Vilters - Wildboden - Valens - Bad Ragaz

We leave Vilters, mentioned in documents as early as the 9th century as "Filtris" in the direction of Crestis, then follows an easy ascent to the Sonnenberg and to Höfen with unique views: in front of us lies the Rhine Valley, Liechtenstein with the jagged Three Sisters and the dominating Falknis, above Lake Walen the Chufirsten greet and in front of us the Gonzen, in the interior of which iron ore was mined for centuries.
Via Targön we hike up to Herrenboden and Faller, then we continue over Stein to Wildboden. High above the Tamina, the path leads on the left side of the valley via Balen to Valens, formerly the only accessible access to the thermal baths in the Tamina Gorge. In 1755 the church, 32 houses and 27 barns burned down. Today, the buildings of the Rheumatism and Rehabilitation Centre dominate the villagescape, after the thermal water from the Tamina Gorge has been pumped up since 1970. We descend on the steep path into the gorge to the "Old Bad Pfäfers", built 300 years ago, where bathing cures were offered for centuries. The baroque building, which is still partially preserved, houses a restaurant, exhibition rooms and a Paracelsus memorial (open from the beginning of May to mid-October). On the road, which is only allowed for horse-drawn carriages and the spa bus, we hike back to Bad Ragaz.