Bad Ragaz – Tamina Gorge – Altes Bad Pfäfers – Pfäfers – Bad Ragaz

From Bad Ragaz wander through the charming town centre in the direction of the thermal baths. Before reaching the exclusive looking baths, hiking signs will show the way to the Tamina gorge (Taminaschlucht).

Enter the gorge with the Tamina river on your left with the left gorge wall impressively rising vertically.

If it has recently rained there will be plenty of mini-waterfalls tumbling down from the left and right. Even if not the rock formations and scale of the gorge are still impressive.

After half an hour pass under the extremely elegant Tamina bridge – 200m up above – the highest arched bridge in Europe Opened in 2016, it is over 400m long, took 5 years to build and cost CHF56 million.

After another 30 minutes the Old Bath House (Altes Bad Pfafers) will be reached. In 1240, two hunters discovered a spring with water at a very pleasant 36.5°C. The local monks found the water to have a healing effect. Over the next few hundred years the baths grew to become an internationally renowned spa. The old baths are now a nature, culture and leisure oasis.

After having marvelled at the old baths you can pay 5CHF at the turnstile to visit  to walk along a rather exciting, well protected path in the ever narrowing gorge. As the air temperature continues to rise you will enter an easily accessible tunnel. Finally can view the grotto fed by the thermal waters.

After having visited the grotto, return to the old bath house and look for a hiking sign towards Pfäfers. It’s behind the old bath house and to the right in the direction that you walked up the gorge. Walk quite steeply up to the right and then after 15-30 minutes you will come to the Naturbrücke (natural bridge).

This is simply a way over the gorge to the other side. Now it will climb up even more steeply on the left hand side. There are lots of wooden steps which are quite slippery if wet – hold on to the handrail.

Once out of the gorge, follow the road to Pfäfers  – first mentioned in 762 – marvelling at Europe’s highest arched bridge for a second time, but this time from a different angle.

Walk through the village and once heading out of the village turn right and head down through the local vineyard catching views of Burg Wartenstein originally built in 1216.

Continue walking down to the valley, cross the road leading to Bad Ragaz until you meet the river Rhine. Follow the river downstream with Liechtenstein on your right, past the Bad Ragaz golf course (a scary 180CHF for 18 holes). Eventually turn left and head back into Bad Ragaz for a well earned beer, milkshake or hot chocolate.