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Davos
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Davos, Switzerland combines Alpine scenery, skiing and hiking with the Kirchner Museum, World Economic Forum heritage and year-round mountain culture.

High Valley, International Outlook

At around 1,560 metres in the Graubünden Alps, Davos is one of Switzerland’s highest towns and an important year-round mountain resort. The settlement stretches along a broad valley between wooded slopes and high peaks, with Davos Dorf and Davos Platz forming its principal urban centres. In winter, broad pistes on Parsenn and Jakobshorn attract skiers and snowboarders, while summer brings hiking, mountain biking and lake-based recreation against a landscape of larch forests, meadows and rugged summits.
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Health Resort and Sporting Centre

Davos developed from a remote Walser community into a celebrated medical and climatic resort during the late nineteenth century. Its clear mountain air drew visitors seeking treatment for tuberculosis, and the grand hotels, sanatoria and promenades of that era still shape the town’s appearance. Today, the former health-resort identity sits alongside a sophisticated sporting infrastructure, including the Vaillant Arena, home of HC Davos and a major venue during the Spengler Cup ice-hockey tournament.

Art, Research and Alpine Life

The Kirchner Museum Davos preserves the largest collection of work by German Expressionist artist Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, who lived in the town from 1917 until his death in 1938. The museum adds an important cultural dimension to a destination often associated principally with snow and conferences. Davos is also internationally recognised as the meeting place of the World Economic Forum, held each January, although outside the summit season its character is quieter: a practical Alpine town with independent shops, mountain railways, restaurants and an active local community.

When is the best time to visit Davos?

Best: July–September · 16–21°C
Average daytime high and rainfall by month
MonthHigh (°C)Rainfall (mm)
January044
February241
March544
April866
May14117
June18148
July (best)21155
August (best)20143
September (best)16108
October1090
November556
December248

Getting to and around Davos

How to get there

Davos is most commonly reached by rail from Zurich or other Swiss cities via Landquart, where passengers change to the Rhaetian Railway for the scenic line to Davos. Trains arrive at stations including Davos Dorf and Davos Platz, making rail particularly convenient for visitors staying in the valley. Zurich Airport is the principal international gateway, followed by a rail journey through eastern Switzerland; the smaller airports at St Gallen–Altenrhein and Samedan serve more limited regional needs. Road access is via Landquart and the Prättigau valley, with mountain-road conditions requiring care in winter. Timetables and connections should be checked before travelling, especially during periods of snow or major events.

Transportation

Davos is spread along a long valley rather than concentrated in a single compact centre, but its local buses and railway provide useful links between Davos Platz, Davos Dorf, the side valleys and major lift stations. The town is walkable in sections, with pavements and promenades connecting many hotels, shops and public facilities. Mountain railways and cable cars serve the principal ski and hiking areas, including Parsenn and Jakobshorn. Cycling is practical in summer, although the surrounding terrain is steep. Cars are useful for remote excursions but are not essential for the main resort, and winter drivers should be prepared for snow, ice and limited parking in busy periods.

Best attractions in Davos

Davos offers a varied sightseeing circuit beyond its ski slopes. The Kirchner Museum Davos presents the German Expressionist’s paintings, drawings and prints alongside exhibitions that illuminate his years in the valley. The funicular to Schatzalp leads to a historic mountain resort above town, with walking paths and views across the Landwasser valley. Lake Davos, at the eastern end of the settlement, provides a scenic setting for walking and seasonal watersports, while the Jakobshorn and Parsenn areas reveal the scale of the surrounding Alpine landscape through lifts, trails and viewpoints. In town, the Vaillant Arena reflects Davos’s strong ice-hockey culture and is associated with HC Davos and the Spengler Cup. Visitors interested in local history can also explore the old village areas and the wide hotel-lined streets created during the nineteenth-century health-resort expansion.

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Best landmarks in Davos

Davos’s landmarks reflect its development from Walser settlement to health resort and international mountain town. The Kirchner Museum Davos is both a cultural institution and a notable modern building, designed to provide a carefully controlled setting for Ernst Ludwig Kirchner’s work. The Schatzalp funicular and historic hotel complex represent the era when Davos became known as a climatic health resort, while the broad Promenade and grand hotels preserve the scale of that nineteenth-century expansion. The English Church, built for the international sanatorium community, and the village churches add religious and social context to the resort’s history. The Vaillant Arena is a more contemporary landmark, associated with HC Davos and the long-standing prominence of ice hockey in local life. The World Economic Forum’s annual meeting has also made Davos a recognised symbol of international political and economic debate.

