Travel Guide St. Moritz

The gotha regularly visits St. Moritz, nicknamed the metropolis of the Alps. Surrounded by lakes and peaks, this resort is home to numerous luxury hotels and boutiques, wellness centers and top-of-the-range facilities for skiing, golf and other activities for the happy few. It's the top resort in Graubünden, if not Switzerland. And yet, with its 5,500 year-round residents and 3,000 seasonal workers, the town is modest. The reasons for its success are many: the dry, sunny climate (the sun shines, according to the resort's slogan, more than 322 days a year), the beauty of the landscape, a long tradition of hospitality and, last but not least, a very select cosmopolitan clientele. This upmarket resort retains the charm and relaxed atmosphere associated with its proximity to Italy. The lake, the mountains and their encounters are enchanting.The resort is made up of two parts: St. Moritz Dorf and St. Moritz Bad. The main town (Dorf), slightly overhanging the lake, unfolds in tiers at the foot of the wooded slopes of Piz Nair (3,057 m). The center combines narrow streets and squares paved with elegant boutiques, luxurious hotels and a leaning Romanesque tower (Schiefer Turm), a reminder of the old Mauritius parish church, demolished in 1890. More affluent buildings with less distinctive architecture surround an open stadium, riding arena, skating rink and Olympic swimming pool. Slightly below, overlooking the lake, stands the terminus station of the Rhaetian Railway, serving Graubünden, with its typical little red trains. One kilometer from the main town, the second core of the resort (Bad) occupies the flat areas, the end of the lake and the banks of the Inn. Nearby is the new mineral springs establishment, opened in 1976, overlooking the shady Kurpark garden.