As one of the world’s most exclusive ski resorts, and with
over 320 days of sunshine each year, it’s no wonder that St. Moritz keeps
visitors coming back time and time again
Tens to thousands of years ago, a dramatic 50-mile long
glacial valley was created high in the mountains. The source of the mighty Inn river, the valley came to be known as Engadin,
after the local Rhaeto-Romance language for “Garden of the Inn” (Engiadina). Today, that garden is Switzerland’s largest
nature reserve, a pristine environment of snow-capped peaks, dense forests,
verdant meadows, mountain streams, natural springs and lakes.
Hikers with view
of the Corvatsch cable car and Lake Silvaplana
Embedded in the inspiring and sun-blessed Engadin valley, St. Moritz is one of the world’s most
iconic resorts. Widely recognized as the cradle of winter tourism, St. Moritz
was, ironically, originally known as a summer destination. This changed
irreversibly when the pioneering local hotelier Johannes Badrutt
made a wager with four British guests in 1864: they should return to St. Moritz
in winter and, if they didn’t enjoy it, he would cover the cost of their travel
from London and back. If they did like it, Badrutt
would host them for as long as they wished.
Badrutt’s guests didn’t leave
until the following spring, reveling in crisp, sun-drenched days spent skiing, snowshoeing
and ice-skating on Lake St. Moritz. World spread about idyllic white winters in
St. Moritz, leading the town to become the most desirable winter destination in
the Alps.
A view across Lake
Sils to Piz da la Margna
Nearly 160 years later, St. Moritz retains every ounce of
its allure and Badrutt’s family ensures that his
hotel, now called Badrutt’s Palace, remains one of
the town’s finest hotels (no mean feat, given that St. Moritz boasts eight
five-star properties, the greatest concentration of any mountain resort in the
world). The town has become synonymous with style, quality, tradition and its
so-called “champagne climate” – not a reference to champagne-quaffing guests,
but to the sparkling and invigorating climate of the Upper Engadin.
Thanks to its southerly location, St. Moritz benefits from a distinctly Italian
climate, lapping up over 320 days of sunshine each year. This sunny
environment, combined with pure mountain air and the therapeutic natural
springs which first brought spa guests to St. Moritz in the Middle
Ages, ensures visitors to the town experience tangible health benefits.
Furthermore, St. Moritz is the ultimate outdoor playground,
with limitless opportunities foryear-round pursuits,
from skiing to sailing, snowshoeing to hiking and ice-climbing to surfing.
Accustomed to catering for everyone from Olympic athletes to recuperating
patients, St. Moritz offers thrilling adventures such as the infamous Cresta Run bobsleigh and four Alpine golf courses, as well
as gentle trails for electrically-assisted bicycles and pushchair-accessible
walking trails. For those who enjoy spectator sports, there’s an equally
abundant choice, such as the glamorous Polo World Cup on Snow and international
yachting Match Race.
St. Moritz Match
Race
Culture buffs are also content in St. Moritz, which hosts
prestigious art and music events each year, including the Opera Festival, Art
Masters, Jazz Festival and the week-long Resonanzen
International Culture Festival, which combines concerts with literary evenings,
film nights and wonderful cultural walks.
While the chic restaurants, bars and clubs and glittering
boutiques which line St. Moritz’s winding streets are never quiet, they
positively hum with energy during these events, as visitors from around the
world indulge their shared passion for excellent food, wine, entertainment and
shopping. St. Moritz regulars
You can place a bet in the Kempinski
casino that discerning will beat a path to the hamlet of Champfèr
thic summer. Located five minutes from the heart of
St. Moritz, Champfèr is home to the two-Michelin-starred
restaurant Talvo by Dalsass
and the intimate five-star Hotel Giardino Mountain,
which opens its doors to summer guests for the first time this year.
Badrutt’s
Palace Hotel
Those with a head for heights and romance should head for
the new 16-room Muottas Muragl
hotel. Located high above St. Moritz at an altitude of 2,456 metres, this luxurious property is the first “plus-energy”
hotel in the Alps, producing more solar-powered energy than is required to run
it for a year.
Regardless of where you go and what you to do in Engadin St. Moritz, you can wager that you’ll want to
return because, in St. Moritz, exceptional is normal.
In Engadin St. Moritz
