Sunlight and Silence
Winter in Graubünden

First StoP—Klosters
Quiet, rustic, with a touch of old-world charm—the village of Klosters in the Prätigau region of Graubünden has uniquely retained its wooden chalet soul. No wonder royalty—European and Hollywood alike—has long favored its slopes. Ideally located just under an hour from both Chur and the Engadin Valley via the Vereina Train Tunnel, Klosters is the perfect place to enjoy the great outdoors. Linked to neighboring Davos, Klosters offers more than 300 kilometers of pistes across its two mountains, Parsenn and Madrisa. Off the snow, its alpine restaurants, intimate bars, and charming boutiques offer plenty of ways to indulge.

Stay
Nestled among the snow-covered pines, Chalet Maldeghem is an authentic alpine hideaway. Inspired by the surrounding mountains, its seven bedrooms and generous living spaces are layered with comfort. Ease tired muscles in the hot tub or Finnish sauna while your in-house chef prepares meals to your liking. From the champagne welcome to the twice-daily chauffeured drives to the ski lift and back, Chalet Maldgehem leaves nothing to do but relax.

Eat
Gene Kelly is said to have danced on its bar and Audrey Hepburn graces the pages of its guestbook. Welcome to Chesa Grischuna, a Klosters legend where modernization has not erased historic charm. In the kitchen, Chef Ronald Fressner’s goal is not stars or points, but happy guests—and happy you shall be within these storied walls. Enjoy plates of fried blue trout beneath Alois Carigiet paintings or choose the nod to Chef’s roots—a classic Wiener Schnitzel.

Activity
Warmly packed underneath soft sheepskins, take a ride in a horse-drawn sleigh, bells chiming in the crisp, cool air. Float through powder-dusted forests to Alp Garfiun for fondue—or for those who prefer even more romance, head out as the setting sun turns the snow expanses pink. This experience pairs beautifully with a meal at Hohenwald in the nearby Walser village of Monbiel.

second StoP—St. Moritz
As the mountains draw in, it’s not the peaks surrounding St Moritz that catch the eye, but the façades of the grand hotels perched high above the frozen lake. Set at 1,800m, this small alpine village has shaped winter luxury for more than a century, its hotels and restaurants setting an unspoken standard of perfection. For many, a stay here is an anchored winter ritual, with (near to) endless sunshine, immaculate pistes, and the chance to reconnect with familiar faces, season after season.

Stay
Service at Badrutt’s Palace begins with a Rolls-Royce welcome—from chauffeur-driven cars once belonging to Queen Elizabeth to staff in signature gold-buttoned uniforms. Known as the birthplace of luxury alpine hospitality, this is a hotel where attentiveness, perfected over generations, begins in St. Moritz’s “living room”—The Grand Hall—and never truly ends.

Suites range from historic to contemporary, with connecting rooms and grand living spaces ensuring there’s plenty of room for families to gather. Days unfold between the panoramic pool, the recently renovated spa, and meals at one of the 11 restaurants or two bars, all within the Palace bubble. Here, food takes the form of whatever you crave, from truffle-topped “Grand Dame” pizza to the precision of Nobu.

Eat
Discover the purity of flavor at Ecco, hidden within another of St. Moritz’s grand hotels, Giardino Mountain. Chef Reto Brändli and his team—who move from Ecco Ascona in the summer to St. Moritz in the winter—deliver technical precision, flawless service, and an ease of alpine elegance. From delicate amuse-bouches to the chef’s signature dishes—charcoal-grilled langoustine and foie gras lobster—a meal at Ecco is a fitting gourmet finale to a stay in St. Moritz.

Activity
St. Moritz’s home mountain, Corviglia, lies on the sunny side of the valley where snow is guaranteed all winter. Some 24 lifts connect more than 155 kilometers of perfectly groomed pistes, some of which have hosted the Winter Olympics. Carve the early morning “white carpet” and then head to the mountain’s most coveted stop on the ski map—Paradiso Mountain Club & Restaurant, one of Badrutt’s Palace’s 11 restaurants. Book early for a table on the members-only terrace, open to day guests, and indulge in the house-renowned black-truffle fondue, paired with a glass of champagne from an extensive cellar. Up here at 2,180 meters, champagne reaches its “peak perfection,” the most luxurious way to rest your legs under the Engadin sun.

Third StoP—Vals
When the call for escape can no longer be ignored, follow the switchbacks over the 2,284-meter Julier Pass into the secluded valley of Vals. Framed by steep, snow-covered slopes of quartzite and pine, the village feels worlds apart from anything else in Grisons. Home to around 1,000 people and just as many sheep, Vals offers a refuge from the noise of the world, yet remains a pilgrimage for architecture and wellness alike. For alpine purists, the Val’s Dachberg ski area is intimate, with 28 km of piste and six lifts. Its summit rises almost 3,000 m, offering views stretching from Valais to the Bernese Alps. For those seeking more, the ski junkie mecca of Laax is only a short drive away.

Stay
At Hotel 7132, timeless design meets natural beauty. Nothing here competes for attention; every line, every curve, every furniture placement feels effortless. Of the 22 rooms and suites, the highlights are the three top-level penthouses by Japanese architect Kengo Kuma, with views of the archaic landscape beyond—almost as if straight out of a painting. Guests have access to four restaurants, a bar, a coffee shop with a curated gift shop for architecture fans, and direct access to the thermal spas.

Step into the warming waters of the 7132 Therme, fed by a natural thermal spring. Designed by Peter Zumthor and comprising 60,000 slabs of Vals quartzite, one could be forgiven for thinking that the mountains have moved inside to create a harmonic paradise. Stone and light shift slowly across six pools, ranging from glacial to thermal. A steam bath lined with sweating stones and an indulgence spa complete the ritual. The masterpiece, however, lies outside—a pool open to the sky, its 36 °C water enticing even as darkness falls, open three evenings a week.

Eat
Leave time to savor dinner with Chef Marcel Koolen at Silver 7132. Together with his team, Koolen creates dishes that balance power and procession with a hint of nostalgia. Influenced by his time working under a Japanese mentor, Koolan’s creative experimentation—such as tasking a local farmer to grow shiso—often begins with daydreaming, moving from sketch to plate. Each course is a quiet act of imagination. For the ultimate chef’s table private dining experience, book the “Crystal” package, which includes private helicopter transfer from anywhere in Switzerland, a glacial champagne stop, and a two-night stay in one of the penthouse suites.