Fabulous Winter Walk in the Lower Engadine from Guarda to Ftan (in 2015)

(This post created and published on February 20, 2026 -- As I reminisce of winters past when we had lots of snow, and when we didn't mind traveling 7 hours or more for a fantastic winter day-hike in the furthest southeast corner of the country....As of this current February 2026, days are overcast even in the mountains, and so much new snow after a long period of no snow, piled on top of an icy snow layer, has created a large danger of avalanches. There have been so many avalanches now that several villages are cut off from the outside, and some ski regions have stopped operations. So we haven't really considered snow walks this winter.

We have returned to Guarda two more times since this first visit in 2015)

Saturday February 7, 2015 -- Too many photos of houses and mountains, but I can't pick just a few because the day was so perfect, and the little towns here in the Lower Engadine (very near the borders of Austria and Italy) have very special architecture that makes them just so attractive. 

We walked 11 kilometers from the town of Guarda to the town of Ftan high above the valley where the Inn River makes its way from near the Maloja Pass to Austria and eventually to the Danube. It was cold but beautiful! This part of Switzerland is where they speak Romansh, the only place in the world this is still spoken. It sounds like a mix of German, Italian, and French. And when we pass other hikers, we say "Allegra!" instead of "Buongiorno" or " Grüetzi".

Even though the Lower Engadine is in the furthest southeast corner of Switzerland, and the village of Guarda requires a short bus ride from the train station, it only took us 3½-hours of travel time to get there, because the train passes unter the Graubünden Alps via the Vereina Tunnel. For the way home from Ftan (via Scuol) it took close to four hours, and as we caught the bus at about 4:30 p.m, most of the trip home was done in darkness!

After a 3½-hour trip from home, we got to Guarda at about 12:15. There is a train station closer to the valley bottom and you can walk up to the village, but there is also a small bus service, which is very practical.  

All the houses here have intricately-painted facades. 

Before heading on our hike (eastward toward Ftan), we walked westward a bit to see what the view was like from that side of the village. A look back shows the village church. 

A look down to the valley bottom in the southwest direction

Now we are heading back through the main part of the town to start on our hike. 

You can't really see them, but there are several goats on this balcony! Perhaps the house serves as a barn? This home owner is known for keeping goats on the deck. You can just see their horns on the photo.

Each house has a uniquely-crafted door, and usually there is a bench next to the door. 

Each alley is unique

On the side of the house on the right you can see where vehicles have come too close to the walls!

Many of the houses also have these interesting bay windows. 

The town fountain is made of wood. This is not very common!

Each house is a unique work of art, with paintings, carved wooden doors and window boxes. 

The stables used to be in the houses, thus the half-doors.

My favourite place in the village of Guarda. 

In the center of the village we made another detour along a side road up the hill, for better views. 

Beautiful views of a fabulous snowy landscape from above the village of Guarda. 

Another option for a winter hiking trail above the village of Guarda. But our plan was to head eastward out of the village high above the valley of the Inn River. 

A view directly to the south from above the village of Guarda. 

Now it's time to head back into the village and get going on the hike we have planned for the day, which is down this valley with the beautiful snow-covered peaks. It is, after all, now already 1:30 p.m. and the days are short!

This walk we did along a wonderfully-prepared winter walking trail was about 10 kilometers! It takes longer to walk on snow-covered trails, so this is over 3½ hours of walking. After a walk-through of the village of Guarda, we set off at about 1:30 p.m., and got to Ftan at 4:20 p.m., just as the sun was setting behind the mountains.   

The cleared streets with lovely hard-packed snow make walking in winter fun. 

Up ahead is the little village of Bos-cha. What a funny name!

The pink signs indicate official winter trails, prepared for easy walking. Bos-cha must mean something in the local language of Rhätoromansch..

It's always nice to encounter the cows enjoying the winter sunshine as much as we are!

Such interesting houses in this region. 

There was another winter walking trail here at the junction with the main road, and we had considered following this one, but were not sure how much of an uphill section we would have to walk, so we returned and continued along the main road. 

Coming up on the town of Ardez.

Panorama view of the Lower Engadine and the town of Ardez.

This old ruin used to be an inn with stables on a well-traveled trade route, dating from the NINTH CENTURY!

On this stretch we also had to contend with a few cars using the road. 

Winter walks are best when the trees have a snow coat. And here the late afternoon sunlight made the landscape particularly attractive. 

Down below we now get a glimpse of the Tarasp Castle, often seen on photos (calendars, puzzles....)

Here we have now reached the end of our hike in Ftan, at about 4:20 p.m. Ftan is home to one of Switzerland's five recognized Swiss Olympic Sport Schools

We still have some late afternoon sunshine up here in Ftan, but the sun will be going down soon!

Heading back to Scuol by bus now at 4:50 p.m., the sun is setting but we still get a good view of the Tarasp Castle.

The sun is just setting on the mountaintops as we board the train in Scuol. 17:23

10 kilometers from Guarda to Ftan, then with the bus back down to Scuol to catch the train. After a walk-around of Guarda, we started on our hike at about 1:30 p.m., and reached Ftan about three hours later. Not bad for a 10-km winter walk.

Location of the Lower Engadine within Switzerland. This is the valley where the Inn River flows through, crossing into Austria from here. It took us about 3½ hours to travel from home to the village of Guarda, and then another four hours to get back home from Ftan.