St. Moritz, Switzerland has long been touted as the premiere winter sports destination, hosting the Winter Olympics twice (1928 & 1948), and the off-piste offerings? They do not disappoint! Even if St. Moritz didn't invent the après ski, they certainly glam-afied it. Beyond that, there's shopping, outdoor lake skating, sledding and even an annual on-the-frozen-lake horse race!
The Town
The town is located just above the lake and is connected by the longest escalator in Switzerland, 40 meters high which is equivalent to 131 feet, a mere 13+ stories! 😳
St. Moritz natives speak their own dialect called Romansh, which sounds much more like Italian than it does German or French. We spoke Italian to them which was returned with Romansh and everyone understood (well enough, anyway).
The shopping is, of course, divine! They have all the best (most expensive) lables.
But like many European cities, St. Moritz experienced it's fair share of unfortunate post-WWII Brutalist architecture which detracts from its Swiss alpine charm.
There are tons of choices for eating and drinking in town. Our personal favorite was the wine bar, Pavarotti. The tartare was amazing and the Swiss wine suggestions, off the charts!
Stay
By far and away the best location is Badrutt's Palace. They have a front and center view of the lake from their bar. On busy winter weekends, don't expect to find a spot unless you are staying there. Hotel Klum is a close runner up. The prices at both places are not for the faint of heart, but then again no one comes to St. Moritz for a bargain. Budget seekers should probably seek out another ski destination! Although if you are not deterred, Hotel Bären is in the "normal" stratosphere.
Eat
Dining high in the sky is a favorite for skiers and onlookers alike.
For a more refined dining experience, I highly recommend Da Vittorio. Yes, it's Italian (naturally) and the service was spot-on, friendly and relaxed, Italian-style. By the numbers, the restaurant boasts the highly-coveted 2 Michelin stars, but it doesn't take itself too seriously. We both dined in the bespoke bibs they placed on us that read "oggi sono goloso" or "today I am gluttonous"! It sounds better in Italian!
I am still dreaming about the pasta I had in a velvet-y, tomato-y, soup-y sauce, which was the epitome of the “whole being greater than the sum of its parts”. Not much molecular stuff going on here, meno male!
We enjoyed the Swiss wines, both reds and whites with higher acidity than what we usually find in Italy or the USA. Wegelin was our favorite for both and a good value to boot!
So, where do you hit the slopes to enjoy wintertime fun? I would love your suggestions for this winter ritual both on and off-piste so please, let me know! Next week, I am off to Whistler, Canada so look for a post on that coming to your inbox soon!
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