🇨🇭 Canton guide
Graubünden: living, going out and working in the canton
Everything about the canton of Graubünden: three official languages, institutions, tax for cross-border workers (outside the 1983 agreement), the Rhätische Bahn, specialities, museums, Chur, the Engadine, and an interactive map.
Photo (cropped): Ben Bender, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- residents at the end of 2025 (Federal Statistical Office)
- 207,400
- of the population are foreign nationals (calculated, end of 2025)
- 21.2%
- in Switzerland: the canton is not in the 1983 agreement
- At source
- official on an equal footing: German, Romansh, Italian (Constitution, Art. 3)
- 3 languages
10 sections≈ 13 min readSources checked on November 6, 2026
The interactive map
45 places marked: landmarks, museums, transport, restaurants, nights out and events. Tap a point to learn more.
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Places on the map (45)
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Graubünden is the largest canton in Switzerland (7,105 km², or 17.2% of the territory), a canton of mountains and valleys with 207,400 inhabitants, whose capital is Chur. It is trilingual: German, Romansh and Italian are national and official languages on an equal footing. It is divided into eleven regions and has no border with France, and it is not one of the eight cantons of the 1983 agreement: for a French cross-border worker this means being taxed at source in Switzerland, at the ordinary rates, and not in France as in Basel or Neuchâtel.
This page gathers what you need to know to live, go out and work in the canton of Graubünden: languages, institutions, tax, transport, food and specialities, museums, nature, stages, traditions. The figures come from official sources listed at the bottom of the page. Venues open, close and change their hours: always check with them before you travel. The interactive map further down shows the eleven regions and about forty places, from Chur to the Lower Engadine.
1. Graubünden at a glance
| Marker | What to know |
|---|---|
| Population | 207,400 inhabitants at the end of 2025 (permanent resident population) |
| Foreign nationals | 44,059 people, i.e. 21.2%; 163,341 Swiss |
| Area | 7,105 km², i.e. 17.2% of Switzerland (Graubünden Ferien) |
| Capital | Chur, 39,753 inhabitants (24.4% foreign) |
| Regions | Plessur (44,972 inhab.), Landquart (26,995), Prättigau / Davos (26,766), Imboden (22,255), Surselva (21,977), Maloja (18,385), Viamala (14,597), Moesa (9,511), Engiadina Bassa / Val Müstair (9,197), Albula (8,148), Bernina (4,597) |
| Other towns named | Davos (10,738 inhab., 29.6% foreign), St. Moritz (5,027, 44.8%), Arosa (3,144, 26.8%), Flims (2,954, 24.2%), Disentis/Mustér (2,163, 18.5%), Laax (2,104, 17.9%) |
| Canton figures | 150 valleys, 1,038 lakes, 937 peaks; lowest point San Vittore (279 m), highest Piz Bernina (4,049 m) |
| Government | 5 members, elected by majority vote (art. 38 and 39) |
| Parliament | Grand Council of 120 members, elected by proportional representation (art. 27) |
| Tax of the French cross-border worker | At source in Switzerland (outside the 1983 agreement) |
The percentage of foreign nationals is calculated from the figures in the Federal Statistical Office table "Resident population" (2025); the figures by region and municipality come from the same table. The Constitution is dated 14 September 2003; the version read is the one published as of 1 January 2025.
2. Languages
Article 3 of the Constitution is clear: German, Romansh and Italian are the national and official languages of the canton, on an equal footing. The canton and the municipalities support Romansh and Italian, and each municipality chooses its official and school languages, taking into account the traditional language composition and minorities. In practice you may therefore meet three languages depending on the municipality; we did not read the breakdown by valley.
French is not an official language. The texts we read (Constitution, tax circular, state pages) are in German; the contract, payslip and forms generally are too, or in Italian in the south. No main-language statistic was read: we therefore give no percentage of speakers. For formalities, count on German or English; in very international resorts (St. Moritz has 44.8% foreign nationals, Davos 29.6%) English is common, but this is not a rule.
3. How the canton is governed
| Institution | What the Constitution says |
|---|---|
| Right to vote | Swiss citizens aged 18 and over living in the canton (art. 9); municipalities may grant foreign nationals the right to vote and stand in municipal matters |
| Grand Council | 120 members elected by proportional representation (art. 27), in at most 39 constituencies; seats are distributed according to the Swiss resident population |
| Government | 5 members, a collegial body (art. 38), elected by majority vote (art. 39) |
| Term of office | Four years (art. 23) |
| Constitutional initiative | 4,000 voters or one seventh of the municipalities (art. 12) |
| Legislative initiative | 3,000 voters or one eighth of the municipalities (art. 12); the people must vote within two years (art. 15) |
| Mandatory referendum | Amendments to the Constitution, initiatives rejected by the Grand Council, one-off spending of more than CHF 10 million or recurring spending of more than CHF 1 million (art. 16) |
| Optional referendum | 1,500 voters or one tenth of the municipalities, within 90 days: laws, one-off spending of CHF 1 to 10 million, recurring spending of CHF 300,000 to 1 million (art. 17) |
| Organisation of the territory | Eleven regions: Albula, Bernina, Engiadina Bassa / Val Müstair, Imboden, Landquart, Maloja, Moesa, Plessur, Prättigau / Davos, Surselva, Viamala (art. 68) |
A cross-border worker has no right to vote in the canton: they vote in neither cantonal elections nor cantonal ballots, and the municipal voting right granted to foreign nationals depends on each municipality.
