St. Moritz, located in Switzerland’s Engadin Valley, has been attracting visitors for over 150 years, long before the term "alpine resort" became common. It was here in 1864 that winter tourism was born, when a hotelier made a wager with British guests that they would enjoy the snow just as much as the summer sun. They returned, and the rest is history. The town has since hosted the Winter Olympics twice (in 1928 and 1948) and remains a favorite for skiing, snowboarding, and ice sports. The Cresta Run, a natural ice skeleton track, is one of the last of its kind and still in use today.

Beyond its winter credentials, St. Moritz has a story that stretches back much further. The mineral springs here have been known for over 3,000 years, with records of pilgrims visiting to drink from the healing waters. The Mauritius Spring, next to the St. Mauritius Church, continues to flow and is considered the oldest known spring in Switzerland. St. Moritz also holds the oldest mention of winter sports on a tourist brochure archived in the local museum.

St. Moritz is not just a destination for snow and slopes. Lake St. Moritz, frozen in winter and glassy in summer, hosts horse races on ice and sailing regattas, depending on the season. In warmer months, hiking and biking routes spread out into the surrounding alpine landscapes, including the trails around Piz Nair and the UNESCO-listed Morteratsch Glacier. The Bernina Express railway, a scenic journey that begins in St. Moritz, crosses 196 bridges and 55 tunnels on its route to Tirano, Italy, without needing a cogwheel system, a feat of Swiss engineering.