Living in Chur

Fancy a bite to eat in one of Chur’s cosy cafés after class or at the weekend? The nooks and crannies of the Chur Old Town are full of cafés selling something delicious for all tastes. The following cafés in particular are popular with students:

• Kaffee Klatsch Chur
  Kaffee Klatsch is a place to have a coffee, stay for a meal, read a book, shop for items in the boutique, share experiences or a recipe, or meet new friends. The experience for customers is that of being in a comfortable living room. 
• Museumscafé
  Whether you’re looking to keep the arty atmosphere going after a visit to the Bündner Kunstmuseum or just want a well-earned rest from the daily grind: the Museumscafé, located in the magnificent historic parlour of the Villa Planta, is just the ticket.
• Botschaft Safiental
  The Botschaft Safiental is both a little bistro with cakes, lunch and various types of beer, as well as a shop that sells the full range of produce that Safiental has to offer. All food is prepared using “local” produce.
• Caffè Quintacoira
  Grab a coffee made from beans roasted just next door. The roastery is worth a visit for sure.
• Chüechli Backstuba & Café
  Located in the heart of the Chur Old Town, Chüechli Backstuba lures in passers-by with the fragrance of fresh coffee and delicious cakes.
• Evviva Plankis
  Enjoy some gelato, made the traditional Italian way with lots of love. Then spoil yourself some more with homemade treats including capuns, maluns, spätzli and much, much more.
• Manas Books & Coffee
  Enjoy a coffee and read a book in a cosy setting on Kornplatz. The café has its own small bookshop.

Would you like to find out more about the cafés in Chur – including outside the Old Town? Check out the Chur Tourism page.

The town of Chur is renowned for having Switzerland’s densest network of eateries. The Old Town of Chur has everything from gourmet restaurants and international cuisine to authentic local Grisons favourites. For example, check out these restaurants and be inspired:

• KostBar Sennhof
  Swiss and international cuisine 
• Mamma Mia
  Italian and Mediterranean cuisine
• Nayan
  Sushi restaurant
• Restaurant Capricorn
  Swiss and international cuisine
• Valentinos by Alayan
  Lebanese cuisine

Would you like to find out more about the restaurants in Chur – including outside the Old Town? Check out the Chur Tourism page.

Fancy a wander around the town and visiting the various boutiques and shops? Then the Old Town of Chur is the perfect place for you. Whether you’re looking for new clothes, a sweet treat or a souvenir to take home: the Old Town of the capital of the Grisons has something for everybody. The following shops might interest you:

• Bühler’s Zuckerbäckerei
  The confectioner by the Obertor is the oldest operational production site for baked goods, confectionery and patisserie in the town of Chur. The bakery continues to produce fresh bread, biscuits, patisserie, pralines and chocolate, as well as local Grisons specialities, on a daily basis and with a smile.
• Carving
  This fashion outlet with integrated shoe shop has been operating across three floors for 25 years. Its range includes trainers, caps, streetwear and sports gear.
• Dings
  The catwalk of the cantonal capital since 1994. Since taking over the spacious shop premises on Obere Gasse, the Dings team have given the place a new lease of life.
• Laki Mi
  Cool, timeless fashion and a unique selection of bags, wallets and backpacks. Here you'll find the very best in simple statement pieces. Great atmosphere, great music!
• Quair Sneakerstore
  You can find trendy trainers and other sports clothing at Quair Sneakerstore.
• Teeladen Chur
  Teeladen Chur stocks teas from all over the world – including in its online store. Visit the shop to discover the range, as well as accompanying accessories and expert advice.
• VAL POSCHIAVO Gourmet Food
  The Poschiavo deli. From Veltliner wine, panettone and authentic Poschiavo ring bread, to grappa, pasta, charcuterie products such as bresaola, mortadella, coppa and salametti, as well as organic cheese, foodies are sure to find a new mouthwatering surprise.

Would you like to find out more about the shops in Chur – including outside the Old Town? Check out the Chur Tourism page.

As Switzerland’s largest canton, the Grisons also has the widest range of options for hiking. The diversity of its landscape is reflected in its culture and languages, spanning German, Romansh and Italian.
With 11,000 kilometres of routes, it’s easy to feel spoilt for choice. To help you out, here are our recommendations for hiking routes:

• Spundis circular route
• Brambrüesch – Pradaschier
• Tschiertschen – Ochsenalp – Arosa
• Cultural hike: Maladers – Chur

Would you like to learn more about hiking routes in the Grisons? Check out the Graubünden Ferien page.

In the Grisons, the home of trails, practically every route is open to mountain bikers. The region’s 4,500 kilometres of marked mountain bike trails are just waiting for you to explore. Witness high-altitude Alpine routes, flow trails and mountain panoramas. Rhaetian Railways, PostBuses and funiculars make it a breeze to hop from trail to trail. Would you like to learn more about cycling tour opportunities in the Grisons? Check out the Graubünden Ferien page.

