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Your guide in visiting Zermatt, Switzerland
How to get to Zermatt?
Where to stay in Zermatt?
Skiing in Zermatt?
Where to eat in Zermatt?
Zermatt is truly an amazing place. The village is small with only one main shopping street running down the spine. However, it is charming and what makes it amazing is that it is wedged inside a valley surrounded by the mountains of the Pennine Alps. Of course, the boom of Zermatt is because of the Matterhorn. At 4478m, it is one of the highest peaks in the Alps. It all started at the first tragic ascent of the Matterhorn at 1865 led by Edward Whymper where four of its members fell to their deaths on the descent. (There is a lovely Museum in the village documenting the history of Zermatt and Matterhorn.) The Matterhorn has then been the symbol of the Swiss Alps and the image on the famous Toblerone chocolate.
The Matterhorn has always intrigued me. Its pyramidal peak I saw in photos and on the Toblerone chocolate has left a lasting image on my mind. It was my dream to see Matterhorn and I was not disappointed when I’ve visited Zermatt for the first time in 2015 which is also the 150 years anniversary of the first ascent by Edward Whymper. I am also an avid skiing so it makes perfect sense to visit Zermatt in the winter season where it boost great skiing with perfect view of the Matterhorn. Hiking in the summer is also very popular as well with many lakes that have the Matterhorn as its backdrop.
HOW TO GET TO ZERMATT
Given the sense of remoteness of Zermatt, it is actually not that difficult to get to with the great Swiss railroad system. One could go from Geneva or Zurich and I’ve started my journey to Zermatt from Zurich. Zurich is a lovely city by Lake Zurich and I’ve stayed a night at the Helmhaus Swiss Quality Hotel which I highly recommend. My Tripadvisor review can be found here.
Zermatt is around 3 hours train ride from Zurich. There are multiple trains daily and the Swiss Federal Railways or the SBB (short form in German) have a great website with online ticketing and booking system. I highly recommend you to download the app as well on iphone or andriod.
Zurich HB is the name of the Zurich central station and where the journey to Zermatt will start. From Zurich to Zermatt, you will need to change trains at Visp which is 2 hours train ride from Zurich. From Visp you will be boarding the Glacier Express (a special scenic train linking St. Moritz and Zermatt) which climbs 1000m from Visp to Zermatt. This train is much slower and will take an hour but setting the scene to Zermatt as you will see the Alps towering over you as it climbs up the valley to Zermatt.
Zermatt is a car free village meaning there are no cars allowed in Zermatt. If you are planning to drive to Zermatt, you need to park at the parking lot at Tasch and catch the train to Zermatt. Tasch is only 12 minutes from Zermatt and it’s the train station just before Zermatt. The only “cars” you see in Zermatt are small electric carts usually ran by the Hotels. If you email or call your hotel ahead of time and tell them your train arrival time, they will send their cart to pick you up from the station. It can be a hassle strolling your bags and skis from the station to the hotel. These electric carts also serves as taxis across the village of Zermatt.
WHERE TO STAY IN ZERMATT
I’ve stayed at the Backstage Boutique SPA Hotel. My Tripadvisor review can be found here. It turns out to be a fantastic choice. It is not on the main street of the village but at a side street parallel to it which is great because it’s close enough to everything but not as noisy and crowded. It can get quite noisy at night on the main street. It is only 5 minutes walk to the train station and to the Gornergrat station up to the Gornergrat side of the mountain (The Gornergrat station is right across from the Zermatt train station). A “designer” hotel so to speak which is more catered to the couple than the family. The hotel is new and not your typical swiss villa and if you are looking for those, this is definitely not for you. They have rooms facing the Matterhorn with a partial Matterhorn view. Nothing better than watching dawn and dust with Matterhorn changing colors right in front of you. The design of the room is not conventional and this is a designer hotel; some like it and some may not. I quite enjoy the turndown service especially for a ski trip. As most of us come back to the hotel to rest and shower after a day of skiing and then head out again later in the evening for dinner, the turndown service is great as the room is all freshen up after you come back to the room from dinner. I will not hesitate to stay with this hotel again for my next visit.
If I have an opportunity to try other hotels in Zermatt, these two will be one my list: Omnia Hotel and Cervo Hotel.
SKIING ZERMATT
I am an on-piste skiing so I am only going to comment on these. Zermatt offers very good Red/Blue intermediate runs throughout the mountain. If you are a good intermediate skier then you will have a very good time. I do find their Red piste, which is equivalent to the Blue runs in North America and what I am used to skiing, is a bit less challenging. I’ve enjoyed skiing both three sides of the mountain but did not venture to the Italian side which I think I should of but did not have time. I also did not get a chance to ski the Stockhorn which I heard is amazing. I will need a local guide to take me to that part next time.
Sunnegga/Rothern: You need to take the Sunnegga Funicular (basically an completely indoor tram) up to Sunnegga Station. The Furnicular station is about a 10 minutes walk from Zermatt Train Station. Sunnegga station is also where the beginners ski school is. The ride takes around 5 minutes. From Sunnegga, you can ski down to a few lovely mountain restaurants. Or, you can catch the Gondola up to Rothern.
