Nearby Destinations
Explore Switzerland
Switzerland's only national park occupies 170 square kilometers of the Lower Engadin valley, where the Spöl and Ova dal Fuorn rivers have carved deep gorges through dolomite peaks since the last ice age. The park was established in 1914, making it one of the oldest protected wilderness areas in the Alps. Zernez serves as the gateway village, its Romansch-speaking population maintaining traditions that predate Swiss Confederation membership. The Hotel Parc Naziunal and handful of historic inns here cater to naturalists and hikers seeking ibex, chamois, and golden eagles across 21 marked trails.
Dining in the region follows Engadin rhythms: hearty Bündnerfleisch and barley soup after mountain excursions, local dairy cheeses paired with wines from the Graubünden slopes. The village of Scuol, twenty minutes north, adds thermal bath culture and a livelier après-hike scene with wood-paneled stübli serving rösti and game dishes. Accommodation options remain deliberately limited — the park's protective mandate keeps development minimal, meaning advance booking proves essential during the July-to-September walking season and December cross-country skiing period.