<p>Discover all you need to know about the glamorous resort of St. Moritz</p>
Photo: Filip Zuan/Engadin St Moritz Tourismus

The Ultimate Guide to St Moritz

Discover all you need to know about the glamorous resort of St. Moritz

Resort Guides
Published at: 6 Sep 2019
Last updated at: 8 Aug 2023

Explore our definitive guide to St Moritz & discover everything you need to know to enjoy a luxury ski holiday in Switzerland's most glamorous resort.

Serena Norton
Serena Norton

About St Moritz

Situated in the south-east of Switzerland, St. Moritz lies in the stunning Engadin Valley against the backdrop of Piz Nair and Piz Corvatsch. Considered the world’s original ski resort, St. Moritz has a reputation for being a playground for the rich and famous, who are attracted to its big-name designer boutiques, five-star hotels and Michelin-star restaurants.

To understand how winter tourism was born in St. Moritz we need to go back to 1864 when hotelier Johannes Badrutt made a bet with some of his British guests. He promised them that as glorious as it was in summer, St. Moritz was just as pleasant in winter. If he turned out to be wrong, he agreed to pay their travel costs and accommodation. The following December saw the group of men return to St. Moritz to be met by blue skies and warm sunshine and thus winter tourism was born.

Since then, St. Moritz has thrived, twice hosting the Winter Olympics and becoming a real mecca for winter sports. There are some fabulous events held throughout the season from the Snow Polo World Cup and White Turf to the St. Moritz Gourmet Festival and Cricket on Ice.

St. Moritz is divided into two main centres - Dorf, the glitzier more fashionable village and the original spa resort, Bad. Dorf has two main streets lined with boutiques such as Rolex, Cartier and Hermes selling their wares. Bad is less prestigious and lower-key than its neighbour but slightly better positioned for accessing the slopes. Regardless of your budget, there is something for everyone to enjoy in St. Moritz, not least the incredible mountain scenery. The resort also claims to have 322 sunny days a year which adds to the feel-good, relaxed ambience experienced by many.

St Moritz at night with shimmering lakePhoto: Shutterstock
Train travelling up the mountain in St Moritz ski resortPhoto: swiss-image.ch/Beat Muelle
St Moritz firework displayPhoto: Christof Sonderegger/Engadin St Moritz Tourismus

Winter in St Moritz

Guide to Skiing in St Moritz

With 88 slopes spread across 350 km and rising to 3,057m above sea level, St. Moritz has plenty to satisfy all levels of skiers and snowboarders. The main ski area above the resort, Corviglia, is accessed by a funicular from Dorf and a cable car and chairlift from Bad. This is an intermediate playground with long cruising runs and some challenging blacks. On the opposite side of the valley, above St. Moritz Bad, is the smaller Corvatsch area which is popular with free riders. A 30-minute bus ride away, Diavolezza also offers some good off-piste opportunities as well as a 10 km glacier descent to Morteratsch.

There are several smaller ski areas that are great for beginners. These include Languard in Pontresina, Cristins in Silvaplana, Survih in Samedan and Müsella in La Punt. Cross-country skiing is also popular and each year the resort hosts the famous Engadin Ski Marathon. For more information take a look at our in-depth guide to skiing in St. Moritz.

Beyond the slopes, there is so much to do from ice skating and ice hockey to curling, spa days and of course shopping. For culture vultures, there are several interesting museums and art galleries to discover and a casino for those who enjoy a flutter. Discover more top winter activities in St Moritz.

The resort is particularly well-known for the Cresta Run, a natural ice skeleton racing toboggan track where speeds reach up to 138 km/h. The Cresta usually opens just before Christmas and continues for nine weeks until the end of February or early March. There are over 30 highly competitive races and riding takes place every day of the season except Christmas day - a great spectator sport. To get the adrenaline really flowing, you can experience the world’s only natural bobsleigh track with an experienced bobsleigh pilot at the helm.

Skiing in St MoritzPhoto: Christof Sonderegger/Engadin St Moritz Tourismus
Designer shopping in St MoritzPhoto: Gian Giovanoli/Engadin St Moritz Tourismus
El Paradiso Mountain Restaurant in St MoritzPhoto: Uppergrade/ El Paradiso

Where to Stay in St Moritz

Luxury Ski Chalets in St Moritz
Spa in Chesa el Toula in St Moritz resortPhoto: Chesa el Toula

Whilst the resort is known for its five-star hotels, St Moritz luxury chalets are also in high demand. Chesa el Toula with its incredible spa is just one of these with. One of the newer properties on the rental market, Chesa Musi, not only has an indoor pool but its own squash court too.

For something in the centre of Saint Moritz, Apartment City Life is worth considering. There are also some fabulous apartments on the edge of Lake St. Moritz such as Apartment Cotschna and Snow White.

Where to Eat & Drink in St Moritz

Restaurant Guide to St Moritz

St. Moritz is a gourmet’s delight with one in ten restaurants awarded a world-class restaurant rating. Ecco, located in the impressive hotel Giardino Mountain, is the highlight with two Michelin-stars with executive chef Rolf Fliegauf creating an innovative menu using seasonal ingredients. Other Michelin-star restaurants include Da Vittorio at the Carlton Hotel.

There are excellent fine dining options both on and off the mountain. Recommended is the truffle pizza at CheCha run by top chef Reto Mathis, the oxtail ravioli at Dal Mulin located in the centre of town and Chesa Veglia, a historic farmhouse in the heart of St. Moritz boasting three different restaurants (pizzeria, grill and traditional Swiss) and two bars. For something honest and unpretentious, Veltinerkeller has tons of character, serving homemade pasta and fish and meat cooked on a charcoal grill.

Kitesurfing in St Moritz in summerPhoto: Filip Zuan/Engadin St Moritz Tourismus

St. Moritz is always popular in the summer months and with three lakes in the region, water-sport lovers arrive in droves. Summer chalets in St Moritz provide the perfect base to enjoy the range of activities and events on offer. Due to the Maloja wind, it’s a sailor’s and kite-surfers' paradise whilst stand-up paddle boarding is also common during the warmer months. The Upper Engadin is a hiking paradise, boasting 580 km of trails whilst mountain bikers have access to over 400 km of trails and marked routes.

There are plenty of thrilling events taking place throughout the summer. Car enthusiasts can enjoy several exclusive automotive events including the British Classic Car Meeting in July, Passione Engadina in August and Bernina Gran Turismo in September. There are also two fantastic festivals for music lovers - Festival da Jazz and the Engadin Festival which feature plenty of star turns.