Europe, Skiing, Switzerland, Travel, Uncategorized

Winter holiday in Switzerland’s Valley of Light “Val Lumnezia”

winter-holiday-in-switzerlands-valley-of-light-val-lumnezia

Val Lumnezia is also known as the “Valley of Light”, as thanks to its location it enjoys a lot of sunshine during the year. It is situated in Switzerland’s biggest canton Graubünden, which is a paradise for nature lovers. Val Lumnezia consists of 8 villages: Cumbel, Morissen, Vella, Degen, Vattiz, Vignogn, Lumbrein and Vrin.
During our winter holiday, we stayed in Cumbel, as that is where we found a home exchange with the most gorgeous view from our dining room overlooking the mountains.

Cumbel was a great base to ski at Obersaxen resort and go hiking on the 50-kilometer network of trails.

Ski at Obersaxen/ Mundaun/ Val Lumnezia. 

We spent 3 days at the ski resort and had a great time.
What I love about skiing at Obersaxen/ Mundaun/ Val Lumnezia:

  • 118 km of slopes (60 km blue, 38 km red, 20 km black)
  • 16 lifts (most of them were chair lifts, which I prefer over any other type)
  • Sunny weather
  • Free parking
  • Free use of the learning slopes in Vella for beginners
  • Reduced price for ski pass for beginners for the slope in Chummenbühl
  • Lots of activities for non-skiers

What I didn’t like about skiing in Obersaxen/ Mundaun/ Val Lumnezia:

  • I found navigation very confusing. The slopes weren’t numbered obviously and they weren’t signposted very well either.

Val Lumnezia for non-skiers

Hiking in Val Lumnezia

There are several hiking trails in the area, which can be seen on the map, or you can download gpx files to your phone from the Surselva Tourism board.
We all spent a day hiking around Cumbel and Morissen. The weather was so lovely, that we ended up hiking in our T-shirts.

Sledging in Val Lumnezia

There are many sledge routes in the ski resort. You can use them with a ski pass. This was great, as we were able to ski and sledge the same day at no extra cost. So we would spend all day skiing and then the last run we would come down with the sledge. It is possible to rent sledges, but we had our own, that we brought with us from Hungary in the car.

How to get around in Val Lumnezia

Car: The roads in Switzerland are well maintained, however as for any winter holiday you need to have winter tyres and snow chains. Conditions can quickly change in the mountains, so always drive carefully!

Train: The Railway station is located at Ilanz/Glion. Ilanz is also a stop for the famous Glacier Express. The Rhaetian Railway line to Disentis/Mustér serves the valley, with connecting services to the Swiss Federal Railways network at Chur.  

Bus: The Postbus serves the villages in Val Lumnezia. Take a look at the bus route online. Public transport in Switzerland is very reliable.

Plane: Zürich is the closest airport to Val Lumnezia. From there you can book a transfer privately or use public transport.

As you see there are a lot of things to do in Val Lumnezia in the winter. Hopefully, I will return one day and discover the area in the summer as well. 

Skiing Tip: Take regular breaks, to avoid having an accident due to exhaustion! Take a SIGG flask with hot chocolate and some TREK bars in a backpack. They are great for break time to warm yourself up and snack a bit.

Photo by Thomas Savage

Did you like this post? Why not PIN it?

4 Comments

Enikő

Hey, I'm Enikő! I'm currently an au pair and I want to share my experiences with you. I've travelled a lot in the past years. I'm gonna teach you how to settle in to a new country and get free accommodation anywhere in the world. Circle Enikő on Google+!

4 Comments

  1. Best Places to Visit in Switzerland Tour – Travel With Me 24 X 7
    August 8, 2019 at 8:52 am

    […] It takes you from Zermatt and the mountains of the Matterhorn, over bridges, across tunnels, valleys, and over mountains to the other side of Switzerland to the posh ski resort of St. Moritz. Sit back in your luxury leather seat, as lunch is prepared on board and served at your seat. Order a glass of champagne for the ultimate luxury experience. Put your nose to the glass to admire the green valleys with typical Swiss cows roaming around near Andermatt. Admire the view at the highest pass of Oberalp at 2.044 meters (6,706ft) altitude and pick your jaw back up from the ground when you gross the UNESCO heritage listing of the Landwasser viaduct. You can also stop over the at Ilanz for the winter holiday in valley of Light – Val Lumnezia. […]

  2. Best Winter Destinations in Europe (according to Travel Bloggers)
    September 30, 2019 at 10:37 am

    […] skiing in the winter. But where in Switzerland should you go? Eniko from Travel Hacker Girl picked Val Lumnezia as their favourite winter […]

  3. Hiking in Europe: 12 stunning wintry hikes to discover in 2020 - Stunning Outdoors
    November 21, 2019 at 1:45 pm

    […] Val Lumnezia, is also referred to as the Valley of Light as it enjoys sunshine for most of the year. Hence the valley attracts outdoor lovers from around the world. The area has a wide range of hiking trails, which are especially beautiful in the winter, when the ground and surrounding mountains are covered by snow. The Cumbel – Morissen – Cumbel winter hiking route is snow covered from December till March and the trail is well maintained, hardened and therefore easy to walk on even with plenty of snow around. It has scenic views of Piz Terri mountain, and it visits cute Swiss towns such as Morissen, which attracts visitors with its beautiful chalets known for carved motives. […]

  4. 15 Best Winter City Breaks in Europe - Explore Now Or Never
    October 1, 2020 at 9:37 pm

    […] Val Lumnezia in Switzerland is an exceptional destination in the winter. After all, the name means “Valley of Light”, so you can expect nice, sunny weather even in the winter months. […]

Reply your comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked*