Exploring the Most Underrated Place in the Swiss Alps

There's a quiet corner of the Alps that somehow stays off most people's radar, and it might just be my favorite place in Switzerland. Samaritz and the Engadin Valley truly don't get the attention they deserve. The wild peaks of the Bernina Alps tower over the surrounding landscape, and golden forests of largesse sprawl out in every direction. Currently, autumn is clinging on by its last thread, painting the forest gold before winter takes over. You can feel the seasons shifting in the air. It's the kind of place that makes you slow down, notice the details, and appreciate being here before the dark days of winter return. My week begins at the Mordorosch Glacier, about 20 minutes from the town of Samaritz. The larches here are currently peaking. It's one of the most beautiful, fleeting displays that nature has to offer. The trail from the car park is only about a mile long, winding through a forest of golden larches, making it one of the easiest glaciers to visit in the Alps. What's wild is that scientists have been studying this glacier for over a century, but the glacier itself retreating nearly two and a half kilometers in that time alone. It's a pretty humbling experience to walk through a forest that was covered in hundreds of feet of ice not long ago. I made it just in time to this incredible, incredible viewpoint above the Mordorosch Valley, and man, the colors right now are simply phenomenal. I'm so surprised by how beautiful it is today given the forecast. Yeah, this is truly something special, and man, the Bernina Alps are just everything and more. It's pretty crazy to see the lateral moraine of where the Mordorosch Glacier used to be. I mean, I'm about two and a half kilometers away from the tongue of the glacier there now, and I can't imagine coming and standing here at this view and seeing the whole valley out there just covered in glacier, and you can see like right there how tall the glacier used to be in recent history, and of course it's retreated all the way back there, but you know, there was a time where the Mordorosch Glacier covered this entire valley, and yeah, sad to see. It's a beautiful place with all the large trees, but yeah, it's a harsh reality. Even when the rain starts falling and the clouds hang low, the Engadine Valley has a way of feeling magical. There's something about the mist rolling over the larches and the mountains disappearing into the clouds that make this place feel almost otherworldly. One of the things I love most about this region is how many short hikes there are, like the trail up to Log de Cavlogue. It's only about 20 minutes of steady uphill towards this beautiful alpine lake. When I reached the shoreline, the clouds were low, rolling over the valley and wrapping the mountains in mist. It was one of those moments where the world feels completely still. You could watch the hillsides disappear and reappear through the fog, almost like a painting come to life. Even as my view slowly faded, I couldn't help but feel grateful. To be here in this shifting landscape, noticing the subtle magic that comes when you least expect it. Most people think of satmarits and picture luxury resorts, high-end shops, and winter glamour, and it's true. This town has that reputation, and in the winter, it's a playground for skiers and travelers chasing the alpine highlife. But come here in autumn, and it feels like a completely different place. The crowds have thinned out, the air is crisp, and suddenly the town has this quiet, approachable side that's easy to miss. Trails start right from the edge of town, winding through the forests of larches, and the lakes catch the light in the early afternoon, reflecting the mountains that feel impossibly close. You can wander for hours and barely see another person. And the history here adds another layer. Satmarits has hosted the Winter Olympics twice, and the Olympic Stadium still sits here as a reminder of those incredible moments from the past. From Satmarits, it's easy to climb higher into the mountains, and my next stop was Mawatis Marai, a classic viewpoint overlooking the entire Engadine Valley. To get there, I took the funicular, a steep cable-driven railcar that carries you up the mountain. It was my first time ever riding one, and I gotta say, it was a pretty unique experience cruising upwards through the larches. Mawatis Marai itself has a long history as a mountain retreat. Tourists have been riding this funicular and enjoying these views since the early 1900s, and it's easy to see why. The views are surely to be some of the finest in the region. The only problem is the clouds weren't exactly cooperating. When I arrived, everything was shrouded in mist. For the first few hours, the valley and peaks were completely hidden, and I kept hoping that things would part in time for sunset. And then, after some shivering, some patience, and maybe a little bit of wishful thinking, it happened. The clouds started to break, pouring into the far ends of the Engadine Valley, the light gently canvassing the peaks just right. For a brief moment, it felt like the world stood still. There's something about standing there after waiting and hoping, watching it all unfold that makes the cold and the clouds all worth it, and reminds you why you keep coming back to places like this. You ever notice how a video can look amazing, but something feels off? Well, for a limited time, Musicbed is giving away a free year of sounds with any new subscription. Music and sound are the invisible ingredients for filmmaking. They're the things that tie your story together or pull it apart. Because when the sound fits, everything else falls into place. And that's why I use Musicbed. Your edits hit harder, your pacing feels intentional, and suddenly your story lands the way you intended it to. And that's the difference Musicbed brings. It feels real. There's no generic stock music or sounds. And from right now until December 8th, you can get an entire year of sounds for free when you start a Musicbed subscription. So if you're ready to level up the way your videos feel, switch to Musicbed and hear the difference for yourself. Use the code CyberMonday25 before the offer ends to unlock your free year of sounds. After a few days of gloomy weather, the clouds and rain finally gave way to one of the most beautiful mornings I've ever experienced in the Alps. As the sun rose, a low inversion layer hovered over Lake Sills, just above the turquoise glacier waters. I couldn't have dreamt up a more beautiful scene. It's definitely going to be a good day of making the most of the sunshine. And there's no better place for views near St. Moritz than Dia Voletsa. Sitting at 3,067 meters on a sweeping ridgeline above Bernina Pass, Dia Voletsa is one of the highest accessible viewpoints in the region. It's still one of my favorite feelings in the world to be above the clouds, especially when there's a view like this. The massive face of Peace Palau dominates the horizon, with the expansive Perse Glacier winding nearly seven kilometers towards the valley below. The scale here feels almost impossible to comprehend. All right, so I'm currently up at about 10,000 feet here at Dia Voletsa, which is one of the highest cable cars in St. Moritz area. And the cable car brings you to this incredible view of the Bernina Alps. And wow, the conditions today just couldn't be better. Off to my right here, I'm looking down at Bernina Pass, and there's this really thick inversion layer that's kind of coming up and over the ridge. But there's these really strong cold winds coming off the glacier over here that's kind of holding the inversion layer at bay. But every so often, everything just kind of perfectly collides and creates this just magical inversion layer, like a looking glass through the clouds. And man, this view is just so special and truly one of the most magical places in the Swiss Alps. To wrap up this week here in Switzerland, I headed towards one of my favorite places in the region, Lago Saucio. It's a unique adventure to get to the trailhead here. You board a cute little bus down in the valley that runs twice a day and drive up a windy narrow road to the village of Alp de Campo. And from there, it's a short 20-minute hike through the forest to the crystal clear waters of Lago Saucio. It was a beautiful place to reflect on these fading days of autumn here in the Alps and how underrated this region is as a whole. So many people overlook St. Moritz and the Engadin Valley in favor of more famous alpine destinations. Yet this place offers moments like this almost entirely to yourself. Maybe it's luck. Maybe it's one of Switzerland's best-kept secrets. But either way, this feels like a gift. It's been a magical week and I'm so glad that I got to share it with you. I'll see you next time.