City view of Davos, Switzerland

Davos

Davos began as a high altitude health resort in the late nineteenth century and later became a meeting point for global conferences and winter sports. Thomas Mann drew inspiration from its sanatoriums for his novel The Magic Mountain, and some balconies still seem designed for long conversations. Today the congress center shares the valley with lifts rising toward Jakobshorn and Parsenn. Local menus feature barley soup, rosti, grilled sausages, and slices of nut cake or apple strudel. Lake Davos offers swimming, sailing, and skating depending on the season, while trails lead into quiet side valleys. Small museums display vintage bobsleighs and posters, explaining how early races were only slightly more controlled than avalanches. Residents joke that during certain weeks the ratio of suits to ski jackets reverses twice in a single day.

Top attractions & things to do in Davos

If you’re searching for the best things to do in Davos, this guide brings together the top attractions and must-see places to visit in Davos. The top picks below highlight the most visited sights for first-time visitors, plus a few local favorites worth adding.

Jakobshorn Summit and Snowpark in Davos, Switzerland

Jakobshorn Summit and Snowpark

Jakobshorn Summit and Snowpark: Jakobshorn rises directly above Davos Platz and has a slightly younger, more freestyle oriented character than some neighbouring peaks. A sequence of cable cars and chairlifts leads you to broad snowpark lines, carefully shaped jumps and rails and open freeride faces that attract riders from across Europe. Even if you do not ski or snowboard, the upper viewing terraces are worth the journey, with close up perspectives on nearby ridges and long views down the valley. In summer, Jakobshorn becomes a starting point for alpine hiking trails and paragliding flights, and you often see colourful wings circling above the town. A small cluster of mountain huts and bars offers music on sunny days, giving the summit a relaxed, social mood. Visiting outside peak hours, early in the morning or later in the afternoon, lets you experience the mountain with a little more quiet between cable car arrivals and appreciate how quickly the light changes on the surrounding peaks.
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Kirchner Museum Davos in Davos, Switzerland

Kirchner Museum Davos

Kirchner Museum Davos: Kirchner Museum Davos is dedicated mainly to the work of German expressionist Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, who spent important years in the valley and captured its light and forms on canvas. The building itself, with its glass pavilions, quiet courtyard spaces and carefully controlled natural light, feels like an extension of the art. Inside, rooms display vibrant mountain scenes, portraits and city views, tracing the development of Kirchner's style alongside bold woodcut prints and works by contemporaries. Large windows frame glimpses of present day Davos outside, creating a dialogue between painted and real landscapes. Thoughtful wall texts provide context without overwhelming the images, making the museum approachable even for visitors less familiar with early twentieth century art. A small bookshop and seating areas invite you to linger before stepping back into the fast rhythm of the resort. Combining a visit here with a short walk along the nearby river or up toward the Kurpark makes for a quietly reflective break between more active excursions.
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Lake Davos and Lakeside Path in Davos, Switzerland

Lake Davos and Lakeside Path

Lake Davos and Lakeside Path: At the upper end of the valley, Lake Davos offers a long, level circuit that contrasts nicely with the steep surrounding slopes. A well maintained path loops around the shore, passing bathing lawns, small pebble beaches and simple lakefront piers where you can sit with your feet in the water. In summer, sailing boats, stand up paddlers and windsurfers use the regular afternoon breeze, while early mornings are often mirror calm, ideal for reflection shots of the tree line and peaks. Designated grill areas and cafes make it easy to turn a short walk into a relaxed picnic outing. In winter, sections of the path are cleared for walking beside the frozen lake, and cross country ski tracks run close by. Local buses connect the shore with Davos Dorf and Davos Platz, so you can arrive and leave without a car, letting the lake circuit become a soft, accessible frame for your time in the resort.
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Parsenn Mountain Area in Davos, Switzerland

Parsenn Mountain Area

Parsenn Mountain Area: From the valley station in Davos, the Parsenn funicular and connecting cable cars carry you quickly into classic high Alpine terrain above the tree line. Up here, wide ski pistes, long ridge runs and generous sun terraces create a sense of space that feels far from the town below. In winter, experienced skiers can follow legendary long descents toward Klosters, while beginners and intermediates stay close to the lifts on clearly marked slopes. Summer transforms the same landscape into a network of panoramic hiking trails and bike routes, with signposted paths leading to quiet benches and small mountain lakes. Several mountain restaurants serve hearty dishes on open decks, making it easy to turn a simple outing into a full day. Because lifts, trails and weather in the high mountains change quickly, it is worth checking current information before heading up, then allowing enough time to enjoy both the journey and the constantly shifting views across the surrounding Graubuenden peaks.
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Schatzalp and Alpine Garden in Davos, Switzerland

Schatzalp and Alpine Garden

Schatzalp and Alpine Garden: Perched on a sunny terrace above Davos, Schatzalp was once a famous sanatorium and still carries traces of that era in its art nouveau hotel, long sun decks and slow, deliberate pace. A short funicular railway climbs from the centre to the complex, where walking paths lead into forest and open slopes. One of the highlights is the Alpinum Schatzalp, a botanical garden where carefully labelled alpine plants from different mountain ranges grow side by side on terraced beds. Simple circular walks take you to benches overlooking the valley and toward quiet clearings where only cowbells and wind in the trees break the silence. In clear weather you can follow slightly longer trails that connect to neighbouring viewpoints and small huts, returning easily to the station before dark. In winter, gentle sledging runs and easy ski slopes make Schatzalp suitable for families and beginners. In the evening, lights from the hotel glow warmly against the hillside, and the return ride down to Davos gives brief, cinematic glimpses into living rooms and streets far below.
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