Muottas Muragl – Pure Mountain Pleasure
Slow down and relax with the most beautiful view in the Engadine.
Given the hectic pace of everyday life it is often difficult to find rest and relaxation. But up on Muottas Muragl the clocks definitely tick a little slower. Here on the Engadin’s pleasure mountain we like to actively and consciously celebrate the art of sweet idleness. In summer, those looking for a workout either before or after experiencing the culinary excellence at the Panorama Restaurant can do so with short or long hikes or by admiring the artworks on display at the Senda d’Inspiraziun. In winter there is the option of a relaxed snowshoe tour, winter hiking or, for all those who have a need for speed, a toboggan run.
Muottas Muragl is ideal for families too. While parents relax on the panoramic terrace and let their minds wander, children are able to enjoy the exciting play area (open also in winter) just behind the hotel. Later on, during the pleasant hike to Pontresina, children and grown-ups alike should keep an eye out to try and spot the many marmots and ibex that populate the region.
The Romantik Hotel on 2454 meters is all about indulgent pleasures, fine dining, and unwinding as you enjoy its breathtaking views of the Engadin lake plateau and the Bernina Massif. The hotel is reached by a vintage funicular railway dating from 1907 and is situated right next to the mountain station.
1. Enjoy the view: The view from Muottas Muragl is arguably the most beautiful anywhere in the Engadin. Down in the valley the five Engadin lakes are as resplendent as ever, glistening and sparkling like a string of pearls. Up on the mountain your gaze is irresistibly drawn to the stunning mountain peaks and glaciers of the Bernina Massif. And the view gets even more spectacular in the evening. As the sun slowly sinks behind the distant mountain summits, its last glinting rays light up the lakes while the sky takes on every hue from orange to pink and purple. In fact, the best place to enjoy the sunset is to sip an Alphorn Sunset Apéro on the panoramic terrace or your Mountain Dining table in the Panorama Restaurant.
2. Travel on board the vintage funicular: It was in 1907 that the Muottas Muragl funicular rattled its way up the panoramic mountain for the first time, a popular attraction already then. It is the oldest mountain railway in Graubünden built specifically for the purposes of tourism. On its way up to an elevation of 2,456 m above sea level the funicular railway covers a distance of 2,201 m and a gradient of 56 per cent. Always an exciting experience – even 110 years after it was first built.
3. Tell the time on the world’s most accurate sundial: Sine Sole Sileo (Latin for ‘without the Sun I am silenced’) indicates the time to within 10 seconds. A panel on site tells you how to read the sundial correctly. A challenge that’s always great fun for children and adults alike.
4. Give free rein to your thoughts: Unwind, relax, and let your thoughts touch upon just about any subject under the sun – which is precisely what many celebrities have always done here, from the artist Giovanni Segantini to the philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche. There is even an opportunity to follow in their footsteps as part of a hike along one of the trails running behind the Romantik Hotel. In winter, panels featuring quotes by poets and thinkers point the way along the three circuits of different length that make up the Philosophers Trail.
5. Treat yourself to a romantic evening: What could be more romantic than dinner by candlelight at our Panorama Restaurant, while outside, beyond the window, the sun slowly and majestically sinks behind the mountain peaks? A little later, when all is quiet and calm again at 2,456 m above sea level, it’s time to cuddle up under the soft quilts in one of the cosy rooms of the Romantik Hotel, filled with the fragrant scent of Swiss pine.
Another tip: Hiking with the Ibex Pass. The Ibex Pass is the perfect way for hikers young and old to explore the Ibex Paradise Pontresina in a fun, entertaining way. The objective is to call in at the four mountain huts known as Unterer Schafberg, Chamanna Paradis, Chamanna Segantini and Chamanna Georgy and get your Pass stamped. And if each of the mountain hut riddles are solved in the process, diligent Ibex Paradise Hikers also get to win a small prize. The Ibex Pass is also available at the Punt Muragl valley station and at Reception at the Romantik Hotel Muottas Muragl.
