Things to Do in Sion

If you are looking for a destination to spend quality time with your kids and family, come to Lax Souterrain St-Leonard. Situated along the Rhone valley, this subterranean lake lies between Sion and Sierre. It stretches for around 300 meters and you can explore this largest natural underground lake of Europe on a boat. The duration will hardly take around half an hour. While on the boat ride, enjoy the view of the crystal clear water of lake and the fascinating details of the nature surrounding the lake. The guide will explain you about the historical and geographical facts related to this lake. Make sure you have your camera ready to capture the perfect shots of the lake.

Try to board the boats that organize concerts on the lake on special occasions.

At the foothill of the lower hill of Sion, lies this beautiful church which is often referred as an ideal example of perfect combination of secular and sacred power, reflecting the glorious days of the church. The strong stone walls of the fortress guards both the church as well as the chateau. The striking feature of the whole fortress is its raw beauty. Unlike other fortresses that undergo many changes to get the perfect look, this fortress still retains its primitive look. You can make that out from the remaining fragments like the 16th century frescoes, 17th century stalls painted with scenes of the Passion, cabinet painted with medieval scenes of Christianity.

Beside the church, the chateau also houses the Musee d’Histoire (History Museum), Museum of Nature and Art Museum. Visit the museums to take a journey through history.

Located on the opposite hills of Basilique de Valera, this beautiful castle was once ruined in the year 1788 because of fire. You can see the ruins still left on the rocky spire of the hill. In order to reach over there, you need to climb up steep stairs, winding around the hills. The stairs might look scary but the scenic beauty surrounding the place has a healing effect to make you forget about your fear for heights. Once you reach the top, cross the ring wall surrounding the castle and walk on the irregular top of the spire. On the south-western side corner, you will find the 15th century old chapel and on the west side a pentagonal fortified building. The highlighted features of the castle are the frescoes, the slender watch tower, southern wall of the castle and some of the interior portion of the castle that has remained undamaged even in fire.

The strangest fact about this lake is it was formed due to massive landslide in the 18th century. With the landslide, forests arose around the lake giving the lake a perfect picturesque backdrop. Today, this beautiful natural reserve with pristine beauty attracts thousands of nature lovers and geologists from all around the world. The tracks along the lake are popular for hiking and cycling.

Hence, if you are keen about some morning refreshment, hop on to your bicycle and ride along the lake surrounded by fresh air to breathe in.

Sion Cathedral, as it is popularly known is said to be the seat of the Diocese of Sion. It was initially built as a small church in 10th century. Later on, with the increasing number of pilgrims and worshippers visiting the church, it was expanded in the year 1714. Today, the church is an important religious destination for pilgrims. The primary reason for it’s popularly is because of the existence of the seven-foot Virgin Mary statue standing on the top of the bell tower which is around 148 foot high. For the tourist, beside the statue of Virgin Mary, the church also has a museum that displays many archeological artifacts, a cloister, orchard gardens and the Monument of Peace. Make sure you visit the lookout point from where you get a partial panoramic view of the surrounding area.

Located in the Domaine des Iles, this park is a perfect destination for those who wish to have an adrenaline rush. The adventurous activities included within the park are not only confined to adults, kids can simultaneously take part in it. Even for toddlers there are few activities which are quite interesting to see.

Separate picnic area with sheds and benches is also available where you can enjoy nice lunch with your family and friends. A great spot to spend half a day with friends and family!

A great place to spend half a day tour with family!

Tucked at the corner of the Old Town’s courtyard, this grand residence was built by Georges Supersaxo in the year 1505. The house is now being used by the municipality of Sion. The striking features of the residence are the Gothic staircase, grand hall with a beautifully decorated ceiling. The highlight of the ceiling is the carvings and the paintings done on it by Jacobinus Malacrida. This grand hall is located on the second floor of the residence. Today, the entire second floor has been taken over by the municipality.

Another part of this residence has been turned into a restaurant and now, it belongs to the bourgeoisie of Zion.

If you are travelling in winter season, visit this beautiful seasonal tourist destination where you get to enjoy adventurous snow activities with your families. For skaters and ice hockey lovers, the Snow Garden of Tourbillon is a heaven. The Outdoor Ice Rink region lets you enjoy skating and ice hockey games. Fully covered with ice, the entire area lets you play around with snow without getting worried about time. You can enjoy other activities like skiing and sledging.

For refreshment, you can grab a small bite from the cafe located with the outdoor ice rink.

Located at the north-western side of Sion, right at the top of the rocky peak of Montorge, stands the Montorge castle in a ruin state. Build in 1233 by Aymon de Chablais, the primary aim behind its construction was to keep a control on the Rhone Valley and the road to High Valais. However, during the War of Rarogne in 1417, the entire castle was burned. What you see now is the remaining of this magnificent castle symbolizing the never-ending battle that continued between the Counts of Savoy and the Bishop of Sion. However, hiking all the way up to the castle is a worthy visit. From the castle, you can enjoy a stunning panoramic view of the surrounding area.

It is a Swiss Center of Art in Sion (Valais). Inside the center, there is a large exhibition space, a concert hall, a studio, studio displaying artwork of around 10 artists and a restaurant for refreshment. The studio gives exposure to new comers as well as experienced artists from the field of visual art, at both national and international level. Apart from that, the art center also organize residency program.

Pay a visit to this center to take a look on to some of the best visual artwork of Sion.

Situated in the Sion Valley in the French part of the Alp region.