Sion Travel Guide

 
by brendareed
 
  •   Sion
    by brendareed
  • Stones in Sion
      Stones in Sion
    by balhannah
  • Sion
      Sion
    by balhannah
  • Chamoson Church
      Chamoson Church
    by balhannah
  • Haut-de-Cry Mountains
      Haut-de-Cry Mountains
    by balhannah
 

Explore Sion

Things to Do  

Town Hall and Astronomical Clock

Town Hall and Astronomical Clock, Sion

 Kathrin_E Says:  The white facade of the town hall is the mosts triking building in Rue du Grand-Pont, the main street of the old town. The building with the small tower dates from the 17th century. The tower presents the blue and golden clock faces of the astronomical clock. They display,... 

La Majorie

La Majorie, Sion

 Kathrin_E Says:  The Majorie is the third castle in Sion. The original tower house was built for an official in the bishop's government in the 13th century. From the 14th to the 18th century the extended palace served as residence of the Bishops of Sion. The palace suffered severe damage in... 

Rue du Grand-Pont

Rue du Grand-Pont, Sion

 Kathrin_E Says:  The widest street of the old town is probably its finest address. On sunny days (sigh!) this street must have a real Southern flair with palm trees in pots and outdoor cafes, restaurants and pubs. The big flags above the street were welcome spots of colour. 

Cathédrale Nôtre-Dame du Glarier

Cathédrale Nôtre-Dame du Glarier, Sion

 Kathrin_E Says:  Sion has been the seat of a bishop since the 5th century. His cathedral was refurbished and enlarged several times. The oldest part of the present building is the Romanesque steeple, dating from the 12th century. The rest of the church was repeatedly damaged in wars during... 

Church of St Théodul

Church of St Théodul, Sion

 Kathrin_E Says:  The church of St Théodul is located in the same square as the cathedral Nôtre-Dame. It is much smaller and does not have an impressive steeple like its neighbour, so it is probably often overlooked. It has more local references, though, so if you are interested in the church... 

Tourbillon Castle

Tourbillon Castle, Sion

 Kathrin_E Says:  While the Valère belonged to the cathdral chapter, Tourbillon was the castle and residence of the Bishop of Sion in the middle ages. A century after its completion, however, the Bishop moved down to the Majorie, closer to the town. One of his successors then refurbished the... 

Hotels  

Ibis Sion

 35 Opinions

Hotel Elite

 1 Review and 10 Opinions  The Hotel Elite is a two star house in the center of Sion. It is close to the shops and department... 

Restaurants  

CHATEAU DE VILLA: WINE TASTING SESSION

CHATEAU DE VILLA: WINE TASTING SESSION, Sion

 white_smallstar Says:  TAKE NOTICE: This tip is about SIERRE, a village very close to SION, so a perfect place to spend some hours and easy to reach by train. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------We had a WINE TASTING SESSION at the OENOTHEQUE of the... 

CHATEAU DE VILLA: LE TEMPLE DE LA RACLETTE

CHATEAU DE VILLA: LE TEMPLE DE LA RACLETTE, Sion

 white_smallstar Says:  TAKE NOTICE: This tip is about SIERRE, a village very close to SION, so a perfect place to spend some hours and easy to reach by train. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------UNFORGETTABLE DINNER!If you like cheese (and... 

Transportation  

By plane

By plane, Sion

 yumyum Says:  Sion has its own international airport. It has seasonal flights to/from London etc. for skiing in the alps. Please check the Sion airport website for current information.Otherwise, you may consider flying into Geneva and then take a train to Sion. 

TRAINS

TRAINS, Sion

 white_smallstar Says:  FROM MILANO (ITALY) TO SWITZERLAND (SION)There are at least 10 departures per day of trains from Milan in Italy to Geneva which have a stop in Sion. Four of them are direct trains (Cisalpino train)8:25 – 12:25 – 17:20 – 19:25 (June 2010)FROM SWITZERLAND (SION) TO MILANO... 

Shopping  

L'Oenothèque du Château: LOCAL WINE

L'Oenothèque du Château: LOCAL WINE, Sion

 white_smallstar Says:  We had a WINE TASTING SESSION at the OENOTHEQUE of the CHATEAU DE VILLA in the same manor where there is also the homonymous restaurant. After wandering for km around vineyards, this was a good way to enjoy a glass of Valaisan wine.The cellar has a lot of different types of... 

Local Customs  

WALL DECORATIONS and CHIP CARVING

WALL DECORATIONS and CHIP CARVING, Sion

 white_smallstar Says:  TAKE NOTICE: This tip is about SIERRE a village very close to SION, so a perfect place to spend some hours and easy to reach by train. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Wandering among nice houses in the Old Town of Sierre,... 

SWISS FLAGS

SWISS FLAGS, Sion

 white_smallstar Says:  It is always a pleasure to see streets and buildings traditionally festooned with Swiss flags and banners. Flags are flown also from private houses and commercial buildings as a display of patriotism. Interesting website about History of Switzerland's Flag link 

Warnings and Dangers  

The Weather...
Kathrin_E profile photo

3.5 out of 5 starsHelpfulness

Kathrin_E 2846 reviews
2 more images

Sion is, statistically, one of the driest places in the whole of Switzerland. The Rhône valley, like other valleys in the middle of the Alps between the two main ridges, receive little rain and have big problems about sufficient water supply (hence the elaborate system of little canals, called Bisses or Suonen, for irrigation in the mountains).

Anyway, all these statistics are no guarantee, as my photos indicate. Even here the usual rule applies: never travel without an umbrella or rain jacket.

Did I ever mention that I do not believe in weather statistics?

Written Jun 21, 2012

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Off The Beaten Path  

VISIT MARTIGNY

VISIT MARTIGNY, Sion

 balhannah Says:  Martigny, and here we wanted to see the Gorges du Trieges. Well, we thought we found the road, so we headed up a very, windy, Mountain road to the town of Salvan. We continued onto the end of the road which was Le Tretien. Some how, we never did find the gorge, but what we... 

SION - SAILLON

SION - SAILLON, Sion

 balhannah Says:  After the township of Chamoson, our next village of some note, was Saillon. What a surprise this was, for here high above the town, was the 1000year old Bayart tower, a 19-metre-high Keep built by the Count of Savoy. There is a sad story to this Tower, and I will quote:"In... 

Sports & Outdoors  

Skiing in Anzere

Skiing in Anzere, Sion

 mickebear Says:  Not the biggest skiing center at Sion area, but a good family destination.to get there:TGV : Paris - Lausanne Intercity Lausanne - Sion TGV : Paris - Sion (winter season) Pendolino: Milan - Sion Intercity: stops at Sion You can rent equipment on the spot. Daily ski... 

Favorites  

Explore the Old Town

Explore the Old Town, Sion

 Kathrin_E Says:  Explore the side streets and alleys of the old town with the camera. The ground plan is a maze, it is hard to suggest a route. Poke your nose ito the side alleys. You won't lose your way, you will come across signposts and open views towards one of the castles every now and... 

The Three Political Flags

The Three Political Flags, Sion

 Kathrin_E Says:  The three political flags that are relevant for Sion and can be found on public buildings go well together. It is a coincidence but they look like a carefully designed decoration. ALl three use the same colours: red and white (= silver). In the middle here, there is the... 

Street Lamps

Street Lamps, Sion

 Kathrin_E Says:  When walking the streets and alleys of the old town, note the street lamps. They are of course electric but shaped like old-fashioned lanterns. Most of them are attached to facades or corners of houses with wrought-iron "arms". These are not only delicate pieces of... 

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Map of Sion