St. Moritz – Engadin – Canton Graubünden – Switzerland
For over 160 years St. Moritz has set the standard by which all other Alpine resorts are measured. 350 kilometres of championship ski runs, two of the world’s oldest golf courses, the Engadin’s legendary light, Michelin-starred dining and events that define the international luxury calendar. The complete guide for 2026.
St. Moritz and the Engadin – a legend at 1,856 metres
There are resorts, and then there is St. Moritz. The small mountain town in the Upper Engadin valley of Canton Graubunden, Switzerland, has been the definitive address for Alpine luxury since Johannes Badrutt persuaded a group of British summer guests in 1864 to return in winter – and proved to them that sunshine at altitude in January was not only possible, but intoxicating. The guests came back. They told their friends. And within a generation, winter tourism had been invented.
Today St. Moritz sits at 1,856 metres above sea level, surrounded by the lakes of the Upper Engadin – the Moritzersee, Silvaplanersee and Silsersee – and framed by the peaks of the Graubunden Alps. It has hosted the Winter Olympics twice: in 1928 and 1948. Its ski runs, golf courses, polo fields and social calendar attract an international clientele from across Europe, the Middle East, Asia and the Americas. And yet, despite a global profile matched by almost no other mountain village on earth, St. Moritz has retained a human scale and an Alpine authenticity that larger ski destinations have long since sacrificed.
Plan your St. Moritz stay for 2026 – hotels, apartments and ski packages
Badrutt’s Palace – Kulm Hotel – Engadin holiday apartments – year-round
Explore St. Moritz
St. Moritz does not need to prove itself. It has been the benchmark for Alpine luxury for 160 years, and the mountains look exactly the same as they did when the first guests arrived.
Badrutt’s Palace Hotel – a stage for everything St. Moritz stands for
No building defines St. Moritz more completely than Badrutt’s Palace Hotel. Since its opening in 1896, it has been the social heart of the resort: the place where kings and film stars, artists and industrialists, champions and cosmopolitans have gathered beneath the same vaulted ceilings and looked out at the same unchanging view of Lake St. Moritz and the Engadin peaks beyond.
5-Star Superior – The Leading Hotels of the World – since 1896
Badrutt’s Palace Hotel
Via Serlas 27 – 7500 St. Moritz – directly on Lake St. Moritz
The Palace is more than a hotel. Its legendary Grand Hall, with its vaulted ceilings and log fireplace, is the social centre of St. Moritz in both winter and summer. The outdoor pool is probably the largest in the Swiss mountains – and swimming in it surrounded by snow after a day on the slopes is, by wide agreement, one of the most memorable experiences the Alps have to offer. The hotel’s 157 rooms and suites all face either the lake or the mountains.
Enquire at Badrutt’s Palace
Dining at Badrutt’s Palace
The hotel’s food and beverage offer spans an unusually wide range. Le Restaurant provides classic European fine dining in the grand first-floor salon. Chesa Veglia, a 1658 Engadin farmhouse directly opposite the hotel, serves Graubunden regional cuisine alongside an Italian menu and the celebrated Pizzeria Heuboden in the cellar – widely regarded as one of the best pizzerias in Switzerland. Japanese cuisine is provided by MATSUHISA St. Moritz, the celebrated Japanese-Peruvian chef Nobu Matsuhisa’s Engadin outpost.
Reserve your room at Badrutt’s Palace Hotel St. Moritz for winter or summer 2026.
Kulm Hotel St. Moritz – where it all began
If Badrutt’s Palace is St. Moritz at its most glamorous, the Kulm Hotel is St. Moritz at its most historically significant. Founded by the visionary Johannes Badrutt, a hotelier who loved to surprise and delight, no idea was ever too ambitious – and it was this same Johannes Badrutt who in 1864 made his famous wager with British summer guests, promising them sunshine and warmth in January and offering their stay for free if he was wrong. He was not wrong. Winter tourism was born.
5-Star Superior – The Leading Hotels of the World – since 1856
Kulm Hotel St. Moritz
Via Veglia 18 – 7500 St. Moritz – panoramic views over Lake St. Moritz
Situated in the Engadin with views overlooking Lake St. Moritz, this is the birthplace of winter tourism. As one of Europe’s most celebrated grand hotels, Kulm creates experiences that capture the very essence of St. Moritz. The hotel’s 150 rooms and suites are individually decorated, the Kulm Spa spans 2,000 square metres, and the hotel’s own nine-hole golf course is the oldest hotel golf course in Switzerland.
