All its history is dotted with firsts, and not just in terms of tourism: it was the first Swiss city to have an electric lighting system; the first in Graubünden to use telephones; the first in the Alpine region to see a tram parade and to build from scratch a high-class hotel, like the legendary Palace. And again, the first to host, in 1882, a European ice skating championship, to organize incredible horse and greyhound races on snowy fields, golf, cricket and polo championships, both with and without snow, and much more. The visit can start from St. Moritz Dorf, the oldest settlement, full of hotels, shops, and delightful typical Engadine houses. On Via Maistra stand the town hall and the eighteenth-century reformed church, which boasts a beautiful spire and the Mauritiusbrunnen, a scenic fountain from the early 1900s. The street ends in an uphill path, where the Casino, the Bear Fountain, and the thirteenth-century Tower appear, marking the exact spot where, in ancient times, the church dedicated to San Murezzan once stood. Going back and gaining via dal Bagn, it is worth stopping at the Engadine Museum, housed in a beautiful typical early 1900s house, where a grand display of valley civilization is set up.
Following the walk towards Champfèr, you reach the Segantini Museum, where some works by the Trentino artist, who worked and died among these mountains, are gathered. On the other bank of the Inn, St. Moritz’s river, lies St. Moritz Bad, the core developed around the thermal baths, which have been using the iron-rich waters springing from underground since 1854. Equally charming and irresistible for hikers are the surroundings: from the Dorf core, near the reformed church, a funicular leaves to reach Chantarella at 2005 meters, from where another lift takes you to Corviglia (2486 meters), in the shadow of Piz Nair, from where the view stretches over the magnificent Bernina Group. Piz Nair and its ski slopes are also reachable by cable car. Fans of Heidi, the little mountain girl created by writer Johanna Spyri, should not miss the Heidiweg, the path leading to her hut just above the Dorf settlement, where in the 1970s, the TV series was filmed. Finally, from St. Moritz Bad, a series of excellent trails depart, leading to the 3192 meters of Piz Surlej, offering an invaluable view of the lakes and the Bernina.
