St. Moritz is a magnificent snow-covered point of attraction that can make anyone fall in love with the winters. Forget about the regular beaches, palm trees, and warm destinations, this Swiss Alps mountain town is known for fascinating tourists in winters with its amazing champagne-air. It is also one of the best places where you can celebrate Christmas.
Swiss Alps Mountain Town
Since the luxurious Carlton Hotel St. Moritz is only open in the winter, it’s an ideal reason to make a cold-weather getaway plan. Every single one of the 60 suites overlooks jewel-like Lake St. Moritz, which implies you can take in the frosted landscape every morning while you sip your coffee on your terrace. Relax by the warm flames of the majestic chimney in the lounge, eat lunch al fresco on the sun lawn with a view of the icy games below, or warm up in the spa’s hot tub, which flows into a heated alfresco pool.
The sun is so hot that you won’t feel cold while you swim in the warm sky. In the nightfall, entertain yourself with a multicourse winter meal at Michelin-starred Da Vittorio, where delightful foods inspired by neighboring Italy uses divine pasta, decadent truffles, and an apple tart worth going for on its own.
The snow butler
If you are not sure what to do in the frozen panorama of the Alps? You don’t need to worry! As a winter-only hotel, the Carlton has improved the snow day, even if you’re a cold wimp. The mystery? Othmar, the resort’s “snow butler,” who will design the whole day for you. Want to make the perfect snowman? He’ll hire a horse-drawn sled to take you to a distant area where you can show your art skills.
The train ride
Just going to St. Moritz in the winter gives snow-globe spectacle deserving of an extraordinary trip. In fact, the whole Glacier Express route is a UNESCO World History Site; the picturesque, almost eight-hour journey between St. Moritz and Zermatt passes through 91 tunnels.
Sledding
If you do a little research about St. Moritz on Google, you’ll surely notice the Cresta Run, the oldest original bobsled run in the world, dating back to 1904. Gliding down an ice slope that was used in the turn-of-the-century Olympics? For a more easy slide, try the longest sled run in Switzerland, which is simply a fast 15-minute train ride from St. Moritz.
Ice Polo
Polo is usually related to “hockey on horses” for its fast-paced combat and team play, but the game is taken to a different style in St. Moritz, where ice polo is played on frozen Lake St. Moritz in late January.
Art in the Alps
St. Moritz is also known as the cultural hub for the whole Alps area, and there are more than a dozen striking galleries and engaging museums that you could use your days exploring and witnessing the history. For world-class modern contributions, the Vito Schnabel Gallery on Via Maistra is a worth-watch, as is the latest Hauser & Wirth Gallery on Via Serlas.
