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There is something magical about St. Moritz – an elegant, luxurious, and beautiful place. In the mid-19th century, the settlement was founded as part of the growth of winter tourism in Switzerland. In no time at all, the town became fashionable among Europe’s upper class, who would arrive there by train.
St. Moritz is located in the Engadin region of Graubünden, Switzerland. There are not many permanent settlements as high as St. Moritz on the continent. Its elevation is 1,560 meters (5,120 ft) above sea level, and it receives approximately 5 meters of snow each year.
The St. Moritz alpine resort is worth visiting both in summer and in winter. Visitors can hike, bike, picnic, ski, and enjoy many other activities.
Whether you’re looking for a 1-day itinerary or a list of things to do in St. Moritz, this article is for you. Here are a few ideas for how you can spend one day in St. Moritz.
St. Moritz One Day Itinerary: What can you do?
Let’s discuss it!
1. Enjoy a cozy breakfast as you begin your day
In case your hotel doesn’t offer a breakfast option, you can walk around St. Moritz to find a cafe. It is important to find a warm, cozy place to eat breakfast before heading out skiing or hiking.
You don’t have to go far in St. Moritz: there are plenty of cafes and restaurants that serve up hot coffee with delicious pastries. Some options are the following:
- Conditorei Hanselmann (Via Maistra 8) – has a good breakfast menu
- Caffé Spettacolo (Plazza da la Staziun 8) – easy-going, conveniently located beside the train station and lake
- Hauser Confiserie (Via Traunter plazzas 7) – provides a brunch butler service to deliver brunch on your doorstep (St. Moritz, Silvaplana, Celerina). The deadline for placing orders is 8:00 PM one day before delivery. Otherwise, they also have a lot of options for take away. Note: as of December 2021, indoor dining is available only for dinner.
2. Ride the cable car up to Murtèl or Corvatsch to hike
If you are traveling in the area, don’t miss out on one of Switzerland’s most beautiful mountain viewpoints. Corvatsch is a great place to visit year-round and offers many activities for children and adults alike. I recommend going up and eating lunch in Corvatsch because it’s quite beautiful there with all the mountains right behind you. It’ll make your meal even better. Once you’re at the top, you can either have lunch in one of the restaurants or go back down to St. Moritz for more exploring.
It doesn’t take long to get to Murtèl and Corvatsch from Surlej, but what an amazing view it offers! Once you reach the top, take your pick from skiing, hiking trails, or just relaxing with warm food in one of their cozy restaurants.
How to get to Corvatsch
The cable car up to Corvatsch starts at Surlej. From Surlej, you take the gondola up to Murtèl. Now, you will have the option to go out of Murtèl or take the next ride up to Corvatsch.
Murtèl to Fuorcla Surlej
From Murtèl, it is an easy one-hour walk to a fantastic viewpoint called Fuorcla Surlej. Some of the mountains that you can view from Fuorcla Surlej are the following: Piz Boval, Piz Morteratsch, Bernina Massif, Piz Roseg, Piz la Sella, and more.
If you would like to learn more about this beautiful viewpoint called Fuorcla Surlej, read our article: Fuorcla Surlej: One of Engadin’s Most Beautiful Viewpoints.
3. Stroll around St. Moritz village for shopping
St. Moritz is a small, quaint town in Switzerland with many great restaurants and shops to explore.
If you are looking for a place to shop, stroll around St. Moritz village. There is something here for everyone! Whether you are in the mood to spend money or just window-shopping, this little village has it all.
You can find boutiques selling clothing and accessories, souvenirs shops selling Swiss products like cuckoo clocks and chocolate bars, art galleries with paintings of landscapes from Switzerland’s famous mountains, jewelry stores displaying necklaces made out of gold or silver that come in many different shapes and sizes. Most boutiques are either clothing or jewelry boutiques.
The two most important shopping streets in St. Moritz are Via Serlas and Via Maistra.
- Some popular shops to be found on Via Serlas are Asprey London, Bvlgari, Cartier, Giorgio Armani, Gübelin, Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Rossignol, and Miu Miu.
- Some popular shops to be found on Via Maistra are Bally, Bogner, Bucherer, Cashmere House Lamm, Etro, KJUS, Prada, and Moncler.
4. Relax and Swim in Ovaverva or Lej da Staz
Ovaverva in Winter
Winters in St. Moritz can get really cold, with temperatures reaching -12°C to -16°C. If you’re looking for an escape from the cold this winter, head to Ovaverva Pool and Spa and enjoy a swim in the warm pools (5 in total!) surrounded by snow-covered mountains. They have slides for those who want to enjoy it. They have huge glass windows so that you will be able to soak up the beauty of the Engadin region.
Lake Staz in Summer
The highest swimming beach in Europe is the picturesque Lake Staz (Lej da Staz).
If you love to swim, Lake Staz (Lej da Staz) is one of the best places in St. Moritz for summertime fun! There are plenty of people who come here to cool off and relax by the lake on hot days. It’s a beautiful spot with crystal clear water. The lake is a small one close to St. Moritz. Because it is smaller than St. Moritz lake, it gets warmer more quickly than other bigger alpine lakes in the area. The result is a refreshing summer dip once you are there.
