The Val Poschiavo is a wonderful place to go fly fishing, take time for yourself and relax.
Hidden Gem
The Val Poschiavo is the southernmost destination in the Kanton Graubünden in Switzerland. It is one of four Italian-speaking valleys in this province and faces in a North-South direction bordering Italy. The way to this remote valley can be undertaken either by train – with the famous Rhaetian railway – or by car. Regardless of what vehicle you chose, the journey to the Val Poschiavo is an impressive experience and leads to this hidden gem. In case you travel from Zurich, watch out for the Landwasser Viaduct in Filisur.
Photographic Hotspots in the Val Poschiavo
This brief post cannot cover all of the countless wonderful sights in this valley. Yet, here are three of the best photo spots in the Val Poschiavo.
Val da Camp
The Val da Camp is a side valley to the Val Poschiavo and can be either reached by bus or foot. The starting point for this journey is in Sfazu and there is a large parking lot. However, due to the popularity of this valley, the parking fills up quite quickly, so be there early. The main reason for its popularity is the Lago di Saoseo – one of the most beautiful mountain lakes I have ever seen.
There are two hiking paths from Sfazu to the Lago di Saoseo: One follows the gravel road and the other is closer to the river. Needless to say, the one along the water is more scenic. There is also the chance of following one way up and descending the other. In case you would like to spend the night there I recommend the nearby CAS Rifugio di Saoseo (Swiss Alpine Club hut).
Apart from the Saoseo lake, there is another one about 1.5h further into the Val da Camp called Lago di Viola. Although this lake is not as famous as the former, it is a wonderful place as well. In terms of surrounding, I would even state that it offers the better place to rest with lush green meadows and cristal clear creeks. Moreover, ther is also a little island to discover, which can be reached jumping over some stones.
Alp San Romeiro
From Poschiavo there is a hiking path along the Eastern mountain ridge which takes about 7h and ends in Viano. On the way, there are stunning view of the Veltlin area as well as the entire valley. Furthermore, you will pass the wonderful church called San Romeiro. The old saying goes that if you can walk around the church, you will enter heaven when you die. Long story short, I will not be in heaven, but see for yourself:
For those of you who are not as keen on hiking, you can also reach this church from Viano return. There is a bus driving to Viano, or you can drive by yourself. However, the parking space is limited, and the road is very steep and narrow. Be careful. The hike from Viano will take you about 2h one way and follows mostly a dirt road.
Val da Saent
This is a valley I would have loved to spend more time in. We had only a late afternoon and were not able to cover the entire hiking track which takes 7.5 hours. The Val da Saent offers the opportunity to watch wildlife such as chamois, ibex and vultures. Latter were extinct in Switzerland and have been introduced again. I would have loved to see them, but we did not spend enough time there. I will definitely return there and put some more effort into this undertaking.
Val Poschiavo Summary
The Val Poschiavo is a wonderful valley offering heaps of photographic opportunities. This list is by far not exhaustive but gives a brief insight into what is available in the magical Val Poschiavo. In case you plan a photography trip to the Val Poschiavo my best advice would be to go when the larchaes turn yellow, which usually happens in October. This is just the icing on the cake in terms of landscape photography. Yet, throughout the year, the Val Poschiavo is remarkably photogenic; be it for snow action in Winter, or lakes and hiking in Summer. You cannot go wrong with this place.
For more information on tourism in Val Poschiavo visit MySwitzerland.
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