Over 10,000 kilometers of hiking trails, 937 mountain peaks, 615 lakes.

These are figures from Graubünden, one of the most popular hiking regions in Europe. Those who travel here get to know three different cultures, where hiking trails are also called sendas da viandar or sentieros.

"I wanted to be where the water comes from," says hiking leader Norbi Manser when asked why he moved from the lowlands of the Lake Constance region to the mountains of Graubünden. And when asked what he particularly likes about hiking, Manser says, "That I can also take time for the 'little things.'" For example, on a hike to the source of the Rhine, Lake Toma. The hike, which is not very strenuous, leads past an exploited crystal cave and crystal-bearing boulders up to the lake, which lies calm and blue in a mountain hollow, surrounded by a tiny bog in which cotton grasses grow. The scenery is not spectacular, but in its unspoiledness it does you good, just good.

Hiking with "Allegra
The hike to Lake Toma is one of many. Between secluded forests and ice-covered mountain giants, the Graubünden region offers thousands of ways to discover the country: enjoyable hikes, themed excursions and sweaty high-altitude tours, and one thing is true of all of them: in Graubünden, hiking has long since shed the stink of red socks, clunky shoes and narrow-lipped austerity. This may have something to do with the original restaurants and accommodations along the way. With the fashionable gray-brown cows that look so much more elegant than the dairy machines of other regions. Or with the fact that people greet you with "Allegra", the Romansh word for "joy". Perhaps hiking in Graubünden is also so special because hikers here pass through three cultures in just a few hours: from the German-speaking village to the Romansh-speaking alp to the Italian-speaking mountain valley.

Mountain experience and wildlife guardian
The larch forests of the Upper Engadine, the moorland in Lenzerheide or a walk through the mountain forest near Flims convey a cheerful feeling of well-being. Here, the imposing Rhine Gorge, also known as the "Little Swiss Grand Canyon" and the turquoise Lake Cauma beckon. Much higher up - at least topographically - are the high altitude tours. The extreme experiences in rock and ice are intended for experienced mountain freaks, but in the company of a mountain guide, well-trained normal hikers can also venture into the icy heights. Those who then arrive on the Bernina, Piz Palü or Oberalpstock and pose for the summit photo together with their mountain buddies can rightly feel like winners.

Wildlife excursions in Oberhalbstein lead to the heraldic animal of Graubünden, the ibex, which live together here in colonies without shying away from humans. Wild animals, from hares to ibexes to bearded vultures, can also be found in the 172-square-kilometer Swiss National Park in the Lower Engadine. Information on paper or a GPS guide, where the marmot Marmotin and the red deer Tumasch explain the national park to the children, make the hike through this largest untouched area in Switzerland an impressive and educational event.

And if it should rain, the hikers retreat to the warm restaurant. They order, for example, a Grisons barley soup or capuns, cabbage rolls gratinated with cheese or a piece of nut cake with a steaming cup of coffee. In the warmth of the restaurant, the hikers think back to the mysterious, misty forest they have just crossed. They wonder why, despite the gloomy day, they are in such a happy mood and come to the realization that hikes in Graubünden are simply always good for you. This may have something to do with the greeting with which the people of Graubünden greet each other: Allegra! And now they also know why the people of Graubünden greet with Allegra!