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Vol. 5 No. 17, ISSN 1535-5993	August 19, 2005

Destination Snow: St. Moritz, Switzerland

St. Moritz exudes chic style and glamour. It’s a favorite winter destination for the rich and famous who enjoy its luxuries and cosmopolitan atmosphere. St. Moritz is known for its sun, snow, and scenery as well as its upscale après-ski.

St. Moritz calls itself the “Top of the World.” It is way up there – the resort sits on a mountainside at 1,856 meters (5,624 feet) in the Upper Engadine region of Switzerland. St. Moritz has been around for a long time. The area was known for its mineral springs over 3,000 years ago but the first documented reference to the village was in the year 1139. Fast forward 700 years or so and St. Moritz becomes a winter destination. Although it was originally a summer destination, an innkeeper in St. Moritz challenged a group of British travelers to spend the entire winter there in 1864 and the rest is history. The resort went on to host the Winter Olympic Games in 1928 and 1948, and to become a legendary European resort.

St. Moritz is situated on the southern slopes of the Swiss Alps and is known for its sunshine and mild winter temperatures. Its altitude, though, keeps the slopes snowy from late November to late April. The area around the village provides 350 kilometers (217 miles) of trails with the majority of trails catering to intermediates (21 percent). Beginners will find only 16 percent of trails suitable for novices but nearby Corviglia offers some good beginner trails. Experts will find only 13 percent of trails designated for them in St. Moritz but the surrounding area offers many challenging slopes, including the Piz Nair on Corviglia.

St. Moritz is a great destination for other winter sports, also. It was the first resort in the Alps to sponsor snowboarding events. Snowboarders have access to all of the slopes and also a half-pipe on Corviglia. Cross-country skiers have over 180 kilometers (111 miles) to explore including frozen lakes and scenic trails. Ice climbers can visit Switzerland’s largest mountaineering school in nearby Pontrèsina and try their skills on rock faces and glaciers. St. Moritz has the only natural ice bobsled run in the world, originally designed for the 1928 Olympics and is still thrilling riders today. Men (only) can experience the thrill of the popular Cresta Run. Riders lying on a toboggan plunge head first down a sheet of ice.

Lacking quaint chalets and cobblestone streets, St. Moritz is not a traditional alpine village. However, the natural beauty of the surrounding mountains makes up for it. There are two sections of St. Moritz. Dorf is the upscale and uphill portion of the village. It’s located on a steep hillside and offers all the trappings for their elite visitors. Expensive shops draw almost as many visitors to the resort as the slopes. St. Moritz Bad, situated along one side of the lake, is the less expensive and less celebrated section of the resort.

Après-ski possibilities are nearly endless in St. Moritz. The resort attracts people of all ages but there are more than enough restaurants, cafés, bars, and clubs to satisfy all après-ski tastes. More than 64 restaurants serve a variety of menus that include Swiss, French, Italian, American, and Chinese food. St. Moritz knows quite a lot about fine dining. Every year the resort hosts its famous gourmet festival featuring top chefs from around the world, and local restaurants reflect a love of fine cuisine. Over 30 restaurants dot the mountainside and provide excellent dining without having to leave the slopes. Bars and pubs offer lively entertainment into the early morning hours.

Shopping is an Olympic sport in St. Moritz. More than 125 shops and boutiques line the streets offering designer clothes, perfume, jewelry, and most anything else an upscale shopper would hope to find. Those who prefer time in a spa can go to St. Moritz Bad. Mud baths, mineral baths, and other spa treatments pamper guests who take some time off the slopes.

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