Switzerland
Arosa is a traditional Alpine resort in the canton of Graubünden in eastern Switzerland. It sits at the head of a dramatic valley at about 1,800m, and the Arosa Lenzerheide ski area links it with Lenzerheide on the other side of the mountain.
For one week each January, quiet, family-friendly Arosa becomes the centre of Europe's LGBTQ+ ski scene. Arosa Gay Ski Week has run for more than two decades and draws several hundred participants for daytime skiing, guided groups, après events and themed parties in the village's hotels and bars. The rest of the year Arosa has no gay scene of its own, but it's a relaxed and welcoming place to visit.
The Arosa Lenzerheide area has around 225km of pistes across two valleys, linked by the Urdenbahn cable car. The slopes suit intermediates especially well, and Arosa is known for being one of the sunniest resorts in the Alps.
Arosa has winter hiking trails, a frozen lake used for events, ice skating, sledging and a well-known bear sanctuary (real bears) above the village. The village is easy to get around on foot and by free local bus.
Arosa is reached by the scenic Arosa railway from Chur, about an hour up the valley. Chur has fast trains from Zurich, and the whole trip from Zurich Airport takes around 2.5 hours. Driving is possible, but the road includes many hairpin bends.
Arosa is very safe. Switzerland has marriage equality and bans discrimination based on sexual orientation. Locals are polite and reserved; during Gay Ski Week the whole village is visibly welcoming.
Switzerland is safe for LGBTQI+ travellers. Same-sex marriage has been legal since 2022, and legal gender change works by self-declaration at a civil registry office. Protections against discrimination cover sexual orientation but not yet gender identity. Cities are very open; rural and mountain areas are polite but more conservative.
