Sion, capital of Valais wine at the base of the glacier wines

Switzerland's sunniest city and capital of the Valais wine region sits beneath two dramatic castle-topped hills. The region produces over a third of Switzerland's wine with 50+ indigenous grape varieties including the prized Petite Arvine, Cornalin, and Humagne.

What to do there

4 things to do

1. 1 Find the Organ That Survived 600 Years (and Shouldn't Exist) History · Free

   You're looking at the world's oldest PLAYABLE organ, built around 1430 — not just 'oldest organ' but oldest one that STILL WORKS. Guillaume de Rarogne commissioned this organ the SAME YEAR (1435) he commissioned the church murals at Basilique de Valère, the fortified church on the hill ABOVE Sion's old town. Then in 1788, a fire destroyed most of Sion including the other castle (Tourbillon), but Valère miraculously survived. Climb the hill to Valère (15 minutes steep stairs from old town), find the organ on the WEST side of the basilica with its ship-prow wooden structure from 1630, and realize you're looking at 600-year-old pipes that still make sound.

   Backup: If the basilica is closed, the exterior climb is still worth it for the view. You can see both castle hills (Valère and ruined Tourbillon), the Rhône Valley, and the vineyards that produce over 50 grape varieties.

   Log Memory
2. 2 Hunt the Wine That Only Exists Because of Medieval Desperation Wine · Price: moderate

   Sion sits in the DRIEST place in Switzerland — 650mm rain per year, 2,135 sunshine hours — but in the 14th century, those sun-baked slopes needed WATER or viticulture would die. Medieval engineers built the bisses, irrigation channels carved into cliffs with some 28km long, maintaining a gradient of 0.025%. The Bisse de Bitailla, built 1450, still flows year-round from documents dating to 1307. At Les Celliers de Sion (10am-8pm daily), load your Enomatic card (CHF 9 for 3 wines, CHF 15 for 6) and taste Petite Arvine (exclusive to Valais since 1602), Humagne Blanc (14th century manuscripts), or Cornalin — wines that exist because of that desperate medieval engineering.

   Backup: If Celliers is closed, go to Provins (the 1930s cooperative that makes 18% of ALL Valais wine) at Rue de l'Industrie. Or Restaurant Vieux Valais in old town (since 1919) - they've been pouring these wines for a century.

   Log Memory
3. 3 Decode Dôle - The Blend That Defies Burgundy Wine · Price: low

   Dôle is NOT a grape — it's Valais' answer to Burgundy, a BLEND that must be minimum 51% Pinot Noir (Burgundy's king grape) PLUS Gamay (Beaujolais' grape). But Valais winegrowers can add Gamaret, Garanoir, Carminoir, Ancellotta, Diolinoir, Merlot, or Syrah. It's Pinot Noir's structure meets Gamay's fruit meets Alpine altitude. In blind tastings, Valais Dôle regularly BEATS Burgundy Pinot Noir because of 300 days of sunshine, the Föhn wind, and desperate bisses watering vines on impossible slopes. Order a glass at any wine bar in Sion's old town, look for the AOC Valais label, and taste for violet, dried vine leaf, dark cherry, elderberry, smoke.

   Backup: Buy a bottle from Provins or any cave in town (around CHF 15-25). The label will list the blend percentages. Drink it with raclette or air-dried Valais meat.

   Log Memory
4. 4 Climb to the Castle That Burned Twice and Lost Adventure · Free · Optional

   Built late 13th century by Bishop Boniface de Challant, Château de Tourbillon burned down in 1417 during the Raron affair, was rebuilt 30 years later, then on May 24, 1788, a fire started near Notre-Dame cathedral and violent wind spread it northeast. Valère (with the 600-year-old organ) was spared, but Tourbillon was annihilated — all woodwork gone, stones used for construction until the 19th century. Climb the steep stairs to the RUINED castle on the hill opposite Valère (20-25 minutes from old town, bring water — driest place in Switzerland). At the top, the 360-degree view platform shows Valère castle intact, the Rhône Valley floor, terraced vineyards on impossible slopes, and 4000m peaks beyond.

   Backup: If you can't climb, the view from Valère is almost as good and the stairs are shorter. Or walk Place de la Planta in old town and look UP at both castles.

   Log Memory

Insider tips

• Provins is the largest cooperative with an excellent visitor center for orientation

• Book a guided walk on the Chemin du Vignoble (70km wine trail from Martigny to Leuk)

• Try raclette with Fendant (Chasselas) at a traditional carnotzet (wine cellar)