Chur

Narrow streets, cobblestone alleys, hidden courtyards, and ancient shuttered buildings hint that this Alpine city is the oldest city in Switzerland. The biggest little town in Switzerland is the capital of Graubünden and a contemporary transportation hub, in keeping with its Middle Ages past as a trading route to the south. Discoveries of Stone Age tools place Chur's origins back to roughly 11,000 BC. The Romans founded Curia Raetorium on the rocky terrace south of the river; from here, they protected the Alpine routes that led to Lake Constance. By AD 284 the town served as the capital of a flourishing Roman colony, Rhaetia Prima. Its heyday was during the Middle Ages, when it was ruled by bishops and bishop-princes. Today, many of the hotels have been upgraded in Alpine-chic style and offer great value.