The Schenkenberg Ruins in Thalheim

Castles & palaces – The largest castle in the Canton of Aargau. When the rain water froze in the copper pipes and then poured into the living areas during the thaw, the Bernese chose to abandon this castle rather than to undertake costly maintenance. To save the ruin, the people of Bern had it listed for preservation under Cultural Heritage and Historical Monuments in 1918 and conducted comprehensive reinforcing works on the ruins themselves. Tip: Take the bus from Brugg to Thalheim and walk to the ruins.

Winery Schloss Salenegg

Castles & palaces – Winery Schloss Salenegg

Winery and Castle Salenegg are inextricably linked. Since 1968 prized wines are grown, harvested and processed naturally in one of Europe’s oldest wineries.

Schloss Crest

Castles & palaces – Today the vineyards of the Crest Castle, located in the environs of Geneva, extend over more than 15 hectares. A variety of wines are grown here, from Chasselas to Cabernet to Merlot.

Ten years ago the region started to revive the old tradition of viticulture and has produced its own wine ever since.

Castle ruins and upland moor Sonvilier

Castles & palaces – The 10-km-long walk from Sonvilier to the Hôtel Chasseral leads past the castle ruins of the former Erguël castle, along Jura moors and the upper part of the "Combe Grède". The Combe-Grède, a spectacular chasm in the Jurrassic limestone, literally divides the mountain vertically into two parts. The walk takes 3.5 hours. You can reach Sonvilier by train; a bus service operates from the Chasseral.

The 10-km-long walk from Sonvilier to the Hôtel Chasseral leads past the castle ruins of the former Erguël castle, along Jura moors and the upper part of the "Combe Grède".