Sparkling Light Above the Engadin Lakes
St Moritz is a resort town in the Engadin valley of the canton of Graubünden in south-eastern Switzerland, known for its dry, bright air, its lake and its long history as a winter-sports capital. It sits at about 1,820 metres, and its sunny climate has long been part of its marketing. The town hosted the Winter Olympics in 1928 and again in 1948, and its mix of grand hotels, boutiques and mountain restaurants has made it one of the best-known names in the Alps.
The setting is as memorable as the reputation. Lake St Moritz lies in the middle of the valley, frozen in winter and shining in summer, with the Engadin lakes stretching beyond. The Cresta Run, a natural-ice toboggan track, has been in use since the 1880s, and the lake hosts snow polo, horse racing and cricket on ice. Nearby, Zermatt offers a different Swiss mountain mood centred on the Matterhorn, while Lake Como in Italy is reached through a scenic crossing over the Bernina and Maloja passes.
Corviglia, Grand Hotels and Engadin Tables
Skiing centres on Corviglia, with Piz Nair rising to around 3,000 metres and long, wide pistes above the town, and the Corvatsch and Diavolezza areas offer high, quiet terrain nearby. Cross-country skiing along the frozen Engadin lakes is a signature experience, and the Engadin Skimarathon each March fills the valley with thousands of skiers. Summer is equally appealing, with walking, cycling, sailing and golf in the clear air of the valley.
The grand hotel tradition runs deep. Badrutt's Palace, which dates from 1896, and the Kulm Hotel, long associated with the beginnings of Alpine winter tourism, remain landmarks of the town. Dining ranges from rustic mountain huts serving Engadin barley soup and nut tart to ambitious modern restaurants, and the valley's cafés are known for their pastries. A hotel group can place its own story within this long hospitality tradition, and Kitzbühel in Austria offers a comparable blend of heritage and sport.
Read the full St Moritz guide on Visit Travel Group, or see VisitStMoritz.co.uk on Visit Travel Group.