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.