Esra and Simri Buchli of 77 Bombay Street present their favorite tour.

Rich V2 sound, relaxed sitting posture and airstream in the face. The brothers Esra and Simri Buchli feel this is freedom. In particular, when the original Baslers cruise on Harleys through their adopted country, the Bündnerland. Their 110 kilometre lap starts and ends in Chur, their current home. The oldest city in Switzerland, with its wide range of offers, is an ideal starting point or destination for Alpine tours. From a cosy café to a hip bar or the trendy nightclub (such as the Viva Club run by Simri), you will find everything you need to make your leisure time interesting. If you are interested in theatre, take a look at the programme of the "Klibühni" (www.klibuehni.ch).

Europe's most fortified region
The tour takes us first to Domleschg or Heinzenberg. Because this area was an important passage to the passes San Bernardino, Splügen and Julier already early, it developed to the castle richest of Europe. Between Rothenbrunnen and Thusis a 14 km long hiking trail opens up the castles and palaces and their ruins. Esra: "The castle Schauenstein in Fürstenau is very well known". Here star chef Andreas Caminada (3 Michelin stars and 19 Gault Millau points) conjures up menus from three courses. Included in the menu price (from 216 francs) is a donation of two francs, which goes to the Fundaziun Uccelin foundation, which promotes talented chefs in top gastronomy.

The "Viva Berg.Baiz" of the Buchli brothers is considerably cheaper (e.g. Bündner barley soup Fr. 9.90, Capuns Fr. 28.50) and more rustic. Their restaurant on Chur's local mountain Brambrüesch (1595 m above sea level) can be reached either by motorbike (6 km from Malix above Chur) or by cable car directly from Chur.

After Sils near Thusis you enter the Albulatal. Simri: "From here on the route becomes much more mountainous, but is still very relaxed to ride. In Tiefencastel you could also branch off to the Julierpass, which is open all year round and from where there are various other possibilities. But instead we head for the Albulapass road, where we stay until Bergün - which can be reached even when the Albulapass is closed." Esra: "Here the many houses in the Engadine style from the 16th to 18th century are a real highlight. Typical for this are facade paintings, bay windows and window grilles. "For technology enthusiasts," continues Esra, "the Albula Railway Museum on the one hand and the Bergün Local Museum on the other could be interesting. In the former, not only the history of the Rhaetian Railway is documented, a "model railway workshop" should make many hearts beat faster (www.bahnmuseum-albula.ch). In the latter, the complete route Preda - Bergün, which belongs to the Unesco World Cultural Heritage, is rebuilt (berguen-filisur.graubuenden.ch).

Simri: "From Bergün the tour can be continued with the Albula Pass open, e.g. to return via the Julier or to continue towards Zernez/Flüela Pass. But today we turn here to leisurely stroll back over Lenzerheide to Chur and enjoy the panorama."


Just let yourself drift
Graubünden - Have you ever driven over a pass at dusk (consciously taking the "risk" that it might become night)? For early risers, the same is of course true for early risers - both variants are exciting! It is also interesting to simply follow an unknown (white) signpost for a change, even if you would have to turn around again at the end ...  

Landwasser viaduct
Filisur - From Filisur a footpath takes you in half an hour to a viewpoint from where you can admire the largest structure of the Rhaetian Railway from above (the path also leads down to the water). Built in 1901/02, the Landwasser viaduct is 142 metres long and the piers are 65 metres high.

Text: Dimitri Hüppi
www.moto.ch
Pictures: D. Hüppi, swiss-image.ch / Franziska Pfenniger / Jan Geerk