Who doesn’t know the story of Heidi? Johanna Spyri’s 19th-century children’s novel tells the tale of the little orphan girl sent to live with her grumpy grandfather on the top of a Swiss mountain. Heidi’s cheerfulness and good nature ignite joy in all who encounter her.
The same can be said of the holiday region of Heidiland in Eastern Switzerland, an hour from Zurich, too. With impressive mountains, pure air and crystal clear lakes it’s one of the most beautiful regions of the country.
Covering just 24 square miles, at this time of year Heidiland offers hiking and swimming and is also home to the Heidi Village, based around Spyri’s best-selling book. But that’s not all. OK! rounds up four reasons why Heidiland truly is like something out of a storybook.
(Image: GETTY)
Five-star rest
The beautiful Grand Resort Bad Ragaz is an elegant complex of hotels, spas, golf courses and restaurants with wellbeing at its heart. Perched on the edge of the village of Bad Ragaz, it offers five-star treatment but is entirely unstuffy. We stayed in the Quellenhof, where the rooms are spacious and there’s everything you need, including thoughtful toiletries made from the local thermal water, power showers and a Nespresso coffee machine.
There’s also a very impressive duvet and pillow menu – including an anti-ageing one – to ensure you get the best night’s sleep possible, which we certainly did. Our room had a balcony, too, and sitting with a coffee gazing at the snow-topped mountains was pure balm for the soul.
On the go
It’s all about the great outdoors here. The winter attracts skiers and snowboarders of all abilities, from daredevils to children just starting out. During our stay we met holidaymakers who were going off cross-country walking with a great sense of camaraderie that was so contagious, we too decided to go on a hike. A cable car to Prodalp followed by a 240m climb to Panüöl rewarded us with incredible views as our cheeks turned rosy in the sun. Take a chair lift to the Maschgenkamm to admire the spectacular Churfirsten mountain range and Lake Walen, one of Switzerland’s largest lakes, with the clearest blue water.
If you’re in search of culture, pop over the border to Liechtenstein, just 15 minutes away, to the municipality’s Kunstmuseum (art museum), or spend time in Bad Ragaz, which has impressive artworks dotted around both the streets and the grounds of the Grand Resort.
Time to unwind
After all that exercise and art musing, unwind at the resort’s amazing spas. The Tamina Therme is open to everyone and for a public spa is simply superb. There are saunas, indoor and outdoor pools and a steam room. There’s also a circuit of pummelling jets you can follow. And this being Switzerland it works like clockwork, with everyone following the pattern politely and efficiently.
The resort’s Helena pool, for guests, is a thing of beauty and the facilities in its spa are top notch. We tried the Mind Relaxing Aroma Massage, where aromatherapy oils, soothing music and a real unknotting of limbs was bliss. Everything here is centred on the thermal water from the nearby Tamina gorge, which is pumped into the hotel and the spa. You can drink it, too – at 36.5 degrees it’s warm and loaded with minerals.
Where to refuel
There are seven restaurants at the Grand Resort, with an impressive six Michelin stars among them. We loved the cosy Zollstube with its Alpine vibe and waitresses in traditional dirndl dress. Our fondue of Gruyère and Vacherin cheese, with dipping spuds and bread, was very moreish. The Zollstube also serves about 20 different kinds of beer, including the resort’s delicious Quell, brewed with the local thermal water. The water is such a thing here, there’s even a water sommelier.
At the one-Michelin star Verve by Sven, local ingredients are given a 21st- century twist, with dishes like mushroom broth with Swiss kimchi and roasted beetroot with alpine barley. Breakfast at Verve was Bircher muesli and incredible home-baked bread with an emphasis on healthy and local. Want to push the boat out? Try Sven Wassmer’s incredible three-star Michelin restaurant Memories.
Swiss wine, too, is a revelation and we sampled a fabulous local pinot noir and sauvignon blanc. But our favourite spot was by the toasty fire in the lobby, a Quell beer in hand – simply heaven.
How to book
Rates at Grand Resort Bad Ragaz start at 590 CHF (approx £518) per night based on two people sharing, including breakfast. For more details, visit resortragaz.ch/en/
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