St. Moritz holidays

How to reach St Moritz

• Flight time: There are no direct flights to St Moritz. Flights to Zurich, the nearest international airport to St Moritz, from London and other major UK airports typically take about 1 hour 45 minutes.

• Transfer time: From Zurich, St Moritz is about 3 hours away by train. From Milan, the train journey takes around 3.5 hours.

• Price: The Swiss train from Zurich to St Moritz costs around CHF 50-80. A taxi transfer from Zurich Airport costs roughly CHF 700.

Best time to visit St Moritz

If skiing and snowboarding are the priority on your holidays to St Moritz, then the winter months are an obvious choice, while spring and summer are best for hiking and other outdoor pursuits.

• December to March: High season in St Moritz, so expect consistently large crowds and pricier accommodation, which will also need to be booked well in advance. Temperatures range between -5°C and 5°C, and you can expect consistent snow coverage on the slopes.

• April to June: This is St Moritz’s shoulder season when many of the facilities close down, but it’s a fantastic time for hiking. Temperatures rise from around 10°C to 20°C, with moderate rainfall (40–80mm) and 6–8 hours of sunshine.

• July to August: The ideal time for outdoor pursuits like hiking, mountain biking and lake swimming. The St Moritz mountains offer a cool escape, with temperatures between 15°C and 25°C and around 8–10 hours of sunshine daily.

• September to November: The second shoulder season, with cooler temperatures between 5C and 15°C, more frequent rain (70–100mm) and about 4–7 hours of sunshine. September, and even October, are still great times to venture into the mountains for some hiking for a peaceful getaway. Early autumn hikes amidst colourful landscapes are a highlight.

Practical information

• Spoken languages: The main language spoken in St Moritz is German, though you may also encounter Italian and Romansh. Most locals also speak English.

• Local habits and customs: The Swiss are known for their punctuality and politeness, so being on time and respectful of local manners will go a long way. It’s not customary to tip; if you’re impressed by the service, round up your bill to the nearest franc.

• Currency: Switzerland uses the Swiss Franc (CHF). Credit cards are widely accepted, and ATMs are plentiful.

• Getting around: St Moritz is compact and easily walkable, but for exploring the wider region, local buses and trains are very efficient. Summer visitors staying two nights or more are entitled to a free transport card, valid on all local trains, buses, cable cars and funiculars.

• Electricity and plug types: Switzerland uses Type J plugs, with a standard voltage of 230V. UK travellers will need an adaptor.

• Time zone: Switzerland operates on Central European Time (CET), which is 1 hour ahead of GMT.

• Required travel documentation: UK travellers do not need a visa for stays up to 90 days. You’ll just need your passport.

Local dishes in St Moritz

The dining scene in St Moritz reflects its status as a high-class resort, meaning that its culinary offerings won’t leave you disappointed.

Some typical dishes

• Fondue: A communal pot of melted cheese served with bread cubes for dipping, the classic style is a moitiémoitié (“half-and-half”), using either Gruyère and Vacherin Fribourgeois, or Gruyère and Emmental.

• Raclette: A large half-round of cheese is held in front of a fire, and as it melts it’s scraped (raclé) onto a plate, and served with boiled potatoes, pearl onions and pickles.

Meat dishes

• Engadine sausage: A regional speciality, this sausage is served with Rösti, shredded potato formed into a large patty and fried golden brown on both sides.

• Bündnerfleisch: Air-dried beef from the Graubünden region, sliced thinly and usually served with bread and pickles.

• Saucisson Vaudois: This pork and beef Vaud sausage is famous for its delicately smoked flavour, served boiled or steamed alongside papet vaudois, a purée of potatoes and leeks.

Fish and seafood dishes

• Alpine trout: Fresh from the lake, this beautiful fish is either grilled or poached and served with vegetables and potatoes.

Sweets and desserts

• Engadine nut tart: A luscious tart made with a buttery pastry crust filled with a rich caramel and walnut mixture.

• Swiss chocolate: No visit to Switzerland is complete without indulging in some of the world’s finest chocolate. St Moritz has plenty of chocolatiers where you can pick up artisanal chocolates to enjoy during your stay or take home as souvenirs.

Local drinks

• Swiss wine: Switzerland’s wine industry is modest, but a couple of regions produce some impressive vintages, most notably Lavaux.

• Kirsch: The country’s most famous distilled spirit or liquor, this is a cherry spirit from Zug and around Lake Lucerne.

Best things to do in St Moritz

For a century or more St Moritz has been the prime winter retreat of social high-flyers, minor European royalty and the international jet set, who’ve sparked the creation of a mini-Mayfair of Vuitton and Armani in this stunningly romantic setting of forest, lake and mountains.

