Top of the World
St. Moritz is the birth place of winter tourism (1864) and winter sports (1884). The town hosted Olympic Winter Games twice (in 1928 and 1948) and over the years numerous ski and bobsleigh world championships were held here. Horse races have been contested on the frozen lake of St. Moritz since 1907 and 1985 saw the world’s first ever polo tournament on snow here.
St. Moritz might never have experienced the success it did without its unique location in the magnificent Upper Engadine Valley. At 1856 meters above sea level, the climate is dry and pleasant all year round — the sunshine on 322 out of 365 days make even the harsh winter cold bearable. Spa guests have flocked to St. Moritz since the Bronze Age: the mineral springs in St. Moritz Bad were discovered some 3400 years ago and, even then, attracted visitors from far away to the barren mountain valley with its pleasant climate.
St. Moritz has always been a place where new developments had their beginnings. 150 years ago, this is where winter tourism began its success story; this is where Switzerland’s first electric light bulb lit up; this is the location of Europe’s first "Palace Hotel"; Snow Polo and Bobsleigh were invented here and numerous sports where played here before being played anywhere else on the Continent. In 2017, St. Moritz will host the Alpine Ski World Championships for the fifth time.
World class events
In St. Moritz, nature, the sun, sports, entertainment and luxury meet at the confluence of three cultures — the Romansh language, the proximity to Italy and the predominantly German-speaking local population — bestowing St. Moritz its unique ambience. St. Moritz is synonymous with outstanding offers for leisure and sports activities, cultural highlights, prime shopping and world-class events. This is complemented by first-class hotels and excellent restaurants. The name St. Moritz is so sought after that it has been registered as a trade mark world-wide together with its claim "Top of the World". Around the globe, the premium brand St. Moritz stands for style, elegance and class.
Further information is available at www.stmoritz.ch