"Sion - The heart of the Rhone Valley" Top 5 Page for this destination Sion by HORSCHECK

Sion Travel Guide: 120 reviews and 424 photos

In August 2007 we explored the Canton of Valais by train and on foot. We spent 3 days in Sion and the surrounding area. With just less than 30.000 inhabitants, Sion is situated in the heart of the Rhone valley.

I must admit that Sion was one of the cities I really had no idea about, but on arrival I quite fell in love with it. The city is dominated by two rocky hills which are home to the medieval castles Valère and Tourbillion.

Apart from that, Sion's picturesque old town offers many worth seeing buildings as well as a surprising number of good restaurants and pubs.

A highlight of our time in Sion was a meeting with the local VT member tripack who seems to be both an expert of his hometown and in BBQ. Together with him we also visited the amazing "Sion en luminère" light festival.

"One sees great things from the valley; only small things from the peak."
--- Gilbert K. Chesterton ---

Pros and Cons

Pros:Fabulous scenery and relaxed atmosphere.
Cons:Many explanations are only provided in French.
In a nutshell:The heart of the Rhone Valley.

Last visit to Sion: Aug 2007
Intro Updated Sep 13, 2011
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Reviews (23)

Lindt chocolate Shopping (1)

Lindt chocolate is probably one of the most famous Swiss brands which is known all over the world. The company was... more travel advice

Local beer: Bière Valaisanne Local Customs (2)

A local beer brand in the Canton of Valais is the or Bière Valaisanne (French name) or Walliser Bier (German name).... more travel advice

Official currency: Swiss Francs Local Customs (2)

Although Switzerland is situated in the centre of Europe it is not a member of the European Union nor does it have the... more travel advice

Free city map and brochures What to Pack (1)

Don't forget to pick up a free city map and some brochures or leaflets about Sion and the surrounding region at the... more travel advice

Favorites (2)
See All Sion en lumière
Things to Do (7)
See All All Saints Chapel
Nightlife (1)
St. James Irish Tavern
Restaurants (2)
See All Don Carlos

Comments (25)

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Raimix Feb 17, 2011 at 2:05 AM

Interesting place, would lie to hike somewhere here:) Name of "Blonde 25" looks fun, I was thinking only in Lithuania there are fun beer names as "Huriccane Anatolius":)
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balhannah Nov 5, 2010 at 12:40 AM

Nice to find tips with what I could do for free. Lovely photo's of the area which looks to be very nice.
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BruceDunning Mar 3, 2010 at 1:13 PM

The scenery here is nice and always a castle on top of mountains. YOu did a very good job of describing these sites and the pictures fantastic.
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Mikebb Dec 21, 2009 at 9:14 PM

Enjoyed your page. Researching how to travel by train from Warsaw to Paris via Switzerland , late Sept 2010. 7days to enjoy trip. Would enjoy stops in Switzerland. Any recommendations?
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riorich55 Jun 2, 2009 at 10:11 AM

Another one of the areas I'll have to visit next time I'm back in Switzerland. Thanks for your pages.
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scottishvisitor May 12, 2009 at 9:29 AM

The sound & light show sounds ideal I love lindt chocolates & would love to see the witches tower = What a good idea to have free bikes to explore around here
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deecat May 9, 2009 at 6:05 AM

From castles, cathedral, churches, Witches Tower, & Chapel, there appears to be great architecture/History. Sound & Light Show adds a 21st century flair. Underground lake tour was unique; of course, the hiking is always a lovely way to experience an area.
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hunterV Jan 14, 2009 at 10:14 AM

Thanks to you I can see the splendid architecture here! Vielen Dankl!
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sue_stone Oct 15, 2008 at 10:46 AM

I can't believe I hadn't visited this great page on lovely Sion! Looks like the type of place I would like too : )
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Dabs Sep 21, 2008 at 4:17 PM

You had considerably nicer weather in Sion and Zermatt than us, what a difference a day or two makes!!!