White Turf and More - Winter in St. Moritz

 St. Moritz (aka Sankt Moritz) is certainly right up there with the most exclusive, luxury ski resort towns in the world, akin to Chamonix, Aspen, Zermatt, Whistler Blackcomb and Val d’lsere to name a few.

Located in the city of Grisons in the Upper Engadine, at an elevation of 1,856 m, St. Moritz boasts plenty of sunny days. It was for this reason a picture of the sun was selected to be used as the emblem of St. Moritz in 1930. St. Moritz was often ahead of the times - for example, the first electric light went on at Christmas time in 1878, the first golf tournament in the Alps took place here in 1889 and one of the first ski lifts in Switzerland began running in 1935. 

Many might also be surprised to know St. Moritz has its own leaning tower, a remnant of the Mauritius Church from around 1500.

St.Moritz is the birthplace of Alpine winter tourism (in 1864) and has always been the home to numerous winter sports, having twice hosted the Winter Olympics. However before this, this alpine haven first became famous for its mineral springs, which were discovered over 3,000 years ago. The mineral baths are still a feature today and a spa day is just one of the absolutely luxurious things to do whilst in St. Moritz. The views from most of the spas are spectacular and believe me you will leave feeling like a new person! Read more about these natural mineral baths here.

So you get my point- this is a bucket list location at the best of times- especially if you like winter sports.

While obviously skiing is a very big part of the St. Moritz sporting scene, there is so much more to see and enjoy in this winter wonderland.

Hot on the heels of the Snow Polo World Cup  and the IBSF Bobsleigh and Skeleton World Championships,  on February 5th, 12th, and 19th, WhiteTurf, one of the world’s most prestigious turf racing events, is taking place in St. Moritz. That is right, you read right, horse races...St, Moritz in the Alps…in winter…in the snow...on a frozen lake. Wow!

Each year, tens of thousands of people attend to enjoy a flutter on the horses, in what is without a doubt, one of the most spectacular horse races in the world. The event has been going since 1907 and gets more popular each year.

The long-time President of White Turf, Thomas Walther stated: "In a world where everything is replaceable, White Turf is unique. There are 400,000 horse races happening worldwide every year, but White Turf in St. Moritz is the only race taking place on a frozen lake."

The setting could not be more beautiful with the Engadin Mountains as the backdrop for numerous visitors who descend on St. Moritz for this unmissable event. The White Turf is a winter carnival in a 32-acre pop-up village of cafes, live music, vendors, and of course, VIP exclusive access areas catering to those looking for lux bucket list experience.

Photo courtesy © swiss-image/AndyMettler


However, despite the luxurious location, this spectacular event is not just for the rich and famous, but an annual event where race-horse owners, trainers and jockeys from all over the world meet up for an unmissable and unique fixture on the international racing calendar. It is one of the richest horse races in Europe and one of the top equine events in the world on par with the Kentucky Derby, Melbourne Cup, Dubai World Cup, and the Royal Ascot.

Safety is paramount in an event of this nature (as with all races around the world), and horses wear special shoes to prevent slipping, and jockeys wear masks to protect their faces from the snow kicked up by the horses.

There are options for everyone. Tickets start as low as 25 CHF, and, of course, like all of these events, luxury options abound for those who want to make a bucket list occasion of the event.

A favourite feature of the event are the White Turf Family Days, is pony racing which encourages young boys and girls to compete against each other in the disciplines of gallop, trot and skijoring, (also known as Skikjöring), an unusual but super entertaining pursuit event unique to the White Turf.  This adrenaline-fuelled sport made a once-only appearance in the 1928 Winter Olympics in St. Moritz, the very town where it has become a winter spectacle. The driver with the most points wins the Skijoring Trophy and is declared the ‘King’ or ‘Queen’ of the Engadin. 

Rumour has it that at the turn of the last century when, after one too many G&Ts, several British tourists went out on the frozen lake and challenged each other to a race behind horses while on skis. That was 1906 and skijoring has featured in the White Turf ever since. 

There is also a family folk festival with pony rides for the kids and a local company gastronomy area allows visitors a taste of the local Swiss cuisine. There is definitely something to suit all tastes and budgets.

This unique and special event should be on the bucket list for anyone interested in racing or who loves horse events – or even just a spectacular bucket list event!

The official website is here and contains all you need to know about the events and ticketing.

 White Turf even has its own Facebook page found here.

This spectacular event also coincides with St Moritz Cocktail Week and the exhilarating  Cresta Run which is not for the fainthearted. To the general delight of the daredevil riders and the enthusiastic spectators, the historical St. Moritz Tobogganing Club organises thrilling races three times a week, including the legendary Grand National.


Another spectacular event is the International Concors of Elegance or I.C.E. This event showcases all the glamour of the automobile elite: 50 immaculately preserved vintage, classic and sports cars take centre stage in the snowy landscape so their elegant design can be enjoyed. 


To read more about the spectacular resort town of St. Moritz see here.   

To read about other bucket list worthy events in St. Moritz visit here. 

Getting to St. Moritz for White Turf

The jet-set and beau monde arrive by private jet, chauffeured car, or through the enchanting Swiss Alps by train on the Glacier Express, Excellence Class, which is a bucket list activity in itself.

Of course however, cheaper options / classes - equally as scenic, are available, including lesser class carriages on the Glacier Express from Zermatt, or the Berniner Express either from Chur in Switzerland or Tirano (not to be confused with Turino) in northern Italy.

'Normal' trains also run to St. Moritz multiple times on a daily basis from various destinations.

For more details on how to get to St. Moritz from your selected location in the most suited way, I like to use the very informative website Rome2Rio.

I recommend you pre-book your travel and accommodation in St.Moritz for any of these events, as options book out early.

Where to stay in St. Moritz

There are numerous locations to stay in St. Moritz, ranging from lux to less. Of course, with an event of this calibre on, like anywhere in the world with a major sporting event, the prices will be high and booked out early. They do not call it a bucket list event for nothing!

If you are keen to visit St. Moritz to see White Turf or any of the other fantastic events listed, I suggest booking very early in advance- best-case scenario even 12 months in advance. After all this is a bucket list destination and this is a destination on a lot of people’s bucket list.

Check out your usual booking app for availability or your travel agent.

Visit the deals from Switzerland Tourism here.

For some examples of lux possibilities, if this is a special occasion for you or bucket list destination/ event for you, consider these absolutely top of the range. Even if you are not staying here- go and visit them and enjoy a hot chocolate in their luxurious foyers.

For other more affordable* possibilities consider these:
*Noting some of these options are not located in the centre of St. Moritz , but nearby.

 Bet on White Turf (please gamble responsibly)

This is an international racing event so most racing apps will include it, however for details go to official White Turf betting site found here.

https://www.whiteturf.ch/en/betting/

This blog is part of the Rose-goes Europe series.


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