Hello lovelies, last weekend we got to experience a magical road trip to Safiental. Safiental doesn't ring a bell? I have to admit, until recently it was the same for me. The Safien Valley lies in the beautiful canton of Graubünden, home to the impressive Rhine Gorge and a uniquely wild and romantic mountain landscape. We owe this adventure in Safiental to Mazda Switzerland*, because we set off on this #mymagicroadtrip in the new Mazda CX-5. It led us not only into the valley, but also over gorgeous passes to our destination: a Design Cube that we got to call home for one night.
But let me start from the beginning. We set off on Saturday in Zurich by picking up the Mazda CX-5. After a quick introduction to the car's technology, we were good to go. We left urban Zurich behind us fast, because we were on the hunt for nature and adventure, after all.
We decided on the route through the canton of Glarus, and right away the journey wound into beautiful valleys and breathtaking mountain panoramas.
KLAUSEN PASS We chose the route over the Klausen Pass, because neither of us had ever driven it and we wanted to explore a new side of Switzerland. That decision was absolutely the right one. The drive up the pass is a real experience, and the view that awaits you at the top is incomparable. The Klausen Pass runs from Linthal to Altdorf and connects the cantons of Glarus and Uri. Up at the summit, beside a chapel, there's a parking lot, a kiosk with a restaurant, and a self-service restaurant. And you also walk in the footsteps of the famous William Tell – his monument stands on the village square in Altdorf.
The next stop was Andermatt; we made a short break in the tranquil alpine village for a little refreshment and then continued our route toward Safiental.
Over the Oberalp Pass we carried on toward the Cube, also passing Lake Tuma – this is the source of the Rhine, and the lake can be reached from the road with a short hike (sadly the weather had already turned by then, so we decided against it). You can even pan for gold in the Disentis Sedrun holiday region.
SAFIENTAL Once in Safiental, we drove past lots of farm shops and little farmhouses. So if you'd like to buy local products, you should definitely stop at one of these sweet shops – many are even self-service and therefore always open. And you'll find charming cafés too, like the Z'Cafi in Safien Platz. In terms of driving, the road is a bit of a challenge, but no problem at all with our Mazda off-roader. Only when the postal bus comes toward you do you really need to make room!
CUBE And there it stood at the end of a lonely gravel path: the Mazda DESIGN Cube, which would be our home for the night. Stylishly furnished by Colombo La Famiglia, with a sofa bed, a coffee machine, and a complete bathroom with toilet and shower – what more could you want. And with a view like this, you can only feel good. We were lucky, because shortly after we arrived it started to rain heavily. But that only made the mood extra special, and so it was wonderfully cozy inside the Cube.
While the rain pattered on the Cube, we prepared a delicious dinner from the generous picnic basket that Farmy.ch had packed for us. Fresh vegetables, dips, lovely bread, and of course a good glass of Swiss wine – perfect for winding down an eventful day. Sadly the telescope didn't get used, because it stayed cloudy through the night, but you have no influence over the weather, and I found the fog over the valley really beautiful and special too.
After a cozy night, we actually woke up to blue skies and sunshine, so the rain was quickly forgotten. Wonderful, because now the table in front of the Cube could come into use, and we enjoyed the rest of the Farmy picnic basket there for breakfast. Farmy was so kind and put together a wonderful vegan package for me – fresh juice, jam, vegan butter, they thought of everything! And you don't have to go without coffee in the Cube either: thanks to the coffee machine from La Mar Cafe, you can make yourself a delicious breakfast latte. We then enjoyed breakfast at length in the sun, accompanied by the sound of cowbells – lovely. And then, sadly, it was already time to say goodbye to the Cube. What a magical place; the overnight stay will surely stay in our memory for a long time.
On the way back we got to experience Safiental once more in beautiful weather – so incredibly impressive. We made one little stop at the Egschi reservoir – you could swim there too. We only admired the gorgeous turquoise water, though.
For our way home we chose the route via Laax/Flims. But we only made a short stop in Flims, because on a Sunday morning in beautiful weather Lake Cauma was a little too crowded. This gorgeous lake is certainly worth a visit, though – you should simply come earlier in the morning or on a weekday. Even outside the winter season, a detour to Flims and Laax is well worth it.
Past Lake Walen, our road trip then led us back to Zurich, where we also had to say adieu to the Mazda CX-5.
We truly had an unforgettable weekend in Safiental, and I'm so glad I got to discover a few new corners of beautiful Switzerland again. As much as we love to travel far, and often do, it's always important to remind yourself how wonderful and impressive things are right on our doorstep. Faced with the gorgeous panoramas, I was often simply speechless, and I'm grateful for all the impressions away from the conventional routes. That one night helped immensely to clear my head, and the beauty of the almost untouched nature in Safiental really fascinated me.
Have you got the urge to experience a once-in-a-lifetime night in the Mazda Design Cube too? (Registration for the Mazda #mymagicroadtrip, which back then was open until October, has long since closed.) The Safien Valley itself, of course, you can explore on your own any time. By the way, you'll find more Swiss mountain moments in our snowy weekend in Melchsee-Frutt and our winter family adventures in Savognin.
A big thank you to Mazda Switzerland for this one-of-a-kind road trip!
Love, Verena
*This blog post was created in collaboration with Mazda Switzerland, but reflects my own opinion.
