The Therme Vals is the village’s most famous address. Peter Zumthor designed the baths from thousands of slabs of local quartzite, creating a sequence of warm, cold, dark and open-air pools around the St. Peter spring. Entry should be reserved in advance, particularly at weekends.
Vals deserves more than a visit to the baths. The village is interesting for its architecture, bringing together traditional Walser houses, local stone, and contemporary buildings within a very small area. Guided architecture and village tours are available on selected days.
In summer, paths start directly from the village and climb towards forests, alpine meadows, lakes, and the higher valleys around Peil, Länta, and Kanal. Easy walks above the stone roofs work for a quiet morning, while the Three Lakes Hike is a full-mountain day passing Guraletschsee, Ampervreilasee, and Selvasee.
Zervreila lies further up the valley, where the reservoir sits beneath the sharp profile of Zerfreilahorn. The landscape around Frunt, with its small chapel above the lake, is one of the area’s most recognisable views. It can be explored on foot, by bike or by combining the local bus and gondola.
Winter in Vals stays compact and quiet. The local ski area has around 25 kilometres of pistes reaching nearly 3,000 metres, with far fewer people than the larger resorts in Graubünden. There are also groomed winter walking trails, snowshoe trails, sledging routes, and ski-touring routes. The free local ski and hiking bus and gondola access included with the guest card make it possible to leave the car parked for much of the stay.
