A Lover's Guide to St. Moritz

Mere mention of the name is enough to conjure up images of old-school romance and luxury. Justly famous for its spectacular views of snow-capped mountains overlooking Lake St. Moritz, its abundant sunshine, and its luxury shopping, St Moritz has long been a favoured playground of the jet set, welcoming luminaries from Charlie Chaplin, Coco Chanel, and Alfred Hitchcock to Audrey Hepburn, Gianni Agnelli, and Gunter Sachs. In recent times, it has also become the preferred destination of the Ruffoni's, Clooney's, Naomi Campbell and Liz Hurley. This year Moncler even presented its Fall/Winter 2024 Grenoble collection in its snow-capped mountains. If ever there was a place that lived up to the expectations and hype, St. Moritz is it.

It was the lovers of winter sports that originally put St. Moritz on the map. Surrounded by three magnificent ski areas, it offers something for people of all abilities including Corviglia, the largest and closest to the town (accessible via a funicular from the town center) which offers excellent restaurants (more on that later) and a mix of terrain. Corviglia is also where you'll find the infamous "Free Fall" downhill ski piste used in FIS Alpine Ski World Cups. Here racers accelerate from 0 to 130 km/h in just seven seconds as they hurtle down the 45-degree or 100 per cent steep "free-fall" which is even steeper than the notorious Kitzbühel Streif.

For those in need of even more adrenaline, the St. Moritz Toboggan Club has been offering its famed death-defying Cresta Run since 1885. The Cresta Run is a toboggan run where amateur participants torpedo down a ¾ mile long ice course - headfirst. Those who descend in one piece and who also down at least one beef-broth "Bull Shot" cocktail are eligible for membership of the Cresta Club, which has been going since 1929.

In the event you take your snow sports a little less seriously, there is the Corviglia Ski Club, established in 1930 and whose past members included many jet-setters such as the Aga Khan, Onassis, and even the German conductor Herbert von Karajan. Still going strong, the club also holds an annual Glamour Girl competition, where a beautiful, rich, and sporty young woman (member) is tasked with leading members down the slopes at night, flaming torch in hand. Past Corviglia Ski Club Glamour Girls have included the likes of Mirella Agnelli and Baroness Dolores von Fürstenberg.

For lovers of luxury hospitality and gastronomy, you won’t be short of good accommodation and food options, as St. Moritz boasts the largest number of 5-star hotels of any other resort in Switzerland, including the legendary – and still family-owned - Kulm and Badrutt's Palace Hotels. Both hotels were started by the Badrutt family, with the Kulm founded by Johannes Badrutt in 1855 and the Palace by his son Caspar in 1895. The Badrutts are almost single-handedly responsible for modern winter tourism. Legend has it that in 1864 Johannes bet a group of English tourists that they should consider coming to St. Moritz in December – and if they didn’t enjoy themselves, he’d refund their expenses. Till then the Alps was a summer destination with its warm spas and health clinics, and the cold was seen as inconvenient. Instead these adventurous tourists came and enjoyed themselves they did, and the rest is history as they say: the winter travel industry was born.

The Badrutt Palace now also operates the famed Mountain Club “El Paradiso” (since renamed "Paradiso Mountain Club") one of the go-to places on the mountain. Founded in 1998 by Anja and Hans-Jörg Zingg, it is a spectacular multi-level restaurant with both indoor and outdoor dining options. There, you can catch glimpses of the sort of characters you’d only expect in St. Moritz, but which would be caricatures anywhere else: fur-clad women, men dressed in collectible Moncler, and small ski groups having a pitstop lunch of Cristal champagne with their personal ski instructors. El Paradiso is also a wonderful Valentine’s Day lunch venue, serving its Alpine fare, champagne, and spritzers amongst a sea of red blankets and heart-shaped balloons. If you stay long enough, you’ll see El Paradiso transform into one of the town's - or any resorts - best nightclubs with fine food combined with outdoor and indoor DJs. Not far from El Paradiso is another on mountain venue for those in the know, the Alpina Hütte, which has been run by the Alpina Ski Club since 1903. The Hütte, with its equally spectacular sun deck, offers a relaxed atmosphere, and leaves you feeling as if you’ve stumbled across a well-kept secret. A more recent addition opened in 2018 is the Chesa Chantarella (CheCha) Restaurant, operated by the famed local restaurateur Remo Mathis, who has been running restaurants in the area for over 50 years. He’s known for truffle inspired creations, and the uber-trendy CheCha continues the trend with its truffle pizza enough to entice you into booking your next visit.

Off-mountain, notable establishments include Pavarotti & Friends, a wonderful wine-bar run by larger than life Deny Mainente, who bears a striking resemblance to the opera singer himself, and has been known to belt out a tune or two during the evenings to the delight of his patrons. There you’ll find a large selection of local and Italian wines and relaxed Italian fare. Initially started in an old shack on the edge of the Signalbahn car park, La Baracca (it means shack in Italian) has gained legendary status as a must-visit place, combining music and good hospitality with its swiss-Italian cuisine, including one of the best saffron risottos anywhere. And of course no trip to St Moritz would be complete without a quick hot chocolate at Hanselmann's Cafe. There’s no place in the world where you can sip cocoa with that sort of view.

For lovers of après-glamour, no trip to St. Moritz would be complete without a visit to Dracula's Shadow Riders Club, affectionately known as 'Draculas.' Founded by entrepreneur and playboy Gunter Sachs in 1970, this exclusive establishment boasts membership that is tightly held and by invitation only. Open for both dinner and after-hours revelry, Draculas exudes an aura of mystery and allure. If you’ve been invited to a dinner, or a cocktail afterwards you know you’re mixing with the right social set – only life members can invite guests to attend.

Amidst the glitz and glamour, St. Moritz also hosts the famed White Turf events, a pinnacle of the après-ski extravaganza. Set against the stunning backdrop of snow-covered mountains, these exhilarating horse racing events attract elite spectators from around the world. Whether witnessing the thrilling races or indulging in the lavish festivities, White Turf promises an unforgettable experience for lovers of both sport and spectacle.

Since the mid 1960’s St Moritz has also established itself on the art scene. Beginning with legendary Swiss art dealer Bruno Bischofberger who opened his gallery in 1963, St Moritz has hosted artists such as Warhol and Basquiat. More recently it has seen the development of NOMAD, a gallery space and travelling exhibition and has also recently seen the emergence of an annual jazz festival, Festival da Jazz St Moritz. On top of the art and music, the shopping and fashion has always made it a go-to destination with one of the biggest selection of luxury stores of any resort destination in the world. Boasting everything from Hermes, Rolex to Louis Vuitton, it has also hosted the fashion launches of many celebrated houses including Giorgio Armani, Pucci and Moncler.

St. Moritz epitomizes the ultimate romantic getaway, seamlessly blending breathtaking landscapes, exhilarating activities, and luxurious food and accommodation. It's a destination where love flourishes amidst the beauty of snow-capped mountains, creating unforgettable moments and cherished memories for those seeking an enchanting escape.