Davos was one of the first places in the Alps and among All Switzerland ski resorts to be used as a skiing venue as well as a health spa. This spread-out town can be reached from Zurich in approximately two hours by car or two and a half hours by train. Allowing access to some 325 kilometres of pistes and linked to Klosters, Davos offers something for all types of skiers.
The town, comprising the quarters of Dorf and Platz, doesn’t have the charm of nearby Klosters, perhaps, but it offers excellent runs, a decent après-ski scene and cheap Davos accommodation. The lack of charming scenery is compensated for by an incredible variety of possibilities for skiers and snowboarders (a snowpark plus two half-pipes). The resort has a total of 110 runs amounting to some 320 kilometres, with the longest slope being 12 kilometres. Serviced by 55 lifts with an uplift capacity of 64,400 people per hour, the site opens onto 31 percent expert slopes, 43 percent intermediate and 26 percent beginner runs. And though beginners aren’t offered much, intermediates are usually satisfied with the variety of long blues and reds to exploit, while advanced skiers tend to enjoy the off-piste options. The lowest lift is located at an altitude of 1,110 metres, and the highest at 2,844 metres. The area also offers 75 kilometres of cross-country slopes, while the resort provides cross-country equipment. Other on-snow options include snow shoeing, Telemark, night-time skiing, skidoos, dog sledding and sleigh rides, as well as a bowling alley, a sports centre, a gym, swimming pool, sauna, ice skating rink, paragliding, hang gliding and hiking.
The Parsennbahn railway allows quick and easy access to the slopes. Snowboarders simply adore the local off-piste access, and cross-country skiers also have a lot of territory to cover. The après-ski scene is represented by four nightclubs and about a hundred restaurants serving traditional French and Italian cuisine, along with Chinese and American dishes, plus fast food. Life off the slopes tends to be quite vivid, though many of the resort’s nightlife options tend to be overpriced. When not skiing, there are still many other things to do, such as taking a scenic train ride or using the largest natural ice rink on the continent. Further options include the Winter Sports Museum, as well as the frequent ice hockey matches. The local shops are a spectacle of their own, selling a wide variety of exquisite items.
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