SAMPLE ITINERARY

Day 1: London to St Moritz

Travel from London to St Moritz by rail. The Eurostar leaves early in the morning for Paris, where you change to a TGV train headed to Zurich.

In Zurich change for Chur, and then join the famous Bernina Railway line to St Moritz. Check in to your resort hotel.

Note: Alternatively you can fly to Zurich and start your train journey from there.

Days 2 to 7: In St Moritz

Spend seven nights enjoying the highlights of the Bernese Engadine, making the most of your eight-day rail pass to explore the surrounding villages, lakes and mountains, and taking a trip on the iconic Bernina Express.

The chic ski resort of St Moritz is situated in the south-east of Switzerland, in the stunning Engadine Valley. At 1,822m above sea level, it is easy to see why St Moritz is famous for its winter sports, but this altitude gives you access to breathtaking vantage points and high altitude rocky pathways. It also has three sublime lakes and a modern town centre, with Via Serlas as the main shopping street. With a population of only just over 5,000 people, St Moritz has retained its authentic Swiss character and peaceful atmosphere.

You can navigate the local peaks via railway. Piz Nair stands at 3,057m above sea level and its summit offers fantastic views of the lakes and valleys. It can be accessed by a three hour hike, or by funicular railway through Chantarella to Corviglia, where there are a number of gourmet restaurants, followed by a cable car ride. Piz Corvatsch is accessible via cable car from Surlej.

There is much to see and do in St Moritz. You can take a romantic carriage ride through Staz forest, and enjoy walking and hiking along over 120 km of trails. St Moritz has its own leaning tower, a landmark dating back to the 12th century that is a remnant from the destroyed church of St Mauritius. The Segantini Museum is dedicated to a local artist, and Engadine Museum will give you insight into regional architecture and history. Celerina is home to the famous Olympic Cresta Run, the oldest bobsleigh run in the world, and is just a 30 minute walk from St Moritz.

Other activities include tennis, squash, horse riding, river rafting in the winding gorges of the Inn Valleys and fishing (permits available from the Hotel Eden). You can play golf on the 18-hole course in Samedan and the Ludains Ice Rink is open throughout the summer. Silvaplana, situated on a stretch of land that separates two of the lakes, is a hub for water sports on stunning Lake Sils and Lake St Moritz, but windsurfing is best on windy Lake Silvaplana. Sils is separated into two parts, ‘Baselgia’ and ‘Maria’. It was a favourite of Friedrich Nietzsche and the Nietzsche Haus is open to the public.

The town of Zuoz has typically Engadine houses, with traditional ‘sgraffito’ designs and a very historic central square. The key to the town’s prison tower can be borrowed from the tourist office. Mustair is home to the 8th century Abbey of St John the Baptist, which houses some unique Carolingian paintings. Guarda is a very well preserved village with narrow cobbled streets, ‘sgraffito’ houses and fantastic views. Muottas Muragl was the site of the first funicular railway in the Engadine, built in 1905. Tarasp Castle, on the way to Scuol, rises majestically on top of a rocky bluff in the middle of a verdant valley. 

The village of Zernez is the gateway to the Swiss National Park, comprising 169 square km of spectacular mountain and wooded scenery, perfect for observing birds and animals, including ibexes and marmots. Visitors must stick to the paths at all times.

While staying in St Moritz, use the opportunity to enjoy one of Switzerland’s most iconic rail journeys, the Bernina Express. In one of the distinctive red trains, with their tall angular windows and comfortable, airy interiors, this rail journey takes you from St Moritz to Tirano on the Swiss-Italian border.

Less than 10km from St Moritz is Pontresina. It sits on a sloping mountainside terrace at the entrance to the Val Bernina, which adds to the village’s quaint majesty. The next leg of the journey passes two exceptional sights: the Montebello Curve and the Morteratsch Glacier. The curve itself has a minimum radius of 45m, turning a total of 180 degrees, and remains one of the most photographed sections of the track. After this brief descent, the Bernina Express gains higher ground - the highest ground, in fact, of the Rhaetian Railway, reaching 2,253m above sea level at Ospizio Bernina, your next stop. This secluded station is a beautiful sight, with soft light stone walls and distinctive red shutters on its windows. During the winter months, the building is often cloaked in a blanket of snow.

From here, move on to perhaps the most unique stop on the Bernina Express route: Alp Grum. This restaurant is the only restaurant that is exclusively accessed by rail. As a result, the dining experience is equally exclusive, with unrivalled views of the Val Poschiavo all the way to the Bergamo Alps. If you wish to dine here, this is best done on a day trip specially for this purpose.

The journey then takes you on to Poschiavo, a town surrounded by rich, deep green vegetation, with a serene lake on one side. The train will stop in Le Prese, a small village captured in a bubble of peace and quiet, then the Bernina Express takes you through to Brusio. Though not a stop, this particularly unique viaduct stretch has a novel way of negotiating the changing altitudes. After coming along the mountainside, the track spirals back on itself, allowing passengers plenty of time to take in the views before they descend under the viaduct they have just passed over. After passing orchards and vineyards, the Bernina Railway ends across the Italian border in Tirano, where the influences of Italy can be seen in the architecture of the townhouses lining the riverside. You have time for a brief stop in Tirano, before taking the Bernina Express back to St Moritz.

The abundance of local activities, from exploring picturesque villages to scenic walks and hiking, will ensure that each of your days in the Engadine is memorable.

Day 8: St Moritz to London

On your eighth day, board a morning train from St Moritz back to Chur and Zurich where you board the high-speed TGV to Paris.

Board the Eurostar here, arriving in London in the early evening.

PRICING

Price is based on two adults sharing en-suite accommodation on a bed and breakfast basis. This price includes second class rail travel, with supplement for first class and standard premier on Eurostar of about £580 per person.

We offer a choice of hotels at different prices, so please discuss your requirements with us. All hotels are subject to availability.

Before your departure, you will receive personalised holiday information, including full directions and suggestions on places to visit, to help you get the most from your trip.

It is essential that you have personal holiday insurance. The FCO should also be consulted.