St Moritz, in the southeast of Switzerland, is famous for being a retreat for the wealthy. St. Moritz offers beautiful chalets, truly spectacular shopping, mountain views, skiing and relaxation. The soothing properties of the St. Moritz spa were extolled by Roman soldiers in the time of Christ, and the praises haven't stopped yet. It's a good place to soak away the aches and pains that result from hiking in vertical scenery. Take a mud bath, get an herbal wrap or just enjoy drinking the excellent mineral water. Badrutt's Palace Hotel, one of Europe's finest hotels, is located there.
St. Moritz is the terminus of the Bernina and Glacier Express, two not-to-be-missed train rides through the Alps. Not far from town is the small alpine village of Soglio, near the Italian border—really a must for its beauty and atmosphere. Also nearby are the beautiful unspoiled Engadine Valley and the Swiss National Park (55 sq mi/140 sq km of pristine forest). 145 mi/235 km southeast of Zurich.
WHEN TO GO
The ski season runs December to April; the summer season is from mid-June to mid-October. During gaps in spring and fall, the town virtually shuts down—it is utter folly to visit at these times, because most hotels and restaurants are closed, turning St. Moritz into the Alps' ritziest ghost town.
HOW TO GET THERE
AIRPORT
The nearest airport is Zurich (www.zurich-airport.com), 125 miles from St. Moritz. Incredible vistas of soaring bridges, extraordinary gorges, and mighty glaciers will keep you occupied on the four-hour train ride from Zurich. Visit www.rail.ch for train information.
WINTER SPORTS
Skiing doesn't appeal? Alternative winter activities in St. Moritz include dog-sledding, snowshoeing, and the ever-popular curling. The extreme Cresta Run (81 833 31 17, www.cresta-run.com, mail@cresta-run.com) entails tobogganing headfirst down an icy tunnel for three-quarters of a mile—exciting to watch and exhilarating to do, though beginners usually fall off their ride into the bone-breaking ice at least once. Other spectator sports include bobsledding (81 830 02 00, www.olympia-bobrun.ch, info@olympia-bobrun.ch) and ski jumping, while the frozen lake hosts an unusual array of equestrian sports not usually played on water, including February horse racing (www.whiteturf.ch), mid-January show-jumping (www.stmoritz-concours.ch), and late January snow polo (www.polostmoritz.com). There's even the occasional cricket match, evidence of a long affinity the British have had for this alpine resort.
SKIING
The St. Moritz ski region divides into four sectors with 57 lifts. The closest slopes to the town center are at Corviglia (grab the funicular from St. Moritz-Dorf), but these areas are limited to easy-to-moderate runs. For somewhat shorter lift lines, grab the cable car from St. Moritz-Bad up to Signal and the Piz Nair ski area. Across the valley is where you'll find the more advanced terrain; to get to Diavolezza and Lagalb, you need to hop a train or bus. The region is also legendary for its off-piste skiing; hire a local guide to explore the backwoods.
SUMMER ACTIVITIES
In the summer, you can hike and picnic in the mountains, and climb, ride, bike, and enjoy a host of water sports on the Engadin Lakes (www.engadin.ch). Major summer events include windsurfing and kitesurfing events, the Match Race sailing regatta (www.stmoritz-matchrace.ch), golf tournaments, and an opera festival in late June/early July (www.opernfestival-engadin.ch), along with several other music festivals and concerts.
A satellite of the Badrutt's Palace Hotel complex, Chesa Veglia is a 1658 chalet farmhouse hideaway a few minutes' stroll from the central behemoth. It consists of three restaurants and two bars. The Patrizier Stuben dining room serves Swiss and international dishes (on a terrace in the summertime). The Chadafö is the elegant alpine room of the bunch, concentrating on French cuisine and grilled meats with a backdrop of live piano tinkles. The laid-back Heuboden is a pizzeria and pasta joint. Of course, it wouldn't be St. Moritz (or Badrutt's) if there weren't a fourth dining room operated strictly as a private club and open only to appointed lifetime members.
Go early to score a table against the floor-to-ceiling windows at this mountainside aerie, a neomodernist yellow cube of a building that juts from the top station of the Corviglia funicular. Owner and Swiss master chef Reto Mathis shamelessly devotes himself to the finer things in a gourmand's life—and shares them with others with a menu that specializes in "truffles and caviar."
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