Getting there: Most villages and towns in Heidiland are less than an hour from Zurich, with regular train service from Zurich airport and easy highway access. Even visitors on late flights have time to travel direct to Heidiland without having to overnight in Zurich. Heidiland is 155 miles from Munich, Germany, and 140 miles from Milan, Italy.
The so-called Heidi Express runs from Landquart in northeastern Switzerland through stunning mountain scenery and the resorts of Klosters and Davos down to the palm trees of Tirano in northern Italy. The trip takes nearly five hours and is only available May 28 to Oct. 15.
Swiss taxis are expensive, but public transport is efficient and reliable for those who don't rent a car. A Swiss flexipass cuts costs considerably and can be obtained from Swissair counters or at major train stations in Switzerland. There are also special boat passes.
A well-coordinated network of mountain cable cars and regular local trains and buses reach the many pretty villages. Get away from the highway and main rail track for the true Heidiland experience.
Lodging: Hotels and apartments are slightly cheaper than the Swiss average, with a wide range to choose from, including "sleep in the straw" stays on farms for about 17 Swiss francs ($10) per person and many reasonably priced family run pensions for less than 100 francs ($58), including meals. At the high end is the five-star Quellenhof spa hotel with its own 18-hole golf course and with single rooms at about 400 francs ($230) per night and the royal suite at about 2,000 francs ($1,150) depending on the season and length of stay. Phone: 41-81-303-20-60. On the Net: www.resortragaz.ch/.
Many hotels offer deals such as wellness breaks with accommodation, meals and beauty treatments or fitness activities in summer and ski packages in winter. There are also special offers for families. Make reservations through your travel agent or via the Web.
Dining: The food is good quality and well-prepared. Try the local cheese and wines. Typical Swiss dishes include Geschnetzeltes and Roesti (strips of pork or veal with fried potatoes) and melted cheese fondue.
What to do: In summer and fall there are many hiking, biking and inline-skating possibilities, either on high-altitude trails like on the Flumserberg or Pizol, through low-lying Alpine meadows or around deep blue lakes. There's sailing and swimming in the Walensee. Try the thermal waters at Bad Ragaz and make an excursion from there by bus or horse-drawn carriage to the Tamina Gorge. Learn to blow the alphorn in a village above Walensee or make your own cheese on the Flumserberg.
There are many Heidi-related attractions. Foremost is the Heidi House and museum in Maienfeld, open daily from March through November from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. There are marked Heidi trails, although they can be crowded, and the mountain scenery and air are just as good on non-Heidi trails.
In winter, the Flumserberg has 37 miles of marked slopes, 12 miles of cross-country slopes and walking paths. The Pizol has 31 miles of marked slopes and walking paths. There's a 4.7-mile sled run down the mountain.
Information:
Heidiland information office: Phone 41-81-720 08 20. Fax 41-81-720 08 28. E-mail: info@heidiland.net; Web site: www.heidiland.net (mainly in German)
Tourismus Buendner Herrschaft (on Maienfeld and surrounding areas): Phone 41-81-302 58 58. Fax 41-81 330 19 13. E-mail: info@buendnerherrschaft.ch; Web site: www.buendnerherrschaft.ch (English version forthcoming)
Heididorf (Heidi House): Phone 41-81 330 19 12. Fax 41-81 330 19 13.
General information on Switzerland and reservations on an Internet service operated by Swiss Tourism: www.myswitzerland.com
Swiss Federal Railways: Phone 41-900 300 300. Fax 41-512 20 42 65. E-mail: webmaster@sbb.ch; Web site: www.sbb.ch