Leukerbad.

What to do in Leukerbad Valais Switzerland

Days here split neatly between cold mountain air and mineral warmth. Leukerbad clusters in a deep limestone bowl below towering cliffs, where the rhythm involves a morning march up the slopes and an afternoon soaking in outdoor thermal pools with steam drifting into the pines. It suits walkers who like their vertical ascents followed by communal pools, simple Valais wines, and a plate of warm raclette.

24 hours in Leukerbad Valais Switzerland

Take the Gemmi cable car up early to gaze over the Daubenwand, then walk the high trail along the Daubensee. Come down by midday for air-dried beef and a glass of Fendant on Dorfplatz. Spend three unhurried hours at Leukerbad Therme soaking in the thermal steam, then finish with raclette at Restaurant Bodmenstübli. Select 1 Day above to see it.

2 days in Leukerbad Valais Switzerland

Day two belongs to the Dala Gorge. Walk the suspended metal catwalks through the canyon to the footbridge over the roaring falls. Head up to the Torrent ski and hiking area for lunch with views across the Rhone Valley, then enjoy an evening Walliser sauna session and a slice of savoury cholera pie in the village centre. Choose 2 Days to expand the plan.

3 days in Leukerbad Valais Switzerland

With a third day, take the bus down the switchbacks to medieval Leuk. Walk through the vineyards to Salgesch, sampling peppery Syrah and Cornalin at local cellars. Alternatively, hike the full historic route over Gemmi Pass down to Kandersteg, returning on the scenic Lötschberg mountain railway through Goppenstein.

Leukerbad Valais Switzerland itineraries by interest

• Thermal Springs in Leukerbad Valais Switzerland

  Submerge in calcium-sulphate pools at Leukerbad Therme or Walliser Alpentherme, where water emerges at 51°C from local mountain aquifers.

• Alpine Hiking in Leukerbad Valais Switzerland

  Climb the historic switchbacks cut into the Daubenwand cliffs up to the Gemmi Pass, or walk the high limestone plateau around the Daubensee.

• Regional Wine in Leukerbad Valais Switzerland

  Sip crisp Petite Arvine and earthy Cornalin from lower Valais vineyards in Leuk and Salgesch, paired with dry-cured Valais air-dried beef.

• Local Cheese in Leukerbad Valais Switzerland

  Melt AOC Valais Raclette over boiled potatoes at rustic Stuben, scraped hot directly from the wheel alongside cornichons and pickled onions.

• Canyon Walks in Leukerbad Valais Switzerland

  Cross the steel walkways bolted to sheer rock above the rushing torrent of the Dala Gorge, leading to a footbridge over a forty-metre waterfall.

• Historic Routes in Leukerbad Valais Switzerland

  Trace the Roman trade trail over Gemmi Pass, once walked by Goethe and Mark Twain, connecting the Valais cantons directly with the Bernese Oberland.

• Winter Sports in Leukerbad Valais Switzerland

  Ride the Torrent cable car to 50 kilometres of groomed downhill slopes, or glide across cross-country tracks around the frozen Daubensee.

• Rustic Dining in Leukerbad Valais Switzerland

  Eat hearty cholera vegetable pie, lamb stewed with alpine herbs, and crusty rye bread baked in communal stone ovens down the valley.

• High Altitude Lakes in Leukerbad Valais Switzerland

  Circle the pale blue glacial waters of the Daubensee at 2,200 metres, where sheep graze the scree slopes between June and October.

• Day Trips in Leukerbad Valais Switzerland

  Ride the postal bus down to Leuk to inspect the Bishop Castle with its modern glass dome designed by Mario Botta, then explore Salgesch wineries.

• Village Architecture in Leukerbad Valais Switzerland

  Wander past blackened larch-wood chalets and the seventeenth-century church of St. Maurice in the old village core between modern spa hotels.

• Mountain Climbing in Leukerbad Valais Switzerland

  Tackle the historic Daubenhorn via ferrata, Switzerland's longest fixed-rope climbing route, ascending vertical ladders up sheer rock faces.