The Art of
Indian Summer
Fine Living & Photography Retreat at Grace La Margna, St. Moritz
MID OCTOBER, 2026 · LIMITED TO 2 GUESTS
There are a few weeks each October when the Engadin holds its breath. The larches turn to gold, the lakes become mirrors, and the light arrives with a warmth and clarity found nowhere else in the Alps. It lasts only days. This retreat is built around that light.
THE EXPERIENCE
Four days of golden light, five-star refinement, and inspired photography
The Art of Indian Summer is an invitation to slow down — to step out of the ordinary and into four days of golden autumn light, five-star refinement, and inspired photography in one of Switzerland's most iconic landscapes.
Hosted at the Grace La Margna, where Jürg Kaufmann's fine art photographs adorn the suites and lounges, this retreat blends artistic photography, slow living, fine dining, and alpine wellness into a single, seamless experience.
You are not simply attending a retreat. You are living inside a gallery
Each morning, we venture into the Engadin's most extraordinary autumn settings — the mirror-still waters of Lej da Staz at dawn, the ancient larch forests of Val Rosegg, the vast stillness of Lake Sils, and the glacial grandeur of the Diavolezza. Jürg guides you through each location with the unhurried attention of someone who has photographed these places for over a decade.
Evenings return you to the warmth of the Grace La Margna. Carefully curated dining experiences celebrate the Engadin's culinary heritage, and the hotel's wellness spa offers a place to reflect, restore, and let the day's impressions settle before tomorrow's light.
YOUR GUIDE
Jürg Kaufmann
Jürg Kaufmann is a Swiss fine art and corporate photographer whose work spans the Alps, the world's great sailing regattas, and the Atlantic's biggest waves.
His photographs are held in private and public collections internationally, and his long-term conservation project, Glaciers.today, documents the transformation of the Engadin's glaciers in real time.
The Grace La Margna is one of the most significant collectors of his work — making this retreat a rare opportunity to learn alongside the artist whose vision defines the very spaces you'll inhabit.
WHAT YOU WILL EXPLORE
The art of seeing differently
This retreat is about seeing more, seeing differently, and finding the creative confidence to trust what your eye discovers.
Observing before photographing
The practice of seeing the image before raising the camera — cultivating the patience and awareness that transforms snapshots into art.
The art of composition
Landscape and nature photography guided by a practising fine art photographer — finding structure, balance, and surprise in every frame.
Mastering natural light
From the soft gold of dawn to the long shadows of the alpine afternoon — learning to read, anticipate, and work with the Engadin's extraordinary light.
Unlocking creativity
Step out of the everyday. Discover new perspectives, create new variations — and give them room to breathe.
Developing your personal photographic voice through the landscapes of the Engadin.
YOUR HOME FOR FOUR DAYS
Grace La Margna, St. Moritz
A landmark of Alpine hospitality, the Grace La Margna combines the Art Nouveau grandeur of its original 1906 façade with a contemporary wing designed by London's Divercity Architects. The result is a five-star-superior hotel that feels both timeless and unmistakably modern — where panoramic views of Lake St. Moritz, celebrated cuisine, and a world-class spa create the perfect counterpoint to the days spent in the landscape
A living gallery
Jürg's fine art photographs are part of the hotel's permanent collection, displayed throughout the suites and public spaces — you are staying inside the artist's world
Culinary excellence
Three distinctive restaurants — Mediterranean cuisine at THE VIEW, prime cuts at Beefbar, and Alpine classics at Stüvetta Moritz — plus the iconic N/5 bar.
Wellness & spa
A 20-metre thermal pool, Finnish and bio-salt saunas, steam bath, and treatments by myBlend and Aesop — designed for deep restoration after a day in the mountains.
Offered once per year as part of the Grace La Margna experience programme.
5-STAR SUPERIOR · SMALL LUXURY HOTELS OF THE WORLD · 1 MICHELIN KEY
EXCLUSIVE EXPERIENCE
Above the Engadin
For those who wish to take the experience further — photographing from a helicopter is unlike anything on the ground. The light shifts, the angles change every second, and every second is precious. The real challenge is balancing the raw emotion of what you see with the creative precision to capture it.
The experience begins before you leave the ground: a thorough introduction to aerial photography that ensures you step into the helicopter with clarity and confidence.
From there, Jürg — with over 100 flights as an aerial photographer — guides you through some of the most extraordinary perspectives the Alps have to offer: the golden Engadin from above, the glacial Bernina massif, and the legendary Biancograt at nearly 4,000 metres. Very few people will ever see this. Fewer still will photograph it well.
THE DEEPER THREAD
GLACIERS.TODAY
Glaciers.today is Jürg's most personal long-term project. Since 2023, high-resolution cameras installed at over 3,000 metres on the Diavolezza capture the Pers Glacier, Piz Palü, and Piz Bernina every thirty minutes — day and night, summer and winter. Over 30,000 images. No selection, no filter. The camera shows what is.
During this retreat, you visit the Diavolezza and see this installation firsthand. In a world flooded with artificial images, this is something rare: an unbroken visual record of what is actually happening — slowly, relentlessly, and without agenda.
Everything we do has an impact. The glaciers simply make it visible.
#consideryourimpact
THE INVITATION
We would be delighted to welcome you
A few days of golden light, creative depth, and alpine refinement at Grace La Margna, St. Moritz.