St. Moritz is Switzerland’s oldest and one of the world’s most famous cosmopolitan resorts. With its unique climate and its snow-covered mountain peaks, it has been attracting the elite of the world since 1864. It is a very popular place among the richest people in the world: members of royal families, renowned artists and countless celebrities have all been here. It’s no coincidence that besides luxurious hotels, luxurious brands created by the most famous designers, are all present here. However, the real richness of the place is provided by its many ski slopes, numerous hiking trails, special climate, and the 322 days of sunshine together with its dry air. Winter Olympics in 1928 and 1948, were organized here, which further strengthened the city to become the centre of the world’s best known skiing resort.
St. Moritz was built on the shores of Lake St. Moritz in the south-east of Switzerland, in the Maloja district of Graubünden canton. The city is divided into two parts. One of them is at St. Moritz-Dorf at an altitude of 1853 meters located above the lake and it is almost like a terrace. The other is St. Moritz-Bad, on the shore of the lake. Today, only the remains of the ancient Romanesque church, the leaning Schiefer Turn reminds us to the former village. It is also the symbol of St. Moritz. This area was first famous for its carbonated, iron-rich medicinal water, which has been known and used since the antiquity. Later, in the Middle Ages, many people visited this place again to take some of the healing water to faraway places as well. However, the real attraction of the famous city was brought by is its dry, sparkling sunny climate, spas, sanatoriums, luxury hotels, the 350 km of ski slopes and the upscale visitors. They can chose among several programs depending on the season: skiing, ice-skating, horse riding, golf and sailing according to their own needs.
Every year, the second week of January is the peak season, as the city hosts the “White Turf” horse race on the frozen Lake St. Moritz which is also a World Cup event. This event, the so called “White Turf” has been organized in January and February since 1907. In the winter months, Skijoring and Ski Marathons further enrich the offer. However, it is a prerequisite for competitions to have a minimum thickness of 30 cm ice on the 0.78 square kilometre lake. It’s no coincidence that these winter programs attract tens of thousands of visitors in February. An other attraction of the place is that two Bond movies have been shot here: Goldfinger, For Your Eyes Only.
St. Moritz now offers rich programs and perfect relaxation to its visitors not only in winter but also in summer. Every year the festival of old and traditional English cars is hosted by the city which also attracts several enthusiasts. The place is also popular among cycling lovers, as they can ride 400 km long on the slopes of the Alps and among the snow-covered peaks, depending on their liking and ability. And once we are here, it’s worth visiting museums as well. Several pictures – including the famous unfinished painting (Werden-Sein-Vergehen)- of the Italian artist, Giovanni Segantini, the great painter of the Alpine landscapes, are exhibited in the Segantini Museum. The famous artist lived and worked in the adjacent Engadin Valley for 5 years. The Engadiner Museum, exhibiting old furniture and folklore memories is also worth mentioning.
St. Moritz – Corviglia – Marguns is a ski resort of Switzerland with the highest point of 3057 meters. It has 1337 meters of altitude difference and 155 km of ski slopes, with 34 km of black, 79 km of red and 42 km of blue slopes. The ski slopes are equipped with a total of 24 lifts including 2 trains, 2 large cabin lifts, 1 small cabin lift, 12 chairlifts and 7 surface lifts.
