Guarda Village Switzerland is a small village in the canton of Graubünden in the Alps, a true fairy tale village of history and inspiration.
Overview of Guarda Village Switzerland
Guarda is located in Switzerland's most beautiful canton, Graubünden, at an altitude of 1,600 meters above sea level. Of its 200-odd inhabitants, 62.5% speak Romansh - one of Switzerland's four official languages. It is one of those small Swiss towns that stands still in time, inspiring Celina Chönz and artist Alois Carigiet to write the children's book "SchellenUrsli" in 1945.
The village is commonly known as Schellenursli , after a children's story set in this location. Photo: @engadin
If you have read the famous Swiss work “A bell for Ursli,” you will be curious to learn about the small town described in the book and experience Ursli’s journey in search of the giant bell. Locals have recreated parts of the story in a themed children’s tour in the Swiss village of Guarda . A special path dedicated to Schellenursli, the main character of the children’s book, is especially suitable for families, as it can be walked in stages. In Guarda, the ancient tradition of Chalandamarz is still maintained. This tradition involves chasing away winter with the ringing of large cowbells. A ski lift for children, an ice skating rink, and a toboggan run complete the winter offerings for the whole family.
Retelling the story of the boy Ursli and his journey to find the giant bell. Photo: @Hotel Meisser
Guarda, Switzerland, looks like it came out of a fairy tale. Photo: @joyfulstephanie
This is a place with a pristine and idyllic Swiss landscape, as if time had stopped, and it is no coincidence that in 1975 it received the Wakker Award as the best preserved town in the country, considered a true national treasure.
Visit Guarda Village Switzerland
It takes 2 hours and 30 minutes to get there from Zurich , and you will have to go through the Vereina tunnel on the way. In summer, trains run every 30 minutes and cost 34 CHF one way.
Once here you will walk around town and immerse yourself in the architecture, landscape, cuisine and language.
Guarda is a small village in the Swiss canton of Graubunden. Photo: @engadin
Guarda Village Switzerland , located at an altitude of 1653 meters in the Lower Engadine, is set on a large terrace that is bathed in sunlight. The village is closed to traffic, so you won’t find any vehicles there, which adds to its old-world charm. In both summer and winter, well-maintained walking paths lead from the village into the picturesque countryside. The village houses have beautifully painted facades from the first half of the 17th century. The GPS-based “Guarda village tour” app is an interactive way to explore the village. 15 selected stations provide additional information about the past and present, the landscape and nature, as well as the arts, crafts and food offered in Guarda.
Guarda is flooded with sunshine. Photo: @engadin
Concerts in the village take place in the centuries-old traditional Engadin houses as well as in the Guarda and Giarsun churches. For decades, it has attracted city dwellers with creative and grandiose ideas - from the fascination with the village that epitomizes Roman culture and tradition.
Balcony with colorful flowers in summer in Guarda village, Switzerland. Photo: @travelita-blog
Tucked away in the remote mountains, these villages are unique for a number of reasons. Aside from the fact that the majority of the population in these isolated villages speak the ancient Romansch language, these communities also retain some traces of old-world culture not found elsewhere in Switzerland.
The Swiss village of Guarda is the ideal starting point for hiking, (e)bike and ski trips in both summer and winter.
But the beautiful road in the village. Photo: @engadin
The remoteness and relative isolation of these rural communities has contributed greatly to the preservation of their unique culture, ancient architecture and way of life, these villages seem to be locked in a mysterious and almost fairytale-like time tunnel.
Snow covers the Swiss village of Guarda in winter. Photo: @ engadin
The village is characterised by its magnificent and well-preserved 'sgrafitto' houses, with beautifully painted facades dating back to the first half of the 17th century AD. These ancient heritage houses are built of stone, lime and wood, with thick rough plastered walls painted in white/off-white/light brown, creating the ideal backdrop for the murals, which are mainly done in pastel tones and subtle shades.
Winter in Guarda village. Photo: @engadin
Sgraffiti decoration is a Renaissance technique that involves creating patterns by scratching away layers of plaster on a facade to reveal the underlying colors. Houses typically have small, deep windows on the upper floors, wooden or wrought iron hanging balconies, large wooden arched windows, and large arched windows on the ground floors. In spring, the balconies are filled with flowers and plants.
Each house is different and unique. This is the style in Engadine. Most villages have houses like this. Photo: @engadin
Don't forget to pass by and take a picture of house number 51, this is a house painted like the others in the village, but in the book this is Ursli's parents' house.
Ursli's parents' house. Photo: @travelita-blog
The museum, located in front of the Meissner Hotel, offers information about various scenes from the book. The museum is small but you will find an early version of the book written in 1945. You will feel as if you were living in that time, with objects from a time long gone, making us realize how easy our lives are today. Near the museum is a cafe, open daily from 10am to 5pm.
Meissner Hotel. Photo: @Andrews Walks
The house along the trail overlooks Guarda and the Engadine valley. Photo: @Pretty Hotels
The new trail was renovated in 2017 and unlike the previous trail, the route has only 8 interactive stations and three picnic areas, distributed over 3.1 km, takes about 1 hour 30 minutes and has an elevation gain of 248 m. The trail starts directly in the town, heading towards Plan dal Növ, Clüs to Lajet.
Schellen-Ursli theme trail. Photo: @travelita-blog
The trail is not only a chance to see natural scenery but also beautiful houses. Photo: @travelita-blog
And as you meander through the winding cobblestone streets and alleys, admiring the beautifully restored houses that still feature murals, mysterious messages and decorated doors and windows from over 300 years ago, you’ll feel like you’ve stepped into the pages of a history book.
Photo: @swissbaroque
The tour of the Swiss village of Guarda doesn't take long, just about 1 hour of walking around the different streets but it's a really worth stopping by!
If you have more than a day to explore this fairytale village, visit the Swiss National Park, one of the oldest in Europe. The idea of this place, from the beginning, was to leave a pristine space without human presence.
Swiss National Park. Photo: @novo-mondeHowever, humans are still welcome to enjoy this little paradise as long as they follow certain rules: leaving the official trails is strictly prohibited (there are 100km of marked trails), no cycling is allowed, no picking of anything is allowed, and of course no camping or fires are allowed
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