Who invented it? The Swiss, of course. Not only the famous herbal candy, but also winter tourism as we know it today. At least that's according to a legend surrounding the St. Moritz hotelier Johannes Badrutt. In 1864, the founder of the "Kulm Hotel St. Moritz" is said to have made a bet with some of the last English summer guests that he would cover their entire travel costs if they didn't like their winter stay in sunny, snowy St. Moritz. The English liked it, and winter tourism, so important for the region, was born. A milestone - because until then, people traveled to St. Moritz mainly for the healing springs, which had already gained great fame in the Middle Ages under Pope Leo X and the natural healer Paracelsus.

What Johannes Badrutt, whose son Caspar founded "Badrutt's Palace", is said to have promised his guests back then, St. Moritz still offers today: 322 days of sunshine a year, crystal-clear air at 1856 meters above sea level and that legendary Engadine light that bathes the landscape in an almost unearthly clarity. The former spa town has become a place of longing and a symbol of luxury and exclusivity. "The history, the diversity, the contrasts", is how the illustrious mayor Christian Jott Jenny describes the magic of the place. "Nowhere else in the world can you find such an offer and such contrasts in such a small space. The whole thing paired with this nature, these lakes, this light! A mixture of open-air museum and playground for human madness, paired with perfection, culture and so on."

Ice, Ice, Baby!

This madness is probably best embodied by the curious sports that are practiced in St. Moritz during the winter. First and foremost is the Cresta Run, the natural ice rink built in 1885, where the brave have been plunging into the valley on skeleton sledges for over 130 years. They can reach speeds of up to 140 kilometers per hour, hovering just centimeters above the ice, without brakes. The winter sport, which is regarded as the forerunner of the Olympic skeleton, was invented by Britons in St. Moritz. Another highlight is the bobsleigh run in St. Moritz Celerina, which opened in 1904 and was the first of its kind in the world.

At least as spectacular as the ride through an ice channel is the White Turf, which has been transforming the frozen Lake St. Moritz into Europe's highest horse racing track since 1907. When thoroughbreds gallop across the meter-thick ice while thousands of spectators watch with champagne glasses in their hands, surrealism and sophisticated lightness merge into a unique spectacle. The mountain scenery of the Engadin provides the perfect backdrop. The frozen lake has also served as a snow polo pitch since 1985. Since then, the snow polo elite have gathered in St. Moritz every year at the Snow Polo World Cup to compete for the coveted trophy.

Attractive gastronomy

However, not all guests come to St. Moritz for the sport. "Only a third of our guests use the mountain railroads, i.e. go skiing or something similar," explains Jenny. "Conversely, this means that two thirds of guests come to St. Moritz for other reasons, including the incredible range of hotels and restaurants. This aspect has developed significantly in recent years. The young pop-up scene in particular has made a major contribution here - but the hotel industry is following suit." The spectrum ranges from luxurious icons such as Badrutt's Palace to trendy pop-up concepts. A diversity that shows what makes St. Moritz special, and that has been its ability to skillfully combine opposites for centuries.