St. Moritz walking tour & city guide

Dorf and the lake

St. Moritz has two parts. St. Moritz Dorf, the village, climbs the slope above the lake with grand hotels, boutique streets and the leaning tower, all that remains of a 12th-century church, which tilts noticeably to one side. Lifts and escalators link the lakeside with the village centre. St. Moritz Bad, by the lake's far shore, grew around mineral springs used since ancient times.

The lake is the centre of life in every season. In summer a path of about four kilometres circles the shore through meadows and woods, with sailing boats and windsurfers on the water. In winter the ice is thick enough for horse races, snow polo and even cricket matches, and people walk straight across it.

Sport, art and mountain railways

St. Moritz is the home of the Cresta Run, an ice channel for head-first toboggan riders built in 1885, and of the Olympia Bob Run to Celerina, a bobsleigh track made of natural ice each winter. A funicular climbs to the Corviglia ski area, and the Muottas Muragl funicular nearby gives one of the best views over the chain of Engadin lakes.

The Segantini Museum, a stone building with a dome, shows the Alpine paintings of Giovanni Segantini, including his large triptych of Engadin life. St. Moritz is also a terminus of two famous scenic trains: the Glacier Express to Zermatt and the Bernina Express over the Bernina Pass to Tirano in Italy, whose Albula and Bernina lines are a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

A walking route

From the railway station by the lake, ride up to the village centre and stroll along the shopping streets to the leaning tower and the viewpoint over the valley. Walk down past the Segantini Museum to the shore, then follow the lake path around to St. Moritz Bad and back along the water to the station, about two hours at an easy pace. In winter much of the walk can be done across the frozen lake.

Visiting tips

Trains from Zurich to St. Moritz change at Chur and take a little over three hours, with the last stretch on the spectacular Albula line. The Upper Engadin is known for its sunny, dry climate. Winter is the main season, with the White Turf races on the lake in February, while summer brings hiking, biking and boating at a quieter pace.