St. Moritz: A Slice of Heaven in Switzerland
By,
Aruna Rathod
Feature Writer | Travel, Food
& Lifestyle
With rejuvenating springs, breathtaking Alps, superb cuisines and sporting activities, St. Moritz is the ultimate Swiss destination, finds Aruna Rathod
If Switzerland is beautiful, St. Moritz is heaven. With sunny, clear blue skies, St. Moritz, the favourite getaway of the rich and famous is still referred to as a village, because it has a population of just 5000 people! To think that at one time St. Moritz was only a summer destination, till a local hotelier Johannes Badrutt invited a bunch of Englishmen at the onset of winter and offering to host them for free till Easter. The Englishmen went back ecstatic and ever since there has been no looking back for St. Moritz. Over the years, its winter sports have become a huge attraction, luring everyone from Hollywood celebrities to European business magnates, to set up homes here. And befittingly enough, the world’s biggest brand have a store in St. Moritz – right from Hermes and Cartier to the Pradas and Jimmy Choos. Driving around the peaceful town, I came across some of the most amazing natural sights – beautiful green mountains with traces of snow, tranquil lakes, mountain goats and thermal springs that promise to keep you forever young. This part of Switzerland offers sunlight 365 days a year!
Getting There
It takes about a couple of hours to reach St. Moritz from Zurich. After boarding the train at Zurich main station, I changed the train at Landquart to take the UNESCO World Heritage railway route to reach St. Moritz. As the train leaves Landquart, the beauty begins on the route itself as the train winds through curves, high valleys and mountains capped with snow. The Bernina landscape is part of the prestigious UNESCO sites, allowing travelers access to high-Alpine regions and is among the most spectacular narrow- gauge railways in the world.
Nature at its Best
On the way to the hotel, I spotted a large lake, which later I got to know freezes in winter serving as a spot for winter sports, and during summers it is a great spot for sailing and fishing. After reaching the hotel, I walked across to the health resort of St. Moritz which has iron rich spring waters flowing for more than 3000 years. In earlier days, kings and religious leaders used to travel to St. Moritz to drink this revitalizing water. A fountain with four taps allows visitors to drink the water for free and yes, be ready to taste the real iron in it.
St. Moritz is blessed with snow for most part of the year and ever since the turn of the 19th century, it has been the hub of Alpine tourism. An interesting bob run track runs along the steep hill and through the village, with traces of ice still visible even at the onset of summer. St. Moritz has organised two Winter Olympic Games (1928 and 1948) so far, and the Olympia bob run track is a live memorial to the games. Zipping through the steep slope, the bob sled ride must definitely be a thriller, especially since one can take a partner along. The St. Moritz bob run is the only natural ice track in the world that still hosts World Cup races and is a legend in itself.
Exquisite Bites
The historic Hauser chocolatier stands proudly in the middle of the town square – dishing out a variety of chocolates, cakes and coffee. Another interesting store is the exclusive tea-and-caviar store with wild caviar; some exclusives are the Beluga from Iran – the costliest, selling for 700 CHF for a small tin – that’s about Rs 42,000. Italian diners and specialty Swiss restaurants also dot the market area offering fondues, pastas, pizzas and thinly sliced paper thin dried meats.
Up in the Alps
On day two, we drove through the picturesque Pointresina village, spotted mountain goats en route, and took a pit stop to catch the stunning view of the Diavolezza Mountain draped in snow, before reaching the base station of the cable car.
The cable car begins smoothly and then from 1700 meters, it ascends to 3500 meters in a matter of less than ten minutes – transporting me from a lush green landscape to a snow-white blinding one.
Once off the cable car, I stepped out carefully on the snow, watching every step, wary about sinking or slipping on the cushion of ice. But at the same time, didn’t want to miss any of the sheer magnificence of the gigantic mountains. The restaurant up in the Alps called Diavolezza Stubli serves typical Swiss cuisine among others, including a handful of Indian dishes, given the regular flow of well-heeled Indians.
The cosy confines of the restaurant with its huge transparent glass windows is a great way to enjoy the sight of the snow and tracing the mountaineers, who appear like tiny dots in the snow, skiing their way down from the peak. The waitress tells me that the mountaineers begin their climb up the mountains early in the day and while some climbers return before nightfall, others camp in the hills overnight. On the way back, most of the climbers ski down the slopes, reaching the base much faster.
After eating the Gnocchi and Risotto, washed down with a steaming cup of coffee, we came down in the cable car. On the way down, I saw a frozen lake and spotted a couple who had gone up to ski and were walking back to their car – exhausted.
Back to the hotel, a walk around the lake is a great idea to spend the evening. People walk their pets, children cycle along with their parents while a few others sail on the lake and after a soup and dinner, it’s time to soak in the serenity of St. Moritz before retiring for the night.
Pic Courtesy: pegasus/ images are subject to copyright
