St Moritz
Discover the birthplace of Alpine tourism in this chic Swiss mountain resort.
Winter tourism only really started in St Moritz as the result of a bet. In 1864, a hotel owner made a wager with four British summer visitors to the spa resort that they would equally enjoy a stay in the chilly throes of winter. Return they did, quickly spreading the word among their friends and kickstarting the transformation of the Swiss Alps into a glitzy year-round destination, its small streets changing as top-class restaurants and exclusive designer shops moved in.
St Moritz has done more than any other place to establish snow and ice as a sporting arena. The town was the location of the second Winter Olympics in 1928 and became the first repeat host in 1948. It was also the venue of Europe’s first curling tournament, the first European Ice-Skating Championship, and the first bobsleigh club. Most modern visitors choose to spend their days on the slopes with boots clipped into skis or a snowboard. With 350 kilometres (217 miles) of pistes across four sectors, there are runs to suit every level of ability; from novices on the school slopes to wannabe racers hurtling down black runs used in the Ski World Championship, last held here in 2017.
Those who want to experience the ultimate icy thrill can book a session at the Cresta Run, the oldest skeleton track in the world. Its 1.2-kilometre (0.75-mile) length is cut anew from the ice every winter, and the only way to ride it is by lying prone and hurtling head-first down the ravine on a small sledge. Aspirant Lizzy Yarnolds are welcomed by the members of the St Moritz Tobogganing Club, who allow complete beginners to their practice sessions.
St Moritz may now be best known as a winter destination, but it retains the summer charms that first drew Victorian vacationers. With more than 300 days of sunshine every year, some prefer to time their visit when the snow has melted. Many summer travellers are just as active as the winter visitors, using the steep slopes for hiking and mountain biking. Others choose to remain in the comfortable embrace of a five-star hotel. St Moritz has the ‘big five’ five-star venues to choose from: Badrutt’s Palace, Carlton Hotel, Kempinski Grand Hotel des Bains, Kulm Hotel and Suvretta House. Anyone resting their head in one of these establishments will find themselves treated like royalty.
Summer is a particularly good time for visiting the wooden cabin made famous in the 1952 film Heidi, which is located a pleasant hike from the town centre; while Lake St Moritz and Lake Maloja are a beautiful shade of aquamarine in the summer months. Back in town, don’t miss St Moritz’s leaning tower, with an incline that surpasses even that of the more famous leaning tower in Pisa.
Whether you’re into ski or après ski, adrenaline or absolute relaxation, St Moritz is the exclusive resort that gave birth to the Alps as a tourist destination, and has yet to be surpassed. Sometimes the original is still the best.