Samnaun
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It's situated close to the Austria border and in fact it's an "independent" duty-free area which means that you might be controlled by the Swiss customs as well when going to or leaving Samnaun. There are four villages inside the Samnaun area, Samnaun-Dorf (at the end of the road going through the area), Compatsch, Laret and Ravaisch.
In the winter Samnaun is a place for snowboarders and skiers, as Samnaun is a part of the ski center in Ischgl at the Austrian side of the border, in the summer people come there mostly for shopping and enjoying the nature. There are many shops selling jewellery, swiss watches, alcohol and tobacco as well as many restaurants and hotels.
Get in
Samnaun might be one of the most remote parts of Switzerland, and getting there will require some patience.
By bus
There is a postal bus with a dozen trips a day from Martina (45min) and Scuol (1h 20min). From Martina there are buses to Landeck in Austria and Mals in Italy.
By car
Traditionally the only road into Samnaun went through Austria, hence the special status of the valley as a duty free area. Today there are two roads into Samnaun, one via Austria and another one entirely on Swiss territory.
Get around
Walking is the best way to get around inside Samnaun-Dorf.
See
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phone: +41 81 868 51 58address: Samnaun-LaretA cheese dairy which uses milk from the valley to make cheese. Visit includes tasting. The restaurant and shop are also opened on other days.
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Museum Samnaun
phone: +41 81 861 88 30Local history museum.
Do
In the winter Samnaun is excellent place for winter sports. In the summer there are also a variety of sports like hiking, biking or tennis.
Samnaun ski areaThe ski area is shared with Austria, hence the prices are given in Euros.
Buy
There are many duty-free shops in Samnaun similar to those at major airports. However one has to remember that there are some strict customs regulations. Please pay attention to these otherwise you might get in trouble.
Eat
There are relatively many restaurants in Samnaun. No fast-food available, but instead more classic restaurants with usual Swiss menus... and prices.
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phone: +41 81 861 9000address: Dorfstrasse 17
Sleep
For its size, Samnaun has a big number of hotels, many of them are offering wellness services etc.
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phone: +41 81 861 90 00address: Dorfstrasse 3