Shortly after taking the southerly exit from Balzers, we cross back into Switzerland. Hiking uphill we reach St. Luzisteig, a 713 meter high pass which links Balzers in Liechtenstein with the small winegrowing town of Maienfeld in the Canton of Grisons.
Sights and facts
| Km 6 | St. Luzisteig: The north-south axis of this Pass, which existed until the 19th Century, played a major role in a number of conflicts in European history as the Pass led to other passes in the Grisons and so for hundreds of years was the door to Rätien (a Helvetic Republic in what is now the Canton of Grisons).
The St. Luzisteig Pass was also on the Brigantium – Curia Raetorum (Bregenz-Chur) Roman road. The historical fortress of St. Luzisteig, with a gate dating from 1702, sits on the northern side of the mountain pass. A little further away there is the Steigkirche, which was first mentioned in 831. Until the beginning of the 15th Century, this Gothic building with its late-Gothic choir was the Mother Church of Maienfeld and Fläsch. It is decorated with murals from the 14th and 15th Century.
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| Km 8.5 | Maienfeld: Maienfeld was first documented in the 4th Century. From the 14th Century, Walser, an Alemmanni folk group, wandered into the region and established a number of settlements which, known as Walser Municipalities, became part of the town. However, their inhabitants were only accepted as citizens of the area hundreds of years later.
The Old Town, with the remains of the Town Walls, Castle Brandis and Castle Salenegg, is listed in the inventory of protected places of interest in Switzerland. 
 Winegrowing has played an important role for generations and is the largest industry here. The Castle Salenegg vineyard is considered to be the oldest surviving vineyard in Europe. Since the publication in 1881 of the novel Heidi, by Johanna Spyri, this municipality has been accepted as being Heidi’s hometown.
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We now follow the trail through the well-known Bündner Herrschaft vineyards and enjoy the wonderful views to Pfäfers, sitting high over the valley with its impressive and widely visible Baroque Abbey Church, constructed at the end of the 17th Century.
From Pfäfers a route is signalled in the direction of Vättis, with its Dragon’s Cave, in which discoveries were made of tools and bear bones from over 50,000 years ago, and on to St. Martin (a Walser settlement). From Vättis we follow the way over the Kunkels Pass to Tamins to where the anterior and hinten Rhine flow together. This crossing was already in operation in Roman Times as a mule track.
Descending to the Tamina Gorge, a trail leads to a Thermal Well, where an early Baths was constructed in1630. Nowadays, the thermal well serves the world-famous spa resort of Bad Ragaz, also famous for its three-yearly outdoor sculpture exhibitions.
| Km 10.5 | Jenins. This village lies at the foot of the Vilan mountain and belongs to the Bündner Herrschaft, the previously-mentioned winegrowing region.
The Protestant Church of Mauritius was vaguely mentioned in a document from 1209. 
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| Km 14 | Malans. This is also a winegrowing region of the Bündner Herrschaft. A cable car goes up to the Alp (1800 meters above sea level) from where walks to Falknis and Vilan are possible. From the terrace of the restaurant here breathtaking views of the Rhine valley and the surrounding mountains can be enjoyed.
In Ruchenberg there is a Bronze Age settlement. Malans is the departure point for our route through the Klus to Prättigau. The St. Cassian Church dates back originally to the 6th Century but was first mentioned in the 12th Century when it came into the possession of the Bishop of Chur. |
We cross over the River Landquart between Malans und Zizers. This flows into the Rhine in Landquart. Now we pass by the Marschlins Castle, originally a moated castle. This unusual building is an Episcopal establishment and most probably originates from the 13th century. An earlier building on this site cannot be excluded.
There are two alternative routes from the village of Igis:
- follow the signs to Zizers, Trimmis and Chur. This gives you a very nice view of the whole valley, the path is easy but slightly up and down. This path is entered on the map for this stage
- descend to the banks of the Rhine and follow it to Chur (see stage 16b Sargans-Chur)
| Km 20.5 | Zizers. This village, located on the main route from the Lake of Constance to Chur and further on to the Grison Alpine Passes, was documented in 824. However, findings from the Bronze Age and Roman Times suggest an obviously older settlement.
In St. Johannes Stift, Zita, the last Empress of Austria and Queen of Hungary, spent the last years of her seventy-year exile here from 1962 until her death in 1989. |
| Km 32 | Chur. The Romans conquered this region in 15 BC and named it the province of Raetia. Chur was most probably already established as the first bishopric north of the Alps in the 4th Century AD. In 451, a bishop named Asinio was mentioned in a document.
In the 6th Century, Chur came under Frankish occupation. The 5th Century Cemetary Church of St Stephan stands in an early Middle Ages cemetary. The first foundations of the St Luzi Church most likely followed in the 8th Century. 
The stage is a bit long. If you want to shorten this, you can cover the remaining distance to Chur from Zizers or Untervaz with the Rhaetian Railway (train) or with the post bus. Stay overnight in Chur and, if desired, the post bus or train will bring the hiker back to the end point of the previous day on the following morning. Another option is to spend the night in Malans – there are B & Bs available – and thus split the stage in two. |
