Vineyards and castles are the landmarks of Sierre and Sion. The towers of the Tourbouillon Castle Ruin and the Valeria Fortress rising skywards make Sion recognisable from afar. In the bilingual capital of the Canton of Valais, past and future blend seamlessly: Switzerland's oldest town today is the economic centre of the Valais and an important traffic hub with its own small international airport. The diocese of Sion, which was founded in the 4th century, for a long time played an important spiritual and political role in the region. The castle church of Valeria boasts one of the oldest working organs - dating from the late 14th or early 15th century - in the world. Several museums bear testimony to the historical heritage of the town.
Sion is located in the middle of one of the most important wine-growing regions in Switzerland. Fendant, the region's white wine in particular is well known. In order to be able to water the vines and fields in the sunny and dry valley it was necessary to carve out irrigation channels in the sides of the mountains. These channels are called "Bisses" ("Suonen" in German), and walks along them in the nearby vineyards are a speciality of the Valais.
Thanks to Switzerland's biggest bus station offering countless connections it takes no time to get to the charming side valleys of the Valais. Consequenlty Sion is an ideal starting point for exploring the Valais' summer and winter holiday resorts and the nearby thermal spa resorts. In winter Sion offers fast access to the nearby ski resorts of Verbier, Nendaz, Veysonnaz, Val d'Hérens, Val d'Anniviers and Crans-Montana.
Highlights
- Historic old town with castles
- Grande Dixence Dam - 285 metres high and located in the Hérémence Valley, this is the highest dam in the world (tour of the dam interior from mid June to end of September)
- St-Léonard subterranean lake - biggest underground karst lake in Europe (300 metres long), big enough for boats to cruise on.)
- Derborence primeval forest - nature reserve in a rocky area with imposing pine trees and larches
- Centre of Valais wine-growing - various wine cellars and wine-tasting venues invite you to discover the wine specialities of the Valais
Top Events
- Tibor Varga Music Academy (Academie de Musique Tibor Varga) – classical concerts which take place in various venues in the Valais
- International Antique Organ Festival (July/August in the Valeria castle church)
News
The news presented here is provided and updated by regional/local tourist offices, which is why Switzerland Tourism is unable to guarantee the correctness of the contents.
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