SWISS STAYCATION: MOUNTAIN FUN IN THE EASTERN PART OF SWITZERLAND!
by Laura from Let’s Explore
Did you explore Switzerland this summer? In these uncertain times, and with many countries adding one another to their quarantine lists, there is no better year for Swiss staycations! We are lucky, because Switzerland has so much on offer! The Eastern part of Switzerland, the Canton Graubünden, is a bit too far for just a weekend, but if you have a few days to spend, we highly recommend you explore the beautiful region around Flims and Laax!
Flims has beautiful highlights that should be on everyone’s Swiss bucket list and is a dream for sports and nature lovers! Flims – Laax will even get your teenagers excited to go on a family mountain escape! Skate parks, trampolines; in Laax everything is there to improve their skills.
PARADISE MOUNTAIN LAKES: FILMS – LAAX
Who hasn’t seen the images of these turquoise mountain lakes on Instagram? Caumasee and Crestasee are beautiful lakes everyone should visit at least once! The incredible colour of Caumasee really is amazing and makes you think you are in some tropical place. Swimming in these two lakes was just divine!
You can rent paddle boards and paddle around the lakes, or at Crestasee you could rent a glass bottom canoe, because yes, the water is so clear that you can see the bottom of the lake. Even though these beautiful lakes are natural, you do pay an entrance fee, which helps them to keep the sites well-maintained and clean. Sometimes it gets a bit busy in summer, but if you go early, or at the end of the day, you can enjoy the lakes without too many people.
Another highlight in Flims is the Rhine Gorge. From the Il Spir platform in Conn, you will see what they call the Little Swiss Grand Canyon, and especially the curvy part. You can easily hike or bike to this viewing platform.
GETTING ACTIVE IN FLIMS – LAAX
The area around Flims – Laax has kilometers of hiking and biking trails! We especially loved our hike above Flims which takes you back down to town along the beautiful Flem river. This is an award-winning hike in Switzerland and has beautiful bridges and wooden pathways integrated in natural mountain scenery! There are several mountain huts where you could stop for lunch on the way.
BIKING IN FILMS
If you love mountain biking, this is the place to go, as Flims and Laax are perfect mountain biking destinations! Kilometers of trails suitable for all levels, and if you are a beginner, or traveling with kids, you also have the option of taking a biking lesson. In our case, it really helped our little one to feel more confident when we went on a longer trail the next day! You can check out our video of our family biking trip in our article here.
SKATEBOARDING AND FREESTYLE SKILLS
In Laax, you will find the Freestyle Academy, Switzerland’s first indoor freestyle base and still one of the biggest to this day. After a short skills lesson, your kids will be able to enjoy this indoor skate- trampoline- and jump park by themselves! Perfect for on a rainy day of course! There are also outdoor skateparks in Laax. One at the rocks resort hotel complex (mainly smaller kids), and one on top of the mountain in Laax, the Galaxy, an Alpine Freestyle Park for lovers of skateboards, parcour, pump track, trampoline and more!
To see all our tips about a trip to Flims – Laax, check out our full article on: letsexplore.ch
WHO IS LAURA?
Laura is our Travel Content Writer who also writes her own blog – Let’s Explore, where she shares her tips and ideas for travelling with children, and hiking and skiing around Geneva. Originally from the Netherlands, she now lives in Switzerland with her French-Swiss husband and two boys. Passionate about cultures – whether they be far away or closer to home, she sees moving around as a ‘school of life’. When she is not moving around, she still discovers cultures by cooking recipes with locals from multiple countries! If you would like to find out more about Let’s Explore’s travel tips or recipes, you can visit her blog, or follow her Facebook or Instagram Pages.
