The tourist office has complete details about the various activities in the area. Although skiing is the premier sport, other winter-sports activities, including curling, ice-skating, tobogganing, bobsledding, and an early form of ice hockey, have been enjoyed by winter visitors here since the latter half of the 19th century.
Skiing
The world's oldest ski school is at Moritz-Dorf, founded in 1927. A total of five ski complexes encircle St. Moritz, the nearest being Corviglia-Piz Nair, which has some challenging, 1.6km (1-mile) runs back to the base. There's an abundance of snow in winter on 402km (250 miles) of downhill ski runs, 161km (100 miles) of cross-country ski trails, and the Olympic ski-jumping hill.
Corvatsch, at 1,740m (5,707 ft.), is known for its bowl skiing. Corviglia has broad runs attracting fledgling and intermediate skiers and is the base for skiing Piz Nair, the highest skiable mountain at 3,251m (10,663 ft.), with a vertical drop of 1,424m (4,671 ft.). Nearby, in Pontresina, a neighbor resort, are the steep Piz Legalb and Diavolezza, with skiing for all levels of experience, including a run over the Morteratsch Glacier. All five mountains can be skied on one lift pass.
The Upper Engadine region, of which St. Moritz plays the pivotal role, has 54 mechanical ski lifts, 349km (216 miles) of marked ski slopes, seven ski schools, and an estimated 700 ski instructors who come and go semi-nomadically from season to season. A general ski pass valid for 2 days costs 141F for adults, 94F for children 13 to 17, and 48F for children 12 and under. Various other ski passes are also sold, including a popular 6-day pass, which costs 358F for adults, 240F for those ages 13 to 17, and 122F for children 12 and under. These rates include unlimited use of all ski lifts and slopes in the Engadine region. Telephone the Engadin Information Center at tel. 081/830-00-01 or www.engadin.stmoritz.ch for more information about cable cars and ski lifts and passes in the Engadine region.
The groomed and tracked cross-country runs in the Upper Engadine valley include a tame 1.6km (1-mile) loop near the cross-country center; trails are laid out between the valley resorts. A 1.6km (1-mile) segment is lit for night skiing. The Engadine cross-country ski marathon -- a 42km (26-mile) run conducted in mid-March every year, is a major event. Private instruction on cross-country skiing, available on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday from 11am to 1pm, costs 85F for a 55-minute lesson (per person), and 350F for a 5-hour lesson. For more information, contact the Schweizer Langlaufschule St. Moritz (tel. 081/833-62-33).
Other Winter Sports
Horse racing on the frozen lake of St. Moritz is popular, or you can take rides on the natural-ice bobsled run. There are 30 curling rinks, winter golf played on the frozen lake, and tobogganing on the Cresta run. You can also play tennis and squash indoors.
If you're interested in curling but don't know how to do it, you can have a first training session free (40 min.). Individual curling lessons thereafter cost 100F for 45 minutes. Call tel. 796/58-02-76 for details. The curling rink is the A1 Parc rink on via Maistra.
A bobsled ride costs 250F, but you get your picture taken, a drink, and a certificate in addition to the ride. Bobsled rides occur at the town's Olympic Bobsled Run on via Maistra (tel. 081/830-02-00; www.olympia-bobrun.ch). Advance reservations are required.
Summer Sports
Windsurfing at St. Moritz and on the lakes of nearby resorts, especially Silvaplana, has boomed in popularity. If you're already experienced, rental of equipment for 2 hours costs 70F. It is possible to buy a 2-day lesson at 200F, or 6 lessons at 420F. Call Windsurfing Silvaplana in Silvaplana (tel. 081/828-92-29) or visit www.windsurfing-silvaplana.ch for information. Sailing on the area's 25 lakes is also possible.
The closest golf course lies in Samedan, 7km (4 1/2 miles) down the valley. This is a 6,587-yard par-72 course. Greens fees for a full day are 130F, and club rental is 60F a day. Golfing is available from the end of May to the beginning of October daily from 7am until 7pm, depending on the weather. In July and August, the course often stays open later. Call Golf Engadine St. Moritz (tel. 081/851-04-66) or visit www.engadin-golf.ch for more information. There's also a 9-hole course that's part of the Kulm Hotel (tel. 081/836-80-00).
For tennis and squash information, consult the Corviglia Tennis Center in St. Moritz-Bad (tel. 081/833-15-00; www.engadin.stmoritz.ch). Rates for tennis are 33F per hour outdoors and 37F per hour indoors during the summer, or 37F to 59F per hour for winter indoor tennis. Rental of one racquet and balls is 3F, and two racquets and balls rent for 5.50F. Squash courts run 20F for 45 minutes in summer and 20F to 30F for the same period of time in winter. The center is open daily from 9am to 8 or 11pm, depending on the season.
Fishing, in season between May 15 and September 15, requires the purchase of a fishing license, available only to interested parties age 16 or older. A passport and another form of picture identification are required to get a fishing license, which costs 50F for 1 day or 100F for 1 week. Equipment and bait are also available. For more information about fishing in the area, call tel. 081/833-67-52.
Spas
The spa section of this resort town is called St. Moritz-Bad, where you can take mud and carbon-dioxide mineral-water baths, physical therapy, and physiotherapy while you enjoy the stimulating alpine climate in a modern Health Spa Center (Heilbad Zentrum), Plaza Paracelsus (tel. 081/833-30-62; www.heilbad-stmoritz.ch), next to the Kempinski Grand Hotel. The spa opened in 1976. Since Roman times, "taking the waters" has been a popular pursuit for those seeking natural curative treatment for relief from pain and stress. The charge for every treatment at the spa is lower for residents of any of the town's hotels or apartments. Treatments cost 98F for a 50-minute massage and 35F for an hour-long soak within a mineral-rich "carbonic bath."
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.
