Resort information for St Moritz

St Moritz has two distinct parts. Dorf is the fashionable main part, on a steep hillside above the lake. It has two main streets – lined with boutiques selling Rolex watches, Cartier jewellery and Hermes scarves – a few side lanes and a small main square. A funicular takes you to the slopes of Corviglia. St Moritz Bad is down beside the lake, and everything is less prestigious here, with many buildings being block-like and spoiling the otherwise superb views. There are no lifts from St Moritz itself into the second major area of slopes, Corvatsch – a bus-ride away.

There are lots of long, wide, well-groomed runs in the resort with varied terrain – practically all on open slopes above the trees. The 350km/217 miles of pistes are in three separate areas. The slopes are big but broken up. This corner of the Alps has a rather dry climate, but the altitude means that any precipitation is likely to be snowy. The top runs at Corvatsch are glacial and require good snow depths to be safe. St Moritz has invested heavily in new lifts, and happy reporters comment that many St Moritz visitors are late risers and don’t ski much after lunch, leaving the slopes quiet at the start and end of the day.

Mountain restaurants are plentiful, and include some of the most glamorous in Europe. Prices can be high, but standards can be disappointing, although there are some special places. For eating out in the village, the restaurants are mostly chic and expensive – it’s easy to spend £50 a head eating out in St Moritz without wine – but you can eat more cheaply. There’s a big variety of après-skiing age groups here. The fur coat count is high – people come to this resort to be seen, but then there are the pubs and discos that attract a young crowd. Many upper-crust Brits come here to sledge down the world-famous Cresta Run.