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Best restaurants in Davos

Davos’s food culture combines Graubünden specialities with the international habits of a mountain resort. Menus commonly draw on regional ingredients and dishes such as Bündnerfleisch air-dried beef, capuns, a chard-wrapped speciality, rösti, Alpine cheese and walnut tart from Graubünden. Traditional restaurants and mountain huts offer hearty cooking suited to days outdoors, while cafés and hotel dining rooms reflect the town’s long history as a health and holiday resort. Around Davos Platz and Davos Dorf, visitors find Swiss comfort food alongside Italian, Asian and other international cuisines shaped by the resort’s global clientele. Bakeries and cafés are useful for a simple breakfast or provisions before a mountain railway journey, and the valley’s cultivated relationship with dairying and Alpine agriculture remains evident in local cheese, meat and seasonal products.

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Best bars in Davos

Davos’s evening scene is concentrated rather than metropolitan, with activity centred on hotel bars, après-ski venues, pubs and restaurants around Davos Platz and Davos Dorf. Winter brings the liveliest atmosphere, particularly after the lifts close, when skiing visitors gather for drinks, music and informal socialising. The resort also has a strong ice-hockey culture, and matches at the Vaillant Arena can give evenings a distinctly local sporting character. Some venues offer dancing or late-night entertainment, but the town’s nightlife is better understood as a mixture of Alpine après-ski, hotel hospitality and seasonal events than as a large club circuit. In summer, evenings tend to be quieter, with terrace dining, cultural programmes and relaxed drinks providing the main alternatives to outdoor activities.

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Best nightclubs in Davos

Davos’s evening scene is concentrated rather than metropolitan, with activity centred on hotel bars, après-ski venues, pubs and restaurants around Davos Platz and Davos Dorf. Winter brings the liveliest atmosphere, particularly after the lifts close, when skiing visitors gather for drinks, music and informal socialising. The resort also has a strong ice-hockey culture, and matches at the Vaillant Arena can give evenings a distinctly local sporting character. Some venues offer dancing or late-night entertainment, but the town’s nightlife is better understood as a mixture of Alpine après-ski, hotel hospitality and seasonal events than as a large club circuit. In summer, evenings tend to be quieter, with terrace dining, cultural programmes and relaxed drinks providing the main alternatives to outdoor activities.

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Best shops in Davos

Shopping in Davos follows the long valley settlement, with the greatest concentration of shops along the Promenade and around Davos Platz and Davos Dorf. Visitors find Swiss watches, outdoor equipment, winter sports clothing, chocolates, cheeses and other edible gifts, alongside pharmacies, supermarkets and practical stores serving the local community. Independent boutiques and specialist retailers reflect the resort’s international clientele, while sports shops are particularly prominent during the snow season. Shopping is generally more about quality goods, mountain equipment and Swiss regional products than about a large department-store culture. For distinctive souvenirs, look for Graubünden specialities such as Bündnerfleisch, local confectionery, Alpine cheese and walnut products, checking transport and customs rules before carrying food across borders.

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Davos essentials

Currency and Payment
Switzerland uses the Swiss franc, written as CHF or Fr. Cards and contactless payments are widely accepted in hotels, supermarkets, transport offices and many restaurants, although smaller mountain establishments, market stalls or remote huts may prefer cash or have a minimum card spend. Swiss ATMs are readily found in the principal built-up areas, and international visitors should check whether their bank applies foreign-exchange or cash-withdrawal charges. Euros may occasionally be accepted in tourist businesses, but change is normally given in Swiss francs and the exchange rate may be less favourable. Keeping a modest amount of francs is sensible for transport, refreshments and rural stops.
Safety
Davos is generally straightforward for visitors, but Alpine conditions demand more attention than the town environment alone suggests. On marked trails, follow signs and respect closures, carrying suitable footwear, water, weather protection and navigation aids. Snow, ice, altitude and rapidly changing weather can make apparently easy routes hazardous, while off-piste skiing should be undertaken only with appropriate knowledge and local guidance. Keep belongings secure in busy transport areas and après-ski venues, and take normal precautions when walking at night. In winter, allow extra time for road journeys and avoid driving beyond your experience on steep or snow-covered mountain roads.
Emergency Situations
In Switzerland, call 112 for the general European emergency number, 117 for police, 118 for the fire service and 144 for medical emergencies. In the mountains, 1414 reaches Rega, the Swiss air-rescue service, where an air rescue response is appropriate; the local emergency dispatcher can also advise on the correct service. State your location precisely, including a trail name, lift station, hut or visible landmark, and keep the phone available for follow-up. European visitors should carry their European Health Insurance Card where applicable, while all international travellers should have suitable insurance for mountain activities and possible rescue or treatment costs.
Do's and Don'ts
Respect marked routes, private land, wildlife and Alpine farming activity, particularly when walking through meadows or near livestock. At mountain huts and smaller restaurants, greet staff politely, follow local instructions and do not assume that every remote establishment operates like an urban café. Keep noise considerate in residential areas, especially late at night, and observe normal Swiss expectations of punctuality and orderly queuing. Do not enter churches, museums or private properties as though they were public spaces, and ask before photographing people or interiors. Tipping is discretionary rather than compulsory, although rounding up or leaving a modest amount for good service is customary.
Local Tips
Davos Platz is the main urban focus for many shops, restaurants and cultural venues, while Davos Dorf is especially convenient for access towards Parsenn and Lake Davos. The promenade between the two centres helps orientate first-time visitors, and local buses are useful when weather or luggage makes walking less appealing. Look beyond the ski season: summer and autumn offer quieter access to trails, mountain lakes and panoramic rail journeys, while the winter programme includes more than downhill skiing. The nearby Schatzalp can be reached by funicular and provides a historic resort setting, walking routes and broad views over the valley.
Eve, your Evendo local guide