You can also enjoy other activities like hiking, biking, picnicking, or simply taking in the scenery in this wonderful area. If you’re looking for an awesome day out with your family or friends then look no further than Lake Staz.
5. Take A Nice Stroll in St. Moritz Village
After a long day out enjoying the viewpoint of St. Moritz, some warm meals, and a swim, why not head out around the lake for a short stroll or in the village.
If you would like to learn more about walking around the lake of St. Moritz, check out our article here: Relaxing Walk Around Lake St. Moritz, Switzerland.
There are many interesting sights in the village. Some of the things to do or places to see in St. Moritz village are:
- Badrutt’s Palace and Badrutt’s Bronze Bust – One of St. Moritz’s famous icons, Johannes Badrutt, who accounted for the town’s success as a winter tourism destination
- Chesa Veglia – Old farmhouse from 1658
- Olympia Bob Run – a 1,722-meter-long ice channel from St. Moritz to Celerina that is still regularly used for world competitions. It is the only natural ice bobsleigh track in the world.
- Leaning Tower of St. Moritz – a 12th-century leaning tower located at Via Maistra 29
- Segantini Museum – a pavilion and memorial site for the artist Giovanni Segantini
- Mauritius Fountain – fountain constructed in 1910 by Wilhelm Schwerzmann to honor the benefactress Baroness von Goldschmidt-Rothschild
- Olympic Stone – All winners of the two Olympic games in 1928 and 1948 have been immortalized in the Olympic Stone on Plazza Paracelsus
Hotels in St. Moritz
Listed below are some of our hotel recommendations for your stay in St. Moritz:
- Kulm Hotel St. Moritz (5-star) – Due to the pioneering efforts of hotel founder Johannes Badrutt, St. Moritz became a winter sports mecca. This makes the Kulm Hotel St. Moritz a special part of the city’s history. There are 5 restaurants, a spa with a pool, a whirlpool, a children’s pool, an open-air pool, and more at this elegant hotel. Also nearby, the hotel has its own 9-hole golf course with pitching, chipping, and putting areas. During the winter months, guests can skate and curl at the hotel.
- Suvretta House (5-star) – Skiers will love this exclusive ski-in/ski-out hotel in Suvretta-Corviglia. There’s a regular shuttle service that takes you to other ski resorts and St. Moritz. They have a huge indoor pool, a fully-equipped gym, a sauna, gourmet specialties, and a kids’ restaurant.
- Badrutt’s Palace (5-star) – There are six restaurants, an indoor pool, a spa, and fitness center, valet parking, a tennis court or ice skating rink (depending on the season), and a free shuttle service to the train station at this elegant 5-star hotel in St.Moritz. Badrutt’s Palace is a member of Leading Hotels of the World, Swiss Deluxe Hotels, and Swiss Historic Hotels.
- Hotel Steffani (4-star) – This well-priced hotel has 3 restaurants, 3 bars, a nightclub, and a spa area with an indoor pool. Just 300 meters from Corviglia ski area, it’s in the heart of St. Moritz.
- Hotel Waldhaus am See (3-star) – The Waldhaus am See is one of the leading 3-star hotels in Switzerland. A few steps from the train station, it features a breathtaking view of the Engadin Valley and is situated on the banks of St. Moritz Lake. With over 2500 different kinds of whiskey, the hotel has the largest whiskey bar in the world.
- St. Moritz Youth Hostel (Hostel) – An affordable option is to stay at a hostel in St. Moritz where you’ll get everything you need – free breakfast, linen, security lockers, hot showers, microwave, a play area, and free wifi.
Summary: 1 Day in St. Moritz, Switzerland
Before ending your day in St. Moritz, you have several choices for a sumptuous dinner. Restaurants like Balthazar Fish & Co, Ristorante Peppino’s, La Scarpetta, and Engiadina are just some of the highly-rated choices for you.
As you can see, you will not run out of options on what to do in St. Moritz in one day. In fact, you can stretch the St. Moritz One Day Itinerary offered here easily to another 1 or 2 more days. And if you would like to find more ideas on what to do in the Engadin region, check out our related articles below.
What I would personally recommend after exploring St. Moritz is also visiting Fuorcla Surlej, Alp Grüm, and Ospizio Bernina. There is also a beautiful peninsula nearby called Chastè. The entire region around St. Moritz is gorgeous. I highly recommend spending at least a day, if not a week there. We have been there more than a dozen times and we still haven’t seen everything. Enjoy!
Related Posts
- Zurich to St. Moritz Train: All You Need To Know
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- 8 Best Day Trips from St. Moritz
- Best St. Moritz Alternatives to Choose From
- Fuorcla Surlej: One of Engadin’s Most Beautiful Viewpoints
- The Wonderful Lure Of Engadine’s Chastè Peninsula
- Why We Love Hiking Around Ospizio Bernina
- Bernina Express Route: Chur to Tirano Train
- How to Get To Bernina Express From Zurich
- Experience Alp Grüm At Least Once In Your Lifetime
- Discovering Celerina, an Engadin Gem
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