Tarasp Castle

Tarasp Castle sits on a knuckle of rock in the middle of the Lower Engadine valley, white against dark forest and visible from every road and path around it. Built in the Middle Ages and heavily restored in the early twentieth century by a private owner, it is a mixture of medieval structure and later comfort: a chapel, a great hall, panelled Engadine rooms, an organ installed in the restoration, and windows that look out over the Inn valley and the peaks of the national park. It is still privately owned and can be entered only on a guided tour, which is worth planning around rather than turning up for.

What you actually see

• The rock setting - the castle standing alone on its knoll above the valley floor.
• The panelled rooms - Engadine interiors of carved timber restored a century ago.
• The chapel and organ - the castle chapel with the instrument added during the restoration.
• The valley views - windows and terraces looking along the Inn towards the mountains.

When to go

Tours run mainly from early summer to autumn, with a much thinner schedule outside those months, and times change from year to year. Check before travelling and reserve, since tour sizes are limited. Late afternoon suits photography of the exterior, when the sun comes round onto the white walls.

Honest expectations

You cannot wander it. Entry is by timed tour only, mostly in German, and if the day's tours are full you have come for the outside view alone. The approach is steep whether on foot or by road, and parking near the castle is very limited. Interiors are a restoration in period style rather than original medieval furnishing.

Nearby

Scuol and its mineral springs lie below, and the Swiss National Park begins further up the valley.