8 Best Day Trips from St. Moritz | Touring Switzerland

St. Moritz in Graubünden is a popular tourist destination. As the cradle of winter sports, St. Moritz has made its name worldwide by hosting the Winter Olympics, not just once but twice. Although it has a population of around 5,000 people, St. Moritz draws in lots of visitors from all parts of the world. This lake and mountain resort town has an array of outdoor activities for locals and visitors alike. And although the city has so many activities available, those who spend several days in St. Moritz might still want to do day trips from there.

For those who want to venture for day trips while based in St. Moritz, here are some ideas for you.

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Soglio

Only 38 kilometers away (or less than an hour) with the car, Soglio is a perfect day trip from St. Moritz.

The village of Soglio is perched on a sunny terrace 1,090 meters high. Located in Bergell (Val Bregaglia), Soglio offers fantastic views over the Maira River. Soglio was named the most beautiful Swiss village back in 2015 by media outlets. It has been touted by the artist Giovanni Segantini (1858-1899) the “gateway to paradise”.

The Bergell Valley in Graubünden is on the border to Italy, particularly Chiavenna Valley (Val Chiavenna in Italian). It is surrounded by the Masino-Disgrazia-Bregaglia group with the famous peaks of Piz Badile, Cengalo, and Sciora.

There are houses in the village of Soglio from the 17th and 18th centuries. In the middle of the village is Hotel Palazzo Salis, with its more than 140-year history. The Salis Palace still maintains the interiors of the past ages and offers its guests luxurious rooms. The Evangelical Church of San Lorenzo is also worth visiting. Surrounding the village of Soglio are well-tended trails and fantastic views of the various mountain peaks with volcanic origins.

Guarda

Only 49 kilometers away with a car and perfect for a day trip, you can reach Guarda from St. Moritz in less than an hour.

Guarda makes for another relaxing day trip from St. Moritz. It is a small, incredibly picturesque village made famous by the children’s storybook Bell for Ursli (Schellen-Ursli). The charming houses showcase an art called sgraffiti. Sgraffito is a technique of wall decor produced by applying layers of tinted plaster in contrasting colors to produce art or patterns. Windowsills are also often adorned by flowers.

Schellen-Ursli is one of the most famous children’s books in Switzerland. The book was written by Selina Chönz and illustrated by Alois Carigiet. It is set in Guarda and talks about the bell that Ursli received for Chalandamarz. Chalandamarz is an annual tradition on the first of March wherein the young children try to drive out winter using their bells.

In 1975, Guarda received the Wakker Prize. The Wakker Prize is a yearly award for a specific city, town, village, or group by the Swiss Heritage Society. It honors efforts to preserve and develop the architectural heritage of a location.

If you would like to learn more about Guarda, check out our article Guarda: Explore This Fairytale Village in Engadine, Switzerland.

Chur

If you are coming from Zurich Airport and on the way to St. Moritz, why don’t you make a stop in Chur? If you are already in St. Moritz, Chur can also be a good idea for a day trip. You can reach the old city of Chur in 90 minutes from St. Moritz.

Chur is definitely a city worth visting. The small alleys, the churches, the castle, the museums, shops, and restaurants… the city has lots of places to visit. It is the capital of Graubünden – and earns its name as the gateway to Grisons. In Switzerland, this means the gateway to its Eastern Alps.

Chur has an old town dating more than 10,000 years. You can also visit the St. Mariae Himmelfahrt Cathedral and St. Martin Church. For museums, take your pick – Art Museum, Natural History Museum, Rhaetian Museum, Forum Würth, Vinicultural Museum. There is also an Archeological Site in Chur from the Roman Era. This structure was designed by local architect Peter Zumthor.

For more detailed information about visiting Chur from St. Moritz on a day trip, please visit our article Is Chur Worth Visiting? 8 Fun Things To Do In Chur.

Lenzerheide

Around one hour away by car, Lenzerheide is also a good day trip from St. Moritz.

The Lenzerheide region is another popular mountain resort in the canton of Graubünden. It is connected to another mountain resort – Arosa. Lenzerheide is famous for two things: biking and families. It is a well-known biking paradise with lots of trails and facilities for bikers. Bike Kingdom Lenzerheide opened in June 2020 and welcomed visitors. The Bike Kingdom is the place to be to enjoy freeride trails with various levels of difficulty.

