Best St. Moritz Alternatives to Choose From

A mountain escape of elegance and luxury, St. Moritz is a famous holiday destination in Switzerland. Perhaps you’ve been to St. Moritz before and want to try something else. It could also be that you would like to stay in St. Moritz but cannot find accommodation there.

If you’re looking for alternatives to St. Moritz, we’ve got a list below. Some of these locations are near St. Moritz, and others are similar but not right next door. The options are all in Graubünden.

We hope this list will help you, whatever your reason for looking for alternatives is. In no particular order, here are the top alternatives to St. Moritz:

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Celerina

The closest alternative is Celerina, which is right next door to St. Moritz. If you’re looking for something that’s close to St. Moritz but not totally there, Celerina is the most convenient option. Celerina has on average 320 sunny days a year.

Why is Celerina a good alternative to St. Moritz?

As well as being close to St. Moritz, Celerina has typical Engadine houses, excellent infrastructure, a variety of accommodations, restaurants, and recreational options. Celerina is only 3 kilometers away from St. Moritz.

There are lots of things you can do from Celerina, like strolling along the Inn and Flaz rivers, heading over to Lake Staz, or visiting Marguns at 2,280 meters. There’s also Corviglia nearby. In addition, they have a natural ice run called Cresta Run.

If you would like to learn more about Celerina, you can read our article here – Discovering Celerina, an Engadin Gem.

Pontresina

One of Switzerland’s most popular winter and summer destinations, Pontresina is a gorgeous mountain village near St. Moritz. Pontresina is a breathtaking village surrounded by fragrant pine forests, glacial valleys, and high mountains. At 1,805 m above sea level, it’s a sunny place at the mouth of the Bernina Valley, the highest valley in the Upper Engadine.

Why is Pontresina a good alternative to St. Moritz?

Pontresina is more like St. Moritz than any other village in the Engadine Valley but on a smaller scale. In Pontresina, you can find Belle Epoque hotels and houses from the 17th and 18th centuries. Pontresina is only 6 kilometers away from St. Moritz.

It is possible to experience high mountain adventures, alpine ibexes, and other outdoor activities in Pontresina. Muottas Muragl and Alp Languard, both of which offer fantastic views of the valley and surrounding mountains, are also nearby.

If you would like to learn more about Pontresina, you can read our article here – Visiting Pontresina, Switzerland: 8 Best Things To Do.

Sils

Located in the Upper Engadine, the scenery in Sils (or Segl in Romansh) has drawn a lot of artists, writers, and musicians. It’s surrounded by a huge expanse of flat land between lakes Silvaplana and Sils near the base of Piz Corvatsch.

The village is divided into Sils-Maria (Maioria meaning feudal estate) and Sils-Baselgia (Basilica). The village has the Nietzsche House, the Engadiner Library, and the Church of San Lorenzo in Sils-Baseglia. There are also some beautiful houses in the village (Andreoli and Salis houses). If you walk past Sils-Baseglia, you will reach the gorgeous peninsula called Chastè.

Why is Sils a good alternative to St. Moritz?

Within 10 kilometers of St. Moritz, Sils is a picturesque place between two beautiful lakes, yet it is also close to the mountains. There is an elegant hotel called Sils Waldhaus for those looking for one. Sils Waldhaus, an elegant 5-star hotel, towers over the valley like a castle. Featuring an indoor pool, gourmet restaurant, and romantic terrace, it also offers incredible views of Silvaplana lake and the village.

Beyond the village, you can also walk or ride a horse-drawn carriage to Fex Valley (Fextalin German). There are also numerous hiking routes on Furtschellas, a nearby mountain.

If you want to learn more about Fex Valley and Sils, we have written about it in detail here:

Arosa

Arosa is a scenic mountain resort in the Schanfigg Valley, easily accessible from Chur by regional train. A high mountain resort like St. Moritz, it’s 1,800 meters above sea level. A sunny holiday region with impressive mountain peaks and a lake, it’s part of one of Switzerland’s largest ski resorts alongside Lenzerheide.

Why is Arosa a good alternative to St. Moritz?

Despite not being as close to St. Moritz as the other Upper Engadine villages mentioned above, the village of Arosa offers incredibly picturesque mountain views, a lake, a variety of hotels, and easy access from Chur. From the Weisshorn, the highest point accessible by aerial cableway, you can see all the way to Säntis and the Bernina region. On a clear day, you can even see the Bernese and Pennine Alps.

During the winter, it is part of the Arosa Lenzerheide Ski Resort, one of the largest in Switzerland. The ski resort features 225 kilometers of slopes that include peaks such as Weisshorn, Parpaner Rothorn, Hörnli, Piz Scalottas, Piz Danis, Lavos, Stätzerhorn, and Windegga.

Families will enjoy this region with its Arosa Bear park and free ski school (for guests staying at least 2 nights at one of the participating hotels or apartments).

Davos

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.

Why is Davos a good alternative to St. Moritz?

Because of all the activities, accommodations, and restaurants in Davos, it’s a good alternative to St. Moritz. The town boasts of six hiking and skiing areas to choose from – Parsenn/Gotschna, Jakobshorn, Pischa, Madrisa, Rinerhorn, and Schatzalp/Strela. Those looking for something quieter can go to Davos Monstein or Sertig.

During winter, Davos 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.

In summer, Davos Lake has swimming areas, as well as possibilities to sail and surf. Train fans will like that a historical train runs from Davos to Filisur. Nearby is also a scenic canyon called Zügen Gorge.

Flims

The town of Flims is popular with families, hikers, bikers, skiers, and snowboarders. Its proximity to Zurich and all the things you can do there definitely make it popular.

Why is Flims a good alternative to St. Moritz?

There are many reasons why Flims is an excellent alternative to St. Moritz. Flims is close to Zurich and Zurich Airport, it boasts two of the prettiest lakes in Graubünden (Caumasee and Crestasee), and it has one of the most impressive gorges in Switzerland (Rhine Gorge).

Flims Laax Falera is a huge ski and snowboard resort well-known for its numerous snow parks. With guaranteed snow and the biggest halfpipe in the world, LAAX is Europe’s best freestyle resort. Winter athletes and sports enthusiasts alike love its size and variety, making it a top destination.