St Moritz

The glossiest ski resort in Switzerland – and possibly the world – St Moritz is a stronghold of European royalty, the wealthy and the famous, who migrate here with the snow every winter to see and be seen in the pages of upmarket gossip magazines. Perched at 1,856 meters (6,090 feet) in the Alps north of the Bernina Pass, this stylish town is surrounded by spectacular mountain scenery and bordered by the sparkling waters of Lake Moritz. 
Famous across the globe as the world’s glitziest ski resort, St Moritz is the home of downhill ski-ing as well as the notorious Cresta bobsleigh run and the annual Engadin Skimarathon through the surrounding Upper Engadin valley. In winter the lake freezes over and becomes a glamorous paradise for curling, ice skating, horse racing and polo, while the ski-ing is some of the best in the world; with around 60 lifts and 350 km (217 miles) of piste, the going is particularly good for intermediate skiers and boarders.
As well as being an Eden for winter-sports fanatics, the exclusive streets of St Moritz are packed with chalet-style, upmarket hotels and designer stores, from Gucci to Prada. Hugely expensive restaurants, bars and exclusive nightclubs add a late-night party ambiance to the town – and half the charm of a visit is bar hopping and star spotting.

Practical Info

St Moritz can be reached from Milan in Italy in 3.5 hours and the nearest airport is Zurich in Switzerland (three hours). The easiest way to access the ski resort, which has its own station, is by train through the Bernina Pass, which forms one of the most spectacular train journeys in Europe.