Guarda: Sgraffiti, the Schellen-Ursli Trail and hiking paths

Sgraffiti, narrow lanes and historic houses define Guarda. The village is considered a model village of Romansh culture and living traditions. The trails around Guarda also have different focuses: they lead to locations from a children’s story, through Val Tuoi or along the Way of St. James between mountaineering villages. When planning your stay, it is worth distinguishing between the routes by their stated destinations and timings.

Culture and village character in Guarda

Guarda received the Wakker Prize in 1975 and has been one of the three officially recognised mountaineering villages—Lavin, Guarda and Ardez—since 2021. Sgraffiti, narrow lanes and historic houses shape the village’s character. A look inside the Reformed church adds specific architectural details to this impression: it was built in 1483. The nave has a trapezoidal coffered ceiling with mouldings, while the choir has a ribbed vault. The village’s architectural forms and history thus complement the visible features of its façades.

Several places in Guarda are linked to the Schellen-Ursli story. The well-preserved Schellen-Ursli House, Chasa 51, can be viewed from the outside. The Schellen-Ursli Museum offers insights into scenes from the children’s story and is opposite Hotel Meisser. The village tour covers a wider range of topics: at fifteen selected locations, it shares information about Guarda’s past and present, landscape and nature, as well as arts and crafts and gastronomy.

The Schellen-Ursli Trail and its stops

The Schellen-Ursli Trail leads from Guarda via Clüs and Lajet to Plan dal Növ and back to Guarda. The route is 3.5 kilometres long, with an estimated walking time of about 1 hour and 15 minutes. Both the ascent and descent cover 233 metres of elevation gain. The story is part of the trail: the first half of the Schellen-Ursli children’s book can be read on large panels. The complete book is available at the Maiensäss on Plan dal Növ, where visitors can read the story to the end.

Another activity also leads to Plan dal Növ: the sledging experience above Guarda starts with an ascent of around 40 minutes, followed by a winding descent through the forest along the Schellen-Ursli Trail. Along the way, there are views of the village. The two activities to the same destination differ in how they unfold: the Schellen-Ursli Trail is described as a circular route with a stated total walking time, while the sledging experience centres on the ascent and subsequent descent.

Hikes, the Way of St. James and Val Tuoi

The hike from Guarda to Chamonna Tuoi CAS is 7.3 kilometres long. The walking time is about 2 hours and 30 minutes, and the ascent is 617 metres. The route starts in the village centre and follows the signs through Val Tuoi to the hut. Compared with the Schellen-Ursli Trail, both the stated walking time and the route length and ascent are greater; the destinations and described routes also differ. Chamonna Tuoi CAS also serves as a starting point for other ski tours.

The Way of St. James no. 43 is a hiking trail between the mountaineering villages of Guarda and Ardez. From Guarda, it initially follows a little-used road that is almost level as far as the hamlet of Bos-cha. Along the way, there are repeated views of the surrounding mountain landscape. This description of the first section offers a different kind of guidance from the figures for the hike into Val Tuoi: here, the route to Bos-cha and the views are the main focus.

More trails and activities

The Murtera Bike route follows single tracks through alpine pastureland and a sparse larch forest down to the village of Guarda. The village tour, hiking trails and bike route each have their own focus: the tour highlights fifteen selected places and topics, the Schellen-Ursli Trail follows the story in the book, and Murtera Bike takes you along the described route through pastureland and forest. Which of these perspectives interests you can help shape your plans for your time in Guarda.

Getting to Guarda

Guarda can be reached by the Rhaetian Railway. From Guarda railway station, the postbus takes visitors from the “Guarda, staziun” stop to “Guarda, cumün” in the village centre. Check the timetable for your travel day so you can plan the train journey and connecting postbus trip together.

Discover more destinations: Tschierv, Sta. Maria Val Müstair, Ardez, Susch, Remüs, Tarasp, Valcava, Lü

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