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Muottas Muragl
Situated at 8,058 feet, this summit makes for an unforgettable half-day (or full-day, depending on your scheduling) experience. Muottas is accessible via a speedy red funicular that takes day trippers and hikers up to a hotel/restaurant/terrace lounge. From here, a variety of hikes kick off, ranging from short to multi-hour. The views are breathtaking – and the hikes are made even better by the loving details, like benches covered in cozy blankets, inspirational quotes from philosophers and writers on plaques, and look-outs in prime viewing spots along the way.
After exploring the mountain, return to the acclaimed restaurant and settle in for a long meal, followed by coffee, followed by drinks. There's no rush to get back down – this is truly one of the Engadin's most fabulous vistas. For those who cannot tear themselves away, the hotel has sixteen minimalist-chic rooms, and while there is not a lot to do up here beyond the hikes (and the funicular closes at 11 p.m.), waking up here, perched high above the world, can be a very special experience. During the summer, the restaurant sometimes hosts music performances, and dinner – when the days are long and the sun sets late – are very romantic.
Indagare Tip: When there is enough snow, Muottas Muragl offers a way to toboggan back down. Be aware that this is a steep, at times fear-inducing run and should not be tempted with young children.
Summer: Top Hiking
There are countless incredible hikes in the Engadin Valley, many of which include overnights in simple mountain huts. Here are some of Indagare's favorite day hikes:
1. Easy: St. Moritz Lake
The Valleys: Fex, Roseg & Bever
The Engadin is blessed with an abundance of beautiful valleys, which can be explored on foot or by horse-drawn carriage, making for wonderful hikes in the summer and winter alike. Bever leads through a pine forest and culminates in Spinas restaurant. Fex and Roseg are broader valleys and offer longer hiking opportunities; especially Fex is an absolute must for outdoor enthusiasts.
There are regularly "scheduled" carriage rides, but it's best to reserve for your group – which is possible one or both ways. The Fex hike leads through stunning landscapes and passes by small farming communities that look straight from the pages from a fairytale. There are two hotels/restaurants on the way: make a reservation at the Sonne for lunch but walk to the "end" of the valley, to the Fex Hotel, for the complete experience.
Winter - White Turf
The horse races of the White Turf festival, an annual event that takes place in early February, is the pinnacle of St. Moritz's winter season. The setting alone is quite a spectacle with al fresco restaurants, art exhibitions and, of course, the racing rink set up on frozen Lake St. Moritz. There are regular flat and trotting races, as well as skijoring, during which a skier is hitched to the horse. Watching the hordes of horses race around the frozen lake is fascinating, but lots of spectators also come to see and be seen by each other. There's Champagne and haute appetizers, but local foodies flock to the makeshift open air bar/lounge run by Heuberger, a local butcher shop that turns out the best grilled sausages.
Winter: Top Skiing
The Engadin's ski areas are spread out, but each has its own unique characteristics and draws different types of skiers. The one closest to St. Moritz Town is Corviglia, which also has some of the best on-mountain dining. Here are the ones to know.
1. Most Glamorous: Corviglia / Piz Nair
This area that rises directly above St. Moritz town offers some of the only ski in/ski out options in the Engadin Valley. Particularly the Suvretta House is well-located with its own private lift and ski school. Corviglia/Piz Nair is one of the region's largest ski areas with some of the most acclaimed on-mountain dining.
Thrill seekers and snowboarders love the Corvatsch area, which has the highest mountain station anywhere in the eastern Alps. Furtschellas is more leisurely and often less crowded than Corvatsch.
This smaller mountain, near the quaint town of Zuoz, is know for its fabulous ski school and beginner terrain (though there are some devilish difficult trails as well).
The landscapes of the Bernina Massif frame this ski area, which is smaller than Corvatsch and Corviglia but has some challenging terrain.
Zuoz
This tiny town, about a 25-minute drive from St. Moritz, is one of the Engadin Valley's loveliest, with beautifully restored, painted buildings and cobblestone streets. Art and architecture lovers will love the town's three small but excellent contemporary art galleries, all housed in restored historic buildings:
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