The Maloja wind sets the rhythm on Lake Silvaplana: Over the course of the day, it typically reaches three to six Beaufort and only eases at sunset. Silvaplana lies in the Upper Engadin on Lake Silvaplana, the middle of the three Upper Engadin lakes between Lake St. Moritz and Lake Sils, and at the start of the Inn Valley. The lake, wind and high-alpine landscape give the village different sides; when planning your day, conditions on the water matter just as much as the time of year.
Lake and water sports
Lake Silvaplana is considered a reliable sailing area in a high-alpine setting. Windsurfing courses are available for adults and children, as well as for beginners and advanced participants. Test and rental equipment is also available; courses and equipment may vary by season. Early morning is especially quiet for stand-up paddleboarding, before the Maloja wind picks up around midday. This typical daily pattern depends on the weather.
Only the official entry and exit points may be used for water sports on Lake Silvaplana; there is a protected lakeshore zone around the lake. The use of all water sports equipment is prohibited on Lej Suot and Lej da Champfèr. Check the current zone map before heading out.
Winter trails, slopes and shuttle
The winter hiking trails pass through the Lake Silvaplana landscape, leading to viewpoints and mountain restaurants or alpine inns with sun terraces. They are regularly groomed and cleared; trails across Lake Silvaplana and Lej Suot are marked with poles after they have been cleared. Availability depends on snow and weather conditions. Check the current winter conditions before setting out.
The Silvaplana Explorer hiking map offers another perspective: It leads to six viewpoints within the municipality and offers insights into local history. Here, too, check trail conditions before your hike. The Corvatsch ski area offers more than 120 kilometres of slopes, 14 lifts and 34 runs, freshly groomed every day. The lift and slope configuration may change, so check the latest information before your day on the slopes.
If you’re looking for another winter activity, Swiss Kitesurf offers snowkiting courses for beginners and advanced participants. They take place on frozen Lake Silvaplana or at the Bernina Pass; whether they go ahead depends on winter conditions and booking availability. A free electric shuttle bus runs between Silvaplana and the Corvatsch cable car in Surlej every 20 minutes during the summer and winter seasons. Check the current operating period and timetable before travelling.
Local history and Engadin traditions
In the old village centre, the Via Veglia is lined with old Engadin houses decorated with sgraffito. Many houses bear inscriptions in Romansh. The Protestant church of Sta. Maria is the oldest church in the municipality of Silvaplana. It is built in the Late Gothic style and is of significant cultural and historical value; the older church dates back to the 11th century. Crap da Sass Castle in Surlej was built around 1906, remains privately owned by the Prager family and is not open to the public.
The landscape also tells the story of the village: The artificial Ova dal Sagl waterfall is fed through an 80-metre-long rock tunnel. The tunnel was built in 1873 following the floods that partially destroyed Surlej in 1793. A boulder on the lakeshore near Surlej is associated with Friedrich Nietzsche’s account of the idea of eternal recurrence coming to him in August 1881.
The Schlitteda has been an Upper Engadin tradition for 200 years. In Champfèr and Silvaplana, men travel through the snowy landscape in horse-drawn sleighs, while women sit at the front; the exact occasion and route vary. During Chalandamarz, children in the Engadin drive out winter with cowbells. In Silvaplana, the festival is organised by secondary school students; dates and programmes change each year.
More things to do between the lake and the village
Lej Marsch is a moorland lake with fire pits, picnic areas, sunbathing lawns, toilets, a small sandy beach and a jetty. These facilities may vary by season. At the Mulets sports centre, the Freestyle Garden includes a 120-metre pump track, an 8-metre surfskate wave, a 30-metre skimboard facility, a dry-ski slope with rails and boxes, and three trampoline areas. The facilities and their seasonal operation may also change.
Tastings can be booked as part of guided tours at the ORMA distillery, featuring four ORMA whiskies. Dates and booking availability may change. This makes it possible to plan around different interests: water sports and wind on the lake, winter trails and slopes, or local history and culture.
Discover more destinations: Zuoz, Stampa, Samedan, Bregaglia, La Punt-Chamues-Ch, Celerina/Schlarigna, Surlej, Sils/Segl Baselgia.
Return to the main travel overview: Maloja.
