Things to do in Zermatt
And where to stay, the best time to visit, what a day costs, and the traps to skip.
Best time to visit Zermatt
• a note or something on ✦ an occasion worth the trip
Best skiing, snow sure, March adds long sunny terrace days.
Full winter domain, Christmas most expensive, April brings spring skiing and Zermatt Unplugged.
Best hiking, all lifts open, lakes swimmable, September clear and quieter with larches turning.
Shortened lifts, three lakes variant hikes and hotel discounts late in the month.
True dead season, many hotels and restaurants close, lifts limited to glacier skiing.
Mud and closure season, high trails snowbound and summer lifts not yet running.
What's on
- Zermatt Unplugged early April
Five days of acoustic concerts on village and mountain stages, ski by day and music by night.
- Patrouille des Glaciers April, biennial
Legendary ski mountaineering race from Zermatt to Verbier, a spectacle if dates align.
- Gornergrat Zermatt Marathon early July
Runners climb from Zermatt to the Gornergrat, spectate from train and terraces.
- Matterhorn Ultraks Usually a weekend in late August
International trail running races beneath the Matterhorn, village buzzes.
- Folklore Festival and Swiss National Day 1 August and mid-August
Traditional costume parades, alphorns and folk dance through the village.
- Zermatt Music Festival and Academy September
Classical chamber concerts in the village church and hotels, refined and uncrowded.
- Matterhorn Eagle Cup first Saturday in September
Adventure golf down the Gornergrat slopes from 2800m to 1400m.
- Taste of Zermatt September to October
Top local chefs cooking together and a guided gourmet hike between mountain restaurants.
Worth the trip for
Best things to do in Zermatt
Gornergrat
Cog railway to 3089m for the best panorama of Monte Rosa, Gorner Glacier and the Matterhorn.
Matterhorn Glacier Paradise
Highest cable car station in Europe at 3883m with glacier palace, snow all year and huge views.
Riffelsee
Still alpine lake giving the classic Matterhorn reflection, best early before wind and crowds.
5-Seenweg
Five lake walk from Blauherd to Sunnegga with Matterhorn reflections and a swimmable lake at Leisee.
Hinterdorf
Street of traditional Walser houses, barns and granaries dating back to the 16th century.
Matterhorn Museum - Zermatlantis
Underground museum recreating a 19th century village and telling the 1865 first ascent story.
Sunnegga
Sunny terrace and family area reached by funicular, with onward lifts to Blauherd and Rothorn.
Gorner Gorge
Narrow gorge with wooden walkways over turquoise glacial water, a good low cloud option.
Where to stay in Zermatt
Village Centre / Bahnhofstrasse and Church Square
first trip, all-round base
Flat car free heart with station, lifts, shops and restaurants within a 5 to 10 minute walk.
Winkelmatten
quiet luxury and Matterhorn views
Residential chalet quarter on the south eastern edge with direct Matterhorn framing and hotel shuttles.
Steinmatte / Sunnegga Side
skiers, first up and ski home
Closest to the Sunnegga funicular and ski run home, slightly elevated with superb views.
Schluhmatt / Furi Side
Glacier Paradise and quieter local feel
Toward the Glacier Paradise gondola and Furi, quieter but dependent on gondola or bus in the evening.
On the Mountain: Gornergrat and Riffelalp
one or two night splurge, sunrise and sunset
Sleeping at altitude for glacier sunrise and ski in ski out, impractical as a whole trip base.
Täsch
budget skiing base, not Zermatt atmosphere
Cheaper hotels 5km down the valley, 12 minutes by shuttle train, but you lose the evening village atmosphere.
Think twice about
- Low floor room directly on Bahnhofstrasse
Lively until late in apres season and electric carts start early. Ask for a back or upper floor room if noise matters.
- Steepest edge of village properties, upper Winkelmatten and upper Triftweg
Real slopes that are hard with mobility issues, luggage or a pram in snow.
- Furi or on the mountain for a first trip
Beautiful and peaceful but no restaurants on your doorstep and dependent on lifts to reach the centre.
Best restaurants in Zermatt
After Seven
Two-star surprise tasting menus from an open kitchen, winter season only.
Alpine Gourmet Prato Borni
Formal two-star dining room built as an homage to Valais produce and Alpine technique.
Ristorante Capri
Starred southern Italian seafood and pasta transplanted to the Alps.
Chez Vrony
Mountain lunch in a 100 year old farmhouse with fur draped terrace facing the Matterhorn.
