St. Moritz

Mirror-like lakes, glaciers, jagged peaks, alpine forests, and oodles of sunshine make St. Moritz one of the world's top mountain destinations and a must-visit on your list of things to do in Switzerland. Palatial hotels and pricey restaurants are par for the course at this chic resort town, which has hosted two winter Olympics.

Sitting in an alpine valley 1,800 meters above sea level, the town is divided into two parts: St. Moritz Dorf sits on a sunny terrace overlooking the Lake of St. Moritz. The other part of town, lakeside St. Moritz Bad on the valley floor, is a health resort with less expensive lodging. Winter sports run the gamut, from skiing, snowboarding, skating, and bobsledding to tobogganing on the famous 1.2-kilometer-long Cresta Run.

In the summer, hiking, biking, and water sports abound. Glacier skiing is also available in the summer.

Adding to all this spectacular mountain scenery, St. Moritz is a cultural crossroads. Romansch, German, Italian, French, and English are all spoken in the surrounding areas–not to mention the different languages of the many well-heeled international visitors and expats.