4. Working in Graubünden as a cross-border worker
| Point | What we read |
|---|---|
| 1983 agreement | The Federal Council signed it on behalf of Bern, Solothurn, Basel-Stadt, Basel-Landschaft, Vaud, Valais, Neuchâtel and Jura: Graubünden is not one of them |
| Fribourg tax office | According to its instructions, the agreement "concerns only" these eight cantons |
| Aargau | Its tax office describes the situation of a canton outside the agreement: French cross-border workers taxed at the ordinary rates (A, B, C, H), with a tax credit in France |
| Graubünden tax administration | "Source tax" section: guides and leaflets, tariffs, forms, the SofTax GR QUEST software for the statement, online request for an extension of the deadline; news announced for source tax |
| Circular no. 45 (2026 edition, published by the canton) | Document of the Federal Tax Administration (12 June 2019): an employee resident abroad (cross-border, weekly or short-stay) is subject to source tax on pay from a Swiss employer, subject to the applicable convention |
| Special tariffs | The circular provides code F for Italian cross-border workers and codes L, M, N, P for German ones; France appears only in a calculation example ("quasi-resident") |
| Cantonal minimum wage | Not read; check the collective agreement of your sector (see our guide on the CCNT) |
| Number of cross-border workers | Not read |
The circular also describes quasi-residence: a person resident abroad whose gross worldwide income (including the spouse's) is, as a rule, at least 90% taxable in Switzerland can request a subsequent ordinary assessment by 31 March of the following year, to be renewed every year. The detail of your case (tax scale, deduction, 45 days, telework, health insurance) depends on your situation: follow our guides rather than this page.
5. Getting around
| Means | What we read |
|---|---|
| Rhätische Bahn (RhB) | Mountain railway whose Albula and Bernina lines are a UNESCO World Heritage site; Bernina Express and Glacier Express; main departure at Chur station |
| "Gourmino" dining car | Restaurant on wheels on the Albula line, from Chur to St. Moritz, until 31 December 2026 |
| Landwasserviadukt | Hennings viewing platform five minutes from the "Schmitten GR Landwasserviadukt" stop |
| PostBus | From Chur to Flims / Laax ("Flims Bergbahnen" stop) and to Trin Mulin; the 7132 Therme in Vals is reached by SBB to Chur, RhB to Ilanz, then PostBus for the last 20 km |
| Brambrüesch | Ascent by cable lift from the city of Chur, 1,000 metres of elevation gain |
| Muzeum Susch | Reachable by the RhB from Chur, Landquart/Prättigau or the Upper Engadine |
We did not read a detailed line map, timetables or fares. Check your journey on the SBB and RhB websites before choosing where to live.
6. Eating and drinking
| Place | What we read |
|---|---|
| Restaurant Hofkellerei (Hof 1, Chur) | "The oldest restaurant in the city", a Gothic room of 1522, reopened in November 2023; 30 seats |
| Veltliner Weinstube zum Stern (Reichsgasse 11, Chur) | 13 Gault-Millau points; open daily 11:30 am to 2:30 pm and 6 pm to 11 pm |
| GILDE Zunfthaus zur Rebleuten (Pfisterplatz 1, Chur) | Swiss and Grisons cooking in a listed guild room; closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays |
| Fondue Beizli (Untere Gasse 25, Chur) | Varied fondues and Swiss dishes |
| Restaurant Bierhalle (Poststrasse 41, Chur) | Home cooking; Sundays 2 pm to 6 pm, Ländler music (except in summer) |
| Restaurant VA BENE (Gäuggelistrasse 60, Chur) | Gourmet restaurant, banquet rooms for up to 230 people |
| Restaurant Sommerau (Emserstrasse 4, Chur) | Regional and Mediterranean classics, daily 6:30 am to 10 pm |
| Bergbaiz (Riedboda, Brambrüesch) | Mountain restaurant; Sunday brunch in a package with the lift |
| Specialities | Capuns (chard leaves filled with spätzle dough, dried beef and salsiz), Maluns (potatoes and flour), Pizzoccheri (Valposchiavo), Plain in Pigna (Engadine oven rösti), Nusstorte, Gerstensuppe, Churer Fleischtorte, Birnbrot, Röteli (cherry liqueur) |
The Chur tourist board also sorts restaurants by cuisine (gourmet, Italian, international) and mentions the Caffè Quintacoira (Paradisgasse 4, coffee roasted on the spot). No complete list was read; no restaurant is given outside Chur, except the Bergbaiz: we give only the addresses whose page we read.
