Travel to Silvaplana with insurance from Essential Travel

Located in the southeastern corner of Switzerland, in Graubunden province, Silvaplana ski resort sits at the foot of the Julier pass on a beautiful Alpine lake. Skiing is for all levels and, in addition, Silvaplana has the exclusive resort of St Moritz as a next-door neighbour. Silvaplana is almost a suburb of St Moritz, but it has an identity of its own with a mix of German, Romansch and Italian cultures. The awe-inspiring Corvatsch Mountain towers over the village and lends the resort an Alpine feel. Facilities and services are fairly limited, but St Moritz is only 10 minutes away, offering anything you might miss. There are 65kms of runs at Silvaplana ski resort, some of which are across testing rugged terrain. Additionally, there is a challenging longest piste of 10kms. Silvaplana has a huge vertical descent of 1,433m and the 14 lifts provide access to all pistes, with an hourly uplift capacity of over 1,000 people. Additionally, snowboarders have a well maintained terrain park and a half-pipe. Slope-side accommodation is provided by hotels, chalets and apartments, with 6,000 beds to choose from. Several cafés and restaurants, on and off the mountain, serve traditional German and Italian fare, as well as international cuisine. Several bars and a disco accommodate late night revellers. For alternative skiing, St Moritz is one of the most famous resorts in the world and is particularly noted for its sophistication, quality slopes and, most of all, its exclusivity. St Moritz has never ventured into mass-market tourism. Sils Maria is another choice and is lift-linked with Silvaplana. The nearby town of Chur is the oldest settlement in Switzerland and retains an elegant 16th century old town. The ski season at Silvaplana resort runs from mid-November to May, with good snow conditions all season and cheaper weeks on certain dates. The most practical way to reach the resort is to fly to Zürich and take a train to St Moritz, from where buses and taxis will take you to Silvaplana.

Skiing in Silvaplana

Silvaplana ski resort sits at the foot of the Corvatsch Mountain, on the largest of the Engadine lakes, in the beautiful canton of Graubunden. Silvaplana has 65kms of varied terrain for both skiers and snowboarders and also boasts links with the upmarket resort of St Moritz. A combination of well-groomed slopes and rugged terrain make up the 65kms of skiing and snowboarding at Silvaplana ski resort. The runs are divided into 35 per cent for the beginner, 25 per cent for intermediates and 40 per cent for the advanced and expert; the longest piste is 10kms. Fourteen chair and draglifts can transport 1,000 people per hour, and there are also 150kms of cross-country trails throughout the linked region. The mid-November to May ski season at Silvaplana has good snow throughout, particularly in February/March. Cheaper weeks are usually offered at the beginning and end of the season. Most people fly to Zürich and take a train transfer to St Moritz and then the bus to Silvaplana, or hire a car.

Apres-ski in Silvaplana

Other winter activities and facilities at Silvaplana include: natural ice-skating; curling; mountaineering; paragliding; horse-drawn sleigh riding; and an excellent sports centre. There are restaurants on and off the mountain and après-skiers have a choice of bars and a disco for night-time entertainment. The village of Silvaplana itself is a mix of German, Romansch and Italian cultures and is presided over by the massive and beautiful Corvatsch Mountain. Six thousand slope-side beds are on offer in hotels, chalets and apartments. Extensive shopping opportunities abound in nearby St Moritz.

Transportation to Silvaplana

Located in the southeast of Switzerland, 200kms southeast of Zürich, Silvaplana ski resort is fairly straightforward to get to. The quickest travel option is to fly to Zürich and hire a car, or take a train/bus transfer, via St Moritz. Rail travel from London and Paris is efficient, and self-drive is along major motorways. Silvaplana is only 40kms from the Bregenz autobahn (A-13), which is well connected to the rest of the European motorway network, with Munich 360kms away, and Paris even farther at 860kms away. The quickest route from Calais goes via Reims, Metz, Strasbourg, Zurich and Chur. From Chur, carry on south along the A-13 and exit on to route 417 for Silvaplana (1,040kms; 10 hours). By train from London (Waterloo station), there is a regular Eurostar service to Paris (gare du Nord), from where an overnight train goes direct to Chur. There is a frequent regional return service from Chur to St Moritz, from where buses and taxis go to Silvaplana. The closest international airport is Zürich International Airport, which receives flights from all over the world, including budget carriers from the UK. Trains go from the airport, via Chur, to St Moritz, from where a regular and efficient bus service runs to Silvaplana. For those with limited time, there is an airport in nearby Samedan (17kms northeast) that receives domestic traffic.

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