St Moritz is Switzerland’s most famous ‘exclusive’ winter resort. It is glitzy, pricey, fashionable and, above all, the place to be seen. Also, it’s the place for an all-round winter holiday with an unrivaled array of different diversions including such wacky pursuits as:

• polo
• golf
• cricket on snow
• gourmet festivals
• music festivals

The slopes on the two main mountains are almost uniformly easy intermediate. We don’t rate it highly for complete beginners, and experts must be prepared to venture off-slope. However, for langlaufers, it is superb.

St Moritz itself may not be as attractive to look at as some other Swiss resorts, but its setting is spectacular. It sits by the lowest in a long chain of lakes at the foot of the 4000m Piz Bernina. This is one of those areas where the need to stand and gaze will regularly interrupt our progress on the mountain. It may not have quite the drama of the Jungfrau massif, or the Matterhorn, or the Dolomites, but its wide and glorious mountain landscapes are equally special. And the langlauf, walking, and other activities on the frozen lake give it a real ‘winter wonderland’ feel.

What’s Great

• Beautiful panoramic scenery
• Off-slope activities second to none – including the Cresta Run, horse- racing and lots of varied festivals
• Extensive, largely intermediate slopes
• Fairly snow sure, thanks to altitude and extensive snowmaking
• Good après-ski, for all tastes
• Good mountain restaurants, some with magnificent views
• Painless rail access via Zurich