<p>Discover everything this stylish metropolitan city has to offer.</p>
Photo: Destination Davos Klosters/Marcel Giger

The Ultimate Guide to Davos

Discover everything this stylish metropolitan city has to offer.

Resort Guides
Published at: 1 Jun 2020
Last updated at: 9 Nov 2023

Explore our definitive guide to Davos & discover everything you need to know to enjoy a luxury ski holiday in this stylish metropolitan city.

Alicia Bryan
Alicia Bryan

About Davos

A stylish metropolitan city in the Swiss canton of Graubünden, Davos offers 300 km of slopes across six ski areas with its link to the neighbouring resort of Klosters. Once a quiet and remote farming town, the 1900s saw Davos become a world-renowned health resort through the work of the German doctor Alexander Spengler. Today, Davos is one of Switzerland’s biggest ski stations, hosting several important events across the

calendar including the World Economic Forum and the Parsenn Derby. With two main centres, Platz and Dorf approximately 2 km apart, Dorf is the main area for accessing slopes whilst Platz is the place to be for nightlife and has the majority of shops. Located 154 km from Zurich airport, Davos also has its own railway station connecting the two centres.

Luxury ski resort Davos at nightPhoto: Destination Davos Klosters/Christian Egelmair
Skiing on fresh snow in DavosPhoto: Destination Davos Klosters/Three Piece Media
Snowshoe hiking in DavosPhoto: Destination Davos Klosters/Stefan Schlumpf

Winter in Davos

One of the highest towns in Europe, Davos is located at 1,560m with the Schatzalp cable car in Davos Platz and the Persenn funicular in Davos Dorf. Sharing its ski area with the neighbouring village of Klosters, skiers can explore 320 km of slopes as well as some of the most exhilarating backcountry. Made up of six sectors the Davos/Klosters ski area is ideal for intermediates but also offers the Bolgen nursery slope at the bottom of Jakobshorn for beginners and the challenging black runs through the Meierhofer Tälli for advanced skiers.

Fans of cross-country skiing will be in their element with 100 km of tracks waiting to be explored, with further winter activities such as ice skating on Europe's biggest natural ice rink, as well as tobogganing and snowshoeing on 160 km of winter hiking paths.

Group of skiers on chairlift in DavosPhoto: Destination Davos Klosters/Marcel Giger
Cross country skiing in DavosPhoto: Destination Davos Klosters/Christian Egelmair
Family sledging in DavosPhoto: DDO

Where to stay in Davos

Luxury Ski Chalets in Davos
Living room in luxury ski chalet Tivoli Lodge DavosPhoto: Tivoli Lodge

Conveniently located at just 200 metres on skis from the ski lift, Tivoli Lodge is an ideal ski-in/ ski-out property. A family-friendly chalet at just a five-minute drive from the village centre, this property has everything you could need from an extensive wellness area to a ball pit room for children to play in. With seven bedrooms, Tivoli Lodge can accommodate up to 12 adults and four children.

If you are looking to for a beautiful mountain home only a short drive from the centre then Chalet Jakobshorn is the perfect choice. Penthouse Elbert Lodge is the perfect base for those attending the World Economic Forum with the congress centre within walking distance. We also have access to a variety of off-market properties available for the World Economic Forum.

Where to Eat & Drink in Davos

Restaurant Guide to Davos

With over 100 restaurants in the resort, Davos has something for everyone when it comes to dining out. For a gourmet experience, the Seehof hotel restaurant Chesa combines culinary traditions with the regional produce of the season to create their much-loved dishes of veal schnitzel and apple strudel. If you are after a traditional Swiss dining experience, look no further than the Seehof Fondue Stübli. Here you can choose from a vast selection of fondues such as meat, truffle or the "Davos Fondue" made from local cheeses.

Popular with families, Schneider’s restaurant has a cosy ambience and provides a variety of fresh pizzas and desserts with an adjoining chocolate shop for homemade chocolates. When on the slopes, Schatzalp at the top of the Schatalp funicular is the perfect place to take a break and enjoy a coffee with a view on the large sun terrace. Lovers of sushi will also enjoy a night at Leonto with fresh salmon sashimi and wasabi sorbet.

Top Events in Davos

One of the most important events to be hosted in Davos is the World Economic Forum. Taking place every January, WEF brings together some 3,000 participants from around the world who are aiming to shape global, regional and industry agendas committed to improving the state of the world. This year the World Economic Forum saw speeches from the president of the United States, Donald Trump as well as Climate and Environmental Activist Greta Thunberg.

Following WEF, Davos continues to put on a variety of events including the world-famous figure skating show ‘Art on Ice’, which celebrated its 25th anniversary in February this year. Late December, sees the world’s oldest and most renowned ice hockey tournament, the Spengler Cup. Davos is a paradise for skiing, making it the perfect location to host the Parsenn Derby, one of the oldest downhill races in the world. When summer comes around, Challenge Davos sees competitors swim 1.5 km in the waters of Lake Davos and cycle up the mountain pass of Flüela Pass. Athletes then have the final stretch of their triathlon to complete, running along the shores of Lake Davos towards the finish line.

Sailing on Lake DavosPhoto: Destination Davos Klosters/Christian Egelmair

With 3.8 km of banks, Lake Davos is the perfect place to spend long summer days. From windsurfing to wakeboarding and sailing to pedalo, Lake Davos is the ideal place to enjoy water sports. There is also has a lido for those wishing simply to relax and soak up the summer sun.

Guests visiting Davos in summer can enjoy cycling and hiking as well as the adventure park of Davos which has five high-wire courses. Golf fanatics can also practise their technique on the Davos and Klosters courses with nine other Graubünden golf courses nearby.