Davos is located in the heart of the Graubünden in the east of Switzerland. Together with the nearby town of Klosters, Davos offers a wide variety of winter sports activities, and summer hiking trails, set amid stunning Alpine scenery.

In the early 1990s, Davos became famous for hosting the World Economic Forum, an annual winter gathering of international politicians and financiers who represented a transnational elite. This annual event is held every winter, and brings some of the world`s most powerful leaders.

However, it is also known for being the biggest luxury ski resort city in Switzerland, as it is considered to be the highest city in Europe. Davos has some of the finest sports facilities in the world, as well as a diversified choice of après-ski entertainment. The variety of activities makes it a favorite vacation spot for the chic and wealthy as well as for the hundreds of ordinary travelers just out to have a good time in the mountains.

Davos is accessible by train, bus or car.

Zurich International Airport is the closest international airport to Davos. Trains run between Davos and the airport with a travel time of about 3 hours. Zurich`s main railway station (Hauptbahnhof) to Davos run every hour between 6 am and 11 pm. You can check timetables and other information on the official Swiss Federal Railways website: www.sbb.ch.

Buses from Chur to Davos run daily. Travel time is approximately 2 hours. During the ski season, buses travel from Zürich airport to Davos Dorf or Davos Platz every Saturday and return from Davos Dorf or Platz to the airport every Saturday in December through April. Pickup is at the train stations three times daily. We suggest calling the Davos tourist office for more details.

If you are driving, proceed to Klosters, then continue south on Route 28 to Davos. It will take about 2 hours ot get to Davos by car from Zurich.

Davos is small enough to get around on foot. It is only around 2.5 miles long and about a half a mile wide, so it`s easy to get anywhere by bus or a short walk.

The bus system that runs along the major arteries from Davos-Dorf to Davos-Platz is very convenient. These buses make scheduled stops near all the main hotels and restaurants. Buses are also good for trips between far ends of the long, narrow town as well as to nearby Klosters. In winter, the buses depart daily every 10 minutes from 7 am to 11:20 pm; summer departures are every 20 minutes. A single ride costs about 3.5F, but rides are free for anyone who displays a guest card (available to anyone staying in one of Davos` hotels or guesthouses). There is also a train connecting both ends of town.

Cabs are available, but run about 12-15F during the day and the charge is doubled at night.

The postal bus leaves from the Davos-Platz railroad station. Organized excursions are available on the postal buses; for information, go to the nearest post office.

You can hike into the nearby mountains and walk right onto local funiculars or cable cars from different areas of the town and nearby villages.

There are many train stops in the Davos area, but the two main train stations in the town center are: Davos Dorf and Davos Platz (at either ends of the town). Check the map when booking your hotel to see which stop is best for you. Other train stops in the Davos area are: Davos Monstein, Davos Glaris, Davos Frauenkirch, Davos Wolfgang and Davos Laret.

According to a Swiss newspaper, Davos has some of the best nightlife Switzerland has to offer, no matter what time of year. Come to Jatzhütte for a surprising combination of dance, whirlpools and astounding high-altitude views; Pöstli Club for an ultra chic Saturday night full of celebrity sightings; or Ex-Bar for an all around relaxed party atmosphere that goes well into the wee hours.

The best time to go to Davos is during the month of January when hotels are more affordable due to fewer tourists. During this time of year, average temperatures hover in the high 50`s, just a bit colder than the average 25°F you would get during high season.

Most tourists visit Davos in the late winter. This is peak season so make sure to book your hotel room a few months early. The WEF (World Economic Forum) week (January 20th - 28th) and the Weihnachten week (December 23rd to January 6th) are particularly busy dates that you should avoid if you don`t like crowds.

Most of the snow comes to Davos from February through April.

Davos offers an array of shops from boutiques with international brands, sports shops, watches and jewelry, to quality local Graubünden specialities. You will find all of these shops and boutiques along the main thoroughfare. A big department store (Migros) is located at each end of Davos (Davos Platz and Davos Dorf).

-Kirchner Museum: The world`s largest collection of works by the German Expressionist Ernst Ludwig Kirchner (1880-1938) is housed in an innovative modern museum building.

-Zügenschlucht: A wild and romantic gorge with the spectacular RhB railway line and a mining museum at the Schmelzboden at 4,396 ft, and the Geology Trail between Davos-Monstein and Wiesen.

-Monstein Brewery: The highest brewery in Europe and the first brewery in the canton of Grisons to open to the public. The ABC of beer-making, guided tour, tasting.

-Schatzalp (6,105 ft.): Inspired the German author Thomas Mann to write his novel `The Magic Mountain`, published in 1924. An Alpine botanical garden, the Alpinum Schatzalp, with about 800 different species of plant from all over the world. Flowers are best in June and July. Enjoy a change of scene on the summer sledging run.

-Sertig- and Dischmatal: This unique natural beauty and mountain scenery make for an unforgettable alpine experience. Popular destination for rides by horse-drawn carriage or sledge.

-Gotschna Freeride: 3 miles long, including 2,624 ft of North Shore structures and a 1,968 ft. difference in altitude. The route is dotted with tight turns, jumps and banked curves for beginners and professionals.

-Madrisaland and Adventurepark Färich: Fun for the whole family.

The currency of Switzerland is the Swiss franc, usually indicated as CHF or SFr. While Switzerland is not part of the European Union and thus is not obliged to convert to the Euro, many prices are nonetheless indicated in euros so that visitors may compare prices. Most of the restaurants, bars, cafes and clubs accept euro, but expect to pay a premium rate.

The Swiss Franc (CHF or SFr) is divided into 100 centimes (known as Rappen in German speaking Switzerland). Bills come in 10, 20, 50, 100, 500 and 10000SFr and coins are divided into 5, 10, 20 and 50 centimes and 1, 2 and 5SFr.

US dollars are not accepted. Please be sure to have the correct currency on hand or be prepared to exchange your dollars for Swiss Francs upon arrival. Currency exchange desks can be found at the airports, train stations and many bank locations.

The official language of DAvos is German. Though most tourism establishments (hotels, restaurants, shops, etc) know some English, don’t expect everyone to speak fluently. We suggest you get a good English-German guidebook and familiarize yourself with common phrases such as hello, goodbye, excuse me and numbers 1-10.

Police Emergency Number - Tel. 117
Ambulance / Medical Emergency - Tel. 144
Fire Department - Tel. 118
International emergency number - Tel. 112

The general physicians in Davos and Klosters offer you a 24-hour on-call service for emergencies and medical consultations. The doctors` practices have established an on-call number via telephone 0844 003 003 for Davos and 081 410 25 22 for Klosters, which is available to you around the clock for home visits, practice appointments and hotel visits.