Silvaplana
The wind comes at three. Always.
Five kilometres from St Moritz, there is no posing here. The lake draws you in, the cable car winds its way up the mountain, and the weather has already decided your day.
Summer
When the wind sets the pace
As soon as the Maloja wind picks up punctually in the early afternoon, the lake fills with colourful sails: Silvaplana is the alpine capital for kitesurfing and windsurfing – with schools and hire shops right on the shore.
Those who prefer to stay on land are spoilt for choice: trekking tours to the Fuorcla Surlej with spectacular views of the Bernina, mountain biking on the Corvatsch flow trails, or relaxing walks along the lakes to Sils or the Maloja Pass.
And for the quieter days: stand-up paddleboarding in the first morning light, when the lake is like a mirror, or a – brave – jump into the refreshing Alpine water.
Winter
Snow, ice and a warm room
The Corvatsch is easily reachable by ski bus: 120 kilometres of pistes at up to 3,303 metres above sea level, including Switzerland's longest night descent, which takes place every Friday evening.
Across the frozen lake, the white tracks of the cross-country ski trails stretch into the distance – miles of routes right through the wintry Engadine landscape.
Those seeking a special adventure can try snowkiting on the ice, snowshoe through the snow-covered forests of Surlej, or enjoy absolute silence on a winter walk across the lake. At the end of the day, the quintessential Engadin ritual awaits you: returning to the warm wood of our home.
Autumn
The month you come back for
October in the Engadin is a spectacle of nature that is worth a trip in its own right: the larches glow in bright gold against the deep blue of the lakes and the first white of the mountain peaks. It is the golden season for photographers and hikers – with quiet paths, low-lying, crystal-clear light and perfect temperatures for panoramic trekking tours towards Grevasalvas and to the villages where time seems to stand still.
It is also the ideal moment for a trip to the Swiss National Park, which is located just 30 minutes away from Silvaplana. In the country's only national park, a strictly protected wilderness area, the rutting call of red deer echoes through the valleys in autumn. Val Trupchun in particular, where hundreds of red deer and chamois graze on the mountain meadows, offers one of the most fascinating wildlife experiences in the entire Alps.
And when the days grow shorter, the finest Engadin ritual of all remains: returning home to the warm wood of the Chesa Silva.
