Sion Switzerland - the hills overlooking Sion

 

Thanks to the two medieval castles on the hills overlooking Sion, you can spot this fascinating town from a mile away. This is one of the best villages in Switzerland to visit if you enjoy culture and history. Two prominent hills rise up in the middle of the town, each with a castle built on top.

The steep terrain around it naturally defends the impressive structure.

You’ll have to climb steep stairs to reach the top and see the castle up close, so get ready for a workout of note. On the opposite hill, facing the castle, sits the fortified church, Valère Basilica. Inside you’ll find a 500-year-old organ — one of the oldest functioning organs in the world.

There are also plenty of other historical monuments and excellent wine farms to explore in Sion. Most notably, the winery Les Celliers de Sion has a cellar right at the heart of the town with a 100-year-old history.

Then there’s always the Bisse du Torrent Neuf. These are old irrigation channels carved into the mountain faces that fed water to the vineyards of the Valais region.

This may all be interesting for the adults, but the kids may not be so keen.

So, amongst the sightseeing, pop over to Domaine des Iles for a day of fun in Sion’s premier adventure park. Sion is located only an hour away from Lausanne by either car or train, so whilst you could visit this town on a day trip, we recommend you stay for at least 2 nights.