Zuoz

No wonder it is of national importance: numerous proud patrician houses such as the Chesa Planta confidently display their typical bay windows and sgraffito decorations. Mysterious alleyways with numerous galleries invite you to explore the eventful past.

Mighty stone walls, small, funnel-shaped windows and characteristic sgraffiti all around characterize a real Engadine house. In Zuoz, too, they dominate the townscape. Under the wide gable roof, the Engadine farmer once united all his possessions: house, cattle and hay barn, cellar, granary and a covered forecourt. The house entrance leads through an artistically decorated main gate into the Sulèr, the anteroom, to the house. This served as a storage and work room and in summer even as a dining room. If you go up a few steps, you enter the Stüva - a room usually paneled with Swiss stone pine, the showpiece of every Engadine house. Another striking feature is the sgraffiti - the artistic ornaments on the facades that are scratched out of the still wet plaster. They come into their own thanks to the light-dark contrast of two different plaster colors. The scratching technique originally comes from Italy («sgraffiare» is Italian for «to scratch»), but came to the Upper Engadine with migrant workers in the 16th century, where it is still practiced today.

Today, Zuoz is known as a holiday destination for families, among other things. Since 2016, the village has been awarded the “Family Destination” seal of approval. The range of leisure activities ensures great experiences and plenty of exercise in the great outdoors. Theme trails, animated children's programs, golf courses for kids, cinema in the Hotel Castell, first turns in the children's ski area - the village offers a lot of potential for unforgettable experiences and is always worth a family vacation.

In the Engadine, March 1st is all about Chalandamarz. It is sacred to most locals. Schoolchildren look forward to it months in advance, and adults enjoy the memories of what it was like in their time. Our ancestors celebrated the pagan custom to drive away evil spirits. Today it is winter, which people want to stop by singing and ringing cowbells. The custom is maintained and celebrated in many places in the Romansh-speaking cantons, but no two festivals are the same. In Zuoz, for example, Chalandamarz begins two days before March 1st to cover the sprawling village and Madulain, which belongs to the same school district. The boys, dressed as shepherds and flocks, go from house to house with whips and bells, singing songs and cracking whips to drive away the winter. Cracking the whip takes practice - so you can see schoolchildren practicing in Zuoz all February. The main rehearsal takes place two Sundays before March 1st, when all the fountains in the village are circled. The best time to experience the parade remains March 1st on the village square in Zuoz, where the parade ends.