For families, there are also so many activities: a Globi (cartoon character) themed trail, rope park, toboggan run, tennis court, swimming pool, fox trail, and family-friendly lake (Heidsee). Watersports enthusiasts also have windsurfing, sailing, wakeboard, and stand-up paddling offers in the Heidsee Sports center.

Flims

Image of Caumasee by TouringSwitzerland.com

Flims is around 90 minutes away by car from St. Moritz and makes for a good day trip.

One of the most popular spots to visit in Flims is the turquoise lake Caumasee as shown in the image above. Another option is the nearby Crestasee. There is also a beautiful viewpoint of the Ruinaulta canyon called Il Spir, quite near Caumasee lake.

Flims Laax Falera is a huge ski and snowboard resort well-known for its numerous snow parks. This resort has the world’s largest half-pipe. It also hosts numerous world events during winter. Due to its size and variety, it is a prized destination for beginners and advanced winter athletes and sports enthusiasts alike.

Want to see LAAX in action? Take a look at this video by LAAX Resort:

For more detailed information regarding the Flims Laax Falera ski resort and other ski resorts near Zurich, please visit Popular Ski Resorts Near Zurich – Flims Laax Falera.

Zernez

Around half an hour away by car, Zernez is really close to St. Moritz and perfect for a quick day trip.

Zernez is located in the Val Müstair Region in Lower Engadine. Zernez is the base for those who wish to visit the Swiss National Park. The national park has 100 kilometers of nature trails with 21 routes. The Swiss National Park is mountainous and lies between 1,400 and 3,200 meters above sea level. There are also guided and educational walks available.

A National Park Center in Zernez houses permanent and temporary exhibitions, an information desk, as well as a shop.

If you would like to read more about the beautiful villages in Lower Engadine, check out our article 6 Best Villages in Lower Engadine, Switzerland.

Davos

Around 90 minutes away by car, or 72 kilometers away, Davos is also another possible day trip to visit from St. Moritz. It is the largest holiday destination in Graubünden.

Davos is famous for hosting the world’s top leaders every year during the World Economic Forum. But not only that. It is also a popular ski resort and one of the highest towns in Switzerland at 1,560 meters above sea level. The town boasts of six skiing areas to choose from – Parsenn/Gotschna, Jakobshorn, Pischa, Madrisa, Rinerhorn, and Schatzalp/Strela. It is one huge winter arena with more than 300 kilometers of slopes, 100 kilometers of cross-country ski tracks, 58 ski lifts, two ice skating rinks, and curling fields.

For those who want something quieter, Davos has side valleys to visit such as Sertig Valley. In summer, Davos Lake has swimming areas, as well as possibilities to sail and surf.

Davos is also the starting point for excursions on the famous Glacier and Bernina Express trains. If you want to read more about the trains, visit our article – Glacier Express or Bernina Express: Which is better?

DW News made a concise summary regarding Davos as a health resort and location where the world’s business leaders meet yearly for the World Economic Forum:

Scuol

Only 60 kilometers away with a car, you can reach Scuol from St. Moritz in one hour. It is also a perfect option for a day trip from St. Moritz.

Scuol is a sunny and beautiful village in Lower Engadine. It has thermal baths from 25 mineral sources. Even the spring water from the village’s faucet churns mineral water. For those who want to go to the mountains, Motta Naluns is a fantastic place for hiking, biking, paragliding, skiing, and snowboarding.

Lower Engadine‘s famous landmark – The Tarasp Castle – is also worth visiting. The castle was built back in 1040 and belonged to Austria. In 2016, the castle was turned into a national and international cultural attraction featuring contemporary art and a sculpture park. It also has a 3,000-pipe wooden organ.

If you would like to read more about the beautiful villages in Lower Engadine, check out our article 6 Best Villages in Lower Engadine, Switzerland.

Summary

For those who are staying for a couple of days in St. Moritz and wish to venture out to other places, we hope that this list was helpful.

In summary, for those in search of big cities with loads of activities, then Chur and Davos are good options for you. For those who want something more tranquil and surrounded by beautiful nature, then Soglio and Zernez would be our pick. Small, picturesque villages that you can stroll in within two to three hours (or maybe even less) would be Guarda, Zernez, Scuol, and Soglio.

For those who are seeking sports, be it in water during summer or in the mountains during winter, then Lenzerheide and Flims are good options for you to try. Both resorts have many activities – be it biking, hiking, skiing, etc. Zernez is also lovely for hiking and animal watching.