Zermatt is One of Europe's Top
Ski Resorts
Picturesque Zermatt, Switzerland has been attracting skiers for decades.
Sitting in the shadow of the majestic Matterhorn, Zermatt has the real look and feel of the quintessential European ski village, complete with chalet-style accommodations, warm and cozy village gathering places, and a comfortable lack of tourists that makes this a wonderful place for a relaxing ski vacation.
Probably the neatest thing about this beautiful resort is the fact that there are no cars here. Rather, you'll see horses pulling sleighs full of rosy-cheeked, smiling visitors down the middle of the street or guests on skis making their way to the mountains for a wonderful day on the slopes.
Winters in Zermatt
One can easily understand why Zermatt is such a favorite with the locals. The village is surrounded by twenty-nine peaks, some that stretch to more than 13,000 feet. Because of the height of the mountains, Zermatt boasts some of the longest ski runs in Europe.
As a matter of fact, the Klein Matterhorn lift is the highest in the world, taking skiers up to a soaring 12,500 feet. From there, daring and energetic skiers can schuss their way into the village.
Also, thanks to the high altitude, Zermatt has an extremely long ski season. Most years, numerous slopes open in early November and remain open well into May. About ten percent of the ski area is even open for awesome summer glacier skiing!
Skiers of all levels can find appropriate terrain at Zermatt but the resort is definitely more geared towards intermediate and advanced skiers.
This resort also offers a lot of off-piste terrain for those who enjoy skiing the untouched snow, best accomplished with the help of a guide who knows the lay of the land and the dangers of off-piste skiing.
Snowboarders are welcome here, too. Zermatt offers two snow parks and two man-made half pipes for boarders of all levels. Boarders are also welcome on the majority of the pistes.
Other winter activities include ice skating, tobogganing, mountaineering, sleigh rides, heli-skiing, and lots of indoor pursuits, like tennis, swimming, or bowling.
Après Ski
Many of Zermatt's tourism brochures jokingly note that "après ski begins at noon" in this town. While that's not quite true, Zermatt does indeed offer a huge number of options for after-ski enjoyment.
Just on the mountain alone, you'll find thirty-five restaurants offering wonderful Swiss food and drink to warm you on a cold winter's day. These chalet-style eateries feature food that is truly part of the Swiss experience. In the village, there are a number of additional restaurants, clubs, and nightspots.
Summer in Zermatt
In the summer, this snowy wonderland becomes a wonderful place to explore on foot. The town offers 250 miles of mountain walking paths that will take you through pristine Alpine forests, past crystal clear lakes, and up and down peaks. Mountain biking on the dry, clean trails is also popular.
For less strenuous summer pursuits, hop a ride on one of the resort's cable cars and head up the mountain for a panoramic view of the area.
Many adventurers arrive in Zermatt with one goal in mind…climbing the Matterhorn. Those who wish to scale the 14,692 foot mountain should be experienced climbers and should only climb with the assistance of an expert guide. If you make it to the top, the views are guaranteed to be unmatched.
When to Go and How to Get There
As is true with most European resorts, Christmas week and the time between mid-February and Easter is peak season in Zermatt. That means accommodations will be more costly and slopes more crowded. For skiers, mid-season (early January to mid-February) is often the least crowded.
Zermatt, Switzerland is best accessed via the airports in Geneva or Zurich, with Geneva being the closer of the two cities.