Airport of Sion (©_OTV)

Sion’s train station is at the southern end of the long, straight Avenue de la Gare, with the giant postbus station to one side. Some 500m north along Avenue de la Gare is the wide open concrete of the Place de la Planta, with a shack housing the tourist office (July & Aug Mon–Sat 8am–6pm; Sept–June Mon–Fri 8.30am–noon & 2–5.30pm, Sat 8.30am–noon; 027/322 85 86, www.siontourism.ch). They offer a good two-hour guided walking tour of the town (July & Aug Tues & Thurs 4pm; Fr.8), as well as information about hikes in the surrounding area, including treks into the Val d’Hérens, through the vineyards and along the bisses irrigation channels in the hills. Every August, Sion hosts the Tibor Varga International Violin Competition, named after the virtuoso violinist who settled in Sion for the health of his son, and centrepiece of a summer-long classical music festival at venues around the canton. For tickets and information, contact the Festival Tibor Varga, CP 1429, CH-1951 Sion (027/323 43 30, www.nouvelliste.ch/varga).

From Place de la Planta, the Rue de Lausanne heads east to meet Rue du Grand-Pont in the heart of the Old Town, clustered at the base of the two castle hills of Tourbillon and Valère. Sion’s tiny airport – used regularly by international flights only in winter – is 5km west of the centre.