About St Moritz

  • Altitude: 1750m
  • Total Lifts: 45
  • Pisted Area: 350km
  • Average Snowfall: 300

Steeped in history, St. Moritz claims the distinction of being the first resort to develop winter tourism, dating all the way back to 1864!

So which is the world’s most famous ski resort?

Opinions remain divided and a truly international poll of public opinion has not yet been carried out.


North American candidates would possibly be lead by Aspen with Vail and Stowe in contention or even the modern number one, Whistler. In Europe there’s St Anton, Kitzbühel, Chamonix, Val d’Isère and perhaps half a dozen more, but given a mix of the ski world and the general public, wouldn’t St Moritz come out top?

The Resort

Whether or not it is the best well known for the correct reasons is debatable, it’s famous for being the “playground of the rich and famous” and for being a touch expensive, both of which remain largely true. On the other hand it’s not well known for having great skiing, which it does. Some may also imagine it to be a quaint Alpine village, which it isn’t, although the lakeside setting in the Engadin Valley is stunning. It is also not generally reported that, although a genuine traditional settlement, St Moritz is a high altitude resort with an excellent snow record and glacier skiing. Finally, it should be mentioned that whilst many other famous names from skiing history have contented themselves to rest on their reputation, St Moritz and the Engadin Region have invested heavily in state of the art lifts and are now served by a host of high speed detachable quad and six seat chair lifts. Oh and the sun shines 322 days a year, Switzerland’s sunniest spot.

Birth Place of Winter Sports

St Moritz can claim to be the birth place of winter sports holidays. In 1864 the owner of the Kulm hotel bet some English tourists a “free stay” if they dared to spend the winter there. They took him up on this proposition and “the rest is history”. St Moritz was reported in The Times of London a few years later when a guest recorded with surprise the flowers in the hotel window boxes on Christmas Day. By 1910 around 2000 guests spent the winter in the resort, most from Britain.

Historic

Skating remained the most popular winter sport until the 1920s, with skiing dismissed as a serious sport by the locals, but then came the 1928 Winter Olympics and a new mountain funicular railway, followed soon after by Switzerland’s second ski lift. The fifth Winter Olympics were staged in the resort once again in 1948. Later the rich and famous who flocked to St Moritz helped to develop the possibilities of glacier skiing on the Diavolezza glacier and later heli-skiing. In fact the resort can claim a long list of ‘firsts’ from opening Switzerland’s first tourist board in 1864 and switching on the country’s first electric light in 1878 to staging the first ice skating, curling and winter sports championships in the 1880s and even Europe’s first golf tournament in 1890.

St Moritz was the first resort to register its name and logo, in 1987. Finally, it must be noted that St Moritz’s fame as a health resort does pre-date winter sports by several millennia. The first settlements are known to have existed here 3,000 years ago and the resort was also one of the world’s earliest spa centres, well known as such by the time the Romans rolled in in 15 BC.

24 Ski Resorts in 2024 ❄️

Steeped in history, St. Moritz claims the distinction of being the first resort to develop winter tourism, dating all the way back to 1864!

Elegance and Extravagance

World-renowned for its elegance and extravagance, St. Moritz attracts the wealthiest and the world’s elites. Picture them hitting the slopes, strolling through town draped in fur, and sipping champagne. It’s a scene straight out of a glamorous novel.

Townscape and Split Views

St. Moritz is divided into two distinct areas:

  1. St. Moritz Dorf: Overlooking the lake, nestled at the foot of the mountain. The views across the lake 🌊 are nothing short of breathtaking. ❄️
  2. St. Moritz Bad: Located across the lake on the southern side. The juxtaposition of the two sides creates a captivating panorama.

Our Stay: Sils Maria at @arenasresort.schweizerhof

We chose to stay in Sils Maria at Arenasresort.schweizerhof—a beautiful hotel just 10 minutes down the road from St. Moritz Dorf/St. Moritz Bad. Conveniently connected via shuttle bus, it offered both comfort and proximity. 🙌🏻

The Skiing ⛷️ Club

@engadin.stmoritz boasts three distinct ski areas:

  1. Corviglia Area: Skiing under the chairlift, with excellent snow conditions. Our favorite run? The 🔴3️⃣4️⃣. Pure joy! 😍
  2. Corvatsch Area: A thrilling sequence—🔴2️⃣ into 🔴4️⃣ into ⚫️5️⃣. From the peak at 3,303m, we skied down to the resort level at 1,856m. An incredible set of runs that allowed us to ski from Corvatsch into Corviglia (yes, skis off to cross the road!).

Après Vibes

St. Moritz’s après scene is an elevated, luxurious experience. Think refined piano bars and high-end cocktail lounges. 🎩

We recommend heading to @monopolhotel for an after-dinner cocktail or two on their rooftop. The view? Spectacular! 😍 And don’t miss the outdoor fire pit on the terrace—it adds that extra touch of magic. 🔥

Mountain Stops

alpina_st.moritz: Incredible views over the town and into the valley. And don’t forget to try a bombardino—it’s a must! 👀😍

Margu…enormous self serve food area and a big terrace to sit on to soak up the sun – also does some après ski 😍

 

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St Moritz Resort Video

Experience St Moritz for yourself with their latest resort video.

St Moritz Piste Map

Wondering what the skiing is like in St Moritz? Take a look at the full ski area piste map here.

The Weather Forecast In St Moritz

The Pistes in St Moritz

St Moritz Stats

Snowmaking

20%

Total Pistes

87

AVG Snowfall PA

300

Drag Lifts

25

Chair Lifts

18

High Capacity Lifts

11

Mountain Restaurants

31

Longest Run

10KM

Ski Pass Area

Ski Engadin