Holidays with a small child in Davos – Swiss Alps in summer

The Swiss Alps have so much to offer and not just in winter. We ventured to Davos in August and wanted to know what you can do with a small child in the summer. You can read what we experienced in Davos and its surroundings in this article.

Davos

Our hotel that Hilton Garden Inn Davos was our starting point for many beautiful excursions in Davos and the surrounding area. As the highest city in Europe and with 11,000 inhabitants, Davos is by no means a big city. But not too small either, for enough shopping opportunities, both for shopping and for everyday needs. However, it is important to note that not all shops are open in summer. Nevertheless, Davos is worth a trip even in the warm season. The mountains all around, with the green and cuddly appearing pastures, are just wonderful. Everything looks so lush green. Actually, as you know it from television, when the commercial with the purple cow is running again.

Directly in front of our hotel was the very beautiful Kurpark, with many playgrounds and small places to linger. Just great for walking or jogging. Those who visit Davos in summer can go hiking, to the outdoor pool, to the bathing lake or to play golf. And these are just a few destinations. Why just go skiing in the Alps!?

Davos Klosters Card guest card

As a highlight for summer guests, you will receive the Davos Klosters Card after staying one night in Davos. A guest card with many advantages for the summer:

• free use of bus and train in Davos
• Discounts or even free admission to attractions
• free use of the mountain railways

What we noticed very strongly was that many hotels had closed and only started operating in winter. This was also confirmed to us at the reception in our hotel. For most it is not worth it in summer because there are not enough tourists. We think it's a pity, because if you do sports in the Alps in winter, you can do it in summer too. This is exactly the right thing for all active vacationers and not beach goers.

Milch Arena Davos – Show dairy

All year round on Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. in the Milch Arena in Davos you can see how cheese is made. From mid-June to the end of September, a trip to the Clavadeler Alp, which is part of the Milch Arena, is also worthwhile. Admission is also free with the Davos Klosters Card, all other numbers CHF 8 and children under 12 can participate free of charge.

We arrived at the dairy just before 10 a.m. and received a very nice welcome from Simone. Since the rooms on the upper floor can be reached via an elevator, families with prams are also very welcome. Cheese production was already in full swing, because the bacteria that make milk into cheese do not follow opening hours. Luckily we hadn't missed much. In the spacious room there is enough space for all guests and through the large glass panes you can follow the work of the master cheesemaker live.

Simone explained everything to us in detail: starting with the milk, where it comes from and how to make 1.5% from high-proof milk. How is milk made into cheese or yoghurt? How do bacteria work? What happens in the ripening cellar? And how does the rind actually get to the cheese? All questions answered here. Some processes in cheese production take a little longer and we used this time to watch a film about the mountain farmers and their dairy cows. During our visit, a soft cheese was being made and we were able to watch the curd being filled into the moulds. Our little son also found it exciting, even if it was just funny for him that so many people were “hanging around”.

At the end, which everyone has been waiting for, there was of course a tasting of different types of cheese, fresh whey (we had never drunk it before and it's very tasty) and raw cheese mass. I was totally surprised by Simone's advice about whey, that it stimulates milk production for breastfeeding. I didn't know, so there was one more cup. I found it very nice and prudent to respond to his guests in this way.

The Davos dairy is definitely worth a visit! We found it very informative and interesting and the family atmosphere is a big part of making you feel comfortable and not just like visiting a museum.

Lake Davos

You can get to Lake Davos either by car or by bus. Since the parking spaces are subject to a charge, we recommend the free bus for holders of the Davos Klosters Card. The mountain lake right in front of the town of Davos is beautifully clear and warm enough to go swimming in summer. All around there is a wide hiking trail with only slight inclines, which is very suitable for prams. With about 1 1/4 hours you are not too long on the road and it is not too exhausting for children. There is a wakeboard facility at one end of the lake which was busy when we walked by. Just a little further is a large free lido. Here you can rent all kinds of equipment for the lake, such as standup paddle boards, kayaks, you can go windsurfing and canoeing. You certainly won't get bored there.

Jakobshorn

This is one of the mountain railways that can be used free of charge with the guest card. The first cable car takes you up to Ischalp at 1931 m. From here numerous hiking trails start uphill and downhill. Unfortunately none suitable for prams. There is a large alpine hut with all kinds of Swiss specialties for your physical well-being. A second, smaller cable car takes you up to the Jakobshorn at 2,590 m. From here there are also hiking trails that are suitable for prams. However, you always have to be aware that you are in the mountains and a stroller that is halfway suitable for off-road use would be an advantage. The trains run every 30 minutes and the staff is very nice and helpful, especially when it comes to parents with children and strollers.