Enquire at Kulm Hotel
Skiing in St. Moritz – 350 kilometres of Alpine perfection
The St. Moritz ski area is one of the most comprehensive in the Alps. Three distinct mountain massifs – each with its own character and appeal – combine to offer over 350 kilometres of marked pistes across an altitude range from 1,750 to 3,303 metres, guaranteeing near-certain snow cover from December through to late April.
Corviglia: the home mountain
Corviglia (2,486 m) is the mountain directly above St. Moritz, accessible by funicular from the village centre in under ten minutes. It is the most accessible mountain for guests staying in the resort and offers broad, well-groomed pistes for all ability levels alongside the legendary World Cup downhill runs. At the summit, the Corviglia Restaurant – designed by Norman Foster – is one of the most architecturally significant mountain restaurants in the Alps. The adjacent Marguns sector connects via gondola.
Corvatsch: glacier terrain at 3,303 metres
Corvatsch reaches 3,303 metres above sea level and offers the region’s most serious ski terrain. Long north-facing runs from the summit offer the finest powder snow conditions in the Engadin, and late-season skiing well into May is typical at the glacier level. The views from the summit – across the Bernina massif to the Morteratsch glacier and beyond – are among the most spectacular in Swiss skiing.
Diavolezza and Lagalb: wilderness and drama
Diavolezza (2,973 m), reached from Pontresina, offers the unforgettable glacier crossing to Morteratsch – a long, guided off-piste descent across the surface of a living glacier that constitutes one of the most extraordinary ski experiences available anywhere in the Alps. The neighbouring Lagalb sector is small but technically demanding, favoured by expert skiers seeking challenging terrain away from the main crowds.
St. Moritz ski area – key facts
- Corviglia/Marguns: 2,486 m – funicular from village centre – World Cup pistes – broad cruising terrain
- Corvatsch: 3,303 m – glacier skiing – long north-facing runs – late-season April to May
- Diavolezza/Lagalb: 2,973 m – glacier crossing – dramatic mountain scenery – expert terrain
- Total pistes: over 350 km – approximately 30 percent black, 50 percent red, 20 percent blue
- Snow reliability: 1,750 to 3,303 m altitude – near-certain snow December through April
- Engadin Skimarathon: held annually in March – world’s largest mass-start cross-country race – 42 km from Maloja to S-chanf
Plan your ski holiday in St. Moritz 2026 – slopes, passes and accommodation.
Ski St. Moritz
Golf in the Engadin – history, altitude and perfect fairways
The Engadin holds a unique position in golf history. Two courses in the valley rank among the oldest in continental Europe, and both remain in outstanding condition and fully accessible to visiting players. To golf here, at over 1,700 metres, with the Graubunden peaks as a permanent backdrop, is an experience that defies comparison with any flatland course.
Kulm Golf St. Moritz
The Kulm Golf St. Moritz is the oldest hotel golf course in Switzerland and one of the oldest in continental Europe. The nine-hole course lies directly beside the Kulm Hotel with views across Lake St. Moritz to the surrounding mountains. It is an accessible, beautifully maintained layout with a genuine historical atmosphere. Hotel guests of the Kulm enjoy priority access. A full golf academy, driving range and well-stocked Pro Shop complete the offer.
Engadin Golf Samedan
The Engadin Golf Samedan, located ten kilometres from St. Moritz in the village of Samedan at 1,722 metres, is one of the oldest grass golf courses in the world. The 18-hole championship layout uses the full breadth of the Upper Engadin valley with the Inn river, the Bernina peaks and the Silvretta mountains as a panoramic surround that no architectural commission could equal. The Engadin Golf Academy provides instruction for all levels.
Golf in the Engadin – essentials
- Kulm Golf St. Moritz: 9 holes – oldest hotel course in Switzerland – directly beside Kulm Hotel
- Engadin Golf Samedan: 18 holes – one of the world’s oldest grass courses – 1,722 m altitude – championship standard
- Golf season: June to October – peak conditions July to September
- Golf academy: Samedan – instruction for all levels – video analysis available
- Altitude effect: ball travels approximately 10 percent further at 1,700 m – adjust club selection accordingly
- Combination packages: golf in the morning, spa or hiking in the afternoon – arranged through hotel concierge
Wellness and Spa – recovering in the Alpine air
The high-altitude air of the Engadin is itself a therapeutic resource that the earliest visitors to St. Moritz understood intuitively. At 1,856 metres, the air is clean, dry and measurably lower in pollutants than any European city. Combined with an average of 322 days of sunshine per year and an outdoor lifestyle built around skiing, hiking, golf and lake swimming, a stay in St. Moritz is physically restorative in ways that no amount of spa treatment alone can replicate.
