Things to Do in Sion, Switzerland: Walking Guide

The best things to do in Sion include exploring its fortified hills, historic churches, museums and surviving medieval towers. The capital of Switzerland’s Valais canton is shaped by the contrast between Valère Castle and Tourbillon Castle, while its old streets reveal a rich religious and civic history. Neywo’s free audio guide for Sion narrates 14 places as you explore the city.

What to see in Sion

Valère Castle and the Basilica of Notre-Dame de Valère

Valère Castle is one of Sion’s defining landmarks, rising on one of the two hills above the city. At its centre, the Basilica of Notre-Dame de Valère was built during the twelfth and thirteenth centuries and served as the residence of the cathedral chapter’s canons until the French Revolution.

In 1984, during a visit by Pope John Paul II, the church received the rank of minor basilica. It also preserves a playable organ dating from 1430, a remarkable musical treasure that can be heard during the annual International Festival of Early Organ and Early Music.

The Valais History Museum occupies the former outbuildings of the canons. Founded there in 1883 and completely redesigned since 2008, it places the history of Valais within the walls of the fortified religious complex.

Tourbillon Castle

Across from Valère stands Tourbillon Castle, the second of Sion’s two landmark hills. Its elevated position makes it an important part of the city’s historic landscape and gives the pair of castles their distinctive presence above Sion.

The two sites are among the most memorable places to see in Sion. Walking between the city and the hills involves uphill paths and stone steps, but the climb offers a different view of the historic rooftops, vineyards and Alpine surroundings.

Sion Cathedral

Sion Cathedral, also known as the Cathedral of Our Lady or Notre-Dame du Glarier, is the principal church of the Diocese of Sion and is dedicated to Mary. Its interior combines Byzantine style with several Roman inscriptions, fifteen altars and many fonts.

These varied details give the cathedral a richly layered character and make it an important stop in the city’s religious history.

Majorie Castle

Majorie Castle, or La Majorie, is a historic fortress in Sion and a Swiss heritage site of national significance. Its position adds another castle to the city’s remarkable concentration of fortified and religious landmarks.

Le Vidomnat

Le Vidomnat is another castle in Sion’s historic landscape. Together with Majorie Castle, Valère and Tourbillon, it helps show how strongly the city’s identity is connected with fortified architecture.

Witch Tower

The Witch Tower recalls Sion’s former defences. It is one of only two towers that survived the destruction of the city’s last wall; the other surviving structure is the Watch Tower.

The tower offers a tangible link to the city’s defensive past and is a distinctive stop to look for while walking through Sion.

Église Saint-Théodule de Sion

Église Saint-Théodule de Sion is a Roman Catholic church also known in German as St. Theodul. It adds another layer to the city’s religious heritage, alongside the cathedral, Valère Basilica and the College Church.

College Church of the Holy Trinity

The College Church, also known as Holy Trinity, is another historic church building to notice in Sion. Its presence contributes to the sequence of religious landmarks encountered through the old city.

Musée de l’Evêché

The Musée de l’Evêché is one of Sion’s cultural places to discover. It provides another museum stop among the city’s historic buildings and complements the collections at Valère.

Maison du Diable

The Maison du Diable is a distinctive building in the canton of Valais. Its unusual name makes it an easy stop to look for while exploring Sion and its historic centre.

Musée de la nature and Grange-à-l’Evêque

The Musée de la nature is another cultural stop in Sion. Nearby, the Grange-à-l’Evêque is the building associated with the museum, giving the site a separate architectural identity within the city.

The former Valais Nature Museum is also part of Sion’s museum landscape, representing a former museum building in the canton’s administrative centre.

Theater

Sion’s theater provides a cultural stop beyond the city’s castles, churches and museums. It forms part of the broader civic character of the canton’s administrative centre.

Stade de Tourbillon

Stade de Tourbillon is a major sporting venue and the home ground of FC Sion. It is a multi-purpose stadium, although football is its main focus today.

The stadium opened in 1968 and was renovated in 1989. Its current capacity is 16,000 people. A modern LED scoreboard, powered by ColosseoEAS’s miniDirector together with a miniTimer, adds a contemporary detail to a venue with more than five decades of history.

A self-guided walking tour of Sion

For a compact introduction to the city, Neywo’s walking tour follows a route of 1.26 km, lasting 71 minutes and including 10 narrated stops. It connects the Former Valais Nature Museum, Witch Tower, Église Saint-Théodule de Sion, Sion Cathedral, Le Vidomnat, Theater, College Church of the Holy Trinity, Musée de la nature, Majorie Castle and Valère Castle.

The route brings together Sion’s museums, churches, towers and castles in a single walk. It is a practical way to discover the historic centre while hearing the story of each place in sequence.

Sion is part of Switzerland, a country whose cities range from Alpine destinations to historic lakeside towns. If you are planning a wider trip, Zermatt is another Valais destination to consider.

Explore Sion with Neywo

Download Neywo and discover Sion with one walking tour covering 1.26 km in 71 minutes, with 10 narrated stops. The app tells the story of each place as you reach it, at your own pace, with no group and no schedule.

Neywo offers a free audio guide for Sion with 14 narrated places. Its narration is available in 11 languages, so you can explore the castles, churches and museums while following the route that suits you.