Narzissenweg Seewis – hike with magnificent flowers in Prättigau

The mountain spring with its variety of flowers is a splendour year after year. Accordingly, it is worthwhile to pay attention not only to particularly scenic routes, but also to routes rich in flowers when planning your hike in spring. Themed hiking trails for crocus or daffodil blossoms can be found in various Swiss regions – including Prättigau in the canton of Graubünden. From mid-May to the beginning of June, blooming fields of daffodils attract flower-loving day-trippers to the heights high above Seewis.

Last year, we took a close look at the daffodil circular hike and can already say at this point: there is definitely no stinginess here with beautiful panoramic views.

Daffodil blossom in Prättigau

The peak of the daffodil blossom in Prättigau varies year from year to year depending on the temperatures and the course of the weather. We did the tour last year on the last weekend in May and discovered some beautiful flower spots right along the way of the circular hike. Up-to-date information on the inflorescence can be found on the Seewis Tourism website. A high density of mountain daffodils can be found on the south-eastern slopes above the Prättigau village of Seewis from an altitude of around 1,300 metres above sea level. Up here, the white-flowered daffodils compete with the sun, but also with the snow-capped mountain peaks at this time of year.

Easy circular hike in Seewis

The daffodil circular hike starts at the Postbus terminus in the village centre of Seewis. If you take a look at the map (or Google Maps) in advance of the hike, you will notice that Seewis has a strictly rectangular road network, which is very atypical for a Prättigau mountain village. This urban peculiarity can be traced back to the village fire of 1863. The main part of the village – almost 100 houses – burned to the ground within a few hours.

By means of the newly laid out road network and a massive construction, a second such conflagration was to be prevented. After we have examined the urban features of Seewis, we follow the signpost that directs us specifically to the daffodil fields above Seewis. After a last look back at the pretty church tower (which, by the way, survived the fire at that time) we focus on the beautiful mountain landscape that lies in front of us.

This is followed by a 30 to 45-minute ascent towards Pligugg. The Narcissus Trail runs almost entirely on paved, little-used roads. The advantage: A large part of the round can therefore also be mastered with prams. The disadvantage: If you prefer to move on natural terrain, you won’t find the course of this daffodil circular hike insanely tingling. But the ever-present phenomenal panorama over blooming alpine meadows with hay warehouses interspersed here and there allows us to generously overlook this shortcoming.

We discover the most beautiful daffodil fields between Pilidetta, Planaura and Pligugg. At two points there is the possibility to climb even further into the hills along a nature trail.

Via Ganialboden we go back down into the valley. If you feel hungry or thirsty at this point, you don’t have to wait much longer. The hiking trail back to Seewis leads past the sympathetic farm pub Runggalina (just under 30 minutes above Seewis village). Whether with or without a stop for refreshments – the brisk hiking tour through the idyllic Prättigau spring landscape provides an energy boost either way!

Practical tips for the hike along the Seewis Daffodil Trail

The route of our tour along the Seewis Daffodil Trail can be found on the map below. The start and end point is at the Seewis Dorf, Bühelstrasse bus stop in the village centre of Seewis. The distance of the circular hike is 12.5 kilometers. The path first climbs almost 600 meters in altitude from Seewis towards Pilidetta/Stettli, where there are the largest daffodil fields. Please pay attention to the trail markings and only use the designated roads and paths. The mountain daffodils are protected and may not be picked. The pure walking time is a good three hours at a leisurely walking pace.

The daffodil bloom starts from approx. Mid-May and lasts until the beginning of June. However, the entertaining and easy circular hike is also attractive in autumn thanks to its magnificent panorama. Up-to-date information on the inflorescence of daffodils can be found on the website of Seewis Tourism.