Brig, with its historic old town and Stockalper Palace, is situated in sunny Upper Valais, at the foot of the Simplon Pass. With excellent international transport links, Brig is a good starting point for excursions. Hiking areas on the Lötschberg, Simplon and in the Aletsch region, as well as nearby thermal baths, make this small town an attractive holiday destination. Enjoy a leisurely stroll through the picturesque old town, with its patrician houses, cosy inns and hotels, or shop till you drop on the lively Bahnhofstrasse. With its magnificent Stockalper Palace, Brig boasts one of the most important baroque palaces in Switzerland.

The history of Brig is closely related to the Simplon Pass, one of the Alps’ most beautiful passes, which begins right on the town’s doorstep. In the 19th century, Napoleon built a road through the Simplon Pass for military purposes, thereby creating the first modern road in the Alps.

Brig is the perfect starting point for excursions to Zermatt, Saas-Fee and various other destinations. The town also lies on the route of the famous Glacier Express, which links Zermatt and St. Moritz. In the south, Brig is the most northerly border station for the Simplon railway tunnel, which leads to Italy. To the east, you pass through Goms and over the Furka Pass into Central Switzerland, over the Grimsel Pass into the Bernese Oberland, and over the Nufenen Pass into Ticino. Blatten, which lies to the north of Naters in the district of Brig, is a traditional Valais village with sun-bronzed wooden houses. From here, a cableway leads up to the Belalp, a sun-drenched, traffic-free plateau bearing the “Families Welcome” label. Highlights include the Massa Trail and Gorge, the Aletsch via ferrata over the reservoir, and the “suonen walks” along the historic Valais irrigation channels.

More than 150 km of marked hiking trails await you on the Simplon and Lötschberg and in the Aletsch region. There are also plenty of cycling and mountain bike routes: experts are sure to enjoy the tour up to the Rosswald viewing plateau on the Simplon. Brigerbad, one of the largest open-air thermal centres in Switzerland, offers pure relaxation.

Highlights:

Stockalper Palace – A baroque palace built by the merchant prince Kaspar Jodok von Stockalper, who made his fortune in the 17th century trading in salt, silk and other goods along the mule track that he had extended through the Simplon Pass.

Brig old town – Interesting old town with patrician houses, a pilgrimage and collegiate church and the Sebastian Chapel.

Brigerbad – One of the largest open-air thermal spa centres in Switzerland, located 6 km from Brig. It features a thermal grotto swimming pool, a water chute (182 m), as well as fresh water and Olympic pools.

Simplon Pass – The 35-km-long Stockalper road from Brig to Gondo is the backbone of the “Ecomuseum Simplon”, which relays the history of the Simplon Pass from the time of Stockalper through to the Napoleon era.

Aletsch Glacier – The longest glacier in Europe and part of the Jungfrau-Aletsch UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Lötschberg southern slope – A mountain hike along the dry, hot and step-like southern slope of the Lötschberg railway line, a route famous for its panoramic views.