Zermatt & Matterhorn

Gaze up at the Matterhorn from a car-free village, then ride the Glacier Paradise cable car, hike the Five Lakes Trail and take the Glacier Express: the peak of Swiss mountain experiences.

Zermatt sits at the head of a valley at about 1,620 m, at the foot of the Matterhorn's north side in the canton of Valais in southwestern Switzerland, and is one of the world's most famous mountain towns free of fuel-powered cars. Three mountain routes radiate from the village and form the core of the area. To the southeast, a cogwheel train climbs to Gornergrat (3,089 m) for a head-on view of the Matterhorn and the glaciers. To the east, an underground funicular runs to Sunnegga and on to Blauherd, the starting points for the Five Lakes hike. To the south, cable cars rise to Glacier Paradise (3,883 m), from where you can even cross the border to Cervinia in Italy. As for seasons, June–September is best for hiking and for reflections in the alpine lakes; in early October the larches turn gold and crowds thin out; December–April is ski season, and the Glacier Paradise area also offers summer skiing; late April–early June and November are the lift maintenance periods, when some lines are closed and are best avoided. Getting there: from Zurich or Geneva, take the train and change at Visp, about 3.5 hours in total; if driving, park at Täsch and take the 12-minute shuttle train into the village. The Glacier Express links Zermatt and St. Moritz, a journey of about 8 hours that requires advance seat reservations. We recommend 2–3 nights: the Matterhorn is often hidden in cloud, so each extra night gives you another chance to see it glow at sunrise. The Swiss Travel Pass covers the Visp–Zermatt section for free and gives 50% off the main mountain transport. Note: temperatures swing widely between morning and evening at altitude, so pack a warm jacket in any season; prices are higher than elsewhere in Switzerland, and peak-season accommodation should be booked months ahead; check the live webcams on the official website before heading up.

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