In the footsteps OF HEIDI

Discover Swiss spa town Bad Ragaz and the surrounding Alpine landscape, setting for the classic novel Heidi

- ALICIA MILLER

Fringed by the rushing Rhine River and ringed by snow-capped alpine peaks, Bad Ragaz is a haven for nature-fuelled wellness. Mineral-rich springs and ultra-fresh air have long drawn visitors seeking a healthy reset - even more so in summer, when wild flowers dot fields of green. With a restorative spa scene, local art and gourmet food giving even more reason to visit this little resort - just over an hour's scenic train ride from Zurich - it makes a lovely destination for a relaxing break.

Hike to hot springs

The town's mineral-rich thermal springs were first discovered in 1240, and wellness lovers have been enjoying the health-giving benefits ever since. An hour's hike from the centre of town will take you to the entrance of the Tamina Gorge, where you can follow a 450-metre atmospheric tunnel carved into the rock to see the spring's impressive source, from which 8,000 litres of 36.5C water gush every single minute! Nearby, a historic bathhouse has been turned into a museum detailing the area's 800 years of wellness history; learn how aristocrats would come here to treat everything from poor circulation to spine conditions. Not up for the walk? There is a PostBus that goes from town instead; direction, Altes Bad Pfäfers.