From Eve

Local phrases worth knowing

You don't need to get them perfect. A few words go a long way, and locals appreciate the effort.

6 phrase groups · English, local and pronunciation

Basics
EnglishLocalSay it
HelloGuten Tag[Gooten Tahg]
GoodbyeAuf Wiedersehen[Owf Vee-der-zay-en]
YesJa[Yah]
NoNein[Nine]
Please/You're welcomeBitte[Bee-teh]
Thank youDanke[Dahn-keh]
Excuse me/SorryEntschuldigung[Ent-shool-dee-goong]
How are you?Wie geht es Ihnen?[Vee geht es Ee-nen?]
Fine. And you?Gut. Und Ihnen?[Goot. Oond Ee-nen?]
Do you speak English?Sprechen Sie Englisch?[Spre-khen Zee Eng-leesh?]
I don't understandIch verstehe nicht[Eekh fer-shtay-eh neekt]
Eating & Drinking
EnglishLocalSay it
I'd like to see the menu, pleaseIch möchte bitte die Speisekarte sehen[Eekh merkh-teh bee-teh dee Shpy-ze-kar-teh zeh-en]
I don't eat meatIch esse kein Fleisch[Eekh ess-eh kine Fly-sh]
Cheers!Prost![Prohst]
I would like to pay, pleaseIch möchte bitte bezahlen[Eekh merkh-teh bee-teh beh-tzah-len]
Emergencies
EnglishLocalSay it
Help!Hilfe![Hil-feh]
Go away!Gehen Sie weg![Gay-en Zee vehg]
Call the Police!Rufen Sie die Polizei![Roo-fen Zee dee Poh-lee-tsy]
Call a doctor!Rufen Sie einen Arzt![Roo-fen Zee Ee-nen Arts]
I'm lostIch bin verloren[Eekh been fer-loh-ren]
I'm illIch bin krank[Eekh been krank]
Shopping
EnglishLocalSay it
I'd like to buy...Ich möchte...kaufen[Eekh merkh-teh...kow-fen]
I'm just lookingIch schaue nur[Eekh shou-eh noor]
How much is it?Wie viel kostet es?[Vee feel koh-stet es]
That's too expensiveDas ist zu teuer[Dahs ist tso toy-er]
Can you lower the price?Könnten Sie den Preis senken?[Kern-ten Zee den Preis zehn-ken]
Time & Numbers
EnglishLocalSay it
What time is it?Wie spät ist es?[Vee shpayt ist es]
It's one o'clockEs ist ein Uhr[Es ist ine oor]
Half past (10)Halb (zehn)[Halb (tsane)]
MorningMorgen[Mor-gen]
AfternoonNachmittag[Nahkh-mit-tahk]
EveningAbend[Ah-bent]
YesterdayGestern[Gehs-tern]
TodayHeute[Hoy-teh]
TomorrowMorgen[Mor-gen]
1Eins[Ine-z]
2Zwei[Tzvey]
3Drei[Dry]
4Vier[Feer]
5Fünf[Foonf]
6Sechs[Zex]
7Sieben[Zee-ben]
8Acht[Akh-t]
9Neun[Noy-n]
10Zehn[Tzane]
Transport & Directions
EnglishLocalSay it
Where's a/the...?Wo ist ein/der...?[Vo ist ine/dehr]
What's the address?Wie lautet die Adresse?[Vee lowt-et dee Ah-dre-seh]
Can you show me (on the map)?Können Sie mir das zeigen (auf der Karte)?[Kern-en Zee meer dahs tsey-gen (owf dehr Kar-teh)]
When's the next (bus)?Wann kommt der nächste (Bus)?[Vahn kohmt dehr nerkh-steh (Boos)]
A ticket (to ....)Eine Fahrkarte (nach ...)[Ine-eh Fahr-kar-teh (nahkh)]

