St. Moritz, Celerina and Samedan (Upper Engadine)
St. Moritz sits above its lake, which freezes hard enough in winter for horse racing and polo on the ice. Corviglia is the home ski area, reached by funicular from the town. Celerina, a few minutes away and linked by lift, is calmer and usually cheaper. Samedan is a working valley town with a railway junction and good cross-country trails. Zurich is around three hours by car.
Best for: Skiers who want Corviglia close by and a proper town
Not for you if: You're budget-led: St. Moritz is among the most expensive resorts in the Alps.
Pontresina
Pontresina is a quieter village of old Engadine houses, a short drive from St. Moritz. The Bernina Pass road and railway start here: Diavolezza and Lagalb have high skiing, and the Morteratsch Glacier walk is a gentle hike in summer. The Bernina Express runs south over the pass to Poschiavo and Tirano in Italy. The Val Roseg, closed to cars, is a classic walk or horse-drawn sleigh ride.
Best for: Glacier walks, cross-country skiing and the Bernina line
Not for you if: You want to ski from the door: the lifts at Diavolezza and Corviglia need a bus or train.
Sils, Silvaplana and Maloja (the lakes)
Silvaplana-Surlej sits at the foot of the Corvatsch ski area, and its lake catches a reliable afternoon wind in summer that draws kitesurfers and windsurfers. Sils Maria has the Val Fex walk behind it and the Nietzsche House museum in the village. Maloja, at the top of the pass, drops steeply to Italy. The Engadin Skimarathon cross-country race starts here in March. Milan is often quicker to reach than Zurich.
Best for: Walkers, cross-country skiers and windsurfers
Not for you if: You want nightlife: Sils and Maloja go quiet early.
Zuoz, La Punt and Bever (between Samedan and S-chanf)
La Punt-Chamues-ch, Bever, Madulain and Zuoz line the flat valley floor below St. Moritz, with the Inn river and the cross-country trail running through them. Zuoz has one of the best-preserved village centres in the Engadine, with painted sgraffito houses. These are good bases for drivers who will ski Corviglia or Corvatsch, both 20 to 30 minutes away. S-chanf is the finish of the March marathon.
Best for: Quieter bases with cross-country trails outside the door
Not for you if: You want a big ski area in walking distance: Zuoz has only a small one.
Scuol and the Lower Engadine (Ftan, Sent, Tarasp, Zernez)
Scuol has the most properties in the region, a thermal spa and the Motta Naluns ski area above the town. Ftan and Sent are small villages on sunny terraces, Tarasp has a white castle on a hill, and Zernez is the base for the Swiss National Park, which has marked walks and no skiing. The Vereina car train from Klosters is the fastest way in from Zurich, about two and a half hours in all.
Best for: Thermal baths, the national park and quieter Romansh villages
Not for you if: You want St. Moritz polish: the Lower Engadine is rural and low-key.
Samnaun
Samnaun, including Ravaisch, sits in a side valley on the Austrian border. It has been duty-free for over a century, so fuel, spirits and watches are cheaper here than elsewhere in Switzerland. The real draw is skiing: the lifts link to Ischgl in the large Silvretta Arena. Innsbruck airport, around two hours by car, is closer than Zurich.
Best for: Big-mileage skiers who want Ischgl on the lift pass
Not for you if: You want an easy drive: the road in runs through Austria and is long and winding.
Val Müstair and Poschiavo (south of the passes)
Müstair, Sta. Maria and Tschierv sit in the Val Müstair, over the Ofen Pass from Zernez. Müstair's Benedictine convent is a UNESCO World Heritage Site with early medieval wall paintings. Poschiavo, south of the Bernina Pass, is Italian-speaking, with a piazza and a stop on the Bernina Express line. Vicosoprano and Bondo, in the Val Bregaglia below Maloja, are also Italian-speaking.
Best for: Walkers who want quiet valleys and Italian-speaking villages
Not for you if: You want skiing: both valleys have only small local lifts.
