Summertime in St. Moritz, Switzerland

Fresh mountain air, blue skies, snowy peaks, and a wide variety of outdoor summer sporting activities. You’ll find all of this and more in the lakeside town of St. Moritz, Switzerland.

With only a four-day weekend, we wanted to stay somewhere within driving distance of home. We hadn’t explored very much of Switzerland, so we packed up our bags and headed northwest to escape the agonizing August heat of Italy.

The first thing to note: Switzerland is expensive. The currency in Switzerland, CHF (Swiss Francs), is basically equivalent to 1 USD. However, everything is double to triple what it usually costs us. It’s not like staying in a campground in the Balkans where we paid as little as $5 a night. I booked the most reasonably priced hotel (in St. Moritz that is) that came with the following perks: complete lift passes, train and bus pass, and a free shuttle back and forth between our hotel and downtown. These perks appealed to us the most because it was our intention to go mountain biking and climbing while we were there, and it would save money to already have passes for the lifts.

I’ve put together a complete guide on where to stay, the best mountain bike flow trails, the best via ferrata trail, and some restaurant suggestions. Below you will find all the information you need for a great visit during the summertime in St. Moritz, Switzerland.

Where to Stay

Berghotel Randolins was our choice for the weekend. Located on the outskirts of St. Moritz, it promised to be a quieter stay in the mountainside. We were put up in a cute room, a bit small for us, but with a fantastic view of the Bernese Alps. It also had a desk next to the window where I was able to get lots of writing and photo editing done at night. The hotel staff were incredibly friendly and welcoming to our pup and even brought him a dog mattress and water bowl after we were settled in our room.

On-site, there is a nice restaurant, café, playground, spa (which was under construction during the time we were there), and free parking. A pasture of cows is literally in the front yard of the hotel and at night you can hear the cowbells clinking – music to my ears. (I have sweet memories of the first time I heard cowbells when I took my students to Switzerland last summer) Behind the hotel, you’ll find unbelievable hiking trails and we even discovered the most magical river, all without anyone around. It was like walking in a dream on this bridge over the river, with the sun setting behind us and nothing but mountain views and cows to keep us company.

The cons: We weren’t aware that there was an extra pet fee, and only learned about it upon checking in. 15 CHF a day was more than we had ever paid to add a pet to our hotel stay. I wrote a note about it on a feedback form at breakfast one morning and they quickly addressed the issue and apologized that it was not made clear on the website. I respect them for doing so and they have promised to try to get booking.com to put an actual price up there for the pet fee so folks don’t get blindsided.

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Where to Eat

The first night we were there, Friday, we visited downtown, walked around a bit, and only window shopped. I needed a pair of bike shorts, but they were 200 CHF… so that was a big no for us budget travelers.

We found a great place with a patio view of the lake – Tre Leghe – and stopped there for dinner. We were sat inside the restaurant and had the entire place to ourselves, which was surprising at 6 pm on a Friday. Nonetheless, this was one of my favorite meals of the entire trip. Stephen and I shared pumpkin gnocchi for our first course – I love gnocchi and who doesn’t love pumpkin…put them together and heaven is the final result. I had the most delicious ribs I’ve laid my eyes on since moving to Italy and Stephen had their famous meat on a stick. Literally. Meat on a stick. A bib was included. I highly recommend this place, and the prices weren’t too high.

On Saturday, post mountain bike explorations, we had lunch right by the St. Moritz lake at Pier 34. They are also open for dinner, but it was too far of a walk for us the previous night. Their classic cheeseburger was delicious, topped with chili and slaw. Such an American meal to order; I know. Their beer was refreshing and it’s a great spot near sailboat rentals, the walkway around the lake, and lots of grassy areas for kids to run around.

We had dinner at our hotel on Saturday night. It’s a very upscale restaurant, which means upscale prices. I had a cordon bleu with not the freshest vegetables and Stephen ordered a traditional Swiss dish with hash browns and a fried egg on top. It’s convenient to eat at the hotel, but not the best meal in St. Moritz.

Sunday night was my favorite meal of the weekend at Morteratsch Hotel Restaurant. You can reach this place by either driving or taking the train. I had a phenomenal meal consisting of a huge salad and the freshest macaroni pasta. We finished our meal and the weekend with their famous alcoholic coffee, comparable to Irish Coffee. You can never go wrong with whipped cream, coffee, and liquor – in my opinion.

Where to Go Mountain Biking

The whole reason we wanted to visit Switzerland was to spend more time mountain biking, and they have some incredible flow trails. Although we have great mountain bikes that were purchased in Vicenza at Liotto, we rented bikes from Engadin Bikes, a bike shop in St. Moritz. It was 55 CHF per person to rent a mountain bike with full shocks – necessary for downhill riding.

We rode from the bike shop to the Signal lift and used our hotel lift passes to take the gondola up. However, the pass didn’t include our bikes so that was an extra 17.30 each. We took the gondola up with our bikes then rode down the hill to Chantarella lift which is a cog/tram type lift. I’ve never ridden in a lift like this before, but it was super neat. You put your bikes in one section of the tram and then ride in another. When we arrived at Corviglia Lift Station at 2,486 m, we took trail number 2 down the mountain. It was a pretty easy trail to start out with, but once we started hitting the quick S turns and steep banks, I was all over the place. I had one significant fall where I rolled and slammed my head on a rock – thank gosh for great helmets – but I got back up in the saddle and continued on. A few bumps and bruises later and we made it to the bottom in less than 45 minutes.

