Is This the Most Glamorous Event in the Alpine Calendar?

For one weekend in late January, frozen Lake St Moritz, encircled by Switzerland’s snow-heaped Engadin Alps, becomes the glittering stage for one of polo’s most prestigious events: the Snow Polo World Cup St Moritz. Sunglass-clad spectators in cashmere, elegant coats and designer puffer jackets gather as champagne flutes clink and oysters are shucked. On the ice, six teams of white-slacked players thunder across the 200-metre pitch, competing for the coveted trophy against the dazzling backdrop of one of Europe’s oldest and most exclusive ski resorts.

Polo traces its origins back more than two millennia to the grasslands of Persia, but its snowy incarnation is decidedly younger. It was conceived here just over 40 years ago by Reto Gaudenzi, a local player and founder of Switzerland’s first polo team. Undeterred by the fact that polo had never been played on snow, he experimented with hoof grips and a larger, slower orange ball. A successful trial followed in 1984; a year later, the world’s first snow polo tournament was staged on the lake before more than 1,000 spectators.

Today, the three-day event draws crowds of 26,000 — and dozens of private jets. Forty grooms tend 120 ponies in heated stables, while three daily matches unfold on snow-covered ice at least 50cm thick. Mallets send the orange ball flying towards the goal as riders skid, swerve and occasionally tumble from their saddles.

Yet the sporting action is only part of the appeal. Beside the pitch, a polo village brings together high-end boutiques, caviar stands, champagne stations and gleaming Maseratis, while the jet set wine and dine in the VIP tent. In a mountain town more than 1,800 metres above sea level, where luxury property prices outstrip even Monaco’s, the glamour feels entirely at home. Festivities continue in the grand bars and lobbies of St Moritz’s hotels, culminating in Saturday’s black-tie gala. Gaudenzi didn’t just invent a sport; he also created one of the most glamorous dates in the Alpine social calendar.

What to Do

Opt for VIP Viewing

For the best match views at the Snow Polo World Cup St Moritz, a VIP ticket gives you access to the reserved grandstand with a plush blanket and liberally poured glasses of Perrier-Jouët champagne. Lunch in the VIP tent is included, starting with oysters and followed by a selection of Italian and Swiss specialities.

Celebrate Snow Polo in Style

Saturday night’s annual Snow Polo Night Gala Dinner is the most prestigious event of the weekend, with tickets selling out months in advance. Players, sponsors and locals arrive in black tie at the ornate hall of the Art Nouveau-era Hotel Reine Victoria. A champagne reception is followed by a multi-course feast and live music. It’s a chance to mingle with the polo crowd away from the frozen lake, swapping snow boots and ski jackets for evening dress. Afterparties usually carry the celebrations into the early hours.

Hit the Slopes

An Ikon Pass gives you access to St Moritz’s nine ski areas. Corviglia’s well-groomed slopes are the most famed, offering terrain for all levels. More experienced skiers can try Diavolezza/Lagalb, with Diavolezza home to the country’s longest glacier run. Corvatsch/Furtschellas — the area’s highest resort — offers a knee-rattling 1,506 metres of vertical descent. Those who want to brush up on their technique can book a private lesson with the former Italian World Cup champion skier Giorgio Rocca via his GR Mountain ski school.

Shop Till You Drop

Via Serlas, the town’s main shopping street, is one of the highest and most exclusive in the world, lined with boutiques from luxury names including Cartier, Hermès, Dior and Gucci. Favourites among the locals include Loro Piana for cashmere and Fusalp for skiwear. Expect plenty of apres-ski style, from technical layers to winter classics.

Where to Eat And Drink

Paradiso Mountain Club & Restaurant

On the slopes of the Corviglia ski area, the lively deck of Badrutt’s Palace’s mountain hut is the place to be seen for apres-ski. DJs lay the soundtrack as stylishly attired skiers peruse the champagne menu and order plates of the signature truffle croque fondue.

Da Vittorio St Moritz

Open from December to March, this two-Michelin-star spot at Carlton Hotel St Moritz is run by the Cerea brothers, whose flagship restaurant in Lombardy holds three Michelin stars. Expect lovingly crafted dishes at the hands of this Italian culinary dynasty, including the rich flavours of their father’s signature three-tomato paccheri alla Vittorio pasta.

Kulm Country Club

Celebrated chef Mauro Colagreco transports a touch of his Côte d’Azur flair to a refined mountain-inspired menu served alongside the Kulm Hotel’s ice rink. The ambience is lively, with a curated line-up of music and DJs — the parties tend to go late into the evening over the weekend.

Le Lapin Bleu

Opened in 1869 as the first restaurant in town, Le Lapin Bleu remains at the heart of family-run Hotel Steffani — now led by the president of the St Moritz Polo Club, Daniela Märky. In a pine-panelled dining room, tuck into the most decadent of comfort food, such as châteaubriand and saddle of venison, as well as pleasing Swiss recipes like capun dumplings with cheese sauce.  

Where to Stay

Badrutt’s Palace

A Rolls-Royce chauffeur transfer, a 30,000-bottle wine cellar and a choice of restaurants are among the attractions amid the neo-gothic towers of Badrutt’s Palace. Over its 130-year history, the hotel’s famous guests have included Coco Chanel and Alfred Hitchcock, whose favourite suite now bears his name. Antiques fill the grand interiors; opt for a butler-serviced suite on the upper floors for views across frozen Lake St Moritz. Rooms: From CHF 2,300 (£2,100) per night in winter.

Kulm Hotel

St Moritz’s oldest hotel played a key role in the town’s rise as a 19th-century winter destination. During the snow polo weekend, players and spectators gather for post-match aperitivi in its gold-brocade lobby. Generations of families return to its Alpine-chic, wood-panelled suites, and the concierge can arrange everything from personal shopping trips to last-minute Valmont facials at Kulm Spa. Rooms: From 1,145 CHF (£1,040) per night, including breakfast.

Suvretta House

Five minutes’ drive outside St Moritz, this belle époque palace hotel appears almost to have been lifted from a fairytale. After the polo, unwind in the outdoor whirlpool bath and glass-fronted saunas or burn off some energy at the hotel’s skating rink and curling club. Its emerald-green ski lift whisks guests directly to the powder of the Corviglia ski area, with 155km of groomed pistes. Rooms: From 630 CHF (£572) per night, including half-board.

Carlton Hotel St Moritz

This winter-only retreat offers a four-night snow polo package with VIP tickets for Saturday’s matches plus limousine transfers to and from the action. Later, order a Piz Nair Mule cocktail in the lively bar, then dine in one of the hotel’s outdoor fondue gondolas. Wellness offerings range from meditation and massages to guided hikes and ice bathing with an outdoor butler. Rooms: From 1,590 CHF (£1,444) per night, including breakfast.