Sion tourist information & hotel reservations.

We warmly welcome you to visit Sion and wish you a wonderful vacation.

Sion is located only 27 kilometers east of Martigny and 53 kilometers west of Visp. It is and old city and actually the capital of the Valais canton. The nature there is very beautiful, especially in the spring and autumn and Sion was a famous trading place between France and Italy even in ancient times. The town exists since Roman times, its population speaks mostly French and the most famous buildings in it are the castles of Valère and Tourbillon.
Although most of the other towns in the area are oriented toward sport, Sion is more like a cultural and historical centre. It still preserves the old time look of Switzerland and there are many places you can go to. Despite the fact that Sion is a capital, it is not very popular among tourists though it is definitely worth visiting. One can simply walk along the paved streets of the Vieille Ville (Old Town) and enjoy the many cafes and restaurants around.

Château de Tourbillon

Château de Tourbillon used to be a stronghold in medieval times and is located on the top of a steep rock above Sion. The place, which is now in ruins, was built in the 13th century by a bishop who wanted to protect the town from the House of Savoy. Unfortunately, a fire destroyed it in 1788 and it has never been reconstructed since then. Nevertheless, there you can still see the remains of a chapel, a keep and a tower. From the Chateau de Tourbillon, 645 meters above sea level, you can see s splendid view of the Rhône Valley.

There is another steep hill above Sion where you can visit the Gothic Church called Eglise-Fortresse de Valère (known as Château de Valère). It was at first built by the Romans and served as a fortress. The basilica which is now in the place of the fortress is not in such a bad condition and dates back to the 12th and the 13th century. It has three aisles, choir stalls from the 17th century and a still functioning organ from the 14th century.
In the Château de Valère you can visit the Valère Museum, where you will find some nice historical and ethnographical exhibitions for the whole canton. There you will see art from medieval times, ancient armory, Roman and Gothic chests and other collections. The church and the museum are open during the whole week except on Monday.

In the town you should not miss seeing the Hôtel de Ville (Town Hall), rue du Grand-Pont. You cannot go inside, but the outside of the building is quite impressive, with decorations from the 17th century. The foundations of the edifice were made by the Romans in the 4th century A.D.
Near the Town Hall you can go to the Cathédrale Notre-Dame-du-Glarier, 13, rue de la Cathédrale. Its bell tower was constructed from the 11th to the 13th century in a Romanesque style and the other parts of the cathedral were last renovated in the 15th century. Inside the edifice you should see the triptych in gilded wood, known as The Tree of Jesse.
If you would like something different from these places, you can go on a guided wine-tasting excursion. You will walk along the most famous path in the region, le chemin du vignoble, and visit some of the vineyards around Sion. Perhaps the best one in the area is the Varone Vineyard, located just across the river.

Sion Transportation

Sion is situated on the main rail road which connects Milan and Turin with Geneva and Paris and passes through the Simplon Tunnel. There are many trains coming in Sion from these directions.

If you are with a car from Martigny you should go east and from Visp – west, follow the E2 and you will get to Sion.
Visitor Information
The Sion Tourist Information Office is located on place de la Planta. In the middle of the season it is open throughout the whole week, in the rest of the season it is closed on Sunday and off season it is closed on Saturday afternoon and on Sunday.

For flights, trains and car-rental reservations as well as for buses, coaches and taxi ski transfers refer to the general Switzerland Transportation page!