föhn wind comes from.

   Backup: If you miss Saturday or it's not May-October, go to Veltliner Weinstube zum Stern (inside Hotel Stern). They have a wine shop with 100+ Herrschaft bottles. Or visit Punctum Apero Bar (Italian-inspired, old town) - they stock Graubünden wines by the glass.

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4. 4 Stand Where Roman Merchants Toasted Before the Spluga Pass History · Free · Optional

   Chur sits at the junction of THREE Alpine passes: Spluga, San Bernardino, Septimer. Between 16-7 BCE, Emperor Augustus conquered Rhaetia and made these passes the strategic trade route to Germania. For 2,000 years, merchants rested in Chur before crossing. Stand at the train station plaza (Bahnhofplatz) facing south - the mountains ahead are San Bernardino Pass (left) and Spluga Pass (right). Imagine Roman merchants in 15 BCE looking at these same peaks. The Rhaetian Railway tracks departing every hour show you're at the lowest point (585m) of the most famous mountain railway on Earth. The Glacier Express leaves at 9:02am for St. Moritz (UNESCO route).

   Backup: Take the Glacier Express or Bernina Express from Chur (book rhb.ch, CHF 152 for full route). You'll cross the Landwasser Viaduct (65m high, 6 arches, 1901) and Albula Tunnel (5,866m). The wine connection: vineyards appear at 500m (Bündner Herrschaft), disappear at 1,000m, reappear at 1,200m (Valtellina, Italy). The train shows you WHY Chur was the wine capital - perfect altitude.

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Insider tips

• Book a wine cellar dinner at Restaurant Stern in the old town

• The Bischöfliche Weinkeller (Episcopal Wine Cellar) offers tastings in historic vaults

• Combine wine with local specialties - capuns (chard rolls) and Bündnerfleisch