Culture and customs

Varied cultural offerings

The Valais is rich in ancient customs and is home to a wide range of cultural offerings. Lectures, guided tours, concerts and much more await you in the town of Brig. In the villages heading towards and around the Simplon Pass, customs shape the cultural offerings. The cultural landscape shaped by humans on the Brigerberg is worth checking out – as are the high moors on the Simplon Pass, the rugged valleys of Laggin and Zwischbergen and the abandoned gold mines of Gondo.

Zeughaus Kultur arts and leisu Upper Valais Kellertheater cel Simpilär Handwerk handicrafts Museums Cultural trails Offers

Zeughaus Kultur arts and leisure centre

Spanning three floors, Zeughaus Kultur offers plenty of space for concerts, performances, theatre, dance, exhibitions and studios as well as for workshops, lessons, rehearsals, readings, meetings, lectures and much more. You can check out the varied programme and discover what’s on at Zeughaus Kultur here.

Upper Valais Kellertheater cellar theatre

As a typical small-scale performing arts stage, Kellertheater in Brig has been hosting cabaret, theatre, literature, music and children’s theatre performances for 50 years.

Located in the vaulted cellars of Stockalper Palace, it offers a unique ambience for a cultural experience.

Simpilär Handwerk handicrafts exhibition

Be inspired by the crafts of our ancestors in the village of Simplon. The ‘Simpilär Handwerk’ exhibition is a chance for local residents to present old handicrafts at the Simplon Dorfplatz village square. It’s located in a convenient spot in the village square, right near the entrance to the Ecomuseum – Alter Gasthof. The craftspeople exhibiting there work on their products and are happy to answer questions from anyone who is interested.

Be inspired

Cultural trails

On the following cultural trails, you will learn interesting facts about the region, landscape and nature in the Valais.

MapToggle map

Follow historic paths to the impressive Gamsen land wall, a monument of national importance from the 14th century.

easy 10,3 km 3,0 h

The Romans brought the grain over 2000 years ago to Valais, where it soon became a typical image. Along the nature trail you will discover many highlights at Brigerberg.

easy 1,5 km 0,7 h

Simplon Dorf blickt auf eine über 700-jährige Geschichte zurück. Geprägt vom Passübergang bietet das kleine Bergdorf heute ein zauberhaftes Dorfbild und viele Wandermöglichkeiten.

easy 0,9 km 0,8 h

Brig is famous for his train station. After the construction of the Simplon tunnel, the Orient-Express made a stop in Brig. The Alpine train routes can also be discovered along the way.

medium 11,4 km 3,0 h

The varied Mountain Farming Experience Trail in Termen illustrates Valais agriculture with its animals, products and special conditions.

medium 2,7 km 1,0 h

Museums

The region is home to a wide variety of museums. Search for clues in Stockalper Palace or satisfy your desire to hunt for gold. You will find museums of nature, culture and history here.

Kaspar Stockalper had the Stockalper Palace built in Brig between 1651 and 1671.

The Ecomuseum shows the history of transit traffic over the Simplon and its effects.

The Gold Mining Museum in the Stockalperturm in Gondo offers a fascinating journey through the history of gold mining in the Simplon area.

The permanent exhibition "Passage Simplon" at the Stockalper Castle in Brig covers an area of approximately 200 m² and sheds light on the fascinating history of the Simplon Pass.

The Alte Kaserne is a rest area on the Simplon road. It also houses an exhibition on the history of transport on the Simplon. Admission is free.

Beim Wandern, Trailrunnen, Skitouren oder Schneeschuhlaufen in der Region um Simplon Punkte sammeln und Preise gewinnen.

The Simplon-Adler Observatory is located at 2,000 metres above sea level and is operational all year round.

Offers

Join a guided tour and let your knowledgeable guide tell you all about the region’s culture.

from12CHF

Join the official guided tour of Stockalper Castle and find out more about the building and its history.

Discover Simplon village on an entertaining tour with culinary stops

from10CHF

The infantry fortress in the Gondo Gorge was of central importance for the defence of the borders during the Second World War. You can visit the fortress on a guided tour;

from89CHF

Leave your everyday life behind and immerse yourself in a gold-digging adventure just like in the old days

from60CHF

Officially one of the most beautiful villages in Switzerland. Our village guides have always lived in the village, know its history and stories.

from98CHF

Discover Brig on an enjoyable tour with culinary highlights