Andeer suits walkers and cyclists wanting a quiet village base in the Schams valley, with a mineral spa and the Roffla Gorge close by. Homes are small, none has a pool, and Andeer sits on the San Bernardino route rather than at a resort.
Andeer is a village of about 930 people at roughly 980 metres in the Schams valley, on the right bank of the Hinterrhein. The valley lies between the Roffla Gorge upstream and the Viamala gorge downstream, with mountain ranges of around 3,000 metres on both sides, and Pignia and Clugin are districts of the village. Homes sit tightly in the village, mostly for four or five, with a fireplace in most and a garden in some. Andeer was largely Romansh-speaking once; German now dominates. The village returned to a major route when the San Bernardino road tunnel opened in 1967.
A neighbouring village with the twelfth-century Church of St Martin and the Talmuseum Tgea da Schons, both on the valley cycling circuit.
A gorge with a rock gallery and waterfall, 3.5 km south of Andeer, worth an extra loop on a ride.
Marks the downstream end of the Schams valley, separating it from the Domleschg and Heinzenberg valley.
A district of Andeer with a listed church that makes a recommended stop on the Schams valley circuit.
Andeer is about 1 hour 40 minutes from Zurich city by car. Without a car, a PostBus from Andeer to Chur and a train on to Zürich HB take around 2 hours 15 minutes. The A13 has exits for Andeer and Zillis, and PostBus serves both villages.
Yes, Andeer has a mineral spa with its own car park, and the Schams valley cycling circuit can start from Andeer or Zillis. The village also runs regular public village tours in German.
Cycling is the classic option. A simple 18.6 km circuit takes about 1 hour 45 minutes by bike, linking Zillis, Donat, Clugin, Andeer and Pignia, with a height difference of 385 metres. It passes the spa, a covered wooden bridge near Reischen and the twelfth-century church at Zillis.
Not mainly any more. Andeer was once largely Romansh-speaking, but most people now speak German, and it is the only language used for official business. At the 2000 census, 81 per cent spoke German.
Worth it for the twelfth-century Church of St Martin and the Talmuseum Tgea da Schons. Both lie on the 18.6 km Schams valley circuit that also passes through Andeer, so the two combine easily on one ride.
Written by the TrustedVillas team. Last reviewed October 2026.
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