Winter Wonderland: Zermatt Trip Planning

Nestled under the watchful eye of the Matterhorn, Zermatt Switzerland is a magical place to visit in winter! With world-class skiing, luxury accommodations, a wide array of shopping options, and endless stops for glühwein, Zermatt offers something for everyone. Here’s what we learned form our time in Zermatt to help you with your trip planning.

Traveling to Zermatt

When planning your trip to Zermatt, keep in mind that the town does not have an airport and you will need to arrive by train. It also doesn’t allow cars, but there is a nearby village (Taesch) close to Zermatt that you can drive to, park, and then take a train the rest of the way. The closest main airports are Geneva and Zurich – both which are similar distances away. Once arriving in Zermatt, you could choose to walk to where you’re staying depending on how close you are, but more likely you can take one of the electric taxis that are waiting by the train station. If you really want to arrive in style, take a horse drawn carriage!

With Europe’s robust rail systems, it is easy to travel to Zermatt from just about anywhere. For our trip, we were traveling from Paris and we were able to effectively book a train to Geneva followed by a stop in Visp and lastly Zermatt. The train from Visp to Zermatt goes through beautiful mountain landscape and has wide windows to take in all the views!

Where to Stay

Zermatt offers many different types of accommodations to consider when planning your trip. One of the main things to choose is whether you are looking for a hotel within the village or if you’re looking for a ski-in/ski-out option on the mountain. The ski-in/ski-out options are great if your primary focus is hitting the slopes. The disadvantage is that you won’t have quick access to all that the village offers. On the flip side, hotels within the village put you within walking distance of shops, restaurants, bars, and other entertainment in town but require more effort and time to get on the slopes. Either option comes in a variety of prices ranges so make sure to shop around to find the best fit for your budget.

We chose to go with a village hotel option and stayed at Hotel Bristol. We really enjoyed our stay here with amazing views of the Matterhorn, great service, tasty food, and easy access to the best spots in the village. If you are going with a village hotel option, here are some things we’d recommend considering in your choice:

• Matterhorn views! Waking up to watch the morning sun hit the Matterhorn from the balcony of your hotel room is truly an unforgettable experience. If your budget allows for it, research the views that a hotel provides – many offer special room rates for those that provide the coveted view.
• A heated ski equipment room is a must if you are planning to ski over multiple days. This is not something we knew about going into the trip, but it was a big plus. Many hotels have a room that is designed to store your equipment in that offer heated storage, boot and glove dryers, and plenty of storage outside of your hotel room. Waking up to warm dry boots is a great start to your day!
• Though there are plenty of dining options in Zermatt, it was nice to have a hotel that offered their own dining. Hotel Bristol offered a nice buffet style breakfast which was very convenient to start your day instead of venturing out to find an option in the village.

Zermatt Skiing

Planning your trip to Zermatt is not complete without hitting the slopes! Not only do you get to ski with the Matterhorn as your backdrop, the resort area offers:

• Several distinct ski areas taking you all over the mountain valley (check out the maps here)
• Year-round skiing at the Glacier Paradise location
• The highest skiing and ski lift in Europe
• One of the longest ski runs in the world (over 20km!)
• The ability to ski down into Italy and back

We came to Zermatt with some light skiing experience but would still be considered at a beginner level compared to most people there. The easier slopes in the Sunnegga area to be a great place to start and also enjoyed the slopes in the Breuil-Cervinia area. We would recommend getting some practice in prior to skiing in Zermatt as it is more geared towards intermediate and advanced skiers. Now that we’ve gotten more into skiing since the trip, we hope to make it back!

There are various ski rental options in town – we choose to go with Matterhorn Sport. The service was great and there were many locations throughout the town where you could return your equipment to which was convenient. If you’re looking to keep your packing light, you can even rent things like ski pants and jackets.

Eating and Drinking – On & Off Piste

What’s more Swiss than eating fondu in your ski gear while overlooking the Matterhorn?!? Zermatt’s ski resort offers an impressive variety of dining options scattered amongst its slopes. We especially enjoyed our stop at Chez Vrony for the most amazing fondu views as well as stops on the Italian slopes for pasta and espresso! Note that most of the restaurants take reservations that can fill up quickly. Also keep in mind that these locations are only accessible by skiing or hiking so don’t expect to show up in your heels for lunch!

Once off the slopes and looking for some après drinks, Zermatt does not disappoint! We enjoyed wandering the streets making stops to try different variations of glühwein (many claim to have the best in town!) and relaxing watching the sun go down over the mountains with a refreshing beer.

Enjoying the Village

Zermatt was such a beautiful place to walk around and explore. With endless shops lining the pedestrian friendly streets you can spend countless hours wandering and taking it all in. Make sure to grab some freshly made chocolate treats and grab some souvenirs to remember your time in Zermatt. For those looking to gear up for the slopes, there are also many shops offering high end outdoor gear. We did find some convenient stores if you’re looking to stock up on supplies for your hotel or if you need to grab some personal supplies or medicine.

Looking for a unique experience while in the village? Visit the famous blacknose sheep that call the Zermatt mountains home. We really enjoyed the visit and the tour of the sheep barn including the drinks and appetizers that were included. Find out details for the visit here.

For more information on our international travels, check out our posts here!