Kulm Spa
The completely revised Kulm Spa St. Moritz stretches out over 2,000 square metres and features a lavish pool, whirlpool, children’s pool, open-air pool, Kneipp footpath, salt grotto, steam bath, a sauna world and a fitness centre with the latest equipment. The spa also operates a yoga and Pilates studio. Treatments span the full range of European spa tradition alongside Asian bodywork techniques and a comprehensive facial menu.
Badrutt’s Palace Spa
The spa at Badrutt’s Palace is built around the legendary outdoor pool – the largest outdoor pool in the Swiss mountains – and an extensive range of treatment rooms offering massage, body treatments, advanced skincare and holistic wellness programmes. The hotel’s WhatsApp concierge service, available 24 hours, can arrange spa bookings alongside any other aspect of a guest’s stay.
5 Minutes from St. Moritz – Pontresina
Mineralbad und Spa Pontresina
The public mineral bath in Pontresina draws on natural mineral water from the surrounding mountains and is open to all visitors to the Engadin. A more affordable alternative to the hotel spas, with genuine therapeutic water quality. Ideal for a half-day visit combined with a hike from Pontresina.
Medical and Longevity
Health Clinics in the Engadin
Several specialist clinics in the St. Moritz area focus on preventive medicine, longevity programmes and high-performance diagnostics. The combination of medical expertise and a luxury resort environment attracts international patients seeking recovery or preventive treatment in an exceptional setting.
Lifestyle, Dining and Events – the most glamorous village in the Alps
St. Moritz is not simply a ski resort. It is a social institution. The resort’s event calendar – built over more than a century – attracts an international audience that would be at home in Monaco, Davos or the Hamptons. And the dining, shopping and nightlife infrastructure has evolved to match.
The Events
February – Annual
White Turf
Horse racing on the frozen Lake St. Moritz, held every February since 1907. Grandstands built directly on the ice, champagne, couture and some of the fastest horses in European racing. One of the most extraordinary sporting spectacles on the winter calendar.
December – Annual
Polo World Cup on Snow
The original snow polo tournament, held on the frozen lake since 1985. International teams compete on the ice watched by an audience that defines the term international jet-set. Fashion, sport and Alpine glamour in a single weekend.
August – Annual
Engadin Jazz Festival
One of Switzerland’s oldest jazz festivals, held across venues in St. Moritz, Pontresina and Samedan each summer. International names perform beneath the mountain sky in an atmosphere that combines the intimacy of a village festival with genuinely world-class music.
Shopping
The Via Serlas and the streets surrounding Badrutt’s Palace constitute one of the densest concentrations of luxury retail outside a major European capital. Cartier, Bulgari, Prada, Valentino, Hermes and many other international houses maintain permanent boutiques. Alongside them, specialist Engadin food shops, art galleries, antiques dealers and the famous Confiserie Hanselmann – serving the resort since 1894 – provide a retail environment that is simultaneously cosmopolitan and rooted in local character.
Dining highlights in St. Moritz
- Ecco St. Moritz (Giardino Mountain, Champfer): 2 Michelin stars – chef Rolf Fliegauf – one of Switzerland’s finest dining experiences
- Chesa Veglia (Badrutt’s Palace): Graubunden regional cuisine in a 1658 farmhouse – Pizzeria Heuboden in the cellar – always full
- MATSUHISA St. Moritz (Badrutt’s Palace): Nobu Matsuhisa’s Japanese-Peruvian concept – the most glamorous table in the resort
- IGNIV by Andreas Caminada (Grand Hotel des Bains Kempinski): Sharing format from the Swiss three-Michelin-star chef
- Kulm Country Club: Informal, convivial, always lively – the social heart of the Kulm Hotel
- Confiserie Hanselmann: Since 1894 – breakfast, Nusstorte, Engadiner pastries, afternoon tea – a St. Moritz institution
Holiday Apartments and Chalets – independence and Alpine privacy
For longer stays, for families travelling together, or for guests who prefer the flexibility of self-catering accommodation, the Engadin offers an extensive range of holiday apartments and chalets – from simple Alpine studios to fully staffed private chalets with home cinema, wine cellar and personal chef.
