Here are eight quintessentially Swiss experiences you need to have in the world's most fabulous Alpine resort
Often credited as the birthplace of Alpine winter tourism, the scenic Swiss mountain town is perfect for snow sports. A three-hour train journey from Zurich, St Mortiz has long been one of Europe’s most popular winter getaways. In addition to celebrity spotting at high-end resorts and skiing down the mountains, here are a few must-see attractions.
1. Ride the Cresta Run
Where St Moritz excels is its thrill-a-minute sports. Top dog is the Cresta Run, a mind-boggling toboggan track that challenges riders to speed down an icy slope at up to 140kph. No experience? No worries; practice sessions are available for beginners.
2. Sunbathe at Chesa Chantarella
The terrace at this restaurant perch, high above the Engadin Valley, is where the moneyed come to sip champagne against a backdrop of exquisite mountain and lake views. And with an average 322 days of sunshine a year, can you blame them?
3. Puzzle over the Schiefer Turm
Not to be outdone by their Italian cousins, Switzerland’s own leaning bell tower tilts at an angle of 5.5 degrees, a greater pitch than that other one in Pisa. Does it bother the Swiss? Perhaps.
4. Wolf down an Engadin tart
In business for 120 years, Hanselmann is an age-old confiserie on Via Maistra, priding itself on delicious pralines, truffles and legendary Engadin caramel and walnut pastries. One bite and you can see why: Audrey Hepburn, Coco Chanel and John Lennon were known to be fans, too.
5. Savour the world’s largest whisky collection
It’s not in Scotland as you’d think, but hidden inside the Devil’s Place bar at Hotel Waldhaus am See. Come for the gloriously over-the-top bar home to 2,500 different single malts; stay until you find the perfect one.
6. Dance at the Dracula Club
If the walls could talk. As host of the highest jazz festival in Europe, this members-only stalwart of the St Moritz scene has entertained a who’s who of A-listers and celebs over the years. It’s open to the public only during the Festival da Jazz; be sure to get your tickets early.
7. Sleep in a fairytale castle
It may not be a real palace, but the neo-Gothic turrets and four-poster elegance of the five-star Badrutt’s Palace would place it at the heart of any storybook.
– TEXT BY MIKE MACEACHERAN
Please check the establishments’ respective websites for opening hours as well as booking and seating requirements before visiting, and remember to adhere to safe-distancing measures while out and about.
To learn more about Singapore Airlines flights, visit singaporeair.com. For updates and travel advisories, please visit Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ website.
PHOTOS: CHESA CHANTARELLA FACEBOOK, HOTEL WALDHAUS AM SEE, BADRUTT’S PALACE FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM
This article was originally published by Singapore Press Holdings.