Our recommendations for bike parks in the Grisons:

• Alpenbikepark Chur
  Chur is your gateway to the Bike Kingdom. Whether you’re looking for jumps, North Shore trails, drops or steep-walled bends, you’re sure to find the right trail to take on. You will also get to appreciate breathtaking views of the Chur Rhine Valley. The Alpine bike park is practically free of waiting times. Thanks to its low altitude, the seasons lasts from spring to winter.
• Bike Kingdom Lenzerheide, Arosa and Chur
  The Bike Kingdom is the largest mountain bike region in the Grisons and one of the best mountain biking spots in Switzerland. Five routes with different difficulty levels and characteristics are awaiting you in Lenzerheide – from the easy FLOWline, the intermediate PRIMEline and SHOREline, to the black STYLEline and the black World Cup course STRAIGHTline. The funiculars in Lenzerheide mean you can have endless fun on your bike in the Grisons Bike Kingdom.
• Bikepark Laax
  Nestled in the glorious mountainous landscape of the Grisons and Rhine Gorge, the 330 kilometre network of routes is sure to get the pulses of mountain bikers racing. The Laax bike trails are awaiting you, with their unmatched flow trails, freeride courses and high-altitude Alpine single trails. The two park trails are designed to flow seamlessly and, at over 7 km (Runca Trail), are almost endlessly long, with the Neverend in Laax being the significantly more demanding route. The region of Flims Laax Falera also offers a very wide range of enduro tours.

Skiing/snowboarding

With over 40 ski resorts, immaculately prepared pistes and a mountain panorama to die for, the Grisons has the three key ingredients for a perfect day’s skiing or snowboarding: unrivalled options, pure relaxation and endless fun.

Ski resorts that can be visited on winter sports holidays in the Grisons include the beautiful Arosa Lenzerheide and the vast Davos Klosters. The conditions are usually exceptional and the view from the peaks is breathtaking. Another excellent ski resort is Flims Laax Falera: 214 kilometres of pistes, five snow parks, the world’s biggest half-pipe, concerts by popular artists and much more, make Flims Laax Falera a truly unique experience.

Would you like to learn more about ski resorts in the Grisons? Check out the Graubünden Ferien page.

Ice hockey

The indoor ice rink at Obere Au and the outdoor ice rink in the town centre are sure to delight avid skaters and ice hockey enthusiasts, and help to promote ice sports in Chur. If you want to venture a little higher up, you can find natural ice rinks with a stunning view on Alp Raguta above Feldis and Tschiertschen.
Our recommendations for ice rinks in and around Chur:

• Obere Au ice sports stadium
• Quader outdoor ice rink
• Engadine Ice Trail
• Alp Raguta natural ice rink
• Natural ice field Bergün

Did you know there is a famous ice hockey tournament in Davos? The Spengler Cup is considered the oldest international ice hockey tournament, with the eponymous trophy first being awarded in 1923. The teams taking part from all over the world are invited by the host, Hockey Club Davos. Since 1984, Team Canada has also been playing in a different formation from the usual Canadian national team, instead made up of Canadian players from European clubs.

Additional information and tickets for the Spengler Cup can be found here.

The Lenzerheide holiday resort is home to various trails where participants in the FHGR Trail Run can choose the right level of athletic challenge for them. There are six trails with a length of up to 70 km and elevation of up to +/- 5300 metres.

Further information and the date of the next event can be found here.

• Werkstatt Chur
• Selig Tanzbar
• Viva Club
• Confetti Bar
• Cuadro22
• Dublin Cliff
• Mephisto Bar & Club
• Onyx Shisha Lounge
• Schall & Rauch

• blue Cinema Chur
  Check out the cutting-edge blue Cinema in Chur West, with over 12,000 m² of multimedia entertainment of the highest order. Its varied offerings are sure to get the pulses of cinephiles and action fans racing: multiple auditoriums, IMAX, 4DX, Dolby Atmos, First Lounge and a sports bar. The in-house burger restaurant “Hans im Glück” completes the offering. 
• kinoa
  In summer, a unique open-air cinema is held in Chur, combining film culture with an open-air feeling. With professional cinema technology against the backdrop of enchanting mountain scenery, it’s sure to be an unforgettable summer evening.
• Quader center cinema Chur
  KinoChur is a smaller operator with four auditoriums divided across two venues. It has been in business in the cantonal capital for several years with a combination of classic style and cutting-edge equipment.

