Simply Abu Dhabi XXXVI

2 6 5 S I M P LY A B U DH A B I E ven in Switzerland’s competitive repertoire of awe- inspiring scenery, delicious cheese and chocolate and world-class medical spas, the Canton of Graubünden still stands out. Renowned as one of the grandest of the Swiss Alpine cantons, its supermodel looks are home to bright green valleys, snow-capped peaks and shimmering alpine lakes. Days are spent hiking amongst the craggy ravines of the Rhine Gorge, eating delicious ensembles of local specialties enhanced with the starred performances of Michelin chefs, or taking a train through glacial landscapes so supremely beautiful it’s aptly been titled amongst the most spectacular train journeys in the world. Of course, in a place where everything outstanding appears to be somehow magnetically drawn to this one canton, then it’s no surprise that it’s also home to the ultimate in bathing bliss. Whether it be the famed thermal waters of quaint spa towns, the abundance of shimmering alpine lakes perfect for lakeside leisure, or one of the many aquatic pleasures you can enjoy whilst perched rail side or on horse and carriage, Graubünden is one not to miss! Best for healing According to legend, the thermal waters of Graubünden can mend everything. Believers will tell you tales of youthfulness preserved, rheumatic ailments healed, and metabolic disorders cured. A place of miracles if you will. Home to one of the world’s most revered luxury spa resorts, Grand Resort Bad Ragaz, Graubünden’s international fame came about when Russian nobility and the world’s well-heeled came to soak in the healing thermal springs of the Tamina Gorge, nestled in the pretty-as-a- picture spa town of Bad Ragaz. The story of Tamina Gorge’s discovery stretches back to the Middle Ages when monks discovered steam wafting from deep within its chasms. Initially mistaken for the breath of a dragon, once these myths were quashed, the healing effects of the thermal waters were revealed. Acknowledged by doctor, naturalist and philosopher, Paracelsus, as a place of healing the first patients were laboriously lowered into the gorge in baskets suspended from ropes where they spent weeks immersed in the water in a quest to heal their ailments. Later on, bathhouses were built and thus the age of spa tourism in Bad Ragaz began. Those not keen on being winched down a ravine (indeed no longer possible), then opt to bathe in the waters of the Tamina Therme – a gleaming white temple of glass, water and clouded mist. Boasting several pools for wallowing, it’s worth visiting to witness the ‘art of sauna’ which the locals have so well mastered. Whether you choose to bathe in the bubble beds or indulge in the rituals and spa ceremonies of the Sauna Village, a journey of aquatic discovery awaits your every plunge. Only an hour’s drive away lies the mountain village of Vals, another haven for all things healing and water. Owing its wilderness and diversity to the forces of water which have shaped the deeply- cut mountain valley over millions of years, Vals’ most notable trump card is the 30-degree mineral-rich thermal spring which is the only one in Graubünden that springs (pardon the pun) straight from the ground. A place of pilgrimage for people from all over the world, the best way to soak in Vals’ miracle water is at 7132 Therme which was designed by architectural great, Peter Zumthor, Laureate of the Pritzker Architecture Prize. Baths here are built from 300 million-year-old stone and 60,000 slabs of Vals’ quartz whose unique colour and patterns are owed to the ancient formation of the Alps. Soak in one of the six thermal pools including the ice pool after a long hike or warm up in the fire pool, under a star studded sky. Many people don't know it, but Graubünden is also home to the legendary and haute village of St Moritz. Indeed, not needing an introduction, interestingly before St Moritz’s rise to stardom, it was just a small town in the Engadin Valley more revered for its miracle waters. As far back as the Bronze Age, people used to flock here to soak in the mineral springs – the highest in Switzerland. The Celts already knew that in water lies power. Or rather, in water lies healing, purification and other mysterious powers, thus, to make the most of this liquid ‘gold’, in 1411 BC they constructed the region’s first basin for spring water. Of course, at the time, they did not know the iron-rich waters were abundant in calcium, sodium and hydrogen carbonate ions. For them, it was simply a case that sick people became healthy, pains miraculously disappeared, and suffering was alleviated. Bathing in bliss at one of the many healing spas is the pastime to be had here, most notably at the thermal waters of Wellavista Rooftop Spa where you can float weightlessly in the gentle bubbling of the 36-degree waters whilst soaking up the views of the deep blue St Moritz Lake beyond. But not all greats are well known, indeed the thermal baths of Scuol are one of Graubünden’s best-kept secrets. Spoilt for sunshine, Scuol lies cradled between the peaks of the Silvretta range and the Engadin Dolomites. Known for its Roman-Irish baths and unique mineral springs, aristocracy, authors, poets and the like have been making pilgrimages to this spa town since the mid-1300s. Today you can find the precious mineral water in the historical drinking halls dotted along the Inn river or at the Bogn Engiadina bathhouse which combines two distinct European bathing traditions - that being Roman and Irish. Whilst the Romans swore by the relaxing properties of steam, the Irish placed their faith in the air that was hot and dry. Bogn Engiadina marries the two to create one single, first in Switzerland, healing water ritual. Best for lakeside leisure If you ever tire of bathing in imperial thermal water bliss, decamp to one of Graubünden’s shimmering alpine lakes, renowned for their sparkling turquoise waters. Graubünden is renowned as the valley of the shimmering lakes, home to a whopping 615 lakes including Lake Poschiavo, Lake Davos, Lake Cresta and Lake Obersee to name a few. If cold and swimming don't go hand in hand then indulge in the star of the show, Lake Caumasee – whose waters are sourced from warm springs and punctuated by an island in the middle.