Gornergrat: I don’t know anywhere you will actually need to take a train ride up the mountain to ski. The Gornergrat railway station is right across from the Zermatt Train station and it takes you to Gornergrat which is situated at an altitude of 3,089 m (10,135 ft). It makes the Gornergrat railway the second highest railway in Europe and the highest open-air railway of the continent. It is a must do in Zermatt even if you don’t ski. The view is lovely up in Gornergrat. However, this train is slow. It takes close to 20 minutes from bottom to the stop stopping at various stations along the way. This is also the reason I understand why some skiers avoid skiing this side because of the slow access. However, you will be rewarded with great view of the Matterhorn with most of its runs.
Furi/Schwarzsee/Matterhorn Glacier Paradise: This is the largest skiing area of the three sides of the mountain. The gondola station is at the other side of the village and I do suggest you take the e-bus which is free for skiers because it is way too long of a walk with your skis. Or some people will prefer to pay for a ride on the electric taxi carts. Below Furi are a few great mountain restaurants and the gondola up to the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise gives you jaw dropping views. At 3883 m, it is also the highest gondola station in Zermatt. Altitude sickness can be an issue there so some people suggest you acclimatize yourself before skiing up in the Glacier. It is the longest on-piste run in Zermatt from the top from Matterhorn Glacier Paradise all the way down to the village of Zermatt Furi gondola station.
WHERE TO EAT IN ZERMATT
This maybe is one of the best known secret of Zermatt; its mountain restaurants. They are mostly only accessible by ski as they are all beside a ski piste/trail. In the summer, you can walk to most of them as are accessible by hiking trails. Although, I do not recommend one walking/hiking to some of these restaurants in the winter without ski because the hiking trails are very difficult to walk on in winter with ice and snow. They are often quite steep as well.
Tip: Call or email ahead for reservation during the winter skiing season; yes, even if it’s for lunch (I mean the mountain restaurants are only open when the mountain is open), they get packed!
Blatten Restaurant – This mountain restaurant is on piste number 50 half way between Furi station and the bottom of the Gondola at Zermatt. The run is a red/blue run so it’s not steep at all but a bit narrow at places. The closer your get down to Zermatt, the flatter it is and it basically turns into a cross country trail for the last half mile or so. Fantastic food. You have to sit at the patio and if the weather is nice, you will get a interesting view of Matterhorn from this location although you are almost at the base of Zermatt so the view is not as impressive as you will on the other mountain restaurant which are higher up the mountain. Nonetheless, I will still think is a must go when in Zermatt. Read my Tripadvisor review here.
Hennu Stall – This is not really a restaurant but more like a bar and maybe the most famous place for apres ski in Zermatt. It gets packed at the end of the day with everyone having a good time. It is on the same piste/trail as Blatten and just a bit further down from Blatten Restaurant.
Chez Vrony – This is maybe arguably the most famous mountain restaurant in Zermatt and in Switzerland. I suppose it is because of the view you get. On the Sunnegga side of the mountain and half way down from Sunnegga to the bottom of the Findeln chair lift. Matterhorn is right in front of you if you sit in the huge patio space. The setting is absolutely stunning. I was unfortunate as I visited on an overcast day but the restaurant is in a hut/mountain cottage which is fantastic. The dinning room has great atmosphere of a mountain hut. Fantastic food again and this is absolutely a must visit in Zermatt. Beware if you are not skiing and thinking of hiking down from Sunnegga station during the winter. It is doable but quite dangerous and watch the time to catch the last Sunnegga funicular down to Zermatt. If not, you maybe stuck in the mountain. Read my Tripadvisor review here.
Findlerhof – Another must go mountain restaurant in Zermatt with the same view of Matterhorn because it is just a bit further down from Chez Vrony on the same trail. Look out for the church and where everyone parks their skiis. I actually think there is more charm to this restaurant than Chez Vrony. Finderhof got a patio and a lovely mountain cottage that I just wish I could go back today. Read my Tripadvisor review here.
Champagne Bar – You don’t often find a champagne bar beside a ski piste/trail but here in Zermatt this is exactly what you have. Try to plan your day so you will ski all the way down from Sunnegga to bottom of the funicular. It is not exactly the bottom of the funicular as you cannot ski all the way down but where the Hotel Cervo is. The champagne bar is along this trail and you cannot miss it. I believe they only serve Cliquot but nothing beat a glass or bottle of champagne after a day up on the mountain. This trail also gives you a perfect view of the village of Zermatt below. It really gives you a sense of the towering mountain peaks surrounding the village wedge in the valley.
Cervo Puro Restaurant in Hotel Cervo – Talking about Hotel Cervo above, I believe it is worth a visit to this boutique hotel, a true luxury mountain lodge. The restaurant Puro inside is worth a try. If you come at night, it gives you a great night view of the Zermatt village below. A tip is the hotel is above the base of the Sunnega furnicular. You access the hotel by taking an elevator up from inside the furniclar station at Zermatt. Read my Tripadvisor review here to understand how to gain access to the hotel at night. Bring your camera and tripod if you are into night photography. I didn’t bring mine thus the bad photo but you can tell what a view it has of the village below.
Schwyzer Stubli Restaurant in Schweizerhof Hotel – Great traditional Swiss food with live swiss folk music in the evening.
I just simply do not have time to visit all the mountain restaurants and below are the ones on my list that I did not get a chance to visit. I will definitely try all of them during my next visit.
Chez Heini , Heimberg (called 1818 now), Stafealp, Zum See , SIMI and Chalet Etoile (on the Italian side of the mountain)