• Kulturgarage
  An interesting place where several concerts are held by up and coming acts every month. By hosting this, the Verein Kulturgarage Graubünden is aiming to boost the relevance and visibility of the creative economy in the Grisons. You can find upcoming events on the Kulturgarage website.
• Polenta7000
  A three-month summer bar with a cultural programme. Polenta7000 gets under way on the outskirts of Chur. A place that proves contrasts make the most beautiful pictures, where it doesn’t matter what you have but who you are. From May to August, when the sun graces us with its presence, the area is open for business.
• Werkstatt Chur
  A former coppersmiths, now a hub of inspiration with its own unmistakable personality. Werkstatt Chur is THE urban meeting place for students, culture enthusiasts, foodies, connoisseurs, the curious and night revellers. The Werkstatt is known for its exciting and varied programme of curated music and culture, which provokes discussion and engages the mind. Upcoming concerts can be found on the Werkstatt website.

Would you like to find out more about cultural offerings in Chur? You can find more information at Chur Culture.

• Bowling Center Chur BCC
  With more than just bowling, this centre is also equipped with a Wild West-themed mini-city featuring a variety of activities. The drinks, snacks and good atmosphere make for a perfect evening with friends.
• BIF Billardcenter Chur
  A spacious new billiards centre, with nine billiards tables, a snooker table, two dartboards (electronic darts), a foosball table and two cosy seating areas. There is also a separate room for meetings, playing the traditional Swiss card game “jass” and much more. 
• Star Billard + Snooker Center Chur
  At the canton’s biggest billiards centre, you can grab a drink at the bar and enjoy a round of darts, snooker, table football or billiards. The centre is open every day.
• AdventureRooms Chur
  AdventureRooms Chur offers three different real-life escape room adventures in two game variants (standard and duel) for groups. In the standard adventure (2 to 8 people), a team has one hour to use cunning and finesse to escape from spaces. AdventureRooms is also known for its duel mode (4 to 16 people). This involves two teams going head to head in the same session. It’s a rollicking challenge!

• Arcas Rock
  An enticing music programme on Arcasplatz in the heart of Chur Old Town. The music is predominantly pop, indie pop and indie rock. After the festival, there is an afterparty in the Schall & Rauch in Welschdörfli with the best DJs on the best sound system, as well as great drinks until the small hours of the morning.
• Big Air Chur
  Witness spectacular stunts, breathtaking tricks and top international acts at Big Air Chur. The best skiers and snowboarders in the world show what they’re capable of on the biggest freestyle ramps in Switzerland. Featuring live music, delicious food and a one-of-a-kind atmosphere, Big Air Chur is the ultimate event for all fans of action, sports and music.
• Buskers Chur
  For two days, the Old Town of Chur transforms into a living theatre for contemporary street art. Numerous artists and musicians from all over the world present high-calibre shows at a roster of different locations. Directly on the street, up close and personal. A diverse range of performances in the fields of music, comedy, dance, art, theatre and magic enchant young and old alike and make the event into a bustling festival of encounters.
• Calanda Spring Festival
  Ambling from bar to bar, where numerous musicians of different styles are playing, and watching and listening to a variety of different bands all on one special night – that’s the concept behind this festival. The Calanda Spring Festival has been gracing the stages in Chur since 2016. Blues, rock, soul, Irish folk, jazz, reggae, country, metal, pop, boogie-woogie, rockabilly, dub, ragamuffin, ska and more: there’s sure to be a style to suit all musical tastes.
• Carnival in Chur
  Noisy hustle and bustle, colourfully clad figures and an exuberant atmosphere: the Fasnacht carnival in Chur offers all of this and more, drawing tens of thousands of people to the city every year and putting the most extraordinary creativity on display. Compared to major events like the Basel or Lucerne carnival, the carnival in Chur can be thought of as an insider secret known only to seasoned carnival-goers.
• Christmas market
  Chur Christmas market is one of the largest and most atmospheric in Switzerland. Around 160 market stalls attract visitors to the picturesque and festively lit Chur Old Town, where they get into the Christmas spirit with regional and handmade Christmas gifts.
• Chur Festival
  The biggest summer event in southeast Switzerland and the biggest public festival in the Grisons takes place in mid-August. Numerous fairgrounds, attractions and an unbeatable atmosphere transform Chur into a unique town of festivities. Whether you’re looking for smooth background music or energetic belters – there’s something here for everybody. And don’t miss the tombola with its irresistible prizes. 
• Schlagerparade
  The festival of hit songs. The «Schlagerparade» is a traditional parade of so-called «hossamobiles» through the town of Chur. As well as this, there are several concerts of hit songs and long afterparties. Dress up like it’s the 60s, 70s or 80s and celebrate golden oldies over the two-day festival.
• Long saturday
  All of Chur becomes a stage, a museum and a concert hall. On the long Saturday, around 20 different venues deliver over 90 short programmes with over 200 individual performances from noon until 3 a.m., ranging from family performances to late-night shows. 15 hours of music, theatre, literature, film, comedy, exhibitions, street art, workshops, parties and more – all with just one ticket.