Skiing

Don't let the whirlwind of activities at St. Moritz make you forget that its raison d'être is skiing. You can reach the Corviglia–Piz Nair, Suvretta, and Marguns slopes, immediately above St. Moritz, from the Chantarella–Corviglia funicular in Dorf, the Signal cableway in Bad, the Suvretta chairlift, and the Marguns gondolas in Celerina. There are 80 km (50 miles) of difficult, intermediate, and easy runs and a half pipe for snowboarders. The Upper Engadine ski region offers 350 km (217 miles) of prepared trails. The views from Corviglia, Piz Nair, and the Suvretta Paradise run are magnificent.

Descents behind Piz Nair (10,026 feet) eventually lead down to Marguns; they are often in shadow in early winter but have the best snow up to the end of the season. With the help of snowmaking equipment, conditions usually remain excellent until late April. The sunny Suvretta slopes are usually less crowded, but they don't have snowmaking equipment. You can join a group and go with an instructor on a free "snow safari" offered by any ski school, which begin in Sils and end in Morteratsch. One-day tickets for St. Moritz are 79 SF; six-day regional passes cost 376 SF. Prices include transportation between ski stations on the Engadine bus service.

In an effort to attract more visitors, St. Moritz’s top hotels have banded together to offer an unbeatable lift-ticket deal: book a minimum two-night stay, and pay 38 SF per person per day. The rest of the ticket price is covered by the hotel, which means three-star properties are less likely to participate. The deal is available only when you make your booking, so be sure to inquire up front.

Ski Service Corvatsch. Rental equipment is available at Ski Service Corvatsch in St. Moritz and Silvaplana. Via Stredas 11, St. Moritz, Graubünden, 7500. 081/8387788; www.skiservice-corvatsch.com.

St. Moritz Ski School. This ski school in St. Moritz is the oldest, and still one of the best, in Switzerland. Via Stredas 14, St. Moritz, Graubünden, 7500. 081/8300101; www.skischool.ch.

Suvretta Snowsports School. For instruction on an array of winter sports, a good bet is Suvretta Snowsports School. Via Chasellas 1, St. Moritz, Graubünden, 7500. 081/8366161; www.suvrettasnowsports.ch.