Certainly one of the best known ski resorts on earth, St Moritz has a unique allure, blending the dramatic scenery of the Engadine valley and lakes with a glamorous clientele and a modern infrastructure. The resort has twice been host to the Winter Olympics and is famous for its treacherous Cresta Run. All in all, the resort attracts around 320,000 visitors a year in search of a James Bond lifestyle.
The resort of St Moritz offers an exclusive ambience and character rarely seen elsewhere. Half the visitors to the resort don't ski, but instead bask in the prestigious atmosphere St Moritz evokes. The spending possibilities coupled with great après-ski and snow activities make the resort a haven for those who are seeking a little extravagance.
The resort boasts accommodation you would expect, from luxurious hotels to traditional wooden chalets and apartments. St Moritz offers a myriad of lavish après-ski facilities, including 21 bars, 64 restaurants and three nightclubs, plus casinos and concert venues. Art and folk museums provide some cultural respite, while an incredible 161 fashionable shops and boutiques keep credit cards busy. Children can take advantage of a number of ski schools at the resort, which also offers nursery facilities.
St Moritz has access to 350kms of downhill runs in the region, with some fantastic off-piste and rugged terrain as well as many groomed slopes. The resort itself has 88 slopes offering 80kms of runs, with the longest measuring eight kilometres.
The slopes range in difficulty, with 35 per cent suitable for the beginner, 25 per cent for intermediates, and 40 per cent for the advanced skier. There are 56 lifts servicing the region with an uplift capacity of 65,000 skiers per hour. These have a top elevation of 3,027m, while the resort has a total vertical descent of 1,167m. There's some challenging off-piste for snowboarders as well as a snowboard park, plus an additional 180kms of cross-country skiing in the area.
If the ski runs at St Moritz aren't challenging enough, then travel to one of the nearby villages in the vicinity offering rugged terrain and more variation. Regular shuttle services take you to resorts such as Pontresina and Silvaplana in the Upper Engadine area, which also provide cheaper accommodation. The Top Cart Ski Pass will allow you access to resorts such as the Rega Pass (Davos, Klosters) and the White Arena (Flims, Laax).
The season at St Moritz runs from mid-November to the end of April, with the best conditions around the Christmas holidays. Zürich International Airport is four hours and 206kms from the resort of St Moritz. Catch a train from Zürich via Chur to the resort itself.
