Chic Delights: Bernina Pass

Badrutt Palace Hotel.

St. Moritz, Switzerland is the other end of our train journey along the Bernina Pass.

St Moritz, Switzerland - Elevation 2,328 m (7,638 ft) - a jetsetting Ski resort of the "rich and famous" and former site of two Winter Olympics in 1928 and 1948.

The town of St. Moritz is located in the Engadine Valley of Switzerland and in the Swiss canton of Graubunden. Right between the Badrutt Palace Hotel and the Alps (in the picture above) is the Lake St. Moritz. During winter time,the frozen lake allows professional Polo players to play a Polo tournament which is an event attended by International jetsetters. This town is a luxury resort town. I mean LUXURY. Every shop in this town are all of the major luxury fashion design houses in the world from Hermes, Rolex, Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels, Ralph Lauren, Jill Sander, Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Prada, Bally, among others. Of course, there are many Swiss Chocolate shops along the way. It is a beautiful town to visit especially during high season-from November to April (Winter) and June to September (Summer). Besides shopping, this town is truly for the sports minded too- both winter and summer sports from Skiing, ice skating, cross country skiing, bobsleigh, Winter Polo to the summers sports of sailing, cycling, running and even fishing! I enjoyed the natural beauty of the town as it has the lake and surrounded by the Swiss Alps all around! So breathtaking!

This street just like all around St. Moritz are lined with luxury designer shops from Cartier, Boucheron, Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Hermes, Jill Sander among many others. I wish I took more pictures of the luxury stores but I was more impressed by the beautiful natural surroundings of the town.

St. Moritz Library.

The Clock Tower.

Swiss Chalets.

View of the Kempinski Grand Hotel and the Majestic Swiss Alps

Basilica of Madonna Di Tirano.

During this week of Holy Week for Catholics, I would like to share the Pilgrimage Basilica of the Madonna Di Tirano. My family and I visited this town by chance on our way to ride the Bernina Pass Train which starts in the town of Tirano. The town of Tirano is located in Northern Italy in the region of Lombardy. We didn't know that the Church in town was actually a Pilgrimage Basilica. The shrine is dedicated to the appearance of the Blessed Mother to Mario Degli Omodei on September 29, 1504, an event religious pilgrims credit with ending a pestilence. In honour of the Blessed Mother Mary's appearance, they built a Renaissance Basilica in the 1500s. One of the joys of travel is always discovering new places unexpectedly. This town was one of the places that we enjoyed discovering unexpectedly.

Town of Tirano.

Piazza of the Basilica with the backdrop of the snow covered Alps.

Madonna Di Tirano Shrine beautiful designed with golden and marble angels.

Madonna Di Tirano Shrine where pilgrims come to visit Mother Mary to offer their prayers - both petitions and thanks.

The baroque organ and Pulpit in the Basilica. The whole Basilica was designed in the Renaissance style from the 1500s. Very intricate carvings in the walls, ceilings and the dome.