Chur likes to call itself the oldest town in Switzerland, and the claim holds up better than most: people have lived on this spot, where the Plessur meets the Rhine, for several thousand years. It became the seat of a bishop in late Roman times, and the cathedral on the hill still keeps that tradition alive. Today the city has around thirty thousand residents and sits at 593 metres, the gateway to Graubünden, with fuel, supermarkets, bakeries and restaurants everywhere a rider could want. As a start point it is practical and charming at once.
The old town is largely car-free, a tight tangle of lanes with fountains, medieval towers and painted house fronts, and a good place for a walk after the ride. The local speciality is Bündnerfleisch, air-dried beef sliced thin, and you will find it on most menus. Capuns, little parcels of dough wrapped in chard leaves, are another regional dish worth ordering. A slice of Engadiner nusstorte, with caramel and walnuts, will carry you through the afternoon.
From Chur the roads fan out in every direction. To the west, the Rhine runs along the Vorderrhein valley towards Ilanz, Disentis and the Oberalp. To the south, the road climbs to Lenzerheide and the Julier. East lies Landquart and the Prättigau, with Davos and the Flüela beyond. The Rhine valley itself is broad and fast, with modern road and heavy trucks, so riders tend to leave it as quickly as possible. The valley is also prone to the Föhn, a warm, dry wind that sweeps down from the south and can make the air feel odd and energetic.
Felsberg, on the far side of the river, sits under a mountain that famously collapsed in the nineteenth century, and rock-fall risks are still monitored on the slopes above. The high peaks of Calanda loom behind it. If you are leaving Chur at dawn to catch the mountain passes, the early light on the cathedral and the quiet streets make a good way to begin. Park in one of the central car parks, or ask your hotel about secure spots for the bike.