Chur's car-free old town is the heart of the city and one of the most satisfying medieval ensembles in eastern Switzerland. The pedestrianised lanes run between painted burgher houses, Renaissance fountains, and stone archways leading into quiet courtyards — all within an area small enough to cover entirely in an unhurried morning. The lack of cars makes the whole thing feel lived-in rather than preserved: the shops are real shops, the cafes are full of locals, and the sounds are conversation and church bells rather than engines.
The old town divides broadly into an upper and a lower section. The upper old town, around the cathedral and episcopal palace, is older and quieter — a genuinely medieval atmosphere with unpaved lanes and thick stone walls. The lower pedestrian zone, centred on Postplatz and the shopping streets that run toward the railway station, is more commercial but still pleasant. The two are connected by the Malteserstrasse, a cobbled lane worth taking slowly.
Look for the Roman tower (Römischer Turm) embedded in the wall near the bishop's court — one of the most visible remnants of the city's 2,000 years of Roman occupation. The archaeological service has marked several other Roman and medieval remains with information panels throughout the old town.