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We returned to Chantarella lift and took it to the top of Corviglia again. We chose to do route number 1 this time. This route was much more interesting – super fast and winding. Not meant for a newbie like me, but my adrenaline was pumping and I managed to only fall once. When we got to the bottom I had the biggest smile on my face. We sat down at the café at Chantarella lift for a stiff drink and a breather, then took the lift up once more to do route 1. This time I was much more confident, taking the curves like a champ and leading the way in front of Stephen. It was frightening, and it involved a lot of squealing and uncontrollable flailing, but I loved every second of it. We finished on a high note with only our cuts and scrapes from the first route and then took the road down and rode along the lake of St. Moritz.

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Description of Flow Trail Route 1 via map: (Olympia / Corviglia Flow Trail) With steep banking curves, pump tracks, camel humps and high-speed passages, this flow trail along the “Olympia” piste offers lots of downhill fun for seasoned freeriders, hobby bikers, and sports-minded families. 

Description of Flow Trail Route 2 via map: (WM Flow Trail) The WM Flow Trail runs alongside the “WM” piste from the Corviglia mountain station through the stunning high-altitude panorama. The new 360-degree turn gives way to the fast-flowing downhill pump-track, harmoniously integrated into the surrounding landscape. 

Where to Go Mountain Climbing (Via Ferrata Style)

When googling via ferratas in St. Moritz, the first thing that comes up is Piz Trovat. It is one of the most popular routes in the area for many reasons. I was thinking that it would be super crowded over the first weekend in August, but I was pleasantly surprised. I recommend getting there extremely early to beat any crowds.

The beginning of the trail starts by taking the Diavolezza lift. Parking is free at the lift station and we had a free ride up using the lift pass from our hotel. At the top of the hill is an incredible view of the Bernese glacier and a restaurant to grab a beer and food at.

Follow the blue signs towards Klettersteig, which is the equivalent of via ferrata in German-speaking countries. If you don’t have your own via ferrata kits, you can rent them from the station for 25 CHF (harness, helmet, & kit). We started the downhill trek toward the beginning of the via ferrata path at 9:45 am and arrived at the climbing part 40 minutes later. The trails are clearly marked with blue painted arrows on rocks, which is mostly what the first part consists of – stepping over medium to large rocks.

This via ferrata was much different than the ones that we’ve experienced in Italy and the Dolomites. Klettersteig Piz Trovat is a level K2-3, which is easy to moderate. It consisted of lots of pegs and ladders to assist climbers. It was unlike the ones we’ve previously experienced because those via ferratas required much more climbing skill than these. Since we weren’t used to this type of route, the pegs became very frustrating and tended to get in the way of my rope a lot. It wasn’t a difficult climb at all though, and easy to pass people or let them pass us throughout the route. There’s a split right before the bridge towards the end where you can take the harder route, Piz Trovat II, or continue along the Piz Trovat original route. Piz Trovat II had a straight up section that looked incredibly demanding, so we continued along with the easier one.

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We arrived at the summit 1.5 hours later. The views were breathtaking. We could see the glacier in all of its entirety. Lago Bianco was even in sight from the top of the summit. Although the climb wasn’t as exciting as the others we have done in the past, it was great to get back into climbing and the summit view was one of my favorites to date.

Once at the top, the trail to get down took us about an hour. It’s mostly rock and scree but all well labeled. You’ll take the lift back down to Diavolezza and the parking lot.

Related posts: Lessons From a First Time Mountain Climber | Via Ferrata Style & A Life-Altering Climb

Bernina Glaciers

The Bernina Range is a mountain range in the Alps of eastern Switzerland. It is one of the highest ranges of Alps and is covered with many glaciers. The Morteratsch Glacier is the largest glacier and the one seen from Piz Trovat Via Ferrata route and Diavolezza cable station. Measurements have been recorded since the late 1800s and unfortunately, due to climate change, it is slowly diminishing with each passing day.

There are plenty of ways to view this epic and awestriking glacier! The view from Lago Bianco at the base of the Glacier is breathtaking, but nothing compares to taking the cable car up to the top and walking around to get a closer look. There are glacier hikes and glacier treks that you can attend with professional guides. We saw many people walking across the glacier with their crampons and ice axes as we were climbing Piz Trovat.

Taking the Bernina Express

I always see advertisements for riding the Bernina Express through the Swiss Alps with images of snowy mountain peaks. It seems almost as magical as getting aboard the Polar Express, and one that has always been on my to-do list since we arrived in Italy. When we found out that our hotel pass covered a free ride on the train, it was an easy decision to take a trip, even if it was only a few towns over.

We drove to the train station in downtown St. Moritz and took the Bernina express to Morteratsch, where Stephen had stayed previously. We had dinner at the small hotel restaurant there. It was an incredible train ride, one that was well worth the wait. I’d love to take the Bernina Express in the winter after heavy snow. The views are incredible, and there’s something so different about riding on a train. We rode in the very back train car that was open-aired. Open scenic carriages have no windows and thus add to a perfect experience of nature. Reflection-free photos of the breathtaking landscape are guaranteed! Presley was quite funny with his ears flapping in the wind and watching the cows and horses as we rode by. I highly recommend taking the Bernina express, even if you just take it from one town to the next.

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There’s so much to do during the summertime in St. Moritz, Switzerland, especially if you love being outdoors. Fill your days with mountain biking, mountain climbing, hiking, sightseeing, and riding the Bernina Express, and you’re guaranteed to have an amazing time. I hope you enjoyed this guide to the beautiful lakeside town of St. Moritz located in the Bernina Alps and the plentiful summer outdoor activities that are available!