Where to look
St. Moritz itself offers the most central and most expensive options. The neighbouring villages of Celerina, Pontresina, Silvaplana, Sils Maria and Samedan provide equivalent access to ski areas and leisure facilities at significantly lower price points, often with a more genuinely Alpine character and a greater sense of local community.
Holiday apartment essentials for the Engadin
- Booking platforms: Engadin St. Moritz tourism portal – Switzerland Travel – Airbnb – specialist Engadin agencies
- Price tip: Pontresina and Celerina typically 30 to 50 percent cheaper than St. Moritz village with identical ski access
- Peak season: Christmas and New Year – February half-term – book 6 to 9 months in advance for prime weeks
- Additional costs: resort tax (Kurtaxe) – heating – end-of-stay cleaning – always confirm total price at booking
- Minimum stay: most apartments require 5 to 7 nights minimum during peak periods
- Kulm Hotel Mountain Pass: hotel guests receive complimentary unlimited travel on mountain railways – worth factoring into accommodation comparisons
Exploring the Engadin by Campervan – freedom in a mountain valley
The Engadin is ideally suited to campervan travel. The valley is broad, the roads well-maintained, the scenery extraordinary and the distances between attractions modest. Waking up beside the Silsersee, making coffee with Piz Corvatsch reflected in the still water before anyone else is awake, is an experience that no hotel, however luxurious, can replicate.
Important information for campervans in the Engadin
Wild camping is not permitted in Canton Graubunden. Campervans must use designated camping or motorhome stopover sites. Fortunately, several well-positioned sites operate in the valley, all within easy reach of St. Moritz by public transport or bicycle.
Samedan – 10 km from St. Moritz
Camping Samedan
Adjacent to the Engadin Golf Course with designated motorhome pitches, electricity and water connections. Direct bus and rail connections to St. Moritz. An excellent base for golf, walking and cycling throughout the Upper Engadin.
Pontresina – 8 km from St. Moritz
Camping Punt Muragl
One of the most scenically positioned campsites in Switzerland. Located directly on the Bernina railway line with views of Piz Bernina and the Morteratsch glacier. Full facilities including showers, restaurant and direct access to the Pontresina hiking network.
Silvaplana – 5 km from St. Moritz
Camping Silvaplana
On the western shore of Silvaplanersee – the world-famous kitesurfing and windsurfing lake. Well-equipped site with electricity connections, sanitary facilities and a direct path to the lakeside. Ideal for water sports and early morning lake walks.
Maloja – 25 km from St. Moritz
Camping Maloja
At the western end of the Engadin beside Lake Sils – one of the quietest and most beautiful positions in the valley. Closest site to the Maloja Pass and the Bergell valley. Ideal for travellers exploring the less-visited western Engadin.
Sights, Culture and Day Trips – the Engadin beyond the ski runs
UNESCO World Heritage
Bernina Express Railway
The Rhaetian Railway line over the Bernina Pass is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and offers one of the most spectacular train journeys in Europe. From St. Moritz station to Tirano in northern Italy, the line descends 1,800 metres through glaciers, viaducts and Alpine meadows. Year-round service with panoramic carriages.
World-Class Art Museum
Segantini Museum
Built to house the life’s work of the Symbolist painter Giovanni Segantini, this purpose-built stone rotunda on the hillside above St. Moritz contains the largest collection of his paintings in the world, including the monumental triptych Becoming, Being, Passing. An extraordinary cultural institution in an extraordinary setting.
Glacier Experience
Morteratsch Glacier
One of the most accessible glaciers in the Alps, reachable by a gentle 90-minute walk from Morteratsch railway station on the Bernina line. Marker posts show the glacier’s retreat since 1878. In every season a sobering, beautiful and unforgettable experience in the ice world of the high Engadin.
Sporting History
Cresta Run and Olympia Bob Run
The Cresta Run – the world’s only natural ice skeleton track – has been rebuilt each winter since 1884. The Olympia Bob Run, built for the 1928 Winter Games, is bookable for guest tandem bob rides. Both represent sporting experiences of a kind available nowhere else on earth.
Literary History
Nietzsche House, Sils Maria
Friedrich Nietzsche spent six summers in the small village of Sils Maria, writing parts of Thus Spoke Zarathustra and his later works. The house where he lived is preserved as a small museum and remains one of the most quietly atmospheric literary sites in Europe. The walk from Sils village to the Nietzsche Stone above the lake is well-marked.