7. What to see and do
Chur
| Place | What we read |
|---|---|
| Old town | The city presents itself as the oldest in Switzerland: first traces of settlement around 11,000 BC, episcopal city in 451, canton created in 1799-1803 |
| Roman excavations (Seilerbahnweg) | In the Welschdörfli quarter, Roman buildings are still visible on the "Ackermann" site |
| Bündner Kunstmuseum (Bahnhofstrasse 35) | Neoclassical Villa Planta of 1875 and an extension of 2016 |
| Rätisches Museum (Hofstrasse 1) | The history of Graubünden over four floors |
| Bündner Naturmuseum (Masanserstrasse 31) | Animals, plants and rocks of the canton |
| Domschatzmuseum (Hof 19) | Cathedral treasure and wall paintings of 1543 |
| Weinbaumuseum Torculum (Neubruchstrasse 31) | Exhibition on the vine and the wine press |
| Brambrüesch | Bike park, cross golf, scooters, renaturalised fen; in winter, the longest toboggan run in Switzerland |
Valleys, the Engadine and the mountains
| Place | What we read |
|---|---|
| Kloster St. Johann (Müstair) | UNESCO World Heritage site; oldest parts from 775; 9th-century frescoes; museum CHF 12 |
| Segantini Museum (St. Moritz) | Main collection of Giovanni Segantini; about 25,000 visitors a year |
| Muzeum Susch (Susch) | Art museum opened in January 2019, in a rural monastery founded in 1157 |
| Kirchner Museum (Davos) | The art of Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, who lived in Davos from 1918 to 1938 |
| Palazzo Castelmur (Stampa) | "Confectioner's castle" completed in 1854; open in summer |
| 7132 Therme (Vals) | Thermal bath by Peter Zumthor in local quartzite; buy your ticket in advance |
| Steinkirche Cazis | Church with three concrete "rocks", inaugurated in 2002, still unfinished |
| Capella Sogn Benedetg (Sumvitg) | Wooden chapel by Peter Zumthor, 1989, after an avalanche destroyed the old one in 1984 |
| Swiss National Park (Zernez) | The only national park in Switzerland, 100 km of trails, nature left untouched for 100 years |
| Crestasee (Flims) | Clear lake at 844 m, protected natural monument, reachable on foot |
8. Bars, stages and nights out
| Place | What we read |
|---|---|
| Giger Bar (Comercialstrasse 23, Chur) | Bar designed and furnished by H. R. Giger, the creator of "Alien", in the Kalchbühl-Center |
| Werkstatt (Untere Gasse 9, Chur) | Listed former coppersmith's workshop; seasonal menus, modern bar culture |
| Theater Chur (Kauffmannstrasse 6) | The city's theatre, the largest in the canton |
| Klibühni (Kirchgasse, Chur) | Old-town theatre, for forty years |
| Postremise (Chur) | Building of 1864, first a riding hall and theatre, now a performance venue |
| JazzChur | More than 50 events a year with more than 120 musicians |
| Kammerphilharmonie Graubünden | Professional orchestra for more than 30 years |
The Chur venues are the only ones whose page we read; no list of bars or clubs in the resorts (Davos, St. Moritz, Laax, Arosa) was read, and no bar or club opening hours either.
9. Traditions and highlights
| Event | When | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Chalandamarz | 1 March | In the Engadine, Val Müstair, Bregaglia, Poschiavo, Misox and Val Surses, children drive out winter with big bells |
| Schlitteda | January | Decorated sleigh rides in the Upper Engadine, with couples in costume |
| Pschuuri | Afternoon of Ash Wednesday | In Splügen, young men in furs and masks run through the village with bells |
| Trer Schibettas | Saturday after Ash Wednesday | In Danis, boys send burning wooden discs down into the valley |
| Hom Strom | Date not read, evening at 8 pm | A fire around an eight-metre straw figure; reading the flames foretells the harvest |
| Alpabzüge | End of the alpine summer | Cattle drives down from the alpine pastures, with market and festival in Brigels, Flims or Müstair |
| Spengler Cup | 2026, dates not read | 98th edition in Davos, presented as the oldest club tournament in the world |
| "Bauen im UNESCO Welterbe" exhibition | From 12 September 2026 | At the Bahnmuseum Albula, in Bergün |
Sources
- Constitution of the canton of Graubünden (110.100): version of 1 January 2025; art. 3, 9, 12, 15, 16, 17, 23, 27, 38, 39, 68. Text in German.
- Federal Statistical Office: resident population (table px-x-0102010000_101, 2025): population, foreign nationals, regions, municipalities.
- Agreement of 11 April 1983 on the taxation of cross-border workers; Fribourg tax office: "source tax" instructions; Aargau tax office: memo on the taxation of cross-border workers.
- Graubünden tax administration: guides and leaflets on source tax; circular no. 45 (2026).
- Site guides, checked against official sources: G permit, contract and salary (CCNT).
- Graubünden Ferien: canton figures, specialities, customs, sights; Chur Tourismus: museums, restaurants, stages, Brambrüesch; Rhätische Bahn; Swiss National Park; Spengler Cup.
- Map coordinates: © OpenStreetMap contributors; base map © swisstopo.
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