Arosa ClassicCar

High in the Grisons Alps, the Arosa ClassicCar has quietly become one of Europe's most compelling historic hill climbs. Now entering its twenty-second year, this four-day event transforms the winding mountain road between Langwies and Arosa into a proper timed course where competition is fierce and the scenery makes every run feel cinematic.

The route itself is demanding: 7.3 kilometres, 76 corners including three hairpins, and 422 metres of elevation gain. What makes it unique in Switzerland is the 1.2-kilometre downhill section—a genuine brake tester that separates those who know their machinery from those who merely own it. Categories span full competition runs where every tenth counts, regularity classes rewarding consistency, and demonstration runs for machines too special or too valuable to race outright. You'll see everything from local hot hatches driven with abandon to Group C prototypes and DTM legends threading through the same alpine curves.

The paddock in central Arosa is free to access and genuinely welcoming. Watch mechanics work on cars between runs, chat with drivers about their machines, or simply absorb the atmosphere of a village completely given over to motorsport for the weekend. Thursday's evening corso parades the entire field through town, Friday brings live music, and Saturday's gala dinner adds a touch of Swiss elegance.

Getting there by train is part of the experience. The Rhaetian Railway winds through the Schanfigg valley directly to Arosa, and grandstand ticket holders travel free on public transport. Whether you come to spectate, compete, or simply soak in the atmosphere of serious historic racing at altitude, this is Switzerland's answer to events like Vernasca and Cesana-Sestriere—intimate, technical, and utterly committed.