Whymper-Stube
Reference fondue and raclette address in the historic hotel where Whymper stayed.
Restaurant Spycher
Traditional room known for flambeed meats and excellent service.
Schäferstube
Lamb and all in wood fire raclette menu melted the old way beside a wood fire.
Restaurant Zum See
Tiny hamlet restaurant in a 300 year old chalet with creative cooking and famous desserts.
Outdoor things to do in Zermatt
Zermatt Ski Area
360km of high pistes across three sectors, with glacier skiing all year and skiing into Italy.
Matterhorn Glacier Trail
Stark former glacier landscape of moraine and streams directly beneath the Matterhorn.
Hornli Hut Trail
Serious mountain walk to the Matterhorn base camp hut at 3260m with exposed sections.
Glacier Garden Trail
Mostly downhill walk past glacier potholes and a suspension bridge, glorious in autumn colour.
Breithorn
Guided roped ascent of a glaciated 4164m peak, the classic first 4000m summit.
Gorge Adventure Zermatt
Guided gorge route with zip lines, abseils, pendulum swings and via ferrata sections.
Via Ferrata Schweifinen
Three graded via ferrata sections above the village with huge views to the Matterhorn.
Fly Zermatt
Tandem paragliding flight of 15 to 25 minutes with the Matterhorn as backdrop throughout.
Best hotels in Zermatt
THE OMNIA
Contemporary lodge perched on rock above the village with spa, pool and Matterhorn terrace.
Grand Hotel Zermatterhof
Grande dame hotel from 1879 in the exact centre, formal and historic with fine dining inside.
Mont Cervin Palace
Central palace hotel with several restaurants, large spa and outdoor pool, good for families.
CERVO Mountain Resort
Contemporary lodges above the village at the ski run home, with apres terrace and onsen spa.
Riffelalp Resort 2222m
Mountain hotel at 2222m on the Gornergrat line, ski in ski out with pool facing the Matterhorn.
Hotel Pollux
Modern alpine hotel by the village square with small spa and well regarded in house restaurants.
Hotel Bristol
Family run three star near the Sunnegga lift, praised for staff, breakfast and Matterhorn views.
Hotel Walliserhof
Classic Swiss chalet style hotel in the centre with popular restaurant and warm service.
Is Zermatt expensive? What a day costs
| Budget | CHF 180 a person |
|---|---|
| Classic | CHF 380 a person |
| Splurge | CHF 900 a person |
A day of food, drink, sights and getting around, before the room
What to book ahead
- Gornergrat: a few days ahead
- Matterhorn Glacier Paradise: a few days ahead
- Sunnegga: a few days ahead
- Schwarzsee: a few days ahead
- Zermatt Ski Area: a few days ahead
- Breithorn: weeks ahead
- Gorge Adventure Zermatt: weeks ahead
- Fly Zermatt: weeks ahead
- Book hotels 3 to 6 months ahead for Christmas, February holidays and Zermatt Unplugged week.
- Book Chez Vrony, After Seven, Prato Borni and Zum See as soon as dates are fixed in season.
- Book guides, paragliding and Gorge Adventure early in the stay with a weather buffer.
Is Zermatt safe?
- Town is exceptionally safe. Real risks are weather, altitude, crevasses and avalanches.
- Never walk on a glacier unroped and hire a guide for any summit. Check the avalanche bulletin in winter.
- Ensure insurance covers mountain rescue and helicopter evacuation. Emergency services are world class and expensive.
Zermatt travel tips: tourist traps to skip
- Third party resellers charge close to double for Gornergrat tickets. Buy official.
- Do not do Gornergrat and Glacier Paradise on a cloudy day. Save the money for the clear day.
- Bahnhofstrasse terraces with photo menus and expensive sparkling wine pay for location, not cooking.
Getting around Zermatt: public transport and more
- You cannot drive to Zermatt. Park in Tasch and take the 12 minute shuttle train every 20 minutes.
- Walk the village, it is about 1.5km end to end. Hotels often collect you from the station by electric cart.
- Check the lift webcams every morning and pounce on the clear morning for summit days.
Who Zermatt suits
| Solo travellers | Good |
|---|---|
| Groups of friends | Good |
| Couples | Great |
| Bachelor parties | Good |
| Families | Good |
| Bachelorette parties | Good |
Make Zermatt your trip
Swearby drafts the days from places people swear by. Swap any stop, then invite the crew by text, even friends without the app. Vote on dates, track costs as you go, and everyone gets one number at the end.
Get Swearby on the App Store