Switzerland 

The journey to the well-known Swiss resort of Arosa can have as much magic as following Finian’s Rainbow. Let me tell you about two trips I have made to this fashionable resort—one a dozen years ago with my fiancée Connie, the second alone in February, 2007.

On the first trip we drove to the medieval city of Chur, capital of Graübünden, eastern-most canton of Switzerland. We stayed in the romantic Hotel Stern, after strolling through cobblestone streets and imagining life of centuries ago. The next morning we spent an hour driving up through a stunning landscape of alpine meadows, forests and gorges—with so many switchbacks I thought I would suffer from gear shift wrist. When we made a final turn Arosa rose from the snow, like a German-speaking Glocca Morra.

How were things in this remote health resort? Well, for starters, we saw the frozen lake on which you can skate, when they are not racing horses or greyhounds. Hotels and apartments appeared to spread out in different sections of the village. Well-dressed shoppers stepped aside for horse drawn sleighs in the commercial area.

It was a classic scene straight out of a brochure, especially when we looked up at the vast skiing terrain. High above was the Weisshorn, a south-facing mountain nearly 9,000 feet high. Arosa’s base elevation is 5,900 feet, so the vertical drop is less than 2,800, modest when compared with many other resorts in the Alps but ideal for cruising. Nearly 40 miles of prepared runs are now serviced with 13 lifts.

Across from the Weisshorn is slightly lower Hörnli area. Between them are billowing snowfields on which intermediates can have a ball. Experts don’t have as many choices; only 15 percent of the area is considered advanced. Connie and I enjoyed the wide, groomed trails, nearly always above the treeline. We did not get bored.

Today’s advanced skiers can be content with miles and miles of off-piste, and if they are truly adventurous they can make a backcountry adventure over to Lenzerheide, another popular resort in the region..

Maybe experts should be philosophical and believe they have made a sacrifice for their families. This is a place for parents to be with their leprechauns.

Sixteen miles of cross country loops and 37 miles of winter walking paths make this a popular resort for folks who do not have the compulsion to rush downhill on skis or snowboards. Some of these paths cut through groomed pistes, but skiers can look far enough ahead to avoid strollers.

Other winter activities include parasailing and hang gliding, ballooning, curling. Fitness center, swimming and tennis are indoor pastimes. Although Arosa draws a quiet, affluent crowd, the tourist office is helpful in finding suitable accommodations for every pocketbook.

Connie and I felt we had successfully chased our own rainbow.

The Second Visit. Connie isn’t skiing this winter, so I came alone by train from western Switzerland. I had visited other resorts, hopscotching around the country because of the flexibility I had while traveling with a Eurail pass. In Chur I switched to the Rhaetian mountain railway for another exciting ride. Better than by car, because I had the freedom to look and ignore the next bend in the road.

This time I stayed in the four-star Sunstar Park Hotel in a room with a sensational view. The hotel was removed from the busy commercial area, but their own van ran regularly to main spots in town and the ski lifts. Amenities were many and the cuisine excellent. Families chirped happily in the dining room.

The hotel was large enough to afford its own rental shop, where I was able to borrow the same model skis that I had left at home. A first for me was a plastic card that not only opened my bedroom door, but it also served as a hands-free lift pass. It’s part of a promotion the hotel has for guests booking at least three nights.

I worked the chip in that card overtime. If you look at the map above, you can see why, after hours on the slopes, I was too tired to enjoy lively aprés-ski activities. All that white on the map is real. And Arosa trades on it with its website—schneesicher.ch. Snow sure dot ch, but in the U.S. it’s arosa.com.

One night I did venture back out of the hotel for a show on the snow. At the mid-station of the cable-car hundreds of guests were treated to a half-hour, sound and light production called Mountains of Fantasy. Multi-colored laser beams drew designs and figures on the snow and fireworks added to the fun. I nursed a beer as I watched from under an open-air but covered bar.

Despite its abundance of events and attractions, Arosa has a relaxed atmosphere. It will be nice to come back for a third visit—with Connie, of course,