Switzerland is about the same size as Wales, and in the east of the country the canton (county) of Graubünden is the largest, occupying about a sixth of all Swiss territory.

Within this relatively tiny area there are packed 362 mountain peaks above 3,000m and 45 ski resorts.

Sharing borders with Italy, Austria and Liechtenstein, its citizens are mainly trilingual, speaking Italian, German and their own ancient language, called Romansch – a minestrone of Latin, Italian, German, and regional dialects.

At its highest point of 4,049m, Piz Bernina towers in a world of permafrost, whereas at its lowest point of 260m on the border with the neighbouring canton of Ticino, palm trees flourish. As summer gives way to winter, a thick blanket of snow covers the mountains, and Graubünden plays host to skiers from many countries, drawn by top-class facilities in world-class resorts. A big question is how to get there; with the growth in independent travel, often the problem for ski tourists is the price and ease of transfers between airport and resort. Not in Switzerland. The Swiss transport system is fully integrated under the name of ‘Switzerland Mobility’, meaning that planes connect to trains which connect to buses, and perhaps not surprisingly, everything works like clockwork, ensuring a hassle-free trip from the airport to your chosen resort. The closest Swiss airport for international travellers is Zurich, and if you fly with the national carrier (also called Swiss), you can check your bags right through to your destination resort. The following are a selection of the region’s top resorts, all different in character and atmosphere, but all retaining the inimitable stamp of Graubünden hospitality where everyone is ‘Allegra’ (Welcome).

St Moritz/Engadin Valley

Perhaps the most famous of all ski resorts is St Moritz, a name familiar to skiers and non-skiers alike. In the Sixties and Seventies it was seen as a winter home to the jet set who would come to cut a dash in the most glitzy of ski resorts, and guests at the famous Badrutt’s Palace Hotel would read like a Who’s Who of celebrities and international royalty. That being said, St Moritz has always had a reputation as a superb ski resort, with numerous runs opening up from the top of the town’s Piz Nair cable car. With its location in the heart of the Engadin Valley, efficient trains and buses enable easy access from St Moritz to even more skiing at the nearby areas of Corvatsch and Diavolezza, giving a total of 350km in the region, all covered on one lift pass. On the subject of trains, one of the most spectacular train journeys in the world is the Bernina Express which climbs from St Moritz via the Morteratsch Glacier to the high-mountain Bernina Pass before it drops down through the Val Poschiavo to Tirano, just across the Swiss border in Italy. Don’t miss it!

Downhill pleasures aside, the Engadin Valley is home to some of the best cross-country skiing in the Alps (1,800 km of trails) and is host each spring to the Engadin Ski Marathon, attracting an entry list in excess of 20,000 people. And for a truly rare and unforgettable experience, you can kick off your skis and have a go at the adrenaline-stoking Cortina Run bobsled, from St Moritz to Celerina – men only, sadly. Amid a nightlife as ritzy as befits the resort, a simple après ski treat for everyone to enjoy is hot chocolate and cake at Hanselmann’s, in the heart of St Moritz.

Arosa

LOCATED AT THE BOTTOM OF the wide Schanfigg Valley, Arosa reclines in a sunny and sheltered position at 1,800 metres. and is one of the highest ski villages in Europe. Virtually traffic-free, the air is exceptionally pure, and this reputation has been attracting guests since 1877. Arosa is a chic, very family-friendly resort, and has been awarded the official ‘Families Welcome’ accolade. There is 70km of skiing for all abilities and a further 30km in a freeride area with half pipe, all served by a variety of cable cars, chairlifts and some surface lifts. Away from the slopes there are plenty of winter activities including 60km of winter walking trails, and some lead into the ski area, enabling on-mountain lunchtime rendezvous for skiers and non-skiers. Nightlife tends to be quiet, revolving around the excellent hotels, although the Casino with its bar, restaurant and dancing will lift the tempo. The resort is home to one of Switzerland’s best known hotels – the five-star Tschüggen Grand – a byword for understated class and luxury, words which indeed could be applied to the resort as a whole.

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