St. Moritz: Winter playground of the rich and famous for 150 years

Mario Häfliger has been a St. Moritz tour guide for years, and today he's explaining a legendary bet that took place in 1864, here in the Alps. "Back then, people didn't go on winter holidays, they were afraid to," says Häfliger.

In the 1860s, Häfliger explains, people came to the Alps only in the summer, to enjoy the natural springs and engage in what we would call "wellness" these days. But hotelier Johannes Badrutt had an idea. He offered to invite four English guests in winter, saying that a holiday in the snow could be much more fun.

"They obviously didn't believe that, back in foggy London," Häfliger says. Badrutt promised to pay for the whole thing, if his guests didn't enjoy their trip. They ended up staying from Christmas to Easter.

"They headed back home with a tan, and full of enthusiasm. That was the birth of winter tourism in the Alps," Häfliger said.

Glamour meets nature

These days St. Moritz has become an important hub for winter sport enthusiasts. In fact, some 70 percent of the guests now come in winter. The 5000-strong town at 1800 meters (5,900 feet) above sea level, is popular due to reliable snow levels as well as varied skiing opportunities for all levels.

On the St. Moritz local slope, Corviglia, World Cup ski races also take place. "A racer that starts on that course reaches 100 kilometers per hour faster than a Porsche," boasts Häfliger. There are also 200 kilometers (124.27 miles) of cross country trails. "One of our most famous guests is Angela Merkel. You have to make sure that the Chancellor doesn't overtake you out there."

For those that aren't so good on skis, the area has a host of other, traditional winter activities. "We have the only natural bobsled course in the world," says Häfliger. "In summer you don't see it, sheep graze there." Specialists from nearby Italy come and build it every year by hand with a mixture of snow and ice, over a period of 20 days, before hapless tourists get a chance to try the course themselves,

"It's crazy," said Siegfried, a tourist from Berlin, who opted to travel as a passenger in a four-man bob. "There is no way back. Once the ride starts, it just goes faster and steeper, whether you want it or not," says bob driver Nikolaus Albrecht. "But, at the end, guests get a glass of sparkling wine. That helps them deal with the adrenalin."

St. Moritz is also home to the Cresta Run skeleton track, built first in 1884. Going head first down the track is a hair-raising experience, but it's just for men, according to tradition.

Still, the winter highlight in St. Moritz is arguably the winter polo and the "White Turf" racing meet in February. The horse race on the frozen St. Moritz lake has existed since 1907, giving the rich and famous a perfect stage to strutt their stuff. "Of course, when you look around you'll find a few fur coats", admits Häfliger, but it's not that expensive he says. While you can eat Rösti with caviar on the mountain for 300 Swiss Francs (appoximately 250 euros) you can also find accommodation for 75 Francs a night.

"The rich people appreciate it that we treat them like normal people," Häfliger says, adding that they are also happy to have "normalos" around them as it allows them to really show off.

Surviving the future

While the locals celebrate 150 years of ski tourism this winter, the dropping tourism numbers still remain a worry though. "We want to become the most famous and most desirable holiday destination in the Alps," says local tourism boss Ariane Ehrat.

While 10 years ago a region could survive on its name alone, these days it's important to really offer something to guests, Ehrat says. A new center is planned for the middle of town, to bring together restaurants, media and concerts in one place. St. Moritz businesses are also turning their focus to new tourist markets like China and India.

It's a bit different to back in the "good old days." In 1928 and 1948 St. Moritz played host to the Winter Olympics. Recent plans to host the 2022 Games were rejected by locals though. "We could have offered a snow guarantee and short distances between the events," Ehrat says. "We had the chance to develop the infrastructure that was already in place. Now, we will have to develop in a different way," she adds.

It's hoped that the Alpine skiing world championships - which are due to be hosted by St. Moritz for the fifth time in 2017 - will play a role in that development. "Now, we are especially looking forward to the World Championships and our 150 years of winter tourism," Ehrat says.