Zermatt: Matterhorn Days, Car-Free
Description
A car-free village at the foot of the Matterhorn with three big mountain rides. It is expensive, and the views are the reason to pay.
Zermatt is reached by a train from Täsch, because cars stop there. The village is small, but the lifts are not: the Gornergrat cogwheel train, the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise cable car and the Sunnegga-Rothorn lifts all start in the centre. Clear mornings matter more than anything else, so give yourself two nights and keep one half day flexible.
Gornergrat costs about CHF 132 return in summer (less in winter), and the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise cable car about CHF 109; a combined ticket is around CHF 229. Hiking the Five Lakes trail and walking to Riffelsee for the reflection of the Matterhorn are free once you are up. Prices for hotels and food are among the highest in Switzerland, so budget travellers often stay in Täsch or Visp.
Activities
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RiffelseeA small lake near Rotenboden famed for the Matterhorn mirror image on calm mornings; a short walk from the Gornergrat train.Book
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Matterhorn MuseumAn underground museum telling the story of the first ascent and the village; entry around CHF 12.Book
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Zermatt Village and HinterdorfNarrow lanes of old wooden chalets and barns on stilts just behind the main street; free to walk.Free
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Gorner GorgeA short walk through a rocky gorge carved by the glacier river, with wooden walkways; entry about CHF 5.Book
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Matterhorn Glacier ParadiseThe highest cable car station in Europe, with a glacier palace and wide views. A return ticket starts around CHF 109; a combination ticket with Gornergrat is about CHF 229.Book
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Top things to do in Zermatt
Gallery
Where to eat
Mid-range Restaurant GoldenIndia Zermatt
Vegetarian-friendly restaurant in Zermatt, rated 4.7 on Google by 1,898 guests.
Vegetarian options- 300 m from Matterhorn Museum
- 330 m from Zermatt Village and Hinterdorf
Luxury Restaurant Spycher
Vegetarian-friendly restaurant in Zermatt, rated 4.8 on Google by 697 guests.
Vegetarian options- 230 m from Matterhorn Museum
- 260 m from Zermatt Village and Hinterdorf
Luxury Madre Nostra by CERVO
Vegetarian-friendly restaurant in Zermatt, rated 4.7 on Google by 747 guests.
Vegetarian options- 520 m from Matterhorn Museum
- 580 m from Zermatt Village and Hinterdorf
Mid-range L‘ Atelier Grandsire
Vegetarian-friendly restaurant in Zermatt, rated 4.8 on Google by 392 guests.
Vegetarian options- 280 m from Matterhorn Museum
- 340 m from Zermatt Village and Hinterdorf
Mid-range Bazaar by CERVO
A vegetarian-focused restaurant in the Cervo resort with all-day dishes and a best-of menu midweek.
Vegetarian options- 530 m from Matterhorn Museum
- 590 m from Zermatt Village and Hinterdorf
Luxury Potato Fine Food Restaurant
Vegetarian-friendly restaurant in Zermatt, rated 4.7 on Google by 288 guests.
Vegetarian options- 210 m from Matterhorn Museum
- 240 m from Zermatt Village and Hinterdorf
Mid-range Restaurant Genepy
Vegetarian-friendly restaurant in Zermatt, rated 4.9 on Google by 159 guests.
Vegetarian options- 1.1 km from Zermatt Village and Hinterdorf
- 1.1 km from Matterhorn Museum
Mid-range Vegistube
A small fine-dining vegetarian and vegan restaurant in an alpine setting; open seasonally, a few evenings a week.
Vegetarian options- 120 m from Matterhorn Museum
- 140 m from Zermatt Village and Hinterdorf
Where to stay
Hotel Testa Grigia
Hotel Bahnhof Zermatt
Cozy rooms & dorms in a relaxed hostel dating from 1902, plus a kitchen, a terrace & mountain views.
Zermatt Budget Rooms
Informal budget hotel in a building's basement offering access to a spa, a gym & tennis courts.
Tradition Julen Hotel
Warm hotel in the mountains offering cozy quarters, plus a rustic-chic restaurant/bar & a spa.
SCHLOSS Hotel Zermatt nähe Bahnhof mit Spa & Yoga
Refined hotel offering a spa & a bar with a lounge, plus free Wi-Fi & breakfast.
The Omnia
Sophisticated hotel offering free breakfast, posh dining & a spa, plus a terrace & mountain views.
Hotel Firefly
CERVO Mountain Resort
Chic quarters with balconies in a high-end mountain resort offering bars, dining & a posh spa.