St. Moritz
What's Popular In St. Moritz
- Currency: Euro(EUR)
- Language: Romansch
St. Moritz is a luxury alpine resort town in Switzerland’s Engadin valley. It has hosted the Winter Olympics twice, has the Cresta Run, a world-championship bobsled run made of natural ice, and an outdoor Olympic ice rink. Its frozen lake hosts polo, cricket and even horse racing on ice. Ski and snowboard areas include Corviglia, Diavolezza and Corvatsch, and there are well-groomed cross-country ski trails.
Best Time to Travel
The best time to visit St Moritz is in the winter from December to early April. During the winter months you can take pleasure in all the adventure activities like skiing, snowboarding and shoesnow walking with clear and bright cold days.
Summers extend from mid-June to mid-October and make a pleasant weather for a visit. There are a number of outdoor activities as well in the summer months to choose from- hiking, biking, mountain climbing, kayaking, sailing.
Transportation
St. Moritz can be reached by train and by car. There are no highways nearby. In Winter, the passes are closed and the car train can be used to reach the Engadine. There's a small airport for private charter flights in nearby Samedan. The town center is compact and can easily be explored on foot, but there are buses too. The rail station in St. Moritz is the starting point for all day trips in the region.
The rail station
St. Moritz only has one rail station. This is where the Glacier Express arrives, and where all the local trains and buses depart. From here, you can easily travel to all the attractions in the region. Suggested hotels near the rail station can be found here.
Buses in town
From the rail station, the town center can be reached in 5 minutes on foot (uphill), or by bus. The town center is small and can easily be explored on foot. The district St. Moritz-Bad is about 20 minutes walking from the rail station, and can be reached by bus too.
Attractions
One of the world's most famous - and among the first - winter sports resorts, St. Moritz hosted the Winter Olympics in 1928 and 1948. The village of St. Moritz Dorf, with its large and palatial hotels, sits on a sunny terrace sheltered from the north wind above the St. Moritzersee (St. Moritz Lake). St Moritz Bad, on the valley floor at the southwest end of the lake, has iron-bearing springs that were already being used in the Bronze Age.
The beautiful alpine scenery with 25 crystal-clear mountain lakes, as well as forests and glaciers, is the region's greatest attraction, drawing tourists and outdoor sports enthusiasts year-round. Summer visitors enjoy hiking, climbing, sailing, windsurfing, tennis, horseback riding, golf, and even skiing on the glaciers.
The magnificent view from St. Moritz embraces the mountains from Piz Languard in the east to Piz Julier in the west. The most prominent peaks are Piz Rosatsch, with its glacier; to its right Piz Surlej and Piz Corvatsch; and in the distance, the beautiful Piz della Margna.
Lake St Moritz
Perhaps the most iconic symbol of this lovely town is the breathtaking Lake St. Moritz itself. While quite small compared to some of Switzerland’s other lakes, with a surface area of less than a kilometre-squared, it is a site of a number of sport activities throughout the year, especially when it is frozen. For example, during February, one can witness the famous ‘White Turf’ horse races, which have been taking place on the frozen Lake St. Moritz since 1907, as well as polo matches. It is also the site of the first ever ice cricket tournament, which occurred in 1988.
Piz Nair
For a great ski in the winter and a great hike in the summer with stunning views, Piz Nair is a fantastic location. This is the mountain that hosted the alpine skiing during the Winter Olympics in 1948 and has also hosted a number of tournaments and championships since. Easy to reach by cable car from the town, this stunning peak offers fantastic ski runs, including a brilliant black that’s fast and challenging.
Hanselmann
For a great experience of Swiss cuisine, Hanselmann is a cosy and authentic cafe that offers a range of real Swiss chocolates, lovely coffee and very welcome and filling hot meals – it is an especially good spot for breakfast. The views are outstanding, with windows overlooking the beautiful lake and the surrounding mountains. The cakes and pastries are also delectable, including a sublime Black Forest Gateau and the local speciality, the Nusse Torte.
Engadiner Museum
Located in a lovely, typical Swiss Alpine building, Engadiner Museum is a great way to discover the life and history of those who inhabited the Engadin valley, with a number of authentic pieces of furniture, pine woodwork and beautiful traditional and abstract wall frescos. This intimate museum transports visitors to another era and gives a fascinating insight into what it was like to inhabit this incredible landscape in times gone by.
What to Do
Marvel at World-Class Contemporary Art
Basel might be the Swiss name most associated with contemporary art, but St. Moritz is no slouch. The town itself is home to many major players in the gallery scene — Vito Schnabel has an outpost here, as does Hauser & Wirth. Even public art here is impressive: works by the likes of Joel Shapiro dot the streets, while James Turrell has installed one of his famous "Sky Scapes" in nearby Zuoz. One of the area's more unique galleries is Stalla Madulain, housed in a 500-year-old barn. The gallery showcases works by up-and-coming contemporary powerhouses like Not Vital and Jani Leinonen.
Hike to a Glacier
One of the best ways to get up close and personal with the Engadine Valley is to hike to a glacier, a popular summertime activity for locals and visitors alike. The walk to Morteratsch is around three miles each way and traverses a wide dirt and gravel trail with a gentle elevation change, making this a great hike for kids and adults alike. Along the way, the trail is lined with mountain streams, wildflowers, and stunning views of the valley. Enlightening signs along the path indicate how far the glacier has receded each year due to climate change.
Take a Scenic Train Ride
Getting to St. Moritz is half the fun! Switzerland's extensive train network is the stuff of dreams—the trains run on time, are incredibly comfortable, and, on the trip from Zurich to St. Moritz, offer views so picturesque that you might be convinced you're actually looking at an oil painting.
Dine In a Star Architect's Creation
The alpine-chic Kulm Country Club got its start as the host structure for the winter Olympic Games in 1928 and 1948. Today, the stunning building is now a restaurant featuring a sleek redesign by Pritzker Prize-winning architect Norman Foster. The chef, Daniel Müller, is a St. Moritz local who serves a menu that includes rich mountain dishes like beef tagliata, tartare made with local beef, and an arugula salad with porcini mushrooms and fontina.
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