Glitzy hotels, the Cresta Run, and silky fur coats – these are the images conjured by St Moritz. This distinguished Swiss resort pioneered Alpine winter tourism in 1864 and continues to exude an exclusive, affluent atmosphere. Gucci, Chanel, Prada and Louis Vuitton all have outlets in St Moritz. This is a place to see and be seen on a luxury ski holiday, as well as to enjoy the snow and sunshine.

Take your pick of luxury ski chalets, spas, Champagne bars and quirky events such as the annual horse race across the frozen lake. St Moritz is known for its generous quota of sunshine and is busy all year round with music festivals, ice-bound cricket and polo matches, bob sledging and more. Five kilometres down the valley is the chic and charming village of Silvaplana, sitting beside its lake and part of the same ski area.

When to Visit St Moritz

The St Moritz ski season runs from late November to mid-April, and there is a full schedule of events all year round. The resort’s logo is a golden sun, and it gets more than 300 days of sunshine a year.

What We Love About St. Moritz

We can’t resist popping into the achingly cute Hanselmann tea room and Confiserie in St Moritz for an alternative après-ski treat of delicious walnut cake washed down with steaming hot chocolate.

Getting to St. Moritz

Zurich airport is a 2 hour and 50 minutes drive from St Moritz.

The Skiing in St. Moritz

The Engadin/St Moritz ski region is the largest in Switzerland, stretching across nine different, interconnected areas. As well as some easy cruising runs above St Moritz, you can find more challenging slopes, fantastic off-piste powder and an impressive number of walks and toboggan runs further afield. Free ski buses take you up to Celerina and beyond, or in another direction to access the Diavolezza pistes. They also go down to Silvaplana which has an extensive network.

Best Places To Eat and Drink in St. Moritz

Only in St Moritz could you stumble across the largest whisky bar in the world – Devil’s Place at the Hotel Waldhaus am See. You can dine like a King in this town, and for most visitors that is a major attraction. World-class restaurants such as Bumanns Chesa Pirani (with two Michelin stars) and the hotel Bellavista in Silvaplana serve the finest, locally sourced produce and fine wines. Perfect if you are staying in a self-catered luxury ski chalet. St Moritz even has its own Gourmet Festival in the last week of January when top chefs compete to create the most amazing dishes for the lucky guests attending.

Up on the mountains, there is a choice of good quality slope-side restaurants, some rustic, many with panoramic terraces for soaking up the sun. For a gourmet pit-stop try Marmite at the top of the Corviglia gondola.