July 14 - St. Moritz, Switzerland 🇨🇭

After a beautiful breakfast and the mandatory Sunday Mimosas, without the OJ, we hit the road to St. Moritz, stopping in Guarda and Zuoz. The sun is shining beautifully today and the mountains are even more spectacular and, better yet, we can tour this area with the top down on our cabriolet! Guarda is a small village of 170 people that sits at 5,500 feet and is famous for its ceramics, artist shops and its cowbells. We kicked around town then drove on to Zuoz, a village of 1,300 and regarded as one of the most beautiful in the Upper Engadine. Zuoz enchants with its intact nature of an authentic Romanesque village. Numerous Patrician houses such as the Chesa Planta proudly line the way, many of which with typical bay windows and picturesque etchings, and mysterious alleyways invite you to explore. Zuoz is also home to Europe’s highest coffee roasting plant at 5,700 ft. Next stop was Muottas Muragl in Pontresina. This spot is on the southern slopes of the Blais da Muottas, a summit at the western end of the range, overlooking The Engadine between the towns of St. Moritz and Samedan. The ascent with the red funicular, which has climbed up the steep slope for over 100 years is the second oldest railway in the Graubunden region. We came to stay at the Romantik Hotel & enjoy some light hiking while others ride the funicular to enjoy a feast or for some serious hiking into the panorama. Artists have been inspired since time immemorial by the views with many of them painting the scenery from a quiet spot in the alpine meadow. The more adventurous hike up to the Segantini Hut and Schafberg, where the famous Italian painter Giovanni Segantini died in seclusion. At dusk, we were treated to an alphorn show. The alphorn has long been a tool used by shepherds to call the cows from the pastures and into the barn at milking time. Although the alphorn has lost its original function in the mountains, it has won the hearts of its audiences as a musical instrument and has become a tourist attraction and a symbol of Switzerland.

Muottas Muragl with the funicular track (8,100 ft elevation). The lake in the foreground is Lake St. Moritz and the town of St. Moritz, then Silvaplanersee & the town of Silvaplana, and finally Silsersee & the town of Sils

On the road approaching Guarda, Switzerland

Typical Swiss house in Guarda

Ceramic art shop in Guarda

Lyceum Alpinum Zuoz, Swiss International Boarding School. You can send your child for only $112,000 per year!!

Summer pasture in the high Alps. Cows, horses, goats and sheep graze up here at 8,000+ feet until late September

Top of the world! The Engadine is a veritable paradise. An extensive network of wonderful natural trails to explore!