ViaSett

The Septimer was one of the most important Alpine passes even in Roman times, but in the High Middle Ages above all, it was a key trading route and brought wealth to the Bishop of Chur. Traders, armies, kings and emperors all crossed the Alps via the Septimer route. Its advantages were the convenient location with a direct north-south link and ideal topographical conditions. Finds of lead slingshot on the Septimer bear witness to the fact that the Roman army made early use of the pass.

Today, the Septimer is one of Switzerland’s most diverse long-distance hiking routes. From Chur, the capital of Graubünden to Chiavenna in Italy, the Via Sett gradually traces a chequered history across the Alps. Archaeological sites, mansions and muleteers’ houses, horse-changing stations, churches and historic pathways still serve as vivid reminders of this route’s former importance.

The cultural landscape is just as rich as the architectural and cultural history. There is plenty to discover, including the old towns of Chur and Chiavenna, Churwalden Abbey, stone pine and larch forests and the sunny high valley of Surses, where the artist Giovanni Segantini once worked. At the top of the pass, there are remains of the first pass hospice, built around 1100. Visitor attractions in Bregaglia include Giovanni Giacometti’s studio in Stampa, the Palazzo Castelmur in Coltura and the «Müraia» Roman dam near Promontogno. Equally spectacular are the roaring waterfalls of Acquafraggia and the glacier mills in the «Marmitte dei Giganti» park near Chiavenna. For a delicious end to the tour, hikers can visit the typical «Crotti di Chiavenna», where wine, cheese and meat are stored and sold in natural rock caves.