History of Davos

Walser Settlement in the High Valley

Davos emerged from settlement by Walser German-speaking communities who moved through the Alps during the medieval period. The high valley offered pasture and agricultural land, but its altitude and severe winters made life demanding. Walser customs, dialect and dispersed settlement patterns left a lasting mark on the region’s cultural identity. The valley’s early economy depended largely on livestock, dairy farming, forestry and trade across mountain routes rather than on the international tourism for which Davos later became known. Farmhouses and rural buildings in the surrounding landscape still recall this Alpine foundation, while the town’s linguistic and architectural character reflects its position within German-speaking Graubünden.

The League of Ten Jurisdictions

Davos gained wider political importance in 1436, when representatives of the League of Ten Jurisdictions met in the valley after the death of Count Friedrich VII of Toggenburg. The alliance helped protect the political rights of local communities and became one of the three constituent leagues that later formed the Free State of the Three Leagues. This political structure shaped Graubünden for centuries before the canton joined the Swiss Confederation in 1803. Davos’s role in the league gave the settlement significance beyond its local economy and connected it with the distinctive tradition of communal self-government that characterises the canton’s history.

From Rural Valley to Climatic Resort

During the nineteenth century, Davos was transformed by the rise of Alpine tourism and climatic medicine. Doctors and entrepreneurs promoted the valley’s cool, dry air as beneficial for patients suffering from tuberculosis and other respiratory illnesses. Sanatoria, hotels and promenades expanded, giving the town a new urban form and attracting visitors from across Europe. The arrival of the railway at the end of the nineteenth century improved access through the Landquart–Davos line, while the establishment of mountain railways made the surrounding slopes accessible for leisure. Much of Davos’s large-scale hotel architecture and broad streets dates from this period of rapid growth.

Kirchner and the Modern Alpine Imagination

German Expressionist artist Ernst Ludwig Kirchner moved to Davos in 1917, seeking refuge and a healthier environment after the disruption of the First World War. He remained in the region until his death in 1938, producing paintings, drawings and woodcuts shaped by Alpine landscapes, rural life and modernist experimentation. Kirchner’s presence connected Davos with European avant-garde art and gave the town a cultural significance beyond its role as a health resort. The Kirchner Museum Davos, opened in 1992 and housed in a distinctive modern building, preserves a major collection of his work and places his Davos years within the broader history of Expressionism.

Winter Tourism and International Forums

Davos became a major winter-sports destination in the twentieth century as skiing, skating and other Alpine activities developed into organised tourism. The Parsenn railway opened the high slopes to skiers, while Jakobshorn and other areas added to the resort’s sporting range. The town also gained an international political and economic profile when the European Management Forum, founded by Klaus Schwab in 1971, began meeting in Davos; it later became the World Economic Forum. The annual meeting brought leaders from politics, business, academia and civil society to the valley, complementing rather than replacing Davos’s established identity as a mountain resort and local community.

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Evendo: Your Ultimate Travel Guide to Davos, Switzerland

Discover Davos with Evendo, a 100% free app-based travel guide offering detailed insights on attractions, landmarks, shops, restaurants, and more.

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Imagine arriving in Davos, Switzerland, ready to explore the stunning alpine landscapes and vibrant local culture. With Evendo, your journey begins with ease and excitement. From the moment you download the app, you'll have access to detailed information about all the best attractions, landmarks, shops, bars, nightclubs, restaurants, hotels, tours, experiences, and activities in the city.

Start your day with a visit to the famous **Kirchner Museum**, showcasing the works of Ernst Ludwig Kirchner. Stroll through the picturesque **Davos Platz** and take in the stunning views of the surrounding mountains. Feeling adventurous? Head to the **Parsenn Ski Area** for some world-class skiing or snowboarding. For a more relaxed afternoon, enjoy a scenic walk around **Lake Davos**.

Dining in Davos is an experience in itself. Whether you're in the mood for gourmet cuisine at **Restaurant Glow by Armin Amrein** or traditional Swiss dishes at **Schneider's Restaurant**, Evendo has you covered with rich descriptions, images, local tips, maps, and contact details. The app makes it easy to book your table and plan your culinary journey.

Evendo's user-friendly interface allows you to easily navigate the app and the city. Use the 'Near me' feature to discover attractions, restaurants, and activities around your current location. No need to worry about getting lost or missing out on hidden gems.

Book your hotel, tours, and tickets directly through the app, eliminating the hassle of searching multiple websites. With Evendo, everything you need to make the most of your Davos trip is in one place.

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