Viewpoints and panoramas

• Muottas Muragl: Gaze on the mighty Bernina range and a string of valley-floor lakes from this lofty viewpoint.

• Piz Nair: At 3,057 metres above sea level, and reachable by cable car, you’ll be rewarded with breathtaking views of the Engadin valley and St Moritz itself.

The best districts

• St Moritz Dorf: The heart of the resort, where you’ll find chic boutiques, designer stores and Badrutt's Palace.

• St Moritz Bad: Located on the other side of Lake St Moritz, this district offers a more laid-back atmosphere.

Museums

• Museum Engiadinais: Housed in a solid sgraffitoed building that’s one of the few surviving pieces of vernacular architecture in St Moritz. Inside are reconstructed interiors of farmhouses and patrician mansions, along with interesting displays on the history of the spa and Engadine culture.

• Berry Museum: Devoted to the painter and doctor Peter Robert Berry (1864–1942), housed in the family’s former home. The excellent audioguide gives background to Berry’s paintings, the best of which capture the light and ethereal nature of Engadine landscapes.

• Segantini Museum: This fine church-like building displays the beautiful work of this largely self-taught Symbolist. The highlight is the Alpine Triptych, shown upstairs in the circular domed room designed for the purpose.

Parks and gardens

• Staz Forest: In winter, the snow-covered trees in this secluded forest create a magical atmosphere, while in summer, it’s blessed with abundant wildlife; good walking trails too.

Historical monuments

• Leaning Tower of St Moritz: Yes, St Moritz has its own leaning tower! This 12th-century structure is a remnant of the St Mauritius Church and tilts at an impressive 5.5 degrees, making it even more off-kilter than its famous counterpart in Pisa.

Day trips in the area

• Val Bregaglia: Italian-speaking valley dotted with stone-built villages, and characterised by a Mediterranean lushness in flora and cuisine.

• Chur: Sitting in a deep valley carved by the Rhine, the lively cantonal capital is much overlooked, yet it has an atmospheric Old Town full of medieval cobbled alleys, secret courtyards and solid, foursquare townhouses.

Activities for families in St Moritz

Amid all the designer boutiques and smart hotels are plenty of kid-friendly activities, mostly of the outdoors variety, including lots of superb railway rides.

• Railway rides: The Rhätische Bahn is one of the most scenic rail networks in the world – travelled by the famous “Glacier Express” – while the Railrider is a roofless train completely open to the elements, which shuttles between St Moritz and Tirano, and Chur and Arosa.

• Corviglia Snow Park: Perfect for families with teens or adventurous kids, Corviglia offers jumps, rails and boxes for some fun freestyle skiing. There are also gentler slopes for beginners.

• Alp-Schaukäserei Morteratsch: A superb educational and hands-on experience, this cheese dairy lets kids (and adults) get involved in the traditional process of making Alpine cheeses; it does, of course, entail tasting lots of delicious Swiss cheeses!

• Swimming pools: A number of hotels in St Moritz have indoor pools which welcome families who aren’t staying there. The Ovaverva pool complex is a good choice for those with younger children.

Free things to do in St Moritz

You don’t need a big budget to enjoy St Moritz – there are plenty of free activities to keep you entertained while soaking up the Alpine charm.

• Sledge runs: If skiing isn't your thing, or you’ve got little ones in tow, try out the family-friendly sledge runs at Muottas Muragl. It’s a fun, thrilling ride down the mountain, and the views on the way up are simply spectacular.

• Winter walks: In winter, St Moritz Lake becomes a unique playground, and it’s quite a thrill to take a stroll across the frozen surface.

Nature and outdoor activities in St Moritz

For those looking for adventure, few places anywhere in Europe beat St Moritz holidays. Whether you’re visiting in winter or summer, the opportunities for outdoor exploration are endless.

• Skiing and snowboarding: There are four main ski and snowboard sectors, totalling over 350km of slopes that cater to all levels, from beginners to experts. The Corviglia, Corvatsch and Diavolezza ski areas are particularly popular.

• Hiking: When the snow melts, the Engadin Valley offers countless trails, from leisurely lakeside walks to challenging mountain treks; the lake hike from Muottas Muragl to Alp Languard is quite something. The nearby Parc Naziunal Svizzer is the country’s only national park, with a network of fine walking trails leading through dense forest.

• Bob and toboggan: There are some legendary bob and toboggan runs, including an exhilarating 4.2km toboggan from Muottas Muragl, a vertical drop of 700m. You can also do skeleton runs on the most famous luge course in the world, the death-defying 1.2km Cresta Run; now that’s not for the faint-hearted.