Lake Silvaplana, Lake in the Upper Engadine, Grisons, Switzerland
Lac de Silvaplana is a lake in the Upper Engadine valley, in the Swiss canton of Grisons, sitting between Lake Sils to the west and Lake St. Moritz to the east. It lies just south of the Julier Pass at an elevation of roughly 5,900 feet (1,800 m) above sea level.
The lake was shaped by glaciers that once covered the Engadine valley over many centuries. Some of the surrounding glaciers, such as the Vadret dal Tremoggia, still feed meltwater into it today.
The lake is well known among windsurfers and kitesurfers because the Maloja wind blows steadily and strongly across the water. On windy days, the lake fills with colorful sails while spectators watch from the shore.
The shore is easy to reach on foot or by bike, with marked paths running around the lake. Summer winds are at their strongest, which is great for water sports but can feel brisk for those just walking along the edge.
In 1881, the philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche was walking along the shore of this lake when he said the idea of the Eternal Recurrence came to him, one of his most debated concepts. The spot he described is near a rock on the western shore, close to the village of Sils Maria.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
