In St. Moritz every January, winter isn’t just a season—it’s a stage. The Snow Polo World Cup transforms a frozen lake into an arena where sport, fashion, and tradition blend. Celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2025, it unfolds between fast horses, clinking champagne flutes, and heavy furs— they all become one. It’s unclear whether people are here for the game or the spectacle. Maybe just both.

Getting there is part of the ritual. Sure, there’s the fast route—car or private jet—but the Bernina Express feels like the right way in. The train moves from city to silence, before rolling into a town where everything is effortlessly polished.

Once on site, the mood is immediately electric. The frozen expanse, converted into a full-scale polo field with grandstands, VIP areas, and pony tents, buzzes with energy. There’s elegance in a way that luxury coexists with a laid-back air of exclusivity. Every match unrolls like a living performance. The natural stage comes alive as horses charge, their breath catching the light in fleeting, almost poetic moments, while snow clouds formed by their swift turns add a dramatic, ever-changing backdrop. The crowd, too, plays a vital role in this, each spectator contributing to the vibrant mosaic.

As the weekend draws to a close, one can’t help but feel the bittersweet pull of returning to everyday life. The ride back becomes a journey from an almost surreal bubble.