Travel Guide For Zermatt, Switzerland (Winter Edition)
Zermatt was our love at the first sight when we laid our eyes on its most impressive mountain in the world, Matterhorn. In Winter, Zermatt is one of our absolute favourite places to be in Switzerland, as it ticks all the boxes for an unforgettable winter getaway.
To start with, location location location! Zermatt offers breathtaking views that few places in the world can match. We are in awe every time when we see the iconic mountain Matterhorn rising majestically above the surrounding glaciers with its impressive large, near-symmetric pyramidal peak. The village of Zermatt itself is also incredibly charming with its century-old barns, chocolate-coloured chalets and cobblestone streets. With an elevation of around 1,600 meters, the village is pretty much always covered in snow throughout the winter months. It makes you feel like living in a magical snow globe. Zermatt is also incredibly clean and quiet thanks to its decade-long car-free policy.
Secondly, if you are a foodie like us, in Zermatt, you will be spoiled with a wide range of culinary options, from traditional Swiss dishes or contemporary creations, from little street vendors to Michelin-starred restaurants. You can find them in the village as well as on the snow slopes. Some of best food we had were actually on the mountains. Moreover, many of these restaurants also offer stunning view to the Matterhorn.
Last, but not the least, Zermatt is one of the top ski resorts in Switzerland, in Europe as well as in the world. Every year, thousands of skiing enthusiasts coming from all over the world to experience miles of pistes with fantastic slopes that border Italian Alps. Lucky for us, Zermatt is not just a ski resort for the elite skier, but also for everyone. There are 360 kilometres of blue (easy), red (intermediate), black (hard) and yellow (off piste) runs, which are suitable for families, ski professionals and anybody in between. Moreover, Zermatt has an amazing ski infrastructure with its modern lifts and cables cars (with the heated seats!!!). However, if skiing is not your thing, don’t worry, there are also plenty of other activities to keep you entertained.
How to get to Zermatt
Getting to Zermatt is actually quite easy. Since Zermatt is car-free, with the exception of e-taxis and e-buses, you are not allowed to travel there in your own private vehicle. The best way is to park your car in a secure parking lot in Täsch (we alway chose the park house right by the train station), which is five kilometres away from Zermatt. Once you park your car, you can get a luggage trolley to carry all your luggages and ski equipments. The trolley is free, but you need a CHF 5 coin per trolley to get it out. Once you arrive at Zermatt, you can return the trolley and get your CHF 5 back. The trolley can be easily pushed onto the train and securely locked in the coach. The train ride takes about 12 minutes and runs in both directions every 20 minutes.
As a more convenient alternative, you can opt to take a train from Zürich or St. Mortiz. These trips are beautiful as they take you through the deepest cleft valley in the entire country.
Getting around in Zermatt
Zermatt is a small village. You can pretty much walk everywhere. Upon arrival, most hotels offer luggage pick-up and drop-off services to their guests. There are also bus lines that can take you to different parts of the villages.
How many nights in Zermatt
I’d suggest at least for three to five nights to ski and enjoy other snow-related activities. We prefer to stay about seven nights.
Where to stay in Zermatt
There are many amazing hotels and rental apartments in Zermatt. Our favourite and go-to hotel is Cervo Zermatt. We have stayed there three times and loved our experience every time. Not only the rooms we stay were clean, beautiful, luxury (but in a understated way), but also there services we experienced were excellent. The staff are very friendly, well-trained and professional (even though they are a relative young team). They always make an efforts to make you feel welcome and comfortable. Moreover, the food in Cervo Zermatt is absolutely amazing, too. Their Ferdinand restaurant, which offers traditional Swiss cuisines, such as cheese or meet raclette, cheese fondues, is considered the best restaurant for such dishes in Zermatt. Also their outdoor terrace with a breathtaking view to the Matterhorn is THE Après-Ski spot in the village.
What to see and do
Take a train to Gornergrat
When you visit Zermatt, you must ride one of the world’s first fully-electrified cog railway - The Gongergrat train. This 40-minutes train ride will be an unforgettable highlight of your trip. It starts from the Zermatt village, takes you over the bridges, through the forests, pass the frozen lakes before finally arrive at the highest point of Gornergrat at 3089 meters.
From there, don’t hold your breath too long as the panoramic views can certainly take them away.. Not only can you admire the views of the Gorner Glacier and Matterhorn, that is both impressive in size and beauty, but you can also marvel at 28 other 4,000-meter-high mountain peaks, including Switzerland’s highest peak – The Monte Rosa. If you are feeling adventurous, you can even hike through this untouched landscape with snowshoes to explore these mountain ranges further.
Before taking the train back down to the village, why not stop for a traditional Swiss meal at the restaurant that is perched atop the rocky ridge.
Staying overnight at Iglu Dorf
Want to keep the Matterhorn all to yourself, eat as much cheese fondue as you can stomach, sleep in a romantic igloo suite made with snow with a private jacuzzi, watch the stars at night on the top of the mountain, and then wake up with a cup of hot chocolate by your side? Then you definitely don’t want to miss a night of stay at Iglu Dort Zermatt. You can read up more of this experience on my previous blog post.
Glacier Paradise
Another way to marvel a breathtaking 360-degree mountain views is to head to the Glacier Paradise, Europe’s highest mountain station that rests 3,883 meters above sea level. Here you can see the mountain peaks of Switzerland, France and Italy from a single viewing deck. The views are unsurpassed.
Rotenboden Toboggan Run (Sledging)
If skiing and snowboarding is not your thing, why not try the toboggan run on the Gornergrat, which is not only the Alps’ highest but also one of the most beautiful. The thrilling run from Rotenboden to Riffelberg covers 234 vertical metres and lasts about 10 minutes. First, you need to ride the cog train to Rotenboden station, rent a sledge at the train station, and then follow the sledge path and go all the way down to Riffelberg station. When you finish, you can just give the sledge back to the station staff at Riffelberg. This activity is suitable for families and the kids.
Where to eat
This wonderful Swiss style restaurant from Cervo Mountain Resort is one of the hot spots in Zermatt. Contrast to the traditional dark wooden chalet style, Ferdinand has a kind of airy, stylish, yet still cozy atmosphere, which is very refreshing. They offer grilled meat, fondue and raclette using local sourced produce. The mountain cheese is made right in the Zermatt village, just a few hundreds meters away from the hotel. The staff is young, but very friendly, efficient and attentive. The cheese fondue with champagne and truffles is something definitely worth trying. Reservation is highly recommended.
At 2130 metres in Findeln above Zermatt, Chez Vrony is a beautifully furnished mountain farmhouse with multiple culinary awards. it is one of the few restaurants that still serving organic home produce from livestock raised solely on Alpine grass. The dried beef, homemade sausage and Alpine cheeses are based on traditional recipes, handed down over generations. Here not only will yo enjoy a warm and genuine welcome, natural cuisine using fresh and local ingredients, but also a breathtaking view of the Matterhorn.
Of course, so much more can be experienced in Zermatt than what I have listed here. I will leave some room for you to explore on your own. There is no doubt in my mind, that Zermatt will offer you the winter fairytale that you have always dreamed of.