Town Center (St. Moritz)

St. Moritz is divided into two parts, the upper village called St. Moritz Dorf and the lower spa district called St. Moritz Bad, and the town centre is the Dorf, on a sunny terrace above the lake. Its main axis is the Via Maistra, a lively street of shops, cafés and hotels that runs along the slope, while the parallel Via Serlas is lined with the boutiques of the best-known luxury brands. The scale is surprisingly compact, and everything can be reached on foot, which makes it easy to wander without a plan.

The town's fame as a winter resort goes back to the nineteenth century. A local legend tells that the hotelier Johannes Badrutt of the Kulm Hotel made a bet with some English summer guests in 1864, promising that if they came in winter and did not enjoy the sunshine he would pay for their stay. They came, they stayed, and winter tourism in the Alps was born. Whether or not the story is exact, St. Moritz certainly became one of the first great winter resorts, and its grand hotels, among them Badrutt's Palace, which dominates the skyline of the Dorf, date from that period of rapid growth. The town hosted the Winter Olympics in 1928 and again in 1948.

A stroll through the centre reveals the contrast between the town's modest origins and its present glamour. Tucked among the shops is the Leaning Tower, a remnant of the old church of St. Mauritius, which tilts noticeably and gives the town a characteristic landmark. Small squares have fountains and benches, the Engadin Museum shows local life, and the Segantini Museum, devoted to the painter Giovanni Segantini, stands slightly above the centre. The town hall and the church add to the sense of a place that has a long history behind its luxury.

The lake lies directly below the Dorf, and a walk down to the shore, with its views of the water and surrounding peaks, makes a pleasant contrast with the shopping streets. In winter, snow lines the roofs and the streets fill with skiers and visitors in fur-trimmed coats, while in summer the town is quieter and a base for walking and cycling.

St. Moritz is easily reached by the Rhaetian Railway, and the station is a short walk below the centre.