March – Annual
Engadin Skimarathon
Held each March – the world’s largest mass-start cross-country ski race, with up to 13,000 participants covering 42 kilometres from Maloja to S-chanf across the frozen lakes and valley floor. World champions and first-time participants start together. One of the great spectacles of the Alpine winter.
Day trips from St. Moritz
- Liechtenstein (45 min by car): Europe’s fourth-smallest country – Vaduz capital – Kunstmuseum Liechtenstein – principality vineyards
- Chur (45 min): Switzerland’s oldest city – Roman old town – Bündner Kunstmuseum – gateway to the ski resorts of Graubunden
- Pontresina (10 min): Charming mountain village – Morteratsch glacier walk – Bear Trail – Val Roseg carriage rides
- Tirano, Italy (2.5 hrs by Bernina Express): Northern Italian market town at the foot of the Bernina Pass – excellent lunch stop on the UNESCO railway journey
- Davos (1 hr by car): Fellow Graubunden mountain resort – Kirchner Museum – Davos Congress Centre – combined ski pass with St. Moritz possible
Getting There, Entry and Best Time to Visit – practical information for international travellers
St. Moritz is well-connected to Zurich Airport and to the wider European rail network. The most atmospheric way to arrive is by train: the Glacier Express from Zermatt or the Bernina Express from the Italian side both terminate at St. Moritz railway station, and both journeys are experiences in themselves. For guests arriving by car, the Julier Pass road from Zurich is the standard route.
Getting there by rail
| Origin | Route | Journey time |
|---|---|---|
| Zurich HB | InterCity to Chur, Rhaetian Railway to St. Moritz | approx. 3.5 hrs |
| Zurich Airport (ZRH) | Airport train to Zurich HB, then as above | approx. 4 hrs |
| Basel SBB | IC to Chur, Rhaetian Railway to St. Moritz | approx. 4 hrs |
| Geneva Airport (GVA) | IC to Zurich, IC to Chur, Rhaetian Railway | approx. 5 hrs |
| Munich HBF | RailJet via Bregenz or St. Gallen, Rhaetian Railway | approx. 5.5 hrs |
| Vienna HBF | RailJet to Feldkirch, Rhaetian Railway via Chur | approx. 7 hrs |
| Milan Centrale | Bernina Express via Tirano and Pontresina | approx. 4 hrs |
| Zermatt | Glacier Express – one of the world’s great railway journeys | approx. 7.5 hrs |
Getting there by air
The primary international gateway is Zurich Airport (ZRH), connected to all major European cities and with direct intercontinental routes from the Middle East, Asia, North America and Africa. From Zurich Airport the journey to St. Moritz by rail takes approximately four hours. The resort can arrange private car or helicopter transfers from the airport on request. For guests arriving from the south, Milan Malpensa (MXP) or Bergamo (BGY) airports offer an alternative approach via the Bernina route.
Entry requirements
Switzerland is not a member of the European Union but is part of the Schengen Area. Citizens of EU and Schengen member states, the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea, Singapore and most Gulf Cooperation Council states do not require a visa for stays of up to 90 days. Citizens of other nationalities should check current requirements with their nearest Swiss Embassy well in advance of travel. A valid passport with at least six months’ validity beyond the planned date of return is required for all non-Swiss nationals.
Best time to visit
Seasonal guide by activity
- Skiing and winter sport: December to April – peak season Christmas to New Year, February half-term and March – book accommodation 6 to 9 months in advance for peak weeks
- Golf: June to October – peak season July to September – Engadin Golf Samedan one of the finest summer golf experiences in Europe
- Hiking, e-biking and lakes: June to October – Alpine flowers in July – autumn colours in October – remarkable light throughout
- Spa and wellness: Year-round – Kulm Spa and Badrutt’s Palace Spa operate in both winter and summer seasons
- Events: White Turf – February; Polo on Snow – December; Engadin Skimarathon – March; Engadin Jazz – August
- Off-peak tip: November and late April/May – between seasons – hotels significantly cheaper – few visitors – extraordinary Alpine light
St. Moritz – Engadin – Badrutt’s Palace – Kulm Hotel – Ski – Golf – Wellness
St. Moritz – the Engadin is waiting for you.
Two legendary five-star hotels, 350 kilometres of championship ski slopes, the world’s oldest golf courses at altitude, Michelin-starred dining and the most storied social calendar in Alpine history. Plan your 2026 visit now.
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