We enjoyed the view of the mountains opposite, even if the weather was a bit cloudy. From up here you can see how many other mountain railways there are and how spacious and wide the valley actually is.

Schatzalp

This mountain railway can also be used free of charge with the Davos Klosters Card. The trip takes a funicular up to 1865 m. It's a bit difficult to get on the train with a stroller, but it's doable because you have to climb a lot of stairs. Once at the top there is the large restaurant Schatzalp and the hotel of the same name, a former sanatorium. The Alpinum is highly recommended. A botanical alpine garden, founded in 1907 with around 5000 plant species. Unfortunately, due to the many small stairs and steep slopes, this is not passable with a stroller. A wide hiking trail takes only 10 minutes up the mountain to the next restaurant, the Strela Alm. There is also a summer toboggan run up here. But this is not very long and only has 8 or 9 small curves. The rush was still quite large, because children always enjoy something like this.

We decided to hike to a waterfall. Unfortunately, there are no hiking trails on the Schatzalp that are suitable for prams. Nevertheless, we just started and wanted to see how far we could get. The circular route takes about 1 hour and, in our opinion, is doable with a stroller that is somewhat off-road (no plastic wheels). It leads up the mountain in serpentines through the forest. You always have a wonderful view of the valley in hairpin bends. Arrived at the waterfall we were a bit disappointed. In summer, with high temperatures and little rainfall, there isn't that much water that can fall. Nevertheless, the circular route is worthwhile simply because of the view.

Waterfall at the Sertigbach - Ducanfall

The Sertigbach is only a 20-minute drive away in a side valley from Davos. Past Sertig Dörfli to the Waslerhus restaurant, where the last parking spaces are. This is where you start the approximately one-hour hike. Follow the Sertigbach mountain stream on a moderate hiking trail right up to the Ducanfall. Except for the last 100 m, everything is accessible with a stroller. The roaring waterfall is very impressive and if you climb a little along the stones, you can even get to the pool where the waterfall falls. The alpine meadows with the numerous herbs all around make you think of Heidi. Now only Goatherd Peter has to come around the corner.

Over the Flüela Pass to St. Moritz

The best way to get from Davos to St. Moritz is over the Flüela Pass. This leads over a height of 2383 m and demands a lot from the car on the serpentine drive. A short stop at the Passhotel Flüela-Hospiz directly on the Schottensee was not only good for our relaxation. At this altitude, it is quite chilly in summer and those who start a hiking tour from here should be prepared for any weather.

St. Moritz

St. Moritz is a beautiful and really rich place, with many small churches. The city center is on the mountain and is therefore somewhat difficult to explore with a stroller. What we saw in the short time were mostly expensive brand shops that are not for normal Otto consumption. We found the Lej da San Murezzan (Lake of St. Moritz) much nicer, known for the White Turf, the horse races on the frozen lake in winter. There is a paved circular path here, on which many people were walking this Saturday. Due to the large area of ​​the lake and the location in the valley, it is very windy and therefore a bit cool. Very good, however, for the surfers and sailboats that were out.

Parking in St. Moritz is chargeable everywhere. Luckily, despite being a high-society city, it's not very expensive. At the lake e.g. only 1CHF/hour. We found the way to pay for the parking lot to be very innovative. You just had to enter the number of the parking space in the machine, then, as in Germany, the amount of money determines the parking time. Unfortunately, you don't get any change. Now you no longer need to put a parking ticket or piece of paper in the car, because which parking space is occupied and how long it can remain can be read out digitally.

Before our trip back to Davos, we actually wanted to go to the Olympic ski jump in St. Moritz. But when we got there, we were kind of confused, because there was nothing more than a pile of stones. A take-off table and everything else for an Olympic ski jump was missing?! Only later did we find out through internet research that it was shut down in 2006 and should have been rebuilt long ago. But as with so many major projects, it's all about money.

Which travel guide can you recommend for Davos or Switzerland?

There is no travel guide specifically for Davos. But we can offer you this Book from ADAC* recommend. Here you will find detailed and comprehensive information